- American fugitive in Phuket faces deportation to US
PHUKET: An American man arrested in Phuket on Friday faces deportation to the United States, where is wanted by the Californian Supreme Court on drugs charges and involvement in lewd shows. Phuket Immigration Police moved in and arrested 46-year-old Michael Anthony Matos at 6pm at an address on Nanai Road in Patong, renowned worldwide as Phuket’s party town for adult. This morning, Phuket Immigration Police Superintendent announced the arrest and presented Mr Matos to the press.
- PHUKET OPINION: Speak loudly, but leave ‘big stick’ on mainland
PHUKET: As this week passed, the non-event of the Red Shirt rally apparently planned to be held at Nai Yang Beach
- Man stabs boy, 7, in head with screwdriver on Phuket Town street
PHUKET: Police this afternoon arrested a man after he randomly stabbed a 7-year-old boy in the head with a screwdriver while the child was playing with friends in Phuket Town Still in tears and shocked by the attack, the boy’s mother, Chareerat Naksri, told the Phuket Gazette that the stab wound narrowly missed the right ear of her son, Krittamet “Best” Kingsaiyut. “I was not with him when it happened. I was at a parent-teacher meeting at Bang Niew School.
- Monk defrocked after alleged drunk, drugged altercation at funeral
PHUKET: A monk has been defrocked in Phuket and is being held by police after a violent and possibly drug-induced incident at a cremation ceremony this morning. At about 10am Nusit Phanu, reportedly leapt from a wall at Wat Saensuk temple in Phuket Town and seized a 12-year-old girl by her neck. Mr Nusit was was reportedly seen drunk near the temple earlier this morning.
- Phuket rape suspect has not confessed: Chalong Police
PHUKET: Chalong Police Superintendent Sirisak Wasasiri at 2:35pm today confirmed to the Phuket Gazette that Sakchai Thongseedam has not confessed to the rape of a young German tourist in Phuket on Thursday. Mr Sakchai was
- French tourist drowns as Phuket surf danger season begins
PHUKET: One tourist has drowned and a Thai woman narrowly escaped a similar tragedy after being caught in strong surf on Phuket’s west coast this afternoon. Uten Singsom, head of the Phuket Lifeguard Club team at Kata-Karon, told the Phuket Gazette that a lifeguard pulled a Thai woman, aged about 30, from the surf in front of Karon Circle at about 2pm.
- Phuket’s Bangla street touts warned: ‘Hands off tourists’
PHUKET: Patong Police have warned touts plying Phuket’s renowned Soi Bangla that they are not to touch tourists whilst soliciting. “And they are not to drink alcohol while they are working,” said Patong Police Deputy Superintendent Akanit Danpitaksat. Lt Col Akanit explained to the Phuket Gazette that the new rules for working the streets of Patong are the orders of Patong’s new police chief, Sermpan Sirikong.
- Thailand’s national ID database crash attributed to ‘server problem’
PHUKET: The system crash of Thailand’s Department of Provincial Administration central database in Bangkok, affecting Phuket and the rest of the country yesterday and this morning, has been attributed to a “server problem”. Phuket City Municipality was informed yesterday by the Region 8 Bureau of Registration Administration in Surat Thani of the problem, saying that some of the database system’s services were temporarily unavailable. Services suspended included issuance of national identity cards and registration of births and deaths.
- Phuket hotel receptionist denies raping tourist
PHUKET: The Phuket resort receptionist charged with raping a German tourist has denied the police allegation, saying the incident was of “mutual consent”. Sakchai Thongseedam, a reception staffer at the Centara Karon Resort Phuket, was charged by Chalong Police after a German woman in her 20s staying at the resort filed a complaint yesterday. The woman, whose name is being withheld, said in her police statement – recorded in written Thai by special case officer
- Phuket takes drug war to the coffee shop
PHUKET: In a marked departure from the usual line in tackling drugs on the island, Phuket Vice Governor Chamroen Tipayapongtada yesterday took time out to sit down with local village leaders and discuss the drug problem over a cup of coffee. Joined by Col Jirasak Siemsak of Cherng Talay Police Station and Cherng Talay Tambon Administration Organization (OrBorTor) Vice President Siri Yokthong, Vice Governor Chamroen sat down at a coffee shop in Bang Tao, on Phuket’s west coast, with local village headman, an imam and government officers in the area. V/Gov Chamroen explained to the group that in the past six months, provincial authorities had tallied 1,637 drug cases: 734 of those cases involved ya ice (crystal methamphetamine), 564 involved ya bah (methamphetamine), 140 cases involved dry marijuana and the remaining 36 cases involved “other drugs”.
- Phuket readies for Phuket Games 2012
PHUKET: Phuket Vice Governor Sommai Prijasilpa today opened a “coordination center” to act as an information kiosk and souvenir shop for the Thailand National Youth Games 2012, dubbed the “Phuket Games 2012”. An estimated 14,000 athletes, fans, spectators, supporters and coaching staff expected to arrive in Phuket during the coming week for the event, which will run from May 26 to June 5. Located at Saphan Hin, near Phuket Town, the center offers programs of the scheduled events to be held throughout the games as well as souvenirs.
- Phuket tourists left to save themselves from dangerous surf
PHUKET: Beach vendors have expressed their fears that it is only a matter of time before someone drowns at Phuket’s popular Nai Harn Beach, as distressed tourists are seen daily in the strong surf. “Since April, Thais and foreigners who regularly hang out at Nai Harn Beach, such as surfers, have often had to go out and save people who are in trouble and waving their arms for help,” beach vendor Song “Dui” Sa-ingtong told the Phuket Gazette. “It’s lucky that no one has drowned yet.
- Two accidents on Thepkrasattri Road as bad weather hits Phuket
PHUKET: Although the adverse weather is not thought to have directly caused either accident, it may well have been a factor in at least one of the two accidents that occurred along Phuket’s notorious Thepkrasattri Road yesterday. The first incident, shortly after midnight, involved a modified Isuzu D-Max pickup which struck an electricity pole on Thepkrasattri Road in the vicinity of the Tesco Lotus shopping center in Thalang. Kusoldharm Rescue Foundation workers and Baan Nai Khlam volunteers attended the scene.
- Heavy rains prompt Phuket flood, landslide warning
PHUKET: While the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD) today upgraded its “heavy rain warning” for Phuket and the Andaman coast to a flood caution, the Phuket provincial office of the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM-Phuket) has issued a flood warning for risk areas across the island “We sent the warning letter to every local administration yesterday, warning of possible flooding and landslides on the island,” DDPM-Phuket chief San Jantharawong told the Phuket Gazette this morning. “If they need any help from us [DDPM-Phuket] they will be able to call,” he added. The DDPM-Phuket has asked people in high-risk areas to beware of flooding through to Saturday, when the heavy rains are expected to ease.
- PHUKET GEM HEIST UPDATE: Turk to face drug charges first
PHUKET: The Turkish national who was arrested in connection with the 30-million-baht gem and jewelry heist in Phuket on Monday will face drug possession charges before being handed over to the Phuket Police to face charges related to the gem heist. Phuket Provincial Police Commander Chonasit Wattanavrangkul told the Phuket Gazette that Riza Balkan, 49, was found in possession of ya ice (crystal methamphetamine) when searched by Trang Police on Monday. “Riza Balkan needs to be held in Trang for his drug case first before being transferred to Phuket to face charges related to the jewelry theft,” Maj Gen Chonasit said.
Phuket Gazette