Phuket

Alleged jewel thief arrested in Koh Lanta

Published

15 years ago

November 8, 2004

Alleged jewel thief arrested in Koh Lanta | The Thaiger

KOH LANTA: Anthony “Dirk” De Weirdt, wanted for questioning in connection with missing jewelry worth an estimated 18 million baht, was arrested on Koh Lanta on Friday following a tip-off.

De Weirdt, a Belgian who was formerly the factory manager of Bangkok’s CB Fine Jewelry, disappeared shortly after precious stones and other items were found missing from the company’s safe on October 23.

Because of a public holiday, the missing items were not noticed until the following Tuesday.

De Weirdt was arrested by officers from the Metropolitan Police Bureau Division 6 from Bangkok at 5 pm on November 5 in front of the Lanta Palace Resort on Koh Lanta.

He was taken to Bangkok and paraded in front of the media on Saturday and has, police said, confessed to the crime. Items from the heist were recovered and also displayed with De Weirdt.

It appears that he gave some of the jewelry to his wife, 39-year-old Lalin Boonmee. She was arrested at her Ladphrao condominium in Bangkok some time after her husband.

De Weirdt has been charged with robbery. Officers found passports in his possession in at least two other names – Dominique Jean Denis Verbestel and Richard P Branson – so charges relating to forged documents look likely to follow.

Police are also coordinating their investigation with the Belgian Embassy in Bangkok after a check on De Weirdt’s background revealed that, while in Antwerp, he allegedly committed fraud against several gem suppliers.

If found guilty in Thailand he will first serve a prison term in the Kingdom before being sent back to Belgium to face charges there.

On-Urma Chaisamroeng, secretary to the managing director of CB Fine Jewelery, said that the US$50,000 (2.3-million-baht) reward offered by the company will go to the arresting officers rather than to the person or persons who reported De Weirdt’s whereabouts to the police.

De Weirdt and Lalin remain in police custody in Bangkok.

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Crime

Thalang Police arrest local Phuket drug dealer with amphetamine pills

Published

2 hours ago

October 20, 2019

The Thaiger

PHOTOS: เหยี่ยวข่าว ภูเก็ต Newshawk Phuket

Thalang Police have arrested a local drug dealer with more than 192 amphetamine pills. Thalang police in Phuket arrested 29 year old Wimon Songkong from Nakhon Si Thammarat with 192 amphetamine pills that he was carrying when they nabbed him in front of a 7-Eleven store inside a PTT gas station on Thepkasattri Road, in Thalang District.

The amphetamine pills were packed in a black zip-lock plastic bag, which was hidden in his grey shoulder bag. Two of the pills were green and 190 of them were orange, while each pill had the letters ‘wy’ printed on them.

Wimon was charged for possessing and trading illicit drugs and was sent to Thalang police station for further investigation and processing.

STORY: Newshawk Phuket

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Hua Hin

Southern Thailand braces for rough weather and rain

Published

24 hours ago

October 19, 2019

May Taylor

Southern Thailand braces for rough weather and rain | The Thaiger

The Thailand Meteorological Department issued a weather warning for southern Thailand with torrential rain forecast to hit the region throughout the weekend. The heavy monsoon over the Gulf of Thailand and south of the country is being blamed for the rough weather, with the TMD predicting flash flooding in many areas.

(Phuket, Hat Yai and Hua Hin’s forecast below)

“Waves are expected to reach 2 metres in height in the lower Gulf of Thailand and possibly higher at the height of the storm. Ships are advised to proceed with caution.”

For the north and northeast of Thailand, the TMD forecasts strong winds and cooler mornings as the arrival of the “winter” season, coupled with a moderate high-pressure system, causes temperatures to dip.

Hua Hin’s five day forecast

Phuket’s five day forecast

Hat Yai’s five day forecast

SOURCE: The Nation | weather.com

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Crime

Now you see him, now you don’t… Patong Police hunt foreigner over $30k theft

Published

2 days ago

October 18, 2019

Greeley Pulitzer

Now you see him, now you don’t… Patong Police hunt foreigner over $30k theft | The Thaiger

PHOTO: Patong Police

Patong Police have yet to develop any tangible leads tracking down a foreigner who made off with US$30,000 in cash from a currency exchange booth in Kalim, north of Patong in Phuket, last Tuesday.

The man is about 168 centimetres tall with grey hair and around 60 years old, Patong police told The Phuket News.

“We have no clue what nationality he is.”

He was last seen at the currency exchange booth wearing a purple polo shirt, blue jeans and black cap. Police have checked hotels in the area, police stations across the island and Phuket Immigration, but have yet to join the dots and come up with firm leads.

“Investigators have checked CCTV in the area and collected what evidence we have but we still do not know the man’s name or where he was staying.”

The man had visited the booth several times before Tuesday, when he disappeared with the $30,000 in US banknotes, according to police.

“It was always small amounts”, he added, noting that the amounts didn’t warrant staff at the exchange booth to check the man’s passport before making the exchange.

The man arrived at the booth again at about 1pm on Tuesday, saying that he had 900,000 baht cash to exchange.

SOURCE: The Phuket News

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