Phuket

DSI Chief launches investigation into Russian-owned businesses in Phuket

Published

8 years ago

Thursday, February 14, 2013

DSI Chief launches investigation into Russian-owned businesses in Phuket | Thaiger

PHUKET: Officers from the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) launched their own inquiry yesterday into Cherng Talay locals’ complaints that foreigners were stealing their jobs.

The visit comes in the immediate wake of the Phuket Employment Office’s crackdown on illegal foreign businesses currently underway (story here).

Lt Col Somboon Sarasit, head of the DSI’s Bureau of Special Crime Unit 3, said that he was in Phuket to investigate Russian-owned businesses with nominee shareholders.

“We will inspect the area and collect information from local vendors who are struggling because of these companies,” he said.

“After that, we will check with the Department of Business Development to see if these companies are being issued work permits or not,” he added.

“Owners of companies that have not been issued work permits for their foreign staff face a maximum penalty of three years imprisonment or a fine of 100,000 to a million baht,” he said.

“If Thai nominee shareholders are involved, they will also be charged,” he added.

Col Somboon, who was accompanied by Cherng Talay OrBorTor President Ma-ann Samran, said that he would start by inspecting Alex Holiday Tour Co, Ltd, the company that voluntary shut its Bang Tao office after taxi drivers protested against it and tore down its sign on January 28 (story here).

“We have called Dan Wanbaworn, who is the Thai nominee shareholder and a member of management team to talk to us tomorrow [February 14],” he said.

The DSI plans to inspect businesses in the Cherng Talay area first, and then move on to Patong, Kata and Karon.

Col Somboon invited locals with information about foreign-owned businesses operating illegally to report them to the Department of Special Investigation at 02-8319 888.

Baan Bangtao Taxi Club Vice President Kasem Samran explained the problem local taxi drivers are facing.

“There are about 400 taxi drivers in the Cherng Talay area and all of them live in Cherng Talay. They use their own cars to do their business – it is a local business in our community.

“We have heard from some tourists that Russian business operators told them not to use services run by local people and it has caused us a great deal of trouble,” Mr Kasem said.

“About 2 years ago, we made enough money to support our families, but after our jobs were stolen, we have been unable to make enough money,” he added.

“I do not understand how Phuket Provincial Employment officers could issue work permits to some foreign business owners when some types of businesses are reserved only for Thais,” he said.

— Orawin Narabal

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News Categories: Phuket

Coronavirus (Covid-19)

Pattaya, Phuket and Hua Hin brace for increased restrictions

Published

5 hours ago

Friday, April 16, 2021

Tim Newton

Pattaya, Phuket and Hua Hin brace for increased restrictions | Thaiger

Three of Thailand’s biggest expat areas are seeing sharp rises in new infections, partly from pre-Songkran traffic. The Songkran holidays, now officially over (but will see many people taking today off and making a weekend Songkran extension), and the government says they are expecting to see a rise in the cases numbers reported in the popular holiday locations.

Chon Buri Public Health office says they now have a total of 910 infections since April 1. They have 103 new cases in the past 24 hours. Most new cases are in Bang Lamung district which includes Pattaya City with 47, Siracha with 12) & Chon buri City with 8.

Pattaya, Phuket and Hua Hin brace for increased restrictions | News by Thaiger

Meanwhile Phuket has a total of 142 infections recorded on the island with the Governor still insisting there will be no need for a lockdown. Here’s a breakdown of the areas and the numbers of recorded infections so far (below).

Governor Narong announced that the Phuket Infectious Disease Control Committee won’t be implementing an official lockdown, but will “strictly raise the intensity of public health measures to counter the spread of Covid-19″.

“Everyone should wear a face mask, maintain social distancing, wash their hands frequently and install the Mor Chana app (available for free from App Store and Google Play Store).”

A meeting of the CCSA, chaired by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is expected to upgrade restrictions in red zone areas around the country, which includes Phuket and Pattaya. Read more about the latest red and orange zones HERE.

Pattaya, Phuket and Hua Hin brace for increased restrictions | News by Thaiger

For Hua Hin expats, there’s been 100 new Covid-19 infections announced in Prachuap Khiri Khan in the past 24 hours, 75 cases from Hua Hin. This takes the total in the province since April 1 to 625. Hua Hin accounts for nearly 90% of the district’s total cases.

Transport

Footbridges stop luxury yacht travelling from Phuket to Samui

Published

17 hours ago

Thursday, April 15, 2021

Neill Fronde

Footbridges stop luxury yacht travelling from Phuket to Samui | Thaiger

PHOTO: Thailand's version of the Suez Canal blockage.

Footbridges in Phuket stood in the way of a luxury yacht travelling from its home in Phuket to Koh Samui when the boat was too tall to pass. Police received a call around 8 pm last night from the truck driver after his trailer carrying the yacht had trouble getting under one of several bridges for walkers to pass over the highway. The boat was travelling down Thepkrasattri Road, where it was stopped by the bridge near Baan Tha Reua School. The boat also had trouble at the pedestrian bridge at the Provincial Electricity Authority Thalang Branch and the bridge at Baan Lipon School in Srisoonthorn.

All the bridges were supposed to have a 5-metre clearance, though one observer speculated that all the repaving of the road over the years may have raised the road and lowered the clearance. Traffic police responded to the first bridge incident by sending officers to direct traffic and make sure bikes and cars didn’t pass and impeded progress on freeing the boat. The second incident about 30 minutes later was resolved by letting air out of the truck’s tires to lower it just enough to pass under the bridge. The third snag prompted the driver to go in person to the Thalang Police station to request help yet again.

This time police were less amused and suggested the truck driver try to resolve the issue himself and call back to the police only if he was unable to free the luxury yacht. A traffic police officer went to follow up with the stranded boat at the end of his shift and found the driver had given up and decided to return the yacht to its Phuket origin at Boat Lagoon Marina in Koh Kaew. The boat, now damaged from the bridge bumps, wasn’t going to make it to Surat Thani to be sailed to Koh Samui on this journey. The boat radar had broken off on one of the bridges. No word on any major damage to the pedestrian bridges.

SOURCE: The Phuket News

Coronavirus (Covid-19)

Hotel blog suggests Phuket should push ahead with July reopening despite Covid surge

Published

2 days ago

Wednesday, April 14, 2021

Neill Fronde

Hotel blog suggests Phuket should push ahead with July reopening despite Covid surge | Thaiger

PHOTO: Hotels and other tourism business are hoping the July 1st reopening goal can still be achieved.

A hotel information blog is claiming that, despite growing Covid-19 numbers, Phuket should stick to its schedule in reopening to travellers without quarantine in July. That’s only 2 and a half months away.

In an interview with the Director of Travel and Tourism Consulting at GlobalData, they stressed that while it is crucial to rein in the spread of Covid-19 and the B117 strain now menacing Thailand, the risk must not overshadow the need to push forward with vaccinations and the march towards eliminating the quarantine by July in order to save the tourism industry and all those dependent on it.

“The Phuket pilot program is essential in creating a path towards economic recovery for Thailand, a country heavily dependent on tourism. More than 17% of Thailand’s gross domestic product is attributed to tourism and the Covid-19 pandemic has lead to the worst economic free-fall in over 20 years”

The blog acknowledges the inherent risk and possible appearance of foolishness to prioritise the plans to reopen and carry on with the same rollout schedule. But they urge Thai authorities to consider that July 1 is still 2 and a half months away, leaving ample time to recover and make progress towards the approaching Phuket reopening. A vital aspect of the reopening plan lies in vaccinating over 70% of Phuket’s provincial residents, a sizable task, but one that brings great benefit with or without the scheduled reopening.

“Pushing ahead to achieve this goal puts Phuket on track to welcome back tourists, perhaps in a “bio-bubble”, and restart the economy. The economy is desperate with household debt growing, pushing the government to enact emergency decrees to provide relief. These households need the return of tourism and the influx of cash international tourists will bring.”

The blog hopes that Thai authorities can balance the necessary Covid-19 safety measures in Phuket to protect the Thai population with the economic need to bring back tourism. They believe that with sufficient measures in place, vaccinated locals could welcome vaccinated international tourists back to Phuket reopening safely in July.

SOURCE: Hotel News Resource