Phuket

Democrat’s Suthep joins rally in Phuket

Published

7 years ago

June 1, 2012

Democrat’s Suthep joins rally in Phuket | The Thaiger

PHUKET: Former Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban has arrived for a rally in the heart of Phuket Town to protest the reconciliation and amnesty bills that the yellow-shirt People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) are have been protesting against in Bangkok this week.

Also on the island to join the rally tonight is Sathit Wongnongtoey, current Democrat MP for Trang province and former Minister to the Prime Minister’s Office under the former administration of Abhisit Vejjajiva.

The rally, which began at 5pm, is being held at Queen Sirikit Park, on Thalang Road.

Mr Suthep is expected to address the crowd at 8pm.

The event is scheduled to end at 10pm.

Hundreds of supporters are expected to turn up to the event, organized by the “We Love Phuket Club”, headed by Boonsupaa Tanthai.

Mr Boonsupaa on May 10 led protests at Phuket Provincial Hall against a red-shirt event planned for the island.

Speaking to the Phuket Gazette immediately after coming off the stage early this evening, Mr Boonsupaa said, “We are holding this rally to protect our country from the ‘fake’ reconciliation bills from being passed through Parliament. These bills are fake because they are intended to help specifically just one person.”

“We have the right to hold this rally. It is the Thai people’s right to express what they want,” he said.

Speaking to the Phuket Gazette late this afternoon, Phuket yellow-shirt coordinator Don Limnunthaphisit explained that Phuket PAD supporters returned from the Bangkok protests at about noon today.

“We were planning to leave Phuket for Bangkok 6pm tomorrow to rejoin the rally, but since the situation has changed, we will wait until Monday and check with other PAD supporters in Bangkok to see whether or not we should return to the capital to join them,” he said.

Thailand’s House Speaker Somsak Kiatsuranont called off the debate on the reconciliation bills, scheduled for this afternoon, indefinitely as yellow-shirt activists and protesters blocked lawmakers’ access to parliament, reported state-run news agency MCOT.

Mr Somsak earlier called for the House to reconvene at 1:30pm only to cancel it shortly afterward, when 20 police vans carrying ruling Pheu Thai party MPs from party headquarters were unable to access the parliament building due to the protesters’ blockade.

All the vans were forced to return to the party headquarters.

The protesters continued their demonstration into the third consecutive day in frustration with the Speaker pushing forward discussion of the reconciliation bills onto today’s agenda.

The decision sparked the chaotic scenes in Parliament that have been nationally televised for the past two days.

“The postponement is just a strategy. The government knows we do not have much financial support,” said Mr Don. “They know if they keep postponing, they will finally get to push the bills through Parliament.”

He explained that the Phuket PAD supporters did not organize tonight’s protest in Phuket Town.

“We were not planning on holding a protest in Phuket. Instead we were just organizing a fundraiser. Just going up to Bangkok for the three days cost us 40,000 baht for each of the three buses,” he explained.

— Chutharat Plerin

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Crime

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

Published

15 hours 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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Crime

Mystery surrounds security guard found dead in his Phuket room

Published

1 day ago

October 17, 2019

The Thaiger

PHOTOS: Phuket Hot News

The security guard of a hotel in Nai Yang, northern Phuket, 52 year old Yingyot Butsabong, from Maha Sarakham province, was found dead yesterday (October 16) in his room. Police remain mystified how the man came to grief.

A woman named Supattra received a call from the hotel he worked at and was informed that he didn’t show up at work yesterday, so she went to his apartment to check on him.

She saw that his room was locked from the inside, so used the key she had in her possession to open the room and found Yingyot laying on the floor, face down. She thought he was just sleeping so she tried to wake him up but once she flipped him, she found that he already passed away.

She immediately called Saku police, and once on the scene, police found that there was some blood on the floor. The man had a 2 centimetre wound on his left eyebrow which was deep into his skull. There was also a wound on his chin about 1 centimetre long and about a centimetre deep. His left eye had a bruise which looked like he was attacked by a hard object.

Police report that he had been dead for around four hours in the room.

The room was not ransacked and there was no sign of fighting or theft. His body has been sent to Thalang Hospital for a detailed autopsy and to look into the cause of death.

SOURCE: Phuket Hot News

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People

‘Always Smile Journey’ raises fund to provide free English classes for underprivileged people

Published

3 days ago

October 15, 2019

Nattha Thepbamrung

‘Always Smile Journey’ raises fund to provide free English classes for underprivileged people | The Thaiger

On October 18, the ‘Always Smile Journey’ group and its partners will host an exhibition with plenty of fun activities at the Yak Yai Market, near Chalong Circle, in Phuket. This event was designed to raise funds to provide free English classes for underprivileged people on the island of Phuket on Saturdays and Sundays. The group does not accept donations but aims to raise money through the sales of the products available at the event.

From 2 pm to 8 pm, there will be a number of artists, musicians and performers who will keep the attendees entertained along the way. There will be a short film about His Majesty King Rama 9 as well as fun activities and games for kids and families, which are all free of charge.

The big bike crew is also a part of this event. They will ride a parade from Rawai Beach heading to the market and showcase their gorgeous two-wheel buddies.

One of the highlights of the Always Smile Journey exhibition is the ‘Happening’ artists group, who will draw and paint a picture of the His Majesty King Rama 9 under the name ‘Street Art King Bhumibol’ on a 4×10 meter sign live at the event so the guests will experience this large-scale art in action. The Happening will also offer portrait sketching for the participants.

‘Always Smile Journey’ raises fund to provide free English classes for underprivileged people | News by The Thaiger

One of the works created by the Happening team; a painting of HM the King Rama 9 on a huge wall (Photo credit: Chawat Chumpasan)

There will also be some western menus available at the event which will be donated to underprivileged children.

This free English class project has over seven years of experience through its cooperation working with individuals and other charity organizations. Throughout the years, the group visited several areas such as Ban Laem Hoy School, Ban Bopud School and Ban Angthong School in Samui, Surat Thani province, Ban Bueng Ao Oun School and Ban Kakoh Rayong, in Surin province, Jalae Village of Lahu (Muser) in Chiang Rai province, as well as community education centers in Siem Reap, Cambodia and in Luang Prabang, in Laos.

This event is a cooperation between several groups, including Happening, Yak Yai Market and Arrow Media, Tattoo artist group, Thonburi Art School Alumni, International School of Tourism, Suratthani Rajabhat University, big bike group from Phuket, artists/performers/musicians from many provinces as well as several businesses across Phuket.

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