Phuket

Drug abuse in Phuket “on the rise’

Published

17 years ago

July 10, 2002

Drug abuse in Phuket “on the rise’ | The Thaiger

PHUKET: A two-day conference involving 60 officers with an interest in controlling drug abuse was told today that the number of narcotics cases in Phuket could rise dramatically this year. “There were about 1,500 cases last year. This year the number may be 2,000,” Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi told the conference. Concern is also growing about the increasing use in local entertainment venues of “yah E” – the drug known in the West as Ecstasy – and about tuna boats from China and Taiwan being used to smuggle drugs into provinces on the Andaman coastline. The Governor said that so far this year Phuket has had about 1,200 cases involving drugs. Most involved small amounts of “yah bah” (methamphetamine) varying from one to 10 pills, though one raid last month netted 600 pills. Songkram Khamtonwong, director of the Southern Office of the Narcotics Control Board, told the Gazette that ya E is being found increasingly in entertainment places. “I’ve heard that it is for sale at 800 baht a pill in some entertainment places in Phuket Town,” he said. In Phuket, marijuana was more of a problem among foreigners, as it did not appeal to locals, K. Songkhram said, noting that its usage was being decriminalized in some countries. He added, “Phuket is an island so it would be easy for tourists to bring in drugs by yacht.” Authorities are now looking out for tuna boats from Taiwan and China, which are suspected of smuggling drugs and doing deals involving other destinations while in international waters. He named the Southern provinces with sizeable drug problems as Nakhon Sri Thammarat, Surat Thani, Songkhla and Narathiwat, where populations are larger than Phuket’s. The Southern Narcotics Control Office organized the seminar at the ST Plaza Hotel on Sakdidet Rd, Phuket Town, for Phuket police, tambon officials and other officers. It will continue tomorrow.

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Crime

Thalang Police arrest local Phuket drug dealer with amphetamine pills

Published

11 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

1 day 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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