Phuket
German consuls in Phuket urge travel insurance for visitors

PHUKET: The German honorary consuls for Phuket and Chiang Mai yesterday urged tourists to take out adequate travel insurance before travelling to Thailand.
German honorary consuls Dirk Naumann (Phuket) and Hagen Dirksen (Chiang Mai) handed over a cheque for 100,000 baht to Vachira Phuket Hospital yesterday in appreciation for the facility providing medical services to travellers who were unable to pay for their treatment.
“Vachira is the only hospital in the South we donate to. We have made similar donations in Chiang Mai, Pattaya and Bangkok,” said Mr Dirksen.
The donation was made on behalf of Bangkok-based The German Help foundation*, which provides assistance to German nationals in need of assistance while travelling in Thailand.
“The aim of the donation is to express our appreciation for the support and cooperation of the hospital in helping foreigners, and German nationals in particular,” Mr Dirksen said.
Mr Dirksen urged travellers to take out adequate travel insurance before leaving their home countries.
“On behalf of the German government, I can only ask my countrymen to be prepared when they go overseas,” he said.
“If they like to live or travel overseas, they should have travel insurance or health insurance. Otherwise, they must have a big bank account balance in case anything happens,” he explained.
“Here in Thailand, and elsewhere, travellers will be asked to pay for any expenses incurred,” Mr Dirksen said.
Vachira Hospital Director Jetsada Jongpaiboonpattana recently reported that his facility spent 3 million baht providing treatment to tourists who were unable to pay their bills last year.
The issue of the Thai government footing the bill for tourists’ healthcare last month prompted Public Health Minister Pradit Sinthawanarong to float the idea of compulsory travel insurance for all tourists visiting Thailand, as is required for the Schengen visa to European countries.
Compulsory insurance could be regulated through tour agencies, added to ticket prices of all inbound flights and even offered at Immigration checkpoints, Mr Pradit said.
* The German Help foundation is based at the Rajamangala University of Technology Krungthep
(Building 34, Room 202), at 2 Nanglinchee Road, Bangkok 10120. Tel: 02-2873761. Email: info@dhv-thailand.de Website: www.dhv-thailand.de
— Chutharat Plerin
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Thailand
Hotels and restaurants raided, 50 arrested for allegedly cheating “We Travel Together” subsidy scheme

Several hotels and restaurants in Phuket and Chaiyaphum were raided this morning and 50 people were arrested for allegedly stealing from the government subsidy scheme “We Travel Together.” The scheme was launched to help businesses that were financially hit by the lack of tourists during the Covid-19 pandemic and to stimulate the battered economy.
Last month, the Tourism Authority of Thailand governor Yuthasak Supasorn filed a criminal complaint against 312 hotels and 202 shops for allegedly cheating the scheme which covered 40% of room rates and offered e-vouchers. Instead of lowering prices to draw in more travellers, some hoteliers and restaurateurs allegedly raised their prices to get more subsidies.
This morning, police arrested 38 people in Chaiyaphum and 12 people in Phuket suspected of cheating the subsidy scheme. Suspects, including hotel and restaurant operators, face charges ranging from fraud and false identification to misusing electronic cards and adding fraudulent information to the computer system.
Nation Thailand says the verification system for the scheme was not stringent and people were able to register fake hotels and list fake bookings. Some hotel operators recorded higher prices for rooms to get a bigger payoff from the government.
SOURCE: Nation Thailand
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Thailand
Phuket eases restrictions, bars back to late-night hours

Things are getting back to normal in Phuket. The provincial government eased disease control restrictions, allowing restaurants, bars and entertainment venues to go back to their normal operating hours – no more midnight closure order – and lifting the late-night alcohol ban.
While bars can now stay open late and serve alcohol after midnight, dancing is prohibited and venues cannot serve alcohol in containers that will be shared among groups of people.
The Phuket Communicable Disease Committee agreed to ease the restrictions yesterday and an order allowing late-night hours and alcohol sales was posted today by the Phuket’s Public Relations Department.
“As the Covid-19 situation in Phuket has improved that there are no more Covid-19 infections found, the committee agreed to cancel the late-night alcohol ban in order to revive the economy of Phuket.”
All businesses related to gathering activities are warned to follow the Covid-19 preventive measures.
SOURCE: Phuket News
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Crime
2 shot dead at Phuket Bus Terminal Saturday night

Police say 2 men were gunned down at the Phuket Bus Terminal by a colleague at the terminal along the stretch of Thepkasattri road heading into Phuket Town last night. The incident happened at about 10:15pm with the local police chief arriving along with medical staff from Vachira Hospital shortly after the incident.
60 year old Wian Iadchuthong, the alleged gunman, was waiting to surrender at the scene when police arrived. Police say Wian appeared to be drunk and told them he had a serious argument with the 2 men and decided to take their lives with the gun. Police say they found 50 year old Yod Sae Lee lying on the ground in front of a taxi service stand, badly wounded. He was given CPR before being rushed to Vachira Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
54 year old Prakob Chuthong was also found lying dead by the counter of a 24 hour car park service kiosk. Police say he had been shot 2 times, once in the left side of his head and once in his left rib cage, according to Bangkok Post.
Witnesses say before the shooting, Wian was quietly drinking alone. But after getting drunk, he walked to the counter of the car park service kiosk and allegedly fired 2 shots from a 9mm gun at point-blank range, killing Prakob instantly. Wian then ran towards Yod, who was sitting in front of the taxi service stand. Yod saw Wian coming at him with the gun and he ran away to 1 side of the terminal building, only to be intercepted by Wian who allegedly fired 5 shots. Yod was hit 1 time in the head, 2 times in the torso and 2 times in the legs. Yod was also rushed to Vachira Hospital where he later died.
An initial police investigation found that the 3 were close colleagues at the workplace, but often engaged in heated fights over motorcycle taxi and taxi services at the bus terminal.
SOURCE: Bangkok Post
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