Influential people “definitely in Phuket’ – Gov

PHUKET: Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi has slammed newspaper reports that Phuket has no “influential people” of the kind currently being targeted by the government of PM Thaksin Shinawatra. Several newspapers had reported that Phuket was among some 30 provinces that had stated they had no influential people. “I read these reports,” Gov Pongpayome said, “and I didn’t understand why they were saying this – it’s not true. Phuket definitely has influential people. “But the Prime Minister set a deadline of June 21 for provincial governments to compile a list of influential people. We have not completed our report yet. “I have told the police to send their reports to me by the 13th and the district officers by the 16th. This is similar to the way the drugs black lists were compiled.” He declined to speculate on how many names would appear on Phuket’s list.