Phuket

Killer of Phang Nga politician arrested

Published

14 years ago

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Killer of Phang Nga politician arrested | The Thaiger

PHANG NGA: Police in Surat Thani on February 15 arrested one of the killers of Phang Nga Provincial Administration Organization (OrBorJor) President Anan “Ko Daeng” Boonrak, who was shot dead in December 2004.

The suspect, 38-year-old Chusak “Muek Chumporn” Numluemkid, was #2 on the Royal Thai Police Crime Suppression Division’s Top 50 Most Wanted Gunmen for 2005. His three accomplices in the assassination remain on the run.

K. Anan was killed as he was driving to his home in Thap Put District, Phang Nga, on the evening of December 23, 2004. He was shot multiple times with both a shotgun and an M-16 assault rifle.

After Chusak was arrested by police from his native Chumpon Province he confessed to the crime, police said.

He was handed over to Phang Nga police for a February 22 reenactment of the crime.

Lt Col Sanya Tongsawas, Investigation Inspector at Thap Put District Police Station, told the Gazette that Chusak said he and three other assassins planned the attack in rooms 204 and 209 of the Phu Nga Hotel in Thap Put. The four of them were each paid 50,000 baht up front for the hit, with the another 50,000 apiece to be paid after the killing was carried out.

Before the attack, the assassins went to Phang Nga Provincial Hall in two pickup trucks, where they waited for K. Anan to leave his office. When he did, they followed K. Anan at high speed in the direction of Thap Put.

About 200 meters from K. Anan’s home, the hit squad pulled alongside his vehicle. Chusak and a fellow gunman, named by police as Prapai Hongtong, opened fire. Prapai let off five shots with a shotgun while Chusak sprayed the car with more than 10 rounds from an M16. K. Anan was pronounced dead at the scene.

After the killing Chusak hid in Phuket, Col Sanya said.

Police are still hunting for the three other assassins and hope to learn who ordered and paid for the assassination, which they believe was politically motivated.

K. Anan was the second President of Phang Nga OrBorJor to be shot dead during a six-month period in 2004. His predecessor, Nithat Siribenjakul, was murdered at Takuapa Bus Station on July 30 that year.

At the time of his arrest, Chusak had two outstanding arrest warrants; one issued by Chumphon Provincial Court in 2002 and the other by Songkhla Provincial Court in 2003. His file with the Crime Suppression Division listed him as a suspect in a “countless” number of cases stretching back more than 10 years.

Of these, police are particularly interested in the shooting of a Mayor of Tha Sala in Nakhon Sri Thammarat Province. Chusak’s weapons of choice were .38 and .357 caliber revolvers.

Chusak was charged with premeditated murder, possession of war weapons without a license, possession of a firearm without a license and carrying a firearm in a public place without permission, Col Sanya said.

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News Categories: Phuket

Tourism

Phuket’s nightlife. Yes, bars and clubs are still open | VIDEO

Published

2 days ago

Wednesday, March 3, 2021

The Thaiger

There was the original Covid-19 outbreak and lockdowns back in April and May in 2020, then again just before Christmas and New Year when the new clusters emerged in Samut Sakhon and the eastern coastal provinces, Patong’s nightlife was quiet enough, almost non-existent.

Now when the restrictions are lifted, Nimz will take you through Phuket’s famous nightlife spot Bangla Road, Patong Beach and Phuket Town. It’s quiet, but there are still clubs open and operating and ready to welcome you.

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Expats

Deceased Phuket expat’s body stuck in hospital due to passport mix-up

Published

2 days ago

Wednesday, March 3, 2021

Ann Carter

Deceased Phuket expat’s body stuck in hospital due to passport mix-up | The Thaiger

In a nightmarish scenario, a deceased Phuket expat’s body is stuck in a Thai hospital as his step‐daughter claims hospital administrators won’t release the body due to a passport mix‐up.

Gemma Swift, the step‐daughter of 75 year old David Donoghue, who died 2 weeks ago, says she is pleading with embassy staff in Thailand to resolve, what she says, is purely an administrative issue after Donoghue’s passport number at the hospital was from that of an expired one.

Donoghue’s current passport was on file with the British Embassy, but because it did not match what the hospital had, his body has remained at the hospital. Swift says it was something that could easily be corrected and the situation was “horrendous” for the family.

“The British Embassy over in Bangkok, they said that because [the number] was from his current passport, they were unable to change the letter. They have said that they won’t reissue a letter with the passport number that he’s got in the hospital with him.”

She said her family planned to arrange a funeral for him in Thailand, then bring his ashes back to the UK. As he retired to Phuket 15 years ago, her family would then take his ashes back to Thailand, as per his wishes, to scatter them.

However, none of his family members were able to travel to Thailand to be with Donoghue in his final days, as the mandatory 14 day quarantine period upon entering Thailand, would not have allowed them to see him.

“I thought this was a basic human right to be able to give somebody a funeral and I accept that there is always going to be red tape…but please just issue a letter and let us bring him home.”

She said before Covid-19, family members travelled often to Phuket to visit Donoghue, who once worked for the Thai tourist police. She says the entire ordeal has been heartbreaking as her family was unable to say goodbye.

“That on its own was heart breaking, and now to get this two weeks later, to find out we can’t give him a funeral, or get his ashes back, it’s just horrendous.”

“It’s like being on autopilot… once we know we have done everything we can, we can start the grieving process, but at the minute we can’t.”

A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said they are assisting Donoghue’s family during the difficult time.

“Our staff are in contact with the local hospital and funeral director to help his family obtain the necessary paperwork to ensure his body is treated in line with their wishes.”

If the situation isn’t fixed, Donoghue’s body will join a mass cremation at the hospital.

SOURCE: BBC News

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Phuket

Thailand News Today | Covid passport talks, Thai Airways heads to court | March 2

Published

2 days ago

Tuesday, March 2, 2021

The Thaiger

In today’s Thailand News Today…. The island of Phuket has a firm plan to get its residents vaccinated leading up to an October opening for tourists, the Thai PM backs up his police over last Sunday’s protest violence and Thai Airway’s employee union criticises the changes to employee contracts.

But the plan must be approved by the national government by April, if the province wants to open tourism by October 1. Phuket has a resident population of around 300- 400,000 people.

Before you go rushing off to book your plane tickets we’d stress that this is another in a long list of proposals that have not come to fruition and we’d urge patience until the Government approves the plans.

Meanwhile the island has taken delivery of 4,000 doses of the Chinese Sinovac Covid-19 vaccine. Vaccinations started yesterday, with priority given to 1,500 healthcare workers and 500 “at-risk” officials exposed to Covid-19 patients.

On a broader note… Thailand’s Tourism Minister says he has asked the Public Health Ministry to approve a vaccine passport scheme aimed at reviving Thailand’s devastated tourism sector. According to the Minister, the government is looking to the World Health Organisation to issue a statement on vaccine passports before it makes a final decision on the matter.

The Thai PM, Prayut Chan-o-cha has defended police action against protesters taking part in Sunday’s anti-government rally in Bangkok. Officers from the Metropolitan Police Bureau used tear gas, a water cannon and rubber bullets in an effort to drive protesters back from the PM’s residence. The PM insists the actions were in line with international standards. He says that police did not violate the protesters’ rights.

Thai researchers are claiming that horseshoe bats are not responsible for transmitting the Covid virus to humans. A researcher with the Thai Red Cross Emerging Infectious Diseases-Health Science Centre, says that even though the bats have tested positive for a coronavirus, it is not the strain that is transmissible to humans, and it’s certainly not the virus that causes Covid-19.

As Thai Airways tries to sell new contracts and conditions to its remaining workforce, the labour union of the national carrier is challenging changes to the employment contracts, where Thai Airways employees are being asked to agree to changes as part of the bigger financial rehabilitation program.

But a union representative says the new contracts are unfair because it includes fewer leave days and shorter holidays. The union has filed a complaint with the Department of Labour Protection and Welfare.

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