Phuket
Land grab probe targets “Ocean View 16′

PHUKET: THE Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) will recommend that legal charges be pressed against 16 current and former Phuket officials, all alleged to have conspired to encroach on state forest land high in the Kamala Hills north of Patong Beach.
PACC Secretary-General Dusadee Arayawuth on Monday led his team and members of the media to the disputed site, which covers more than 200 rai.
Parts of the expanse afford impressive views over Patong Bay to the south, but the area is accessible only by a dirt road that runs off the main road to Kathu Waterfall in Kathu Municipality.
At the entrance to the site, the PACC team pointed out a wooden welcome sign heralding their arrival at what apparently was intended to become the “Honey Green View Resort”.
Nearby they noticed a large, unoccupied house still under construction and an excavator. The PACC team noted that the land had a small watercourse running through it, proving it was a watershed area.
The PACC investigators told the media that 20 Chanote title deed applications had been received for plots in the area, of which seven such deeds had already been issued based on SorKor 1 papers provided.
Among the Chanote holders were a retired former Phuket Vice Governor (three plots), a relative of a former Interior Ministry Permanent Secretary (one plot), and three other individuals (one plot each).
The retired former Phuket Vice Governor, a Phuket native, bought one of the plots from the relative of the former Interior Ministry Permanent Secretary, the PACC team said.
Investigators said a Chanote for the 48-rai plot was issued to the well-connected relative based on a report issued by the Phuket Land Office survey team, which noted that the area was used as a fruit plantation interspersed among natural vegetation.
However, the PACC team determined that the plot was on virgin forest land and concluded that the survey report was improperly issued. On this, the PACC recommended that legal action be taken.
The investigators also found that the Chanote issued to one of the plot “owners” was approved by the former vice governor and seven officers from related agencies.
A PACC press release listed 16 officers from a variety of government agencies deemed responsible for abusing their positions in the case. Among those listed are officers of the Phuket Land Office, Kathu District Office and Forestry Department.
The PACC will petition the Land Department to withdraw the deeds, but does not have the authority to order such a revocation on its own.
After the site inspection, Col Dusadee told members of the press, “We came here because we wanted to see with our own eyes whether or not the land was legally issued SorKor 1 papers.”
SorKor 1 papers bestow a right to use the land; their issuance is a common first step in the process of obtaining title deeds – legally or otherwise.
“SorKor 1 land has to have been used by the holder for some economic benefit, but the land here is part of a forest preserve and watershed… From our investigation, the issuance of SorKor 1 papers appears to have been illegal,” Col Dusadee said.
“The PACC will ask the Department of Special Investigation to pursue this matter as a special case of encroachment on protected forest land,” he said.
Meanwhile, the PACC will continue its investigation into how the seven title deeds came to be issued, he added.
Asked how the financial transactions that “leveraged” the deals might have been carried out, he said he expected much of it was done through foreign financial institutions.
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Events
Phuket Monopoly game creators need your help with token designs

Phuket is set to get its own version of the popular game MONOPOLY and its creators want your help with ideas for the specialised tokens. ‘MONOPOLY: Phuket Edition’ was announced last month which will see the street art on the board game replaced with that of famous places around Thailand’s famous tourist destination. Such art will include beaches, hotels, shops, markets and other popular attractions.
Jennifer Lau from Winning Moves UK, is producing the game under official license from Monopoly brand owners, Hasbro. Lau says the tokens will feature a holiday theme. The token’s departure from the original theme of wheelbarrows, boots, iron, and thimbles as well as popular sports cars and hats.
“We have had a wealth of emails and suggestions coming in for Phuket, so thank you for each and every single one of them! We are taking them all into consideration whilst putting together the design of the game.”
“We wanted to change the tokens so that they would be more suitable for an island like Phuket, where so many people like to go on holiday to.”
“There will be six themed tokens that replace the original and we want to hear your suggestions for what these tokens should be!”
Bangkok has already been featured in the Monopoly game as it came out for purchase back in 2018.
SOURCE: The Phuket News
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Coronavirus (Covid-19)
Phuket holds vaccine administration rehearsal as it waits for green light

Phuket is rehearsing procedures to ready themselves for the Covid‐19 vaccine administration green light. A rehearsal at Vachira Hospital’s Lan Muang Khao open area was held late yesterday to iron out any kinks in the administration process. Phuket Vice Governor Pichet Panapong watched over the procedures along with other health officials.
Pichet says the first vaccine round of 4,000 doses should arrive early in March, with the 2nd and 3rd set of doses, 16,000 and 48,000 respectively, to arrive in April and May.
“The government recognises the importance of the affected areas of the economy where the epidemic situation of COVID-19 must be stopped and has allocated the COVID-19 vaccine to Phuket Province to build herd immunity, restore the economy, return a smile to Thailand.”
“We are preparing to COVID-19 mass vaccination to build confidence among the people that they will receive a quality, safe vaccine and to receive follow-up care after it has been administered.”
Pichet says Phuket’s first target groups to receive the vaccine include medical and public health personnel, with others on the frontlines to come next.
Then, workers aged 18-59 years old, people with underlying diseases including chronic respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, cerebrovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity will follow.
“People with severe neurological conditions and pregnant women should be wary of taking the vaccine, as well as women who are breastfeeding and people with immunodeficiency.”
The procedure to get vaccinated starts by recipients undergoing screening by having their temperatures taken, and then sanitising their hands before entering the administration area. Then, they will move their way through a series of steps, detailed below:
Step 1: Register
Step 2: Record weight and blood pressure
Step 3: Pass the screening process by have their medical history and risk assessment recorded and then signing a consent to receive the vaccine
Step 4: Wait for vaccination
Step 5: Vaccination
Step 6: Rest for 30 minutes, while being observed for symptoms. Then scan the official Line account “หมอพร้อม” (“Doctor Ready”)
Step 7: Pass a final check before receiving a document confirming vaccination
Pichet says health workers will follow up with vaccine recipients after 1,7, and 30 days from being vaccinated to monitor any adverse reactions.
Those who are set to receive their second jab will have appointments made for them. Those who receive the Sinovac vaccine will be scheduled to have their second doses 2 to 4 weeks after the first. AstraZeneca vaccine receivers will be scheduled for their second doses 10 to 12 weeks after the first.
SOURCE: The Phuket News
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Phuket
Phuket police officer charged with attempted murder for shooting and critically injuring a noodle vendor

The drunk, off-duty police officer in Phuket who has caught on camera shooting and beating a noodle vendor on Bangla Road is now facing attempted murder charges as well as charges of carrying a firearm in public without a necessary reason and firing a weapon in a public area. The commander of the Phuket police station said he ordered investigators to prosecute the officer Pornthep Channarong with every criminal charge that can be applied.
The officer had gotten into an altercation just before dawn yesterday and shot a young vendor who was walking by. Surveillance camera footage show the 25 year old suddenly falling to the ground after being shot. The officer walks up and shoots the vendor at a close range, but it appears the second shot did not hit the vendor. The officer also slapped the vendor in the face, picked him up and shoved him over, and then kicked him as he lay on the ground.
The vendor has a 4 year old daughter and 3 month old son. His wife says normally he works as a motorbike driver, but he was helping his mother selling noodles. He was shot while he was walking back from collecting a noodle bowl, she says. The vendor is in critical condition and being cared for at Vachira Phuket Hospital’s intensive care unit. He’s in need of Type B blood.
“For his condition, the doctor told me that the bullet went through his lung. He lost a lot of blood. We need a lot of Type B blood for him.”
A disciplinary investigation into the incident was launched by police and Pornthep was officially dismissed from the Royal Thai Police force. Region 8 Police Commander Kitrat Panpetch says the incident does not reflect the police force in Phuket.
“The incident was caused by an officer who did something wrong that our organisation does not want. We are a big organisation with more than 200,000 officers under our control. Our officers are not all bad like this.”
Phuket Provincial Police Commander Pornsak Nuannu says he has reminded the police chiefs across the island to discuss reasons for carrying firearms in public.
“Carrying firearms is to prevent any type of crime that may happen, not to commit a crime by themselves like this incident. If I see any police doing such a thing, I will decisively proceed in terms of both officer discipline and criminal charges.”
SOURCE: Phuket News
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