Phuket

Phuket Governor called on to curb “out of control’ corruption

Published

8 years ago

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Phuket Governor called on to curb “out of control’ corruption | Thaiger

PHUKET: Patong Deputy Mayor Chairat Sukban and Patong Entertainment Business Association President Weerawit Kurasombat today called on the Phuket Governor to investigate rampant extortion by government officers.

Deputy Mayor Chairat and Mr Weerawit met Governor Maitri Inthusut at Provincial Hall this morning. Also present was Prapan Kanprasang, head of the Damrongtham Center (Provincial Ombudsman’s Office).

“Many government departments in Phuket ask for protection money from entertainment operators in Patong, and the problem is getting worse,” said Mr Chairat.

“We would like to ask the Governor to please investigate these government departments,” Mr Chairat added.

Mr Weerawit told the Gazette that officials from up to nearly 20 government departments and law enforcement agencies regularly ask night venues in Patong for money.

“To the best of my knowledge every single bar in Patong has to pay at least 500 baht to some government official each month,” he said.

“Large nightlife venues in Patong pay much, much more. Some pay as much as 100,000 baht a month,” he added.

Mr Weerawit explained that Patong’s nightlife industry was a prime target for officials to demand corrupt payments.

He estimated that nightclubs, pubs and bars in the resort town generate a total of about 10 million baht a day during the coming “peak tourism season” (during the end-of-year holidays) and about 7mn baht a day during the rest of the year.

However, he added, “The problem is getting so bad that some nightclubs have even changed their businesses to restaurants to try to avoid the corruption.”

During the meeting, Mr Weerawit also requested that Governor Maitri extend the trading hours for night entertainment venues so they could serve the many tourists who come to Phuket to party.

“Tourists love to stay out late. After night entertainment venues close at the regulated hours, the tourists buy drinks at convenience stores and hang out on the beach.

“This is makes our beaches dirty and jeopardizes tourists’ safety,” he added.

Governor Maitri said he would personally visit Patong to follow up on the issue.

“Thank you for the information. I will have the relevant departments investigate the matter and I will keep track of any progress made,” Governor Maitri said.

— Kritsada Mueanhawong

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News Categories: Phuket

Coronavirus (Covid-19)

Pattaya, Phuket and Hua Hin brace for increased restrictions

Published

5 hours ago

Friday, April 16, 2021

Tim Newton

Pattaya, Phuket and Hua Hin brace for increased restrictions | Thaiger

Three of Thailand’s biggest expat areas are seeing sharp rises in new infections, partly from pre-Songkran traffic. The Songkran holidays, now officially over (but will see many people taking today off and making a weekend Songkran extension), and the government says they are expecting to see a rise in the cases numbers reported in the popular holiday locations.

Chon Buri Public Health office says they now have a total of 910 infections since April 1. They have 103 new cases in the past 24 hours. Most new cases are in Bang Lamung district which includes Pattaya City with 47, Siracha with 12) & Chon buri City with 8.

Pattaya, Phuket and Hua Hin brace for increased restrictions | News by Thaiger

Meanwhile Phuket has a total of 142 infections recorded on the island with the Governor still insisting there will be no need for a lockdown. Here’s a breakdown of the areas and the numbers of recorded infections so far (below).

Governor Narong announced that the Phuket Infectious Disease Control Committee won’t be implementing an official lockdown, but will “strictly raise the intensity of public health measures to counter the spread of Covid-19″.

“Everyone should wear a face mask, maintain social distancing, wash their hands frequently and install the Mor Chana app (available for free from App Store and Google Play Store).”

A meeting of the CCSA, chaired by PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is expected to upgrade restrictions in red zone areas around the country, which includes Phuket and Pattaya. Read more about the latest red and orange zones HERE.

Pattaya, Phuket and Hua Hin brace for increased restrictions | News by Thaiger

For Hua Hin expats, there’s been 100 new Covid-19 infections announced in Prachuap Khiri Khan in the past 24 hours, 75 cases from Hua Hin. This takes the total in the province since April 1 to 625. Hua Hin accounts for nearly 90% of the district’s total cases.

Transport

Footbridges stop luxury yacht travelling from Phuket to Samui

Published

17 hours ago

Thursday, April 15, 2021

Neill Fronde

Footbridges stop luxury yacht travelling from Phuket to Samui | Thaiger

PHOTO: Thailand's version of the Suez Canal blockage.

Footbridges in Phuket stood in the way of a luxury yacht travelling from its home in Phuket to Koh Samui when the boat was too tall to pass. Police received a call around 8 pm last night from the truck driver after his trailer carrying the yacht had trouble getting under one of several bridges for walkers to pass over the highway. The boat was travelling down Thepkrasattri Road, where it was stopped by the bridge near Baan Tha Reua School. The boat also had trouble at the pedestrian bridge at the Provincial Electricity Authority Thalang Branch and the bridge at Baan Lipon School in Srisoonthorn.

All the bridges were supposed to have a 5-metre clearance, though one observer speculated that all the repaving of the road over the years may have raised the road and lowered the clearance. Traffic police responded to the first bridge incident by sending officers to direct traffic and make sure bikes and cars didn’t pass and impeded progress on freeing the boat. The second incident about 30 minutes later was resolved by letting air out of the truck’s tires to lower it just enough to pass under the bridge. The third snag prompted the driver to go in person to the Thalang Police station to request help yet again.

This time police were less amused and suggested the truck driver try to resolve the issue himself and call back to the police only if he was unable to free the luxury yacht. A traffic police officer went to follow up with the stranded boat at the end of his shift and found the driver had given up and decided to return the yacht to its Phuket origin at Boat Lagoon Marina in Koh Kaew. The boat, now damaged from the bridge bumps, wasn’t going to make it to Surat Thani to be sailed to Koh Samui on this journey. The boat radar had broken off on one of the bridges. No word on any major damage to the pedestrian bridges.

SOURCE: The Phuket News

Coronavirus (Covid-19)

Hotel blog suggests Phuket should push ahead with July reopening despite Covid surge

Published

2 days ago

Wednesday, April 14, 2021

Neill Fronde

Hotel blog suggests Phuket should push ahead with July reopening despite Covid surge | Thaiger

PHOTO: Hotels and other tourism business are hoping the July 1st reopening goal can still be achieved.

A hotel information blog is claiming that, despite growing Covid-19 numbers, Phuket should stick to its schedule in reopening to travellers without quarantine in July. That’s only 2 and a half months away.

In an interview with the Director of Travel and Tourism Consulting at GlobalData, they stressed that while it is crucial to rein in the spread of Covid-19 and the B117 strain now menacing Thailand, the risk must not overshadow the need to push forward with vaccinations and the march towards eliminating the quarantine by July in order to save the tourism industry and all those dependent on it.

“The Phuket pilot program is essential in creating a path towards economic recovery for Thailand, a country heavily dependent on tourism. More than 17% of Thailand’s gross domestic product is attributed to tourism and the Covid-19 pandemic has lead to the worst economic free-fall in over 20 years”

The blog acknowledges the inherent risk and possible appearance of foolishness to prioritise the plans to reopen and carry on with the same rollout schedule. But they urge Thai authorities to consider that July 1 is still 2 and a half months away, leaving ample time to recover and make progress towards the approaching Phuket reopening. A vital aspect of the reopening plan lies in vaccinating over 70% of Phuket’s provincial residents, a sizable task, but one that brings great benefit with or without the scheduled reopening.

“Pushing ahead to achieve this goal puts Phuket on track to welcome back tourists, perhaps in a “bio-bubble”, and restart the economy. The economy is desperate with household debt growing, pushing the government to enact emergency decrees to provide relief. These households need the return of tourism and the influx of cash international tourists will bring.”

The blog hopes that Thai authorities can balance the necessary Covid-19 safety measures in Phuket to protect the Thai population with the economic need to bring back tourism. They believe that with sufficient measures in place, vaccinated locals could welcome vaccinated international tourists back to Phuket reopening safely in July.

SOURCE: Hotel News Resource