Phuket

Phuket Police tracing human trafficking network back to Cambodia

Published

5 years ago

June 28, 2014

Phuket Police tracing human trafficking network back to Cambodia | The Thaiger

PHUKET: The Army has ordered Phuket police to trace the human trafficking network that led a group of Cambodians into debt-trapped servitude in a Phuket Town clothing store (story here).

The owner of the shop, Pasita Sangsakul, from Bangkok, defended her purchase of the staffers when she was questioned by Phuket City Police at Phuket Provincial Hall.

“I purchased the five workers from an agency. I had to pay 8,000 baht per person,” Ms Pasita said. “I never forced, threatened or did anything to them. They have all their freedoms.”

“If they pay me the money that I paid to the agency, they can leave the shop at anytime.”

Ms Pasita told police that she paid the workers 90 baht for each shirt or pair of pants they produced, and 1,000 baht per person per month as a food allowance. However, the workers claimed that they were paid only 90 baht a day.

One of the Cambodian women smuggled into the Kingdom made repeated pleas to her brother and sister-in-law for help.

The case came to light after the sister-in-law, who lives in Bangkok, filed a complaint at the Damrongtham Center after receiving the calls.

The sister-in-law, named by police only as Ms Petch, came to Phuket with a Thai friend and identified her relative to army officers, explained Commanding General of the 41st Military Circle Peerapol Wiriyakul.

“She called my husband for help, as she was paid 90 baht per day,” said Ms Petch.

The woman told her relatives she wanted to go home but did not have 10,000 baht – 2,000 baht more than the shop owner claimed was required – to buy her freedom.

The woman and her husband, who was also working at the shop, had allegedly paid 2,500 baht each to the human smugglers to be brought to Phuket. They arrived about two months ago, Ms Petch said.

In accordance with the announcement made by the National Council of Peace and Order (NCPO) allowing illegal workers until July 15 to be registered at the Employment Office, the five suspects were not charged for illegally entering the country and working here, said Maj Gen Peerapol.

“If they want to go home, we will help facilitate that,” Gen Peerapol said.

“The investigation into those responsible for smuggling the workers into Thailand will be handed over to the Phuket Provincial Police.”

Ms Pasita is not being charged for hiring illegal workers, also in accordance with the NCPO announcement, said Gen Peerapol.

“At this stage, we have yet to consider charging Ms Pasita for her involvement in human trafficking. However, I have ordered our team to investigate the human smuggling network that brought the Cambodians here,” Phuket Provincial Commander Krajang Suwannarat told the Phuket Gazette today.

Earlier this week, Thailand found itself in the international spotlight after the US State Department on June 20 downgraded it to the lowest level in its annual Trafficking in Persons report, putting it on the same level as North Korea, Iran and Syria.

“Anti-trafficking law enforcement efforts remained insufficient compared with the size of the problem in Thailand, and corruption at all levels hampered the success of these efforts,” the report said.

However, only days after the US cut military aid to Thailand, US Ambassador Kristie Kenney praised the ruling junta for its new regulation on migrant labor, describing it as “a good policy” to tackle human trafficking.

Ms Kenney said the US would support Thailand’s efforts to resolve the problems of human trafficking, child labor and illegal foreign workers, the Thai News Agency reported (story here).

— Kritsada Mueanhawong

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News

30 dolphins greet visitors to Similan Islands

Published

18 hours ago

October 21, 2019

Greeley Pulitzer

30 dolphins greet visitors to Similan Islands | The Thaiger

Tourists were treated to the sight of a school of dolphins in the Similan Islands off the Phang Nga coast on Sunday.

Tour organisers said that around 30 dolphins swam close to the boat six or seven miles offshore, creating excitement for passengers. It was the first time dolphins had been seen in the vicinity since October 15.

The Similan Islands National Park director said they were bottlenose dolphins and were among several species now returning to the area following a five-year closure of the park for environmental rehabilitation. Food is again plentiful there for them, he said.

Tourists are forbidden to feed wildlife lest the free handouts alter the animals’ natural behaviour, and the park’s waters are also very sensitive to contamination from human disease and marine debris, according to the director.

SOURCE: nationthailand.com

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Patong

Phuket hotels slashing the price of rooms

Published

22 hours ago

October 21, 2019

The Thaiger

by Sophie Deviller

Hotels on Thailand’s most popular holiday island are being forced to slash prices, with rooms left vacant and beaches sparse as Thailand’s tourism chiefs struggle with a plunge in Chinese visitors caused by the US trade war and a stronger baht. Phuket was the most visited destination in the country last year, after Bangkok, and a good gauge of the state of its crucial travel industry.

Tourism accounts for 18% of Thailand’s gross domestic product and Chinese holidaymakers make up more than a quarter of total arrivals. But while 2.2 million people from the country visited in 2018, according to official figures, the numbers for January-September were down almost 20% year on year.

Claude de Crissey, the French Honorary Consul in Phuket and owner of about 40 rooms in the Patong Beach area, says Chinese tourists are usually present even during the current low season.

“That was not the case this year,” he said, adding he had to lower his prices by as much as 50%.

The problem is not only in Phuket, with hotels also struggling to fill rooms in the seaside resort of Pattaya on the mainland and on Koh Samui.

Trade tensions with the US have already made some Chinese reluctant to take holidays owing to uncertainty back home, while the Thai baht has risen about 10% against the yuan this year.

A boating disaster off Phuket’s coast that killed 47 Chinese holidaymakers in July 2018 also scared some off.

“We are worried,” said an industry insider, declining to be named due to the sensitivity of the topic in a country where tourism provides tens of thousands of jobs. Adding to the headache is the fact that more than 3,000 new hotel rooms are being constructed on the island, raising the question of who will fill them.

“In terms of business, it’s not good,” said Kongsak Khoopongsakorn, vice-president of the association of hotels in Thailand and director of Vijitt Resort.

“Because … we have more hotels, more rooms to sell, we have more restaurants, more coffee shops.”

Still, tourism authority chairman Yuthasak Supasorn said he remained “optimistic.”

“We should reach our goal of 39.8 million foreign visitors.”

However, that is only up from 38.2 million in 2018, much less than the jump seen from the previous year’s total of 35.6 million.

Counting on India

Now hoteliers and tour package operators are targeting visitors from elsewhere, particularly India, which experts see as a huge untapped market.

A rapid expansion of the middle class in India, increased direct flights and visa-free travel have prompted Thailand to revise forecasts upwards.

It now expects two million Indian tourists this year, after an increase of nearly 25% on-year in the first seven months. But for now, the lower arrivals is evident on the streets of Phuket.

“I’ve never seen anything as bad as what it is at the moment,” said Paul Scott from Australia, who said he has been coming to Thailand for 15 years.

He mainly blamed the stronger baht for the drop-off but also the fact that Thailand wasn’t the untouched vacation paradise it once was. “Now it’s not so new … and it’s not cheap,” he said.

SOURCE: AFP

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Events

The 15th Mai Khao Marine Turtle fun run attracts more than 4,000 runners

Published

1 day ago

October 20, 2019

The Thaiger

4,000 runners from Thailand and overseas took part in the 15th Mai Khao Marine Turtle Fun Run and Half Marathon 2019 yesterday, starting from the Phuket Gateway.

The event is expected to raise 700,000 baht for the charity, now in its 15th year. The money raised goes towards to The Mai Khao Marine Turtle Foundation, which is committed to protecting the marine and coastal environment, and ecosystems, for the wellbeing of sea turtles that nest in the Mai Khao beach and the surrounding areas.

The annual race also provides funds for thePhuket Marine Biological Centre’s Injured Turtle Rehabilitation Program and The Third NavalArea Command’s Turtle Hatchery Program.

The race was in its 15th year and runners of all ages and abilities took part in the race. The morning’s racing was divided into five categories – the 21.1km half marathon, 10.5km mini- marathon, 5km fun run and 3k family run and VIP participants for all the races. The route of 21.1 kilometre race took runners northwest along the Haad Sai Kaew beach towards Thao Thepkasattri bridge, past the rural road No. 3006, run along the road – Pi Lai viewpoint area returned back along the T. Baan Tha Nun to the iconic Sarasin bridge before finished the half marathon in the Phuket Gateway.

For Mini Marathon 10.5 km – Over all category, Mr. Chinnawat Changlek clocked 39 minutes and 40 seconds to clinch victory in the male half marathon, winning prize money and a trophy with the signature of Phuket’s Governor. The winner in the female mini marathon was Surakarn Wanna with a time of 47 minutes and 47 seconds.

Winners also received a prize gift voucher as well as a medal. Congratulations to all participants.

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