Phuket
Top police brass calls for public help in making Phuket safer

ROYAL Thai Police Assistant Commissioner-General Chalermkiat Srivorakan has appealed to the people of Phuket to help police in maintaining public safety.
The Assistant Commissioner’s plea came at the launch of a publicity campaign in Patong on August 17 to promote the new Patong Safety Zone project to tourists.
“Crime is on the rise everywhere these days, especially in tourist areas, where foreigners are targeted. This directly affects the reputation of those areas among tourists,” Lt Gen Chalermkiat said.
He added that with the Asean Economic Community (AEC) coming into effect in 2015, the Thai government had set a national target of earning 2 trillion baht through tourism.
“Ensuring the safety of tourists and tackling the problem of crime is necessary and requires every part of society to cooperate. There is a limited number of police officers, so we need cooperation from the public to keep an eye out for crime, especially in communities such as Patong where there are many tourists,” he said.
Patong Police Superintendent Chiraphat Pochanaphan explained that Patong has about 150 police officers, not enough to effectively enforce the law throughout the whole town.
“We need 90 more officers. We have already requested these extra officers, but have been told to wait until next year,” he told the Gazette.
“There are simply not enough new recruits. Every police station has the same problem,” he said.
Col Chiraphat said that his officers were now working with volunteers to assist police in improving public safety.
“This includes people such as beach guards, security guards at nightlife entertainment venues and at hotels, as well as Civil Defense Volunteers,” he explained.
Such volunteers are being issued police radios so that they can report incidents directly and immediately to the police, he added.
Regarding the CCTV network being set up to cover the entire safety zone, Col Chiraphat explained, “Extra computer servers are being installed in the CCTV control room at Patong Police Station. I have checked many CCTV systems across Patong and they are working well. They are ready to be hooked up as soon as the servers in the control room are ready.”
Once the system is operational, police will invite local business owners and other people working or living in Patong to sign up for access so any member of the public can help monitor the thousands of CCTV cameras that will be providing real-time footage to the police CCTV control center.
— Atchaa Khamlo
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Drugs
Early morning drug busts in Phuket yield 9 arrests

An early morning drug bust in Rawai, Phuket has yielded 9 arrests. The first raid yesterday consisted of 30 task force members who raided a sea gypsy shack near the beachfront in Rawai.
43 year old Saroch Homhuan, and 34 year old Juree Bangjak, were arrested and charged with posession of a Category I drug with the intent to sell, after police found 9 pills of methamphetamine, or yaba in Thai, over 6 grams of crystal meth, or ya ice in Thai, and 3 other “items of evidence.”
31 year old Suriyan Na Takuathung, and 29 year old Prathip Areerop, were arrested and charged with possession of a Category 1 drug with intent to sell, and possession of a Category 5 drug respectively. Police say they found 20 pills of methamphetamine, 0.92 grams of dried marijuana and 5 items of drug paraphernalia.
Police also raided 2 houses in Moo 2, arresting 5 suspects, named as 21 year old Vikrom Kongwiriyakul, 32 year old Narunat Chanthamuwong, 18 year old Chanchai Damrongkaset, a woman named Chantha Hansaithong, and 21 year old Warut Rodphan.
Warut was allegedly found with a bottle containing 500 millilitres of kratom juice. Police also say they seized 150 grams of kratom leaf dregs which are used to boil leaves in order to make the juice. Police charged him with posession of a Category 5 drug.
Police say they confiscated a total of 13 litres of kratom juice from 4 other suspects, which was contained in 10 bottles along with other ingredients and equipment to produce the drug cocktail called ‘4×100.’
All 9 suspects were taken to the Chalong Police Station in which only 1 agreed to undergo drug rehabilitation.
The raids come after the Phuket Provincial Government ordered officers of the Muang District Office to target villages where drugs are prevalent. A spokesman for the government said police will continue to remove drug traffickers from the community while working to improve the quality of local people’s lives so they don’t have to use drugs anymore.
SOURCE: The Phuket News
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Tourism
Thailand to introduce “area quarantine” for international visitors from April

From next month, foreign visitors to the Kingdom will be able to experience the delights of “area quarantine”, after the government confirmed the scheme for 5 provinces. Following a meeting with the Public Health Ministry, the Tourism Minister Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn confirmed that Phuket, Krabi, Chiang Mai, Chon Buri (Pattaya), and Surat Thani (Koh Samui and Koh Pha-ngan) have been chosen to pilot the scheme.
Foreign tourists opting for area quarantine will be required to remain in their hotel rooms for the first 3 days of their stay. They will be tested for Covid-19 and, if negative after 3 days, will be allowed to leave their room and roam freely around the resort for the remainder of their 14-day quarantine. At the end of the 14-day period, they will once again be tested for the virus and, if negative, allowed to travel around the quarantine area.
In order to avail of the scheme, tourists will still need to fulfil the other requirements for travel, including obtaining a Certificate of Entry, a negative Covid-19 test 72 hours prior to travel, and adequate health insurance. Nation Thailand reports that the area quarantine plan will be run by 29 travel agencies, under TAT supervision.
The area quarantine scheme comes as the TAT hails the success of the first “golf quarantine” scheme, which operates in a similar manner. Travellers from countries considered “low-risk” for Covid-19 can come to Thailand for a golf holiday at approved golf resorts in the Kingdom. Conditions are similar to those attached to area quarantine, with the golfers having to spend the first 3 days in their room, test negative for the virus, and then enjoy free rein of the resort, with a few rounds of golf thrown in.
Thailand’s economy has been decimated by the fallout from the pandemic, in particular the loss of international tourism. The current mandatory 14-day quarantine period is seen as the biggest hurdle to overcome in order to re-ignite the sector. In 2019, international tourism contributed 2 trillion baht out of a total 3.01 trillion baht tourism trade. In the same year, tourism made up 17% of Thailand’s GDP.
SOURCE: Nation Thailand
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Tourism
Phuket’s nightlife. Yes, bars and clubs are still open | VIDEO

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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