Search Results for: drug
- Phuket News
Thaksin arrives for Apec meeting
PHUKET: Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra arrived in Phuket late this afternoon, direct from Brunei, to preside over tomorrow’s opening ceremonies of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Finance Ministers’ Meeting at the Sheraton Grande Laguna Phuket. This evening the Prime Minister is due to meet with governors and senior police officers from the 14 southern provinces. The meeting, at the…
- Phuket News
Thai center to drive Apec life sciences growth
PHUKET: Thailand and private US interests have agreed to establish a Center of Excellence for the Life Sciences in Thailand that will lead growing interest in the topic throughout the region, a ground-breaking Apec conference has been told. The announcement came from Deputy Prime Minister Suwit Khunkitti in the lead-up to the opening of the first Life Sciences Innovation Forum,…
- Cannabis News
Ganja and magic mushrooms seized
PATONG: Four men were arrested on Monday in two separate drug raids along the Patong-Karon road that netted quantities of marijuana and “magic” psilocybin mushrooms allegedly packaged for re-sale. In the first raid, Pol Capt Sophon Borirak led Kathu Police officers to the Rasta Bar just south of Patong and arrested three Thais and a German at about 8:30 pm.…
- Phuket News
Governor is moving up
PHUKET TOWN: Phuket Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi is being promoted to the important post of Director-General of the Department of Local Administration (DOLA) after two years running the province, a vice-governor has confirmed. After Gov Pongpayome came to Phuket in October 2000, he became one of five pioneer Governor CEOs in an experiment initiated by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. In…
- Phuket News
All-night party raided
CHERNG TALAY: An all-night party at a Japanese businessman’s holiday home came to an abrupt end when police raided the mansion at 8 am yesterday and tested the 30 revelers for drugs and netted three gamblers. The Deputy Commander of Phuket Provincial Police, Pol Col Apirak Hongtong, led the raid after police received complaints at about 4 am from local…
- Phuket News
Villagers seek justice for slain council member
CHERNG TALAY: About 200 Cherng Talay villagers carried the casket of a murdered village council member to the Cherng Talay Police Station yesterday to demand justice for his death. The victim, 33-year-old Sommit Kongtin, was allegedly clubbed to death by a gang of young thugs outside the Chok E-sarn Karaoke Bar on Srisoonthorn Rd at about 2 am on June…
- Phuket News
Dancing the doctor away
PHUKET TOWN: More than 2,000 residents from across the island joined Public Health Minister Sudarat Keyuraphan and leading Phuket figures at Saphan Hin on Thursday to “dance the doctor away”. The mass workout was organized as part of a Health Ministry fitness initiative to encourage people to exercise for at least 15 minutes a day. At the front of the…
- Phuket News
Influential people “definitely in Phuket’ – Gov
PHUKET: Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi has slammed newspaper reports that Phuket has no “influential people” of the kind currently being targeted by the government of PM Thaksin Shinawatra. Several newspapers had reported that Phuket was among some 30 provinces that had stated they had no influential people. “I read these reports,” Gov Pongpayome said, “and I didn’t understand why they…
- Phuket News
Cabinet talks Phuket in Phuket
PHUKET TOWN: A Cabinet meeting in Phuket on Monday will discuss the effect of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) scare, the 100-billion-baht plan to develop the island, health tourism and the plan for a software park. Local Thai Rak Thai party leader Dr Yada Palimapan and Chawalit Na Nakhon, Vice-President of the Region 11 Community Relations Committee, listed the…
- Cannabis News
American held on dope charge
PATONG: American Charles Elliott Rook, 55, was arrested on May 19 on charges of possession of cannabis with intent to sell. Pol Lt Col Sanguan Muangtham of Patong Police Station told the Gazette that Rook was arrested after a raid on his home in Nanai Rd turned up a kilogram of cannabis. Undercover police had originally tried to buy cannabis…
- Cannabis News
Police arrest “Dr Feelgood’
PHUKET TOWN: Police arrested a doctor and three others in raids early yesterday that uncovered dealings in marijuana, the “love drug” ecstacy and cough syrup containing the opium derivative codeine. Dr Somchai Wongbanterng, 35, who has a clinic on Wichit Songkram Rd and lives at Joe Mansion, near the Phuket Hill Hotel in Mae Luan Rd, was due to face…
- Phuket News
Arrest your friends, minister tells governors
BANGKOK: Interior Minister Wan Muhamad Nor Matha wants provincial governors to arrest any of their friends or relatives believed to be involved in the illicit drugs trade, the Bangkok Post reported today. Meeting governors yesterday, he said Bangkok wants them to focus on large-scale dealers rather than small ones. He also told them to seize all drug dealers’ assets, the…
- Phuket News
Stats show doubling of murder rate
PHUKET: Eight people were murdered in Phuket between February 1 and 24, more than double the monthly average, the latest police statistics reveal. Only two of those murders have been solved, reflecting the wider picture throughout Thailand, where the Government campaign against drug abuse has triggered a wave of professional killings. In the same period, 160 people were arrested for…
- Phuket News
Prison numbers rise
PHUKET TOWN: Phuket Provincial Prison remains massively overcrowded, according to monthly statistics released by prison officials this week. And the Government’s war on drugs is likely to increase prison numbers, at least in the short term. The figures reveal that there are 1,035 men and 174 women incarcerated at the jail. This compares with 955 male and 204 female prisoners…
- Phuket News
Hitman strikes outside busy Big C
PHUKET TOWN: A man was shot dead outside the busy Big C Supercenter on the bypass road this afternoon by a motorcycle-riding killer who scored with three bullets to his victim’s head before speeding off. Visanuwat Ngamjun, 38, from Phuket, slumped behind the wheel of his Toyota Corona Altis. The engine continued to run as a passerby attempted to open…
- Phuket News
Safari Pub raided twice and closed
PATONG: Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi has closed the Safari Pub in Patong for a month, sparking a row about interpretation of the 2 am closing law. The case involves prominent Patong businessman Chairat Sukbal and Surapong “Od Patong” Rittee, the newspaper and TV reporter gunned down by a lone hitman in Patong earlier this month. Police raided the Sirirat Rd…
- Phuket News
Child wounded as hitmen kill neighbor
PHUKET TOWN: A four-year-old girl was shot in the shoulder as hitmen murdered a man in what police say they suspect was another drug-related execution yesterday afternoon. Bullets hit pig keeper Jaruek Sae Tan, 35, in the chest, chin, back, neck and head and he died outside a no-name restaurant on Chao Fa Nai Rd, behind the Suan Luang Park,…
- Phuket News
Last chance for dealers, addicts
PHUKET: Drugs dealers and addicts in Phuket have until Friday to turn themselves in and receive lenient treatment under the province’s amnesty program, part of the national War On Drugs. But from next Saturday (March 1), no mercy will be shown, Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi warned yesterday, stressing that, from the end of this month, there will be no more…
- Thailand News
Killing two vices with one stone
PATTAYA: Police officers broke into a gambling den in Pattaya and found seven men gambling, not for money but for drugs. Apparently unaware that it is “open season” on drug offenders, the men were doubling up on their pleasure by combining the twin national vices into one fun activity. All was going well, until their uninvited guests arrived. All seven…
- Phuket News
Motorbike gunmen strike at Saphan Hin
PHUKET TOWN: A 21-year-old man was shot and seriously injured at Saphan Hin yesterday. The gunman fled on a motorbike ridden by an accomplice. Witnesses to the shooting took the victim, Niruj Mokakom, to Wachira Phuket Hospital about 3:20 pm. He was in the intensive care unit today with wounds to his chest and right arm, and in no condition…
- Phuket News
A less-than-romantic evening
PATONG: In keeping with Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s drive to stamp out illegal drugs within three months, the authorities conducted a surprise raid on the popular Tiger Pub on Soi Bangla on Friday evening – Valentine’s Day. As police swooped in, a large number of tourists – mostly foreigners – managed to escape, leaving just 70 romantic revelers in the…
- Phuket News
Shark disco reborn as Star Wars
PATONG: The Shark discotheque, closed for more than a year after allegations of lewd behavior, is to reopen next month under new ownership and with a new name, Star Wars. The Patong landmark on the corner of Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Rd and Soi Bangla has been taken over by Maroot Tainikom, who also runs the nearby Tiger disco and plans…
- Phuket News
Reporter slain execution-style
PATONG: A newspaper and TV reporter was killed by two shots to the head in an execution-style killing in Patong early this morning. Surapong “Od Patong” Rittee, 43, was gunned down by two .38 rounds fired close to his left ear as he was walking out of the Aree Karnka mini-mart on Rat-U-Thit 200 Pi Rd at 3:30 am. His…
- Cannabis News
Couple held for marijuana deal
PHUKET TOWN: Police arrested a couple for selling marijuana after a plain-clothes officer posed as a customer in a drug deal sting. Mahamasu Dearama, 29, and Suwannee Libong, 27, from Phuket Villa 3, were arrested after they met the officer in Sakdidet Road about 6:30 pm on Monday. Police confiscated one kilogram of compressed marijuana and goods allegedly linked to…
- Phuket News
Full moon raid on Reggae Bar
NAI HARN: Police raided the Reggae Bar near Nai Harn lake in the early hours of Saturday morning and charged the owner with selling alcohol after legal opening hours. Pol Lt Col Worapong Wongjom told the Gazette that about 100 people, both Thais and foreigners, were attending a full moon party there. In tests for drugs, seven people returned positive…
- Phuket News
Deputy Interior Minister on Social Order visit
PHUKET TOWN: Deputy Interior Minister Pracha Maleenond plans to meet with owners of Phuket entertainment venues tomorrow as he pursues more effective implementation of the national Better Social Order Policy. Tonight he is likely to make an excursion to check on how the policy is working in local venues, where 2 am closing and adults-only admission are being strictly enforced,…
- Phuket News
Visit targets better social order
PHUKET: Deputy Interior Minister Pracha Maleenond is to visit Phuket on Wednesday as the national campaign to improve “social order” continues. At a meeting that afternoon, K Pracha will relay the latest developments in policy to members of local administrations before visiting a one tambon-one product site on Koh Sireh. On Thursday K. Pracha will meet Governor CEO Pongpayome Vasaputi…
- Phuket News
Undercover police nab Ecstasy pusher
PHUKET TOWN: A man accused of selling the illegal drug Ecstasy at Phuket nightspots has been arrested after selling the drug to an undercover police officer. Phuket Town’s Chief of Drugs Suppression Pol Lt Col Witoon Kongsudjai, was among officers who arrested Prasit Ploy-iam, 34, on Tuesday afternoon. “He had been selling drugs for a long time,” Col Witoon said.…
- Phuket News
Pub hours extended for holidays
PHUKET: Deputy Interior Minister Pracha Maleenond has confirmed that entertainment venues with a pub license will be allowed to remain open all night on both Christmas Eve (December 24) and New Year’s Eve (December 31). The official closing times on both dates have been set at 6 am the following morning. K. Pracha asked club operators for cooperation in refusing…
- Phuket News
Immigration Chief promoted
PHUKET TOWN: Pol Col Apirak Hongtong, Superintendent of Phuket Provincial Immigration Office (PPIO), has been promoted to Deputy Commander of Phuket Provincial Police. He will take up his new post on Monday (December 16). Speaking with the Gazette, Col Apirak said that in his new post he would continue the fight against all aspects of the illegal drugs trade. “We’ve…
