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Thursday, June 14, 2007
Tesco-Lotus junction claims another victim

RASSADA: The Tesco-Lotus junction, officially dubbed the “Samkong Intersection”, claimed another victim early Tuesday morning, when a man riding a motorbike through the junction and a Toyota Hilux Vigo collided at high speed.

The motorbike rider died at the scene. His passenger suffered serious injuries.

Pol Lt Akekarat Plaiduang, duty inspector at Phuket Police Station, identified the deceased as Manas Surat, 17. “Piya Arddhumma, 18, who was riding pillion, sustained serious injuries,” he said.

“Both are from Sakhon Nakhon and came to live in Phuket and work as security guards,” he added,

“Saroj Kongkeaw, 25, was the driver of the Toyota Hilux Vigo, which still has red [new registration] license plates,” Lt Akekarat said.

He added that criminal charges have yet to be made. “We still don’t know who was in the wrong. We are checking the CCTV recording taken at the intersection,” he said.

Pol Maj Teerawat Leamsuwan, of the Phuket City Police Traffic Division, told the Gazette, “Most accidents at the Tesco-Lotus intersection are caused by carelessness and lack of driver discipline. Most vehicles involved in accidents there were being driven too fast.

“Even in the early morning, as in this incident, when there are few drivers on the roads, drivers must drive carefully and slow down at intersections,” he added.

“Following my order, the Phuket Highways Office now has the traffic lights at the Tesco-Lotus intersection operating 24 hours, but there are still accidents there,” Maj Teerawat said.

Two people died and five were injured when a Kusoldharm Volunteer Rescue Foundation truck rushing four accident victims to hospital collided with a Toyota sedan at high speed at the Tesco-Lotus intersection just before dawn on May 6.

Thursday, June 14, 2007
Gangster linked to Phuket murder shot in South

NAKHON SRI THAMMARAT: A man described by police as a notorious gangster was in critical condition on Tuesday night after a drive-by shooting at his house that left one dead and five injured.

Police say the man may be wanted in connection with a murder carried out in Phuket.

Lt Col Chaiyan Bundit, Inspector for Investigation at Pakphanang Police Station, told the Gazette that a pickup carrying at least three men passed the home of 36-year-old Purachet “Chuab Paknang” Sukkong about 7 pm.

Chuab and his friends had formed a wong lao (“whiskey circle”) in front of the house. Although Chuab is believed to have been intended for murder, his assailants sprayed the entire group with bullets from an M-16 and AK-47 assault rifles, Col Chaiyan said.

Samart Kongchouy, 49, died on the way to Pakpanang Hospital.

Chuab, Wasan Pantaen, 27, and Santi Boonchan, 24, were injured. Another man was treated and released before police could learn his name.

“Chuab is out of the ICU already, so I believe we will be able to question him and the others within three days,” Col Chaiyan said.

“Unfortunately, witnesses were unable to identify the make or license number of the vehicle used in the attack. All we know is that it was a light-colored, extended-cab pickup with at least three people inside. They fired until their magazines were empty, then drove away,” he said.

“We believe the gunmen who shot Chuab are gangsters, but we are not sure from where. Chuab has many enemies,” said Col Chaiyan.

Born in Nakhon Sri Thammarat, Chuab is suspected of arranging several assassinations, he said.

“I have heard that he never carried them out himself, but employed others. The police never had enough evidence to charge him, nor can we do so now because he is the victim in this case,” he added.

Chuab apparently worked in gambling rackets in Nahhon Sri Thammarat, Col Chaiyan said, but also had allegedly employed a gunman to kill someone in Phuket. However, the identity of the Phuket target was not revealed.

Chuab also has “many wives” and children, he added.

“As for this case, we have heard that he put out a contract on someone, but then the intended victim found out about it. We have yet to begin a proper investigation, as we have to wait for Chuab to regain consciousness before we can question him,” he added.

Thursday, June 14, 2007
Kajonkietsuksa School steps up security

WICHIT: In response to several calls by parents concerned about stepped-up security at Kajonkietsuksa School on Chao Fa West Rd, the Gazette is happy to report that the new measures are purely precautionary – and not in response to any imminent threat to security at the school.

Nunthiya Lohitchan, a teacher at the school, explained that parents arriving to pick up their kids are now being asked to present school ID cards before being allowed drive cars onto the school grounds.

The ID cards have a photo of the student on one side and their parent or legal guardian on the other.

In addition to keeping unauthorized people off the school grounds, the “Expressway Project”, as it is called by the school, is also intended to reduce traffic congestion by allowing parents to pick up their Little Einsteins on a drive-through basis, without having to park.

“It’s totally unrelated to the security situation in the Deep South or rumors about child abduction, in Phuket or elsewhere,” Khru Nunthiya confirmed.

“We put this policy in place for the safety of our students and we think it will increase confidence among their parents,” she added.