THE ACCUSED youth and his accuser went to court on Wednesday with their representatives. As a result, the accused youth was placed in custody. After this news was conveyed to the Kamala blockade leaders about 5pm on Wednesday, the protest was declared at an end. Protesters were assured that the local police captain and other officers associated with the case would be moved on, and that no blockade protesters would face charges.



TOURISTS were forced off a bus and had to walk back to their resort today as a Kamala protest by angry villagers blocked the main road.

The 38 Danish holidaymakers, destined for a day's touring, had to get off the bus at a police checkpoint north of Kamala, where locals have blocked the road.

Reporters say angry words have been exchanged at this blockade point, while music is being played at a second blockade in the heart of Kamala.

The protest, which shrank this morning then increased in scale again towards noon, is over a case involving the aftermath of a fight between two youths from neighboring villages.

Talks aimed at a settlement were progressing, with the President of the Kamala Orbortor, Jutha Dumrat, saying that the courts had rescinded bail granted to one of the youths.

He was now in custody again. Talks were continuing on the protesters' other demands, although late this afternoon, the blockade was being maintained.

At the police box at Nanok Checkpoint, north of Kamala, some vehicles were being allowed through. Others were being stopped and searched.

A reporter on the spot said: ''People are still yelling at each other.'' A police truck, with flattened tyres, formed part of a road block.

About six men were controlling traffic on the road, with other people looking on, letting some vehicles through but stopping others.

A Western couple in a pickup were stopped. Their vehicle was searched, then they were allowed through.

A man who said he was a protest leader told Phuketwan the blockade would continue all day today and tomorrow if necessary.

At the 7-Eleven, Kamala Regent sala tents helped to block the road. By late morning, only local motorcycle traffic was being allowed through.

Workers heading north through Kamala to jobs in Surin were forced to detour via the main airport-Phuket City route.

Phuketwan reporters were trapped between the two protests for an hour before being allowed back out.

Earlier today when the crowd was about 200 people, police told Phuketwan that they were angry that one of the youths, from Bang Tao, had been bailed and allowed to go free.

After last week's knife fight, in which the Kamala youth was reported to be wounded, the Bang Tao youth surrendered himself to police in Phuket City.

His parents subsequently paid to have him bailed.

The protesters in Kamala, who said they came from six villages, were unhappy that police had allowed the boy to go free and wanted him to surrender to police in Kamala and be held there.

Phuket's Police Chief, Major General Apirak Hongtong, went to the scene of the protest last night to talk to the crowd, which blocked traffic going both ways from around 8pm.

Police estimated that about 200 people were involved in the protest, not far from the Phuket FantaSea tourist theme park.

As well as the demand that the boy be taken to Kamala police station, Phuket Provincial Police Deputy Commander Chalit Tinthanee told Phuketwan that protesters called for the police officer in charge of the case to be removed.

They had three other demands: that the group associated with the accused youth be ''moved out,'' that no protesters face charges, and that a group of other police described as being ''very corrupt'' also be transferred out.

Last night, Deputy Commander Chalit ordered police captain Amnouywit Makkhuntod to be moved to another, as yet undetermined, location.

Deputy Commander Chalit and OrBorTor Kamala Chief Jutha Dumrat were meeting with a protest leader to resolve the issue.

At Kamala police station, between six and eight police were sitting in a sala outside, waiting for the situation to be determined.