PHUKET: Police on Phuket took the unusual step of calling a media conference yesterday to refute allegations made by maverick MP Chuvit Kamolvisit.
There was no truth in claims made by the MP that police and Immigration officers took money to cover the existence of two large illegal casinos on Phuket, said Deputy Region 8 Police Chief Major General Pisan Juldilok.
He was speaking at a news conference at Phuket Police Headquarters in Phuket City, accompanied by Phuket Police Commander Major General Chonsit Wadhnawarangkun.
Major General Pisan said he believed Khun Chuvit was ''trying to discredit police at a time when officer transfers were being considered across the country, as they are at this time every year.''
Owners of the Tiger Group, well-known for its entertainment facilities in Phuket's west-coast nighlife capital, Patong, told the gathering they were contemplating civil and criminal action against Khun Chuvit.
They, like the police, totally rejected Khun Chuvit's allegation that there were large casinos being operated on Phuket through Russian gang connections.
''There is zero casino-style gambling on Phuket,'' Major General Pisan said.
Khun Chuvit's claims received a wide airing in the Thai media especially.
The MP says he spent three days conducting research on Phuket for a YouTube video. The video certainly shows near-naked pole dancers in Phuket but offers no footage to support his more serious contentions.
Khun Chuvit claims Phuket has gone from being the Pearl of the Andaman to the ''Bad Egg'' of the Andaman.
However, Phuket Intrerrnational Airport statistics show a record number of 8.4 million passengers arriving or departing through the facility in 2011.
There was no truth in claims made by the MP that police and Immigration officers took money to cover the existence of two large illegal casinos on Phuket, said Deputy Region 8 Police Chief Major General Pisan Juldilok.
He was speaking at a news conference at Phuket Police Headquarters in Phuket City, accompanied by Phuket Police Commander Major General Chonsit Wadhnawarangkun.
Major General Pisan said he believed Khun Chuvit was ''trying to discredit police at a time when officer transfers were being considered across the country, as they are at this time every year.''
Owners of the Tiger Group, well-known for its entertainment facilities in Phuket's west-coast nighlife capital, Patong, told the gathering they were contemplating civil and criminal action against Khun Chuvit.
They, like the police, totally rejected Khun Chuvit's allegation that there were large casinos being operated on Phuket through Russian gang connections.
''There is zero casino-style gambling on Phuket,'' Major General Pisan said.
Khun Chuvit's claims received a wide airing in the Thai media especially.
The MP says he spent three days conducting research on Phuket for a YouTube video. The video certainly shows near-naked pole dancers in Phuket but offers no footage to support his more serious contentions.
Khun Chuvit claims Phuket has gone from being the Pearl of the Andaman to the ''Bad Egg'' of the Andaman.
However, Phuket Intrerrnational Airport statistics show a record number of 8.4 million passengers arriving or departing through the facility in 2011.
