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Weerawit Kuresombut, President of Patong's Entertainment Association

Patong Corruption: Bidders Seek a Cut

Wednesday, November 14, 2012
PHUKET: The Marine Police, the Tourist Police and the Anti-Human Trafficking Division are seeking to take additional corrupt payments from Phuket's nightclubs, bars and pubs, Patong officials said today.

The three groups had asked for their share of corrupt payments already being made to 13 or 14 organisations, the President of the Entertainment Association of Patong, Weerawit Kuresombut, said today.

''It's like a big [corruption] cake,'' he told Phuketwan before going into a meeting with Phuket Governor Maitree Inthusud at Provincial Hall in Phuket City. ''Everybody wants to eat it.''

Phuket's tourists are the ones who pay for all the corruption on Phuket, Khun Weerawit said. ''If the corruption continues to grow at this rate, the tourists who come to Phuket will go to other destinations.''

Patong officials are known to have been trying to limit the scale of corruption payments for several years.

Patong Deputy Mayor Chairat Sukban, who attended today's meeting, was also at a public meeting in Patong two years ago where Mayor Pian Keesin told hundreds of people that Patong businesses could not afford to pay bribes to any more organisations.

The identity of the 13 or 14 groups that already are paid bribes was not revealed today, but they are believed to include virtually every official group that has any connection with tourism on Phuket.

Governor Maitree closed today's meeting at Phuket Provincial Hall to the media. However, Phuketwan spoke to Khun Weerawit and Deputy Mayor Chairat before they entered.

''Larger nightclubs pay about 100,000 a month in bribes,'' Khun Weerawit said. ''This scales down to about 10,000 baht for a pub.

''Bars, depending on their size, will pay upwards of 1000 baht a month in corrupt money.''

He said some of the bars had sought to be reassigned as restaurants to avoid the payments.

Members of the entertainment association had told Khun Weerawit that ''bribe brokers'' sometimes sought to act as middlemen for a commission, offering to deal direct with police and other groups taking illegal payments.

Khun Weerawit said there were as many as 300 bars and nightlife outlets that were part of the Patong ''cake.''

''I'd say the income from discos, nightclubs, bars and pubs amounts to about 10 million baht in income a day,'' he said.

Businesspeople in the entertainment industry on Phuket recognise the damage that corruption causes to tourism but have never been able to do anything about it because virtually everyone is in on it.

Khun Weerawit urged the continuation of the unofficial policy to allow bars to open past 2am for the safety of tourists.

''If we are forced to close on time, the tourists will go to 7-Eleven to buy alcohol and continue to drink at Patong beach and other beaches,''he said.

''The environment in the bars and discos is much safer,'' he said.

Phuketwan has seen police attempting to close Soi Bangla bars at 2am. It's extremely difficult when tourists are clearly enjoying themselves.

Comments

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Let's fantasise for a minute....suppose the corruption was totally ended tomorrow. Would the businesses reduce their prices? I don't think so.

Posted by Ga on November 14, 2012 13:09

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Lets not forget to add the 'music licence' people to the list - this is a real racket as well, with involvement from certain officials who can't be mentioned here.

Posted by Mister Ree on November 14, 2012 14:39

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Bungalows and resorts also have to pay a 'protection fee' to the police if they want them to turn up if they have a problem. I saw a resort owner handing over a wad of cash to a policeman and I was surprised as this resort owner was born and bred in Patong and is a police volunteer. I asked 'do you have to pay as well?' He answered, 'everybody has to pay them.' Who could he complain to anyway? The Police?

Posted by logbags on November 14, 2012 15:01

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We have never paid one Baht of bribes and have never been asked to do so. I assume it has to do that all our licenses, building and construction permits, hotel license, liquor license, cigarette licenses and all other necessary documents to run our business are complete and arranged in a proper documented way.

rgds, wm

Posted by wm on November 14, 2012 15:16

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Khun Weerawit urged the continuation of the unofficial policy to allow bars to open past 2am for the safety of tourists.

''If we are forced to close on time, the tourists will go to 7-Eleven to buy alcohol and continue to drink at Patong beach and other beaches,''he said.

The bars want to stay open past 2AM because they want to make more money. It has nothing to due with tourist safety.

Posted by Billy on November 14, 2012 15:31

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The Association's president takes a big risk highlighting these daily ongoing corruption institutions, and those who claim not to pay anyone due to having their licenses filed and accounted for correctly number in the minority as I can state the same but unfortunately have to, like the vast majority here, pay for services that clearly amount to very little but veiled threats if I do not!

Corruption is engrained here, I see it never ending and no chance of significant change because who are we? the foreigners who try to play by the Thai laws and rules, who employ so many locals in good faith, that contribute positively to the tourism industry yet have to bite our lips regarding these sad facts of living/working here.

Posted by Anonymous on November 14, 2012 15:37

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This is one barrel where you would be at pains to find a good apple.

Corruption has wide reaching implications and none of which have any real benefit other than those pocketing the money.

This will eventually be one of the deciding factors in the downfall of tourism here but the officials will never care because by the time that comes they would have already filled their pockets and gone on to live the life of luxury somewhere else.

Posted by Graham on November 14, 2012 15:49

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Corruption??? so what else is new?..do you not think it doesn't exist in most other countries?...Over here, it's just more in your face..in other places, it's more behind closed doors making us think it doesn't exist...but it's there, loud and clear...If there is money to be made, the law makers and those who enforce the law will always have their hands out in some way or another.

Posted by sky on November 14, 2012 17:31

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I coordinate the Region 8 Volunteer Program from Kathu Police Station. I can assure we receive none of this money and I know the International Volunteers who work with the Tourist Police do not receive monies. We pay for everything we need, our uniforms, all the telephone calls made for people we help, we pay for taxis when people are stranded, we provide our own transport and we give our time, not only the time you see us patroling Patong streets but the hours at the Police Station, Hospitals and other areas where our skills are needed. Please do not link us with these groups, and by the way we need more volunteers so if you have a "B" or "O" visa contact us, on the street or through Kathu Police Station Patong. My name and email are below.

skipperwal@yahoo.com

Posted by Wal Brown on November 14, 2012 17:48

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Its alright leave it along, everyone loves the way it is now look at the record numbers of tourists! its a good system and it works.. i think its jelousy of some people because they are poor! theres corruption in any country its no big deal!!

Posted by poppops on November 15, 2012 06:37

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I am very suprise and proud of Mr Weerawit Kuresombut, President of our Patong's Entertainment Association standing up and saying things that many bar owners feel but don't dare to speak up. these are not bribes but extortion as they come telling how much each bar have to pay them or else...

Posted by Jay on November 15, 2012 07:36

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Corruption rocks!!!

Posted by geoff on November 19, 2012 15:55


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