Tourism News

Tourism News Phuketwan Tourism News
facebook recommendations

NEWS ALERTS

Sign up now for our News Alert emails and the latest breaking news plus new features.

Click to subscribe

Existing subscribers can unsubscribe here

RSS FEEDS

The Australian victims of the savage bouncer beating in Bangla

Kicks to Tourism Must Never be Repeated

Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Phuketwan News Analysis

PHUKET: Needless violence and its damaging effect on Phuket tourism will be raised when representatives from Patong's nightlife venues meet with police today.

The riot at Thalang Police Station and the brutal beating of Aussie tourists at a Soi Bangla nightclub are two examples of over-the-top reactions in the past few days.

In both cases, the issues should have been resolved without a kick belng delivered or a petrol bomb being thrown.

For years, the island's residents have known that Phuket does not have enough police to cope and that as a result, in some cases, officers cut corners or even take bribes.

What probably won't be said at today's meeting of nightlife venue representatives is that police in Patong are not seen often enough in Soi Bangla and other nightlife centres.

Patrols are more often left to police volunteers.

The result is that too many of the security bouncers working for nightlife operators in Patong believe that they can take the law into their own hands.

That was the underlying message of the deeply disturbing video that revealed just what happens when police are too hard to find.

The question of whether illegal drinks vouchers were a contributing factor in the latest horrific beatings also must be investigated. If people think they are being cheated, they will cut up rough.

The officers of Patong's Kathu Police Station must today be given the clear message that they need to make Phuket's favorite nightclub destination so clean that it squeaks.

What's the connection between the Patong nightclub beating and the Thalang police station riot?

A lack of physical police presence and action. It's well known that the young men who attacked the police station have been buying and selling drugs around the district.

Police, short in numbers on the holiday island, have mostly been forced to look the other way. The result: a social problem that police and parents have ignored.

The message in both the Thalang and Patong cases is plain: unless police have a resolute presence across the island, prevention of needless violence becomes a problem.

Catching the perpetrators is much easier these days thanks to security cameras and honest citizens with mobile telephones and courage.

But only prevention will stop crimes being committed, and that means a more obvious police presence.

By the time the security cameras or the mobile telephones have captured the violence, it's too late. The damage has been done.

We urge police to pledge a greater presence around Patong at night and proprietors to promise to uphold the law in future, with no exceptions.

VIDEO The Battle for Phuket's Thalang Police Station

https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=1&v=P6ZURGrYyqY

VIDEO Guards Evict Aussie Tourists

WARNING: This video contains brutal violence
http://goo.gl/lXjb8u

Comments

Comments have been disabled for this article.

gravatar

Quite strange that the normal police doesn't prominent show themselves on Bangla Rd, but mostly leave it to the foreign police volunteers, who actually have no 'tools' at all ( can not arrest or fine people).
Or is it not strange that the normal thai police don't enforce laws on Bangla Rd?

Posted by Kurt on October 14, 2015 16:41

gravatar

Farang Volunteers Police can NOT fine you hmm, this happen every day in Rawai and Chalong, 2 Farang Police man stop you and you get fine 500 Bath.

Posted by Bjorn Ronningen on October 15, 2015 04:36

gravatar

@ Bjorn Ronningen.
Bjorn, when a foreign tourist volunteer police man fines you he must be together with a thai police officer in that brown uniform. That is the law!

Posted by Kurt on October 15, 2015 12:41

gravatar

@Kurt.
Then the Foreign Tourist Volunteer Police must have a B visa + Work permit, That is the Law.

Posted by Bjorn Ronningen on October 15, 2015 15:27

gravatar

Bjorn

Lived in Rawai 20 plus years and by way of nature travel through Chalong a lot, never been approached by a foriegn police volunteer please do tell more I am interested, my friends here also have never heard of this happening

Posted by Michael on October 15, 2015 17:08

gravatar

@Michael
Then you must wake up on the morning Michael, a drive this road every day, and they stop me 5 times every week, but i have Thai Driver lisens the 14 last year. but i think the Farang man in Brown Uniform are one off you friends Michael :)

Posted by Bjorn Ronningen on October 16, 2015 05:27

gravatar

Sorry Bjorn hard to understand exactly whst you sre saying what road ?

The farang police dont wear brown and I do not know any of the police volunteers

dont know what you are doing to get stopped five times a week I probably get stopped and checked once a year if that

Posted by Michael on October 16, 2015 06:29

gravatar

@Michael
The crossing are about 200 M from old ICON Bar, you now man :) And you have a BIG Farang Police in Brown Uniform.and he does not speak nicely to the tourists, they give you 500 Bath fined show you do not have International driving license, and as everyone knows so get Polisen 60% of the fines that are being printed.
This about 60% was a BIG new in Bangkok News last week. What you don`t wright your full name ? And have a nice day:)

Posted by Bjorn Ronningen on October 16, 2015 11:53

gravatar

Hi Bjorn

I know exactly that junction its near my house and go through most mornings on my way to have roti , yes seen that large farang policeman there he tried to stop me once there and the Thai policeman waved me on. So never been stopped there even though have driven through many times and I dont have any idea who he is nor am I friends,
If you have proof he is corrupt do something about it pin hole video cameras are very cheap.
whats the point with putting full name ?

Posted by as asked Michael Dawson born in Glasgow but proudly Welsh on October 16, 2015 13:27

gravatar

@Michael,Many people maks videos thake some time but soon on You Tube uploaded from Europe can not do that from IP addesse in Thailand. And have a very very nice day Michael :)

Posted by Bjorn Ronningen on October 17, 2015 07:29


Tuesday March 19, 2024
Horizon Karon Beach Resort & Spa

FOLLOW PHUKETWAN

Facebook Twitter