PHUKET: The Governor of Phuket, Jamleran Tipayapongtada, has responded to rumors on social media that his departure is imminent because of the riot at Thalang Police Station last weekend.
Governor Jamleran said: ''I would like to inform you that I have had no order from the Interior Ministry.''
It was the second time the governor has posted messages on social media in the space of the weekend, with a previous message on Saturday aimed at rumors that there would be a new protest.
Today the governor said that he would ''like to see Phuket move forward. If you have trouble with injustice, come to me for help and support to solve the problem.''
Last weekend's siege of Thalang Police Station lasted 15 hours, with 200 troops being brought on a five-hour road trip from a distant province to quell the torching of cars and the breaking of windows about 3.30am.
Governor Jamleran has said that in future, Phuket authorities would react to more trouble with much greater speed.
It's likely that the national government, which does not want such a long, ugly incident repeated, would not tolerate a second example of a traditional Phuket blockade with the same consideration as police showed last weekend.
Phuket court has since approved 33 arrest warrants and more are expected. Police injured in the disturbance have been given compensation of 10,000 baht each.
Scores of tourists were prevented from catching their flights on time and the daughter of a man who died after protesters turned back his ambulance from Krabi has said she plans to sue the demonstrators.
Leaders of three Phuket street blockades were arrested and retrospectively punished soon after the military took control of Thailand in May last year.
It was considered unlikely that more blockades would occur on Phuket but hundreds of people took to the streets following the death of two young men from Baan Don village in a motorcycle crash last Saturday that locals attributed to pursuing police.
An independent panel is looking into the deaths and was given 30 days to report.
Governor Jamleran said: ''I would like to inform you that I have had no order from the Interior Ministry.''
It was the second time the governor has posted messages on social media in the space of the weekend, with a previous message on Saturday aimed at rumors that there would be a new protest.
Today the governor said that he would ''like to see Phuket move forward. If you have trouble with injustice, come to me for help and support to solve the problem.''
Last weekend's siege of Thalang Police Station lasted 15 hours, with 200 troops being brought on a five-hour road trip from a distant province to quell the torching of cars and the breaking of windows about 3.30am.
Governor Jamleran has said that in future, Phuket authorities would react to more trouble with much greater speed.
It's likely that the national government, which does not want such a long, ugly incident repeated, would not tolerate a second example of a traditional Phuket blockade with the same consideration as police showed last weekend.
Phuket court has since approved 33 arrest warrants and more are expected. Police injured in the disturbance have been given compensation of 10,000 baht each.
Scores of tourists were prevented from catching their flights on time and the daughter of a man who died after protesters turned back his ambulance from Krabi has said she plans to sue the demonstrators.
Leaders of three Phuket street blockades were arrested and retrospectively punished soon after the military took control of Thailand in May last year.
It was considered unlikely that more blockades would occur on Phuket but hundreds of people took to the streets following the death of two young men from Baan Don village in a motorcycle crash last Saturday that locals attributed to pursuing police.
An independent panel is looking into the deaths and was given 30 days to report.
