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Phuket's Governor and Minister Somsak at today's meeting

Clean Up Phuket Campaign Triggers 1289 Passport Checks, Illegal Taxi Arrests

Wednesday, August 21, 2013
PHUKET: A total of 1289 people on Phuket have had their passports checked in the opening days of a campaign to ''clean up'' Phuket, it was revealed today.

A meeting chaired by the Tourism and Sport Minister, Somsak Pureesrisak, was highlighting progress in the bid to sweep scams and rip-offs as well as crime from Phuket.

With his term now extended for another year, Governor Maitree Intrusud was at Phuket Police Headquarters with representatives from Phuket authorities, the Department of Special Investigation and Phuket police.

Investigators had checked 1289 passports or documents of foreigners or ''aliens,'' the meeting heard.

A total of 77 people had been charged with overstaying, and 15 had been charged with work permit offences.

Twenty-six Burmese had been arrested for not having permission to be in Thailand.

Investigators had made 28 arrests in relation to copy goods, and the DSI's own checkpoints had produced 111 arrests for driving offences.

A sweep had been made through 467 karaoke clubs, bars and game shops, with 332 people ''at risk'' - the usual description of previous offenders - being discovered.

A total of 284 people have been arrested. Of those 14 arrests were made for illegal possession of handguns, and 24 arrests were made for people wirthout gun licences.

A total of 83 drivers of illegal ''black'' taxis had been arrested, along with 44 people charged with prostitution.

More specific details about the aims, objectives and duration if the campaign are likely to emerge as the meeting continues.

Comments

Comments have been disabled for this article.

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To me, this looks like a small clean up. How can they find only 44 prostitutes? Is that a joke? And only 28 shops selling copy goods? Im allowed to question the sincerety in the operation. How many shops, including Jungceylon's basement continue to sell copy despite a crackdown?
So Surin beach is all cleared of beach clubs by now right?
These are only my opinions

Posted by danny on August 21, 2013 12:46

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We could see news a few months ago about police raid into famous "exotic show" opposite Jung Ceylon. How about it now? As I know, booking of this show never stopped since it was opened last year. I don't mind about such shows. But until it's not legalized they break law. Who should care about this?

Posted by Stranger on August 21, 2013 13:31

Editor Comment:

The Culture Ministry.

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If you set up a check point anywhere on the major roads on Phuket every day, you would have netted hundreds of illegal taxis, taxis with no driver name displayed, taxi drivers with illegal weapons.

Instead we have 83, resulting from a single day action.

The threat of being caught and held accountable of wrongdoing needs to be permanent and real. One day, week or month actions do nothing to change the reality and amount to nothing more than window dressing and photo-ops.

Start revoking licenses of repeat offenders and confiscate their vehicles.

A Bt 2000 fine is just one return trip to the airport, no deterrent at all.

Reading about with what kind of vigor and enthusiasm they went after checking the passports of foreigners one can draw their own conclusions about what their real motivation is.

Posted by ThaiMike on August 21, 2013 13:31

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Was/is this an open meeting, or only to invited people & press?

Posted by Paul on August 21, 2013 13:34

Editor Comment:

We will take up the franchise and sell tickets next time.

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What, no posts from the 'nothing will happen' brigade?

Posted by Kirkdale Boy on August 21, 2013 13:53

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How can the be taken seriously when they say 44 were arrested for prostitution. There is no way I am carrying my original Passport around as if it is stolen from my motorbike it means an expensive long trip to Bangkok. Prefer they take me home or a Phuket Police station. I carry a photocopy of my Passport Visa Stamp and Departure Card which also has a stamp. Many Passports now have the passport number on every page so they should accept it.

Posted by Fiesty Farang on August 21, 2013 14:20

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Was prostitution and overstays ever mentioned on any list of issues which DSI had to investigate?

Posted by Sherlock on August 21, 2013 14:45

Editor Comment:

The assumption is that these are ''windfall'' arrest that came about as a byproduct of research into other matters.

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May I ask, what is the difference between 14 arrests for illegal possession of handguns and 24 for without gun licenses? Is it 14 foreigners- who are not allowed at all- and 24 Thai - who fail to have a license? Or 14 people carrying licensed guns from others? Or carrying not licensable kind of guns?

Posted by Lena on August 21, 2013 15:16

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my staff were asked to supply a head and shoulders photo of themselves holding their passport photo page under their chins - which was emailed to our head office at the request of immigration.. what are they checking with this?? that we can email a picture?? no checking of stamps or work permits involved at all.. pretty pointless!!

Posted by another steve on August 21, 2013 16:19

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I simple yes or no would have been find ED - I will take it as a no and was not a public meeting.

Posted by Paul on August 22, 2013 10:36

Editor Comment:

Yes, not a public meeting. Very few public meetings.

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Shame I would love to sit and listen, but thanks for the clarification

Posted by Paul on August 22, 2013 12:45


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