PHUKET: The people who ran Phuket's beach sunbed businesses were far from poor - 45 out of 62 sent their children overseas to study, says the police officer leading a major investigation into the illegal industry.
Major General Paween Pongsirin is clearly not accepting the line that this was a way for poor local people to sustain a living, although there were probably low-paid workers involved.
''Most of the people who owned the sunbeds were wealthy people,'' he said. On a wall behind him are photographs of some of the well-to-do homes of the sunbed operators.
''These people are driving Volvos and Mercs,'' he said. And on the wall there's a photograph of one of the offspring of a sunbed operator enjoying some skiing in Switzerland.
The major general, now aged 56, spent several months on Phuket working undercover on the taxi task force earlier this year, digging for information. It was not easy.
Many of the people in resorts who should have been happy to help were scared to talk. They were in the grip of the ''mafia'' and could not believe life on Phuket would change.
But change it has, largely thanks to Major General Paween and his boss, Region 8 commander Lieutent-General Panya Mamen. The pair are not Phuket police officers, so they have not adopted a ''roll with the locals'' approach.
Major General Paween was based in Patong once. Thirteen years ago, he served as superintendent in the holiday town for seven months. Suddenly he found himself posted back to Phuket City, then off the island entirely.
It is not the first time a public official who wanted to apply enforcement rather than compromise has been edged out, moved sideways or shunted to another province.
A few years ago, Dr Preecha Ruangjan was appointed Phuket governor. He had a reputation for being extremely honest. He lasted just a few months.
Then last year, after just seven months, Kathu Director Veera Kerdsirimongkol found himself moved to another province. Khun Veera had made quite a few arrests. He was stirring up too much anxiety on Phuket. He had to go, it seems.
Major General Paween spent three years pushing paper around a desk in a far-off province before being hand-picked by Lieutenant General Panya for the difficult undercover role on Phuket.
With just a small team of police from off the island, Major General Paween gathered enough evidence to warrant a major offensive that led to almost 200 arrests among taxi and tuk-tuk drivers in Kata-Karon, Cherng Talay and Patong, with local politicians also charged for their involvement.
Not far from the major general's office in Phuket City Police Station is a parking compound of illegal taxis and tuk-tuks. Some were used back in March in a street blockade in Patong. Others were impounded when their drivers were arrested.
Taxis and tuk-tuks, confiscated by police on Phuket? It's a sign that everything has changed.
In the space of just four months, the old way of how Phuket was run behind closed doors, with telephone calls being made to remove any ''troublemakers,'' appears to have been swept away.
Compromise no longer cuts the mustard. Enforcement is what it's about these days.
Most right-thinking people on Phuket will be hoping that Major General Paween and his team stick around for a while yet. From what Phuketwan has seen, he's meticulous in compiling evidence and double-checking the facts.
''Why were the resorts trapped and unable to solve their problems? Because the local officers were corrupt,'' he says.
The campaign to punish the ''taxi mafia'' who employed intimidation and extortion to damage the reputation of tourism in Thailand is continuing.
And the major general now has plenty of incriminating evidence of the misuse of Phuket's public beaches by people who grew rich in the process of persuading resorts that they owned the right to sell the sands.
''Why do the people want to return to the beaches?'' the major general asks. ''Because it's a good income.''
There are probably many telephone calls still being made, calls to people who once had influence but whose powers to achieve a quick transfer of a troublesome official have waned since the military takeover in Thailand on May 22.
Given enough time, Major General Paween and Lieutenant General Panya have the dedication to set Phuket straight. It has to be hoped they continue down the path to a more honest island, a Phuket free from compromise.
Major General Paween Pongsirin is clearly not accepting the line that this was a way for poor local people to sustain a living, although there were probably low-paid workers involved.
''Most of the people who owned the sunbeds were wealthy people,'' he said. On a wall behind him are photographs of some of the well-to-do homes of the sunbed operators.
''These people are driving Volvos and Mercs,'' he said. And on the wall there's a photograph of one of the offspring of a sunbed operator enjoying some skiing in Switzerland.
The major general, now aged 56, spent several months on Phuket working undercover on the taxi task force earlier this year, digging for information. It was not easy.
Many of the people in resorts who should have been happy to help were scared to talk. They were in the grip of the ''mafia'' and could not believe life on Phuket would change.
But change it has, largely thanks to Major General Paween and his boss, Region 8 commander Lieutent-General Panya Mamen. The pair are not Phuket police officers, so they have not adopted a ''roll with the locals'' approach.
Major General Paween was based in Patong once. Thirteen years ago, he served as superintendent in the holiday town for seven months. Suddenly he found himself posted back to Phuket City, then off the island entirely.
It is not the first time a public official who wanted to apply enforcement rather than compromise has been edged out, moved sideways or shunted to another province.
A few years ago, Dr Preecha Ruangjan was appointed Phuket governor. He had a reputation for being extremely honest. He lasted just a few months.
Then last year, after just seven months, Kathu Director Veera Kerdsirimongkol found himself moved to another province. Khun Veera had made quite a few arrests. He was stirring up too much anxiety on Phuket. He had to go, it seems.
Major General Paween spent three years pushing paper around a desk in a far-off province before being hand-picked by Lieutenant General Panya for the difficult undercover role on Phuket.
With just a small team of police from off the island, Major General Paween gathered enough evidence to warrant a major offensive that led to almost 200 arrests among taxi and tuk-tuk drivers in Kata-Karon, Cherng Talay and Patong, with local politicians also charged for their involvement.
Not far from the major general's office in Phuket City Police Station is a parking compound of illegal taxis and tuk-tuks. Some were used back in March in a street blockade in Patong. Others were impounded when their drivers were arrested.
Taxis and tuk-tuks, confiscated by police on Phuket? It's a sign that everything has changed.
In the space of just four months, the old way of how Phuket was run behind closed doors, with telephone calls being made to remove any ''troublemakers,'' appears to have been swept away.
Compromise no longer cuts the mustard. Enforcement is what it's about these days.
Most right-thinking people on Phuket will be hoping that Major General Paween and his team stick around for a while yet. From what Phuketwan has seen, he's meticulous in compiling evidence and double-checking the facts.
''Why were the resorts trapped and unable to solve their problems? Because the local officers were corrupt,'' he says.
The campaign to punish the ''taxi mafia'' who employed intimidation and extortion to damage the reputation of tourism in Thailand is continuing.
And the major general now has plenty of incriminating evidence of the misuse of Phuket's public beaches by people who grew rich in the process of persuading resorts that they owned the right to sell the sands.
''Why do the people want to return to the beaches?'' the major general asks. ''Because it's a good income.''
There are probably many telephone calls still being made, calls to people who once had influence but whose powers to achieve a quick transfer of a troublesome official have waned since the military takeover in Thailand on May 22.
Given enough time, Major General Paween and Lieutenant General Panya have the dedication to set Phuket straight. It has to be hoped they continue down the path to a more honest island, a Phuket free from compromise.
How do you run this story about change at the same time as the pollution problem on Koh Racha story which is so obviously about business as usual?
Posted by sir burr on September 29, 2014 10:11
Editor Comment:
Oh, sir burr. I thought we banned you for your foolish slurs that phuketwan is corrupt.
Is it too difficult to understand that change doesn't suddenly arrive overnight with a large blimp and a burst of lotus blossoms above Phuket, descending slowly to make everything sweet and lovely? Is it too hard to grasp that the 14 or so police involved in the changes so far are unconnected with Racha? Do you not understand how the real world works?
Won't they be sending out a search party for you from Thai Visa?