Stories tagged with legal
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Illegal labourers arrested on Phuket
28 illegal Burmese workers were arrested on the site of the homeWorks construction project on the Thai island of Phuket after an anonymous tip-off led police to the building site. The fact that illegal Burmese workers play a significant role in the island’s workforce is no secret, and the news of these arrests follows last month’s incident where 54 would-be illegal immigrants suffocated on their way to the island last month.
The informant told police that RTH Construction Co, the contractors responsible for building the homeWorks complex were employing illegal workers, and while some workers were without work permits, others were in possession of permits that allowed them to work solely for another employer.
The workers without entry papers will be deported, while the others will face a fine, said local Police. RTH Construction faces charges of its own.
The governor of Phuket, Niran Kalayanamit, warned that in the wake of the devastation caused by Cyclone Nargis, more illegal workers could be expected to try to enter Thailand to find work.
Posted by: DaveB on 03 Jun 2008, 19:55 -
30 grand in hash found in man’s stomach
Last week an Australian man was arrested on the island of Ko Samui after being admitted to the hospital and doctors having found a sizeable quantity of drugs in his stomach. The islands off the southern shores of Thailand are not unknown as a place where soft drugs are widely available, but the arrest of 51-year old Aussie John Paul Jones may have an effect on local supply, as over $30,000 worth of hashish was allegedly found in his stomach when he was examined by doctors.
Jones arrived in Thailand and asked to be taken to the hospital shortly after, complaining of severe stomach pain. When an X-Ray revealed a string of small packages in his small intestine, 62 in all, the 800 grams of hash were surgically removed. It took doctors two hours to remove all the drug packets from Mr. Jones’ stomach, and surgeon Dr. Worapob said, "Before the operation, Mr Jones looked nervous and asked whether police would be notified. We found 62 black objects obstructing his small intestine. Three packs had burst."
Posted by: DaveB on 24 Apr 2008, 18:27 -
Bangkok Oriental faces lawsuit
The luxury hotel business is a cut-throat one, but the general manager of Bangkok’s renowned Oriental Hotel, Kurt Wachtveitl may have taken a step over the line, far enough to land him in a Bangkok criminal court facing a defamation suit.
The suit was filed by a local competitor, the Iebua Hotel after Mr. Wachtveitl was said to have defamed the competitor in an internal memo to Oriental employees. The alleged defamation in the memo was in reference to Iebua being on the lookout for qualified hotel staff, and if any of their management team were seen on Oriental premises, they should be escorted out immediately.
The concern came after Wachtveitl believed the Peninsula Hotel had been ‘poached’ of 26 employees by Iebua, and he was concerned the oriental would be targeted next. The lawsuit is the first of its kind for Thailand, but if it is successful, it could set a nasty precedent that anyone who looks at you funny could be sued, in a manner of speaking.
Posted by: DaveB on 26 Mar 2008, 18:01 -
French national attempts illegal entry
The Nation reports this week on a French citizen who attempted to enter the Kingdom of Thailand illegally but was apprehended by police soon thereafter. He tried to sneak into the country after being expelled two years ago for overstaying his visa as well as a conviction for theft.
55-year old Levy Gilbert Gille was apprehended in the Aranyaprathet district of Sa Kaew, after he attempted to break through a border fence separating Thailand from Cambodia. Once in custody and facing charges of illegal entry into the Kingdom of Thailand, police checked immigration records and found Gille had been in the custody of Thai police in April 2006.
Gille had been convicted of theft and overstaying his visa in the Chon Buri Court in Pattaya and deported. Now back in custody with the Khong Luek police, he faces a charge of violating expulsion as well as his illegal entry into the Kingdom.
Posted by: DaveB on 14 Mar 2008, 18:51 -
Pattaya markets given ultimatum
In a meeting at Pattaya City Hall last week, operators of local market stalls were invited to discuss regulations with the Ministry of Public Health concerning new laws on what will be expected of them in keeping their stalls clean and hygienic would affect them.
The meeting ended with a warning form the Ministry, saying any market operators that did not comply with the standards set forth within 150 days would face losing their operating licence.
Chatchawan Chimtin, head of the heath department told a reporter from the Pattaya Mail that the new regulations were passed down on January 7th, and operators have had enough time to quite literally clean up their act. Chatchawan told the newspaper that 60 days after the meeting, health inspectors would be investigating 15 Pattaya markets. Offenders will have 150 days to bring their business up to standard, where further offence will result in a suspension of their licence.
The regulations now recognize two types of market, the permanent markets under an enclosed space, and the unstructured or market fairs. Rules for permanent markets are more serious and if implemented, will assure all produce purchased in them is clean and hygienic.
Posted by: DaveB on 14 Mar 2008, 18:32 -
100,000 baht returned to tourist
The Tourist Authority of Thailand has awarded a Thai girl with a certificate of commendation and brought a story out for the general public to show appreciation to the 18-year old resident of Ko Samui, who after having found a misplaced wallet, return it to its owner.
Much to his relief, 33-year old Raffet Hariokru from Turkey found his wallet returned with his three credit cards, and more importantly, 100,000 baht in cash still intact.
Thirdarat Ratsamee, employed at the Tops Supermarket, found the wallet as her shift came to a close. With the aid of her boss, she managed to track Mr. Hariokru to his hotel in the Lamai district.
The wallet changed hands the next morning at the police station, and the grateful tourist gave the honest teenager 3000 baht as a reward.
Posted by: DaveB on 24 Oct 2007, 13:58 -
Cheating cabbies get just desserts
Samui police along with the Department of Land Transport have cracked down on Samui taxi drivers that are taking passengers off the meter and fleecing unsuspecting tourists for fares much higher than what they would be on the meter.
109 cabbies have been arrested for their cheating practices by not turning their meters on when passengers get in their cabs. The arrested drivers were caught during a checkpoint that was set up after enough momentum had gathered about the issue.
In what was perhaps the last straw to force action, there was the incident of four tourists who were assaulted by a taxi driver after they refused to pay what they deemed to be an outrageous charge for the distance they travelled.
The Ministry of Transportation has regulated fares on the island, with an initial 50 baht for the first two kilometres, 11 baht per kilometre up to 10 kilometres. Between 11 and 20, the rate is lowered to 9 baht, and over 20 kilometres, the price is 7 baht per kilometre.
Head of the Ko Samui police Major Sathabhorn Sangaunsuk says, “Taxi drivers will have to use their meters but we have to make sure that the rate they are allowed to charge is fair enough to help them cope with Samui’s expensive cost of living.�
Posted by: DaveB on 04 Oct 2007, 12:45 -
Deadline set for filing airport fault claim
Suvarnabhumi International Airport isn’t even a year old, but it’s certainly had its share of problems. From the faulty water pumps that weren’t working properly and the shady contracts exposed as a result, and the ongoing problems with cracks appearing in the runways causing the reopening of Don Mueang airport to defer some traffic, it hasn’t exactly been a smooth décollement for what was hoped to be the primary new hub in Southeast Asia.
With just over six weeks to file a formal complaint about the substandard execution of runway construction, Airports of Thailand (AoT) could prosecute everyone from airport designers, contractors and even some of their own employees.
AoT said yesterday it and its consulting firm was putting together the case and would be submitting it to the Office of the Attorney General by the end of the month. The cracks on the runway became visible not long after the airport opened and initial repairs caused delays and eventually the diversion of some flights to the old airport, Don Mueang.
The tests on the runway will take three months and analyses would be completed in six. This issue should not have any major effects on travellers coming thorugh the airport.
Posted by: DaveB on 23 Aug 2007, 11:26 -
Is new computer crime law going too far?
A new computer crime law has raised questions as to whether or not enforcement has gone too far into the territory of free speech and free expression. The new law allows authorities to disable web content they deem to be insulting or pornographic.
Reporters Without Borders(RSF) has voiced concern about the quasi-draconian law, saying that the right for Internet Service Providers to keep user information for up to 90 days is not right.
Supinya Klangnarong, a member from the Freedom Against Censorship in Thailand organization (FACT) has called the law a threat and violation of privacy and the RSF shares these sentiments.
A statement from FACT says that implementing these measures do not aim to prevent, as [the authorities] claim, but to control." Calling certain actions an insult to the monarchy, FACT raises the point that some websites that have been banned do not even fit into the categories as described as pornographic or offensive.
Posted by: DaveB on 26 Jul 2007, 11:54 -
Pattaya locals protest storage plant construction
As reported by ThaiQuest and Pattaya Mail, the Phoemsap Thavee Gas Service Limited company had planned to construct an LPG gas storage plant in the Banglamung district, but was met with the amplified cries of over 200 locals who vehemently protested the plant.
A petition was passed around and over 500 residents added their signatures, including not only local citizens, but private sector employees as well as civil servants.
The biggest reason for the outcry is that the proposed location is in a residential area, just next to a school and the public fears the possible side effects and repercussions of storing such a substance so close their homes and where their children spend their days.
One resident pointed out that the proposed building would be illegal since the site had already been declared a green zone by the city council.
Phoemsap Thavee Gas Service Limited’s managing director Wanchai Saelim assured the protestors that the licence had been procured with full adherence to local law, and that the plant would be very safe.
Under current laws, such plants can be constructed within city limits, as long as they keep at least 60 metres between them and people’s homes.
Posted by: DaveB on 21 Jun 2007, 14:46