WATER FIGHT
PATONG POLICE TRANSFERRED OVER BANGLA WATER FIGHTS, BARS LATE TRADING
Five top-ranking Patong Police officers, including Patong Police Superintendent Col Suchin Nilabadee, have been transferred pending an investigation into allowing water fights on Bangla Rd during the Songkran celebrations and for allowing bars to open past the 11pm closing time.
Maj Gen Sermphan Sirikong, Commander of the Phuket Provincial Police, announced the transfers last Sunday (Apr 17). He named the other four Patong police officers transferred as Lt Col Preecha Baringpattanakul, Lt Col Prasert Thongplee, Maj Suchart Chomphusaeng and Maj Wuttiwat Liangboonjinda.
Thai media dubbed the group as the “five tigers”, with “tigers” being the standard label given to people in elevated positions of power and influence.
The lax enforcement of COVID-19 regulations in Phuket’s most-popular tourist town came to a head on Apr 12 as thousands of tourists, bar staff of Thai locals enjoyed water fights, including the banned splashing of water, along Bangla Rd.
Photos and videos of the water fights quickly splashed across social media sites and news reports nationwide, gaining the attention of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
PM Prayut ordered Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew to take immediate action to ensure tourists were
aware of the COVID-19 prevention measures in effect to prevent further flouting of the COVID rules. Governors of other provinces throughout the
country were ordered to do likewise.
First-hand reports to The Phuket News confirmed that over-enthusiastic water fights on Bangla Rd continued into the early hours of the morning. One reader explained that a bucket of water was thrown into his face while he was riding his motorbike along the
beach road, causing him to run into the back of the car in front. He was unharmed, but now faces paying for the damages to both vehicles.
Police on Apr 13 issued formal warnings to bar operators along Bangla Rd and forced all large water containers to be emptied. However, no legal action was taken against any persons for the blatant breach of COVID measures.
Some venue operators appeared to be genuinely surprised by the crackdown. One said that he did not know about the nationwide ban on water play during Songkran this year. He said he had even paid a supplier B500 to bring in water for people to use to play.
Under a nationwide ban ordered late last month, mass events may be held to celebrate Songkran but only in designated areas and only if traditional practices are held to observe Songkran.
Checkpoints were also set up at the entrances to Bangla Rd on Apr 13 for police and Kathu District officers to check people entering the “party zone” that night. Regardless, people were still allowed to carry water guns onto Bangla Rd, where water fights continued.
Although the water fights were on a much smaller scale than the night before, they were allowed to continue in flagrant disregard of the order handed down by the Prime Minister ‒ but only until 11pm,
when the bars were shut down
by local police.
Similar outbreaks of water
fights in tourist-popular areas throughout the country, includ
ing Khao San Rd in Bangkok,
received a similar response from authorities.
LATE TRADING
By no coincidence assistant national police Lt Gen Surachate Hakparn arrived in Phuket last Sunday (Apr 17), following a video posted online showing the Patong Bay Hill hotel holding a late-night party well beyond the official 11pm closing time for venues selling alcohol.
Lawyer Sittra Biabangkerd last Saturday (Apr 16) posted a three-minute video on his Facebook page saying he had received complaints from Phuket residents that the Patong Bay Hill Resort Hotel had opened its entertainment venues beyond the legal closing time for years, annoying local residents with excessive noise.
Mr Sittra said he had informed the authorities, but no action was taken. He had come to Phuket to confirm in person that the hotel’s nightlife
venues operated until sunrise.
He questioned why the Phuket
police chief had not enforced the law and turned a blind eye to violation of COVID-19 rules.
“I think it is not possible for entertainment outlets in the hotel to have operated beyond the allowed opening
hours, catering to about 1,000
clients per day, without the knowledge of the authorities. Large bribes may have been paid,” Mr Sittra said.
With national attention gaining momentum, Patong police ordered the hotel’s nightlife venues to close pend
ing further legal action.
BLOWBACK
In response to the post and the sudden active interest by local
police, some 50 employees of the Patong Bay Hill hotel gathered on Bangla Rd last Saturday night (Apr 16) to deliver the message that they need their jobs.
The peaceful rally began at 11pm with people holding placards emblazoned with messages such as “We are hungry” and “We do not want
to lose our jobs”
Photos of the demonstration featured in the report by the Phuket office of the Public Relations Department (PR Phuket) did not show any officials or police officers present at the scene. No public
disorder or acts of violence were reported.
One of Patong Bay Hill employees said that if the busi
ness is closed or suspended, a lot of people would lose their jobs. “Phuket has gone through
two years of the COVID-19 epidemic during which people have been struggling to survive and now are risking to lose what they have left because of the complaint,” the employee said.
“Has anyone come to see us and look after us? Everyone’s life is difficult. But he came to show his power causing widespread impact and damage to the establishment,” the employee added.
It was stressed that most Patong people – born and raised there – understand the “context” of their lives and the
nature of a resort town where people have to develop tourism
as there are “no rubber planta
tions, no palm plantations”. With Patong’s assets being
a “beautiful beachfront” and a “world-class city”, it has a specific way of development which is now under threat due
to criticism, it was stressed.
“How will the employees be? No one knows. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, there has been no agency on hand to provide us assistance. The employees have had to struggle
to survive and make a living and now face this [criticism]. Let’s help push for our country,” the employee said.
MIDDLING
Phuket Governor Narong Woonciew on Monday (Apr 18) trod carefully in responding to the news of the resort being ordered closed and the mass water fights on Bangla Rd during Songkran.
Governor Narong said that
the public and business operators had been well informed of the need to follow the COVID
prevention rules during the Songkran holidays to prevent the spread of infections.
Phuket Provincial Police in
concert on Monday morning posted a notice repeating the
official public notices issued on
Apr 2 and on Apr 4 warning all people and business opera
tors to follow the mandated COVID-19 protocols.
“As for the incident, it is understandable that most of the tourists who travelled to Phuket wanted to enjoy themselves. They wanted to have fun, while the business operators have struggled for the past two years,” Governor Narong said.
“The guidelines for practice of supervision in ensuring
in accordance with the law, government agencies must take care of each other. The last Songkran festival, for example, in the matter of splash
ing water, the administrative and police departments were in control.”
However, he added, regarding this year’s Songkran celebrations, “There was a violation, which was the result of the fact that everyone wanted to engage in water play for Songkran, especially foreigners. So we have to understand each other.
“With regard to hotels in the Patong area that violated the law, there are legal proceedings which are expected to be filed in court today [Apr 18],” he said.
Of note, since the Bangla water fights and the order for the hotel to close, at the time of going to press Phuket health
officials had yet to mark any increases in the number of new COVID cases reported on the island each day.