alanmorison

Anti-government PAD protests spread to Phuket for the first time today with a huge demonstration at the airport. The island's police chief has called in reinforcements. Flights are functioning, with delays.

- More details at www.phuketwan.com

PHUKET plane crash survivor Robert Borland today welcomed the partial release of the official report into the One-Two-Go disaster, which blamed pilot error and bad weather.

''It's good to know that the investigation has been completed,'' said Mr Borland, who lives and works on Phuket. ''It brings closure of sorts.''

Mr Borland was one of 40 survivors of the crash on September 16 last year. Ninety passengers and crew were killed.

Phuketwan spoke directly with Aviation Department director-general Chaisak Angkasuwan who quoted the report as saying that the crash of Flight 269 should be attributed to the failure of the pilot and co-pilot, who did not follow proper safety measures.

Khun Chaisak said the wreckage of the plane, an MD-82, had been thoroughly checked and mechanic problems were not a factor.

''The stormy weather made the plane difficult to control,'' he said. ''But the pilots did not follow the correct procedure.''

More information from the official report would be made public around the middle of next month, he said.

The delay in releasing the information was because double-checking was necessary, he said.

September 16 marks the first anniversary of the crash. Why the release of the report has taken so long is a mystery.

It is pure speculation, but it is possible that the crash of an MD-82 on takeoff in Madrid only days ago made it essential for Thai authorities to give the all-clear to the One-Two-Go aircraft.

The Indonesian pilot and his Thai co-pilot did not survive the crash of Flight 269. A Phuket storm was raging at the time, with windshear initially blamed for driving the aircraft into the tarmac.

Law suits by some survivors and relatives of the victims are being undertaken in the US and Britain.

The General Manager of Phuket International Airport, Wicha Nurnlop, told Phuketwan that he was aware of the partial release of the report but not at liberty to comment.

Questions are now bound to be asked about the level of training that the pilots received.

One report from the sister of an American victim claims that the black box transcript of the cockpit conversation points towards the pilot freezing at the controls at the critical moment.

--Latest at www.phuketwan.com

A cable car link from Patong to the Big Buddha is to be discussed this week as the Governor of Phuket considers infrastructure options for the island's future needs as a tourism hot spot.

The suggestion for a cable car is being made by the same company that would like to build a light-rail service between Phuket International Airport and Phuket City.

Planning for both projects remains in the early development phase.

The company putting both proposals was reluctant to discuss either project until after meeting with the Governor this week.

However, the Governor has already made it known that he supports the concept of a light-rail service between the airport and Phuket City.

The cable car and the fast-rail fall into the same category as the two-billion-baht (or more) Patong Hill tunnel.

All three concepts would require large construction budgets, with the Phuket administration unable to meet costs without private funding or financial support from the national government.

A prominent economist, visiting from Bangkok, suggested earlier this month that Phuket needs to impose a tax on tourists to pay for the projects it clearly needs.

The economist believes an additional tax of 100 baht on foreigners and Thai tourists would raise 500 million.

The governor has mentioned another suggestion from the economist: an increase in the service charge in restaurants from 10 percent to 12 percent.

But why should people who eat in restaurants pay for infrastructure used by everyone? How would the extra two percent be kept separate?

And what about restaurants where there is no service charge? Would their patrons be barred from using the infrastructure?

--More at www.phuketwan.com

This is all about the word ''attack,'' which I say is applicable whether the action is in self-defence, reflexive, aggressive, or not. A barb through the skin, injecting toxin, constitutes an attack. The victim did not impale herself on the barb. The stingray attacked her, according to the dictionary definition of ''attack.''

Yes, the Phuket tabloids (who has the Phuket alien baby anyway?) will sensationalize and deem the word "attack" the same as "defense".

As I posted earlier, we all can come to our own conclusions regarding this phuketwan article, but as myself and a few others have mentioned, this is just complete B.S. AND as mentioned by another poster not helping the tourism business here.

Phuketwan spoke to three people who were at the beach, and a fourth who was at the hospital, so I consider the account of the stingray attack to be fair and reasonable. Others clearly have a different take on the use of the word ''attack.'' We also quoted a Ministry of Tourism and Sport official who said it was a rare event that it was unlikly to affect tourism. My view is that informed travellers will hesitate to visit a destination that fails to be honest and upfront about these kinds of incidents. Greater harm is done by not reporting them.

This is all about the word ''attack,'' which I say is applicable whether the action is in self-defence, reflexive, aggressive, or not. A barb through the skin, injecting toxin, constitutes an attack. The victim did not impale herself on the barb. The stingray attacked her, according to the dictionary definition of ''attack.''

Stingray do not attack human. They defend themselves when stepped on .

For the Steve Austin case, it is not different at all. If he had kept a safety distance and let this animal alone, he would still be here.

Usually, when an animal attacks, it is for its survival (food, threat, etc.....). Other than that, yes it is self defense....Only humans attack for no valid reason.

Agreed. But you are assuming the word ''attack'' implies a conscious decision. No dictionary I've seen jumps to that conclusion. An attack is certainly an aggressive action, but I argue that an attack can be a reflexive action, without thought. Did Russia attack Georgia, or was it self-defence?

See what I mean?

Maybe the stingray acted in 'self defense'?

Who can say? Facing a charge of assault and battery, the stingray would certainly try to get off the hook with that line. But 'self-defence' is to apply human values to animals, and much more of a stretch than ''attack.'' You'd have to be able to read the stingray's mind to say it acted in self-defence. But an attack, provoked or not, reflexive or not, is an attack.

Hilarious exchange. We've got the forum spammer....uh sponsor looking for more eyeballs for his website. Sensationalism at it's best...." Stingray attacks"............Stingrays don't attack, so maybe it really should have read to be accurate "Unfortunate swimmer gets a barb from a Stingray".

On the one hand, you apparently enjoyed the debate. On the other, you condemn it and other postings as ''spamming.'' I guess the fact you've added a comment indicates you are happy to join the conversation, if not the discussion. If posting news items and engaging in debate without innuendo, personal insults or spleen-venting is ''spamming,'' then I'm happy to plead guilty to that.

Animal rights is a noble concept and a lot of good work has been done lately to protect endangered species and save furry critters. However, I suspect stingrays as a group are less worried about their reputations than some of the commentators in this forum. Perhaps the English language simply fails to provide a word better than ''attack'' to adequately describe an aggressive reflex action. I would argue, though, that if someone stood on me and I reacted with a punch to the jaw, that would constitute an attack, even if it was completely reflexive and I regretted it immediately. Given the public appetite these days for movies that apply human characteristics to every living creature, I can imagine that the stingray swam off into the sunset, telling itself: ''Jeez, was that really necessary? Maybe you need group therapy.''

personally i would rather pay a higher price for an accurate result and compassionate doctor than to pay a bargain basement rate for a potentially dodgy result given by a doctor who looks at me like i am a piece of crap.

Well said Donna

Never had that kind of problem at Mission Hospital in Phuket City. And often been the only farang in sight. Do you guys really think every Thai hates you? That's the impression I get. It's kinda sad, and far from the truth. Test results both times were given by female doctors speaking excellent English, with compassion.

HELICOPTERS, bicycles, CCTV and an extensive system of volunteers form part of the police plan being developed now to improve security and safety on Phuket.

Volunteers are likely to be seen soon working with police on traffic duty, with two volunteers and a policeman in control at larger intersections.

The new police headquarters being erected in Phuket City will from October become an island policing centre where officers can monitor CCTV camera images beamed from the beachfronts of Patong, Kata, Karon, Bang Tao and Surin.

Phuket's Chief of Police, Major General Apirat Hongtong, admits there is concern about present levels of crime and the potential this might have to alarm tourists.

Questioned about allegations that foreigners sometimes struggled to get justice, he said that expat residents and tourists were entitled to be treated in the same way as Thais under Thai law.

There was no discrimination and any officers who thought differently would not last long under his command, he said.

Back on Phuket for two months, General Apirat is in the process of refining his plan to deliver on his promise of ''zero crime.''

His policing ideal is based on providing five 'Ses' for Phuket: sea, sun, sand, security and service.

''We have the brains to think through the right approach but we also need the right equipment and manpower,'' he said.

''Some police on the island need to improve their attitudes,'' he said. ''That is going to take a little time.''

Phuket needed three helicopters so police could more easily track what was happening from the sky, especially immediately after a crime when a getaway was in progress.

The part-timers, mostly drawn from resort staff, would receive a week's training before becoming ''Front Office Volunteers,'' he said.

Young police on bicycles at the beachfronts could also more effectively demonstrate a police presence, he said.

--More at www.phuketwan.com

Huggy, Happy to be called on inaccuracy, hypocrisy or failure to tell the whole truth anytime. Whether the stingray ''attacked'' the victim is an interesting point. But to take that to its logical conclusion, you'd have sharks and bears accidentally damaging people because they just happen to get in the way. The victim certainly felt she had been attacked at the time. It's a once-a-year happening, fortunately with a happy ending, and there have been no calls for a stingray cull so far.

Huggy, why are sensitivity and journalism mutually exclusive? Perhaps you have to see a little more of the world to learn that preconceptions are sometimes disproved. On the one hand, you celebrate the popularity of your own threads, yet disparage Britain's most popular newspaper. I don't share your desire to pigeonhole everyone by profession, nationality, gender, or whatever. And because this is a forum site designed to encourage discussion and debate, I don't share your desire to personalise every post. Give us a break, huggy.

THAI AIRWAYS confirmed today that it will lift its Bangok-Phuket service from eight flights a day to nine flights a day from September 1.

Tourism Authority of Thailand assistant regional director Anoma Wonyai told the Phuket governor's regular monthly media conference that the extra flights were on the way.

A reporter from Phuketwan was able to confirm from the airline that the additional flight will be from Bangkok to Phuket, departing at 6.40pm daily. No time has been specified for the Phuket-Bangkok flight.

An airline spokesperson said yesterday that the airline faced a shortage of pilots and was struggling to add extra flights.

The extra service is likely to alleviate low season congestion and allow spur-of-the-moment holidaymakers to book flights to Phuket.

Thai Airways also runs three flights a week direct to Phuket from Perth and Hong Kong and two from Tokyo.

-- full report at www.phuketwan.com

Ah, so Steve Irwin was impaled with a barb to the heart because he ''stepped on a stingray''?

At some point, without pretending to be able to read the animal's mind, a stingray reacts with aggression.

Perhaps you'd prefer the post to say: ''A stingray defended itself today by piercing a tourist in the foot. However, the stingray told police afterwards that it was an accidental reflexive piercing.''

Rolf Harris is on Phuket. Why not Britney next?

Give us a break, huggy. Let's see a few sensational and original posts from you.

A tip is a measure of satisfaction. A 10 percent service charge is a tax. What's the best and fairest system?

How do island resorts and restaurants operate their taxes and tips?

SERVICE CHARGES, tips, extras, call it what you like. The wages of many people on Phuket rise or fall depending on the contentment level of the people they serve in restaurants and resorts.

From next year, it will be illegal in Britain for employers to use tips to top up the wages of lowly-paid workers.

Would that work on Phuket?

We've heard that some resorts offer consistent tipping levels year-round to attract staff.

And that means they tempt staff from other resorts. But if there's a really bad low season, those staff are more likely to lose their jobs.

And we have also been told about one restaurant that paid waitresses just 1500 baht a month, relying on tips to bring their wages up to the minimum wage of 6000 baht a month.

-- Full report at www.phuketwan.com

A STINGRAY attacked a woman as she swam at a beach on Ko Yao Noi on Saturday evening, inflicting a painful wound.

The woman, a visitor from Hong Kong holidaying on Phuket, underwent emergency treatment at the small local hospital by a doctor who examined the patient's wound from afar.

The Phuket-based doctor used a vision and voice connection from Wachira Hospital to tell a nurse on Ko Yao Noi how to treat the stingray strike. The patient recovered within hours.

The Phuket director of the Tourism And Sports office, Promchote Traivate, said the stingray attack was an isolated incident and was not likely to deter visitors to Phuket or to Yao Noi.

-- Full report at www.phuketwan.com

Flamingtodd, Please go back and read the original post, or better still, the complete version on phuketwan.com. My main aim as a journalist is to get to the truth. Sometimes I fail. I am not responsible for those in the media industry who don't share my aim.

It wouldn't be such a bad thing if individuals within the tourism industry, wherever they happen to be be in the world, also pursued the truth more assiduously. That's the point I was making. . . .

Some of us are not perfect, but we try. Some of us are not complete cynics, just forever sceptical and curious about life. You're free to have any opinion you like. That's something I support wholeheartedly, even if we disagree.

I take great delight that most people have taken the original post the way it was intended and responded accordingly.

The word is flair, not flare.

Very disturbing to be - yet again - reminded of the pure evil that walks this land. Wasn't solong ago when 2 elderly gents ((70 and 80 years) were beat uncounsious by 2 young Thai psychopaths in Pattaya, in the presence of a senior police person (not man ) for acccidently scratching their pickup whilst passing.

What is it with Thai men. They think nothing of savagely attacking elderly farang men and women, or young men and woman if they are in a pack. I think some of the blame has to be alloted to the promotion of nationalism (Thai Rak Thai) and they obviously know from past precidents that killing or maiming ferangs is acceptable

Why turn this incident into a racist slagfest? Why blame ''all Thai men'' for ''the pure evil that walks this land'' over a single incident of road rage? Take on board the point that your response is essentially racist, which is the core cause of hatred everywhere.Your thinking actually mirrors that of the people you condemn. If the story is accurate, this person would have kicked any cyclist, regardless of their nationality or color. A Thai probably would have been treated more savagely. To turn this into an us versus them race issue is to totally miss the point . . .but to be just as guilty as those you accuse.

Today's summit meeting of interested parties on Racha to save the island's popular but endangered coral delivered an eight million baht artificial reef and a range of bans aimed at long-term protection of the unique Andaman environment.

The deals involve:

..protection of coral fish from theft

..a ban on jetskis and banana boats

..zoning for snorkellers and divers

..a ban on fishing trawlers within 300 metres of the island

The deal made between dive groups, fishermen, locals and resort owners is likely to be applied at other endangered reefs across the Andaman region.

- Full report at www.phuketwan.com

Well whatever brings in more traffic to your site. That is the point correct, and that is why in all your posts you end with " more info can be found at phuketwan". What's the license to spam the forum............. uh I mean sponsor the forum run?

Yes, my aim is to inform Thai Visa readers and attract traffic to Phuketwan. We breaks news stories that are usually of interest to most people who visit TV's Phuket forum. It was probably considered by the people who run TV to be a win-win: Thai Visa gets my money and forum users get some news from a source that isn't government-sponsored or obsessed with crime.

I use my real name. That was my choice. There is no hiding behind aliases.

Whether the arrangement is worth continuing is, I guess, eventually going to be up to users.

"How nice to learn what I was thinking. And to think, I thought I was thinking for myself when all I really needed to do was to be told what I was thinking."

Comments are about your postings.

Let me quote you back your own words: ''Just unbelievable Mr. Morrison, you are speaking out of both sides of your mouth. You should be a U.S. politician.''

Please tell me: How is that a comment about my postings?

Phuket resorts now face the nightmare of having group bookings that cannot be carried out because no seats are available on flights to the island.

One resort complained today that large group bookings from China and Taiwan could not be confirmed because no seats on flights were available to Phuket.

Flights from Singapore were also booked out, a second resort reported.

Individual holidaymakers and families are also complaining in growing numbers that they are unable to get to the island.

Thai Airways, the national airline and parent of low-priced Nok Air, which ceased flights to Phuket from August 1 without a public announcement, was being blamed for the lack of seats on flights to the island.

Without a booking three days in advance, flights to the island have become chancy.

-- full report at www.phuketwan.com

Just unbelievable Mr. Morrison, you are speaking out of both sides of your mouth. You should be a U.S. politician.

I have to agree with Huggy on this - you are back-tracking. OF COURSE the post was about Thailand (tourism) hence the references to Patong/Phuket.

How nice to learn what I was thinking. And to think, I thought I was thinking for myself when all I really needed to do was to be told what I was thinking.

ok folks, this is not going to turn into yet another bash the thai thread. the OP was referring to tourisms biggest lies, and used 'eco' as an example. i will leave your racist posts above, but if there are any more such comments posted, warnings will be issued.

please keep it on topic and nice.

The topic starts out so negative, how else is the thread suppose to go?

"Tourisms biggest lies, do you have a bigger lie to expound".............come on, of course it's going to turn into Thailand bashing.

Do us a favor and close it.

Having started the post, I'm with Donna. There's no need for it to turn into Thai bashing. That certainly wasn't the intention. The words and phrases I've mentioned are misused everywhere. And why does putting the post on a Thai site imply that petty, racist comments automatically need to follow? There are some sad headcases around who seem to think speaking English is a guide to intelligence. How wrong they are.