Koh Phangan: Foreigners continually breaking the Covid-19 rules test the patience of district chief

[webfact]

Picture: Manager

 

Manager reported that the district chief of Koh Phangan in the south of Thailand was using a "big stick" to deal with groups of foreigners on his island who refuse to follow the Covid-19 rules.

 

Large groups of foreigners - mostly Europeans - have been gathering, drinking and eating and lighting fires from dawn to dusk on a secluded and difficult to access beach called Laem Niat.

 

After locals complained again chief Phoonsak Sophonpathumrak sent in a special task force who had to clamber over rocks to access the beach that can't be reached by vehicles.

 

Picture: Manager

 

After their 1 km trek they found groups of 5-6 foreigners flouting the rules with many not wearing masks. Locals fear it will be a breeding ground for Covid.

 

Manager reported the latest moves that resulted in warnings and telling the foreigners to leave the beach and go back to their resorts. 

 

These foreigners are not tourists in the usual sense of the word - they live on Koh Phangan, notes ASEAN NOW.

 

The local kamnan Pongpang Songmuang said he had received many complaints and some foreigners have already been prosecuted for flouting the rules.

 

Now the island's district chief is cracking down with threats of stiff fines under the emergency decree rules if the foreigners continue to misbehave. 

 

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[Kaopad999]

When will they learn? 

[4MyEgo]

One word, "Deport", simple really.

[Will B Good]

1 minute ago, 4MyEgo said:

One word, "Deport", simple really.

100%. I am surprised this isn't used as a deterrent more often. Commit a crime; off you go, visa cancelled and/or holiday over. 

[Cake Monster]

Look like modern day Hippies to me.

I think the 5 star accommodation should be set fire too or removed, and then they should be removed from the Island as well.

[ikke1959]

wait a minute.. a difficult spot to reach, no access for vehicles, a group of 5/6 foreigners.... What is the problem? They are not sitting in a bar, but in open space, they can not infect someone , because no one will come there. In  other places like the hotels in Panggna or Phuket it seems more dangerous than on a desolated beach... But of course foreigners, not even tourists ..... not allowed.. but Thais sitting together under  a tree in or around a village ... no problem

[Kaopad999]

Many western countries are open again. So, surely if they want to live this type of lifestyle, they can just go back home. But instead they decide to stay here and break the law? I don't get it! 

[Phuketshrew]

8 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

wait a minute.. a difficult spot to reach, no access for vehicles, a group of 5/6 foreigners.... What is the problem? They are not sitting in a bar, but in open space, they can not infect someone , because no one will come there. In  other places like the hotels in Panggna or Phuket it seems more dangerous than on a desolated beach... But of course foreigners, not even tourists ..... not allowed.. but Thais sitting together under  a tree in or around a village ... no problem

Indeed. Yet dozens of locals will gather in close proximity with no social distancing at the local wet market.

[Will B Good]

Just now, Phuketshrew said:

Indeed. Yet dozens of locals will gather in close proximity with no social distancing at the local wet market.

True, but we are talking food in that case. Ain't nothing going to keep Thais from their food.

[Kaopad999]

13 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

wait a minute.. a difficult spot to reach, no access for vehicles, a group of 5/6 foreigners.... What is the problem? They are not sitting in a bar, but in open space, they can not infect someone , because no one will come there. In  other places like the hotels in Panggna or Phuket it seems more dangerous than on a desolated beach... But of course foreigners, not even tourists ..... not allowed.. but Thais sitting together under  a tree in or around a village ... no problem

I think their reasoning is because when people are  drinking in groups they can spread very easily to one another. and then when they leave their bubble they could spread further afield. 

Edited August 24, 2021 by Kaopad999

[4MyEgo]

19 minutes ago, Will B Good said:

100%. I am surprised this isn't used as a deterrent more often. Commit a crime; off you go, visa cancelled and/or holiday over. 

I think upstairs wouldn't take to kindly too it, as they are wanting to project a good image for future tourism, $ always before common sense. 

[BangkokReady]

13 minutes ago, ikke1959 said:

wait a minute.. a difficult spot to reach, no access for vehicles, a group of 5/6 foreigners.... What is the problem? They are not sitting in a bar, but in open space, they can not infect someone , because no one will come there.

It's a problem if it could lead to an increase in infections.  If they live together, then it's not really going to increase anything.  If they live separately then someone in the group could be infected, he/she could infect the other five members of the group, they could in turn infect multiple people each.  If this happens enough then you have incontrollable spread.  The members of the group could change also, so you have no idea how many people would actually be at risk.  And, of course, if this group was allowed to do it, then others would do it too.

 

Public gatherings are not allowed for this reason.

[2long]

Overreaction or what?

Groups of 5-6 out in the fresh air miles from anyone in a place that's difficult to access!

ikke1959 is correct.

The headline suggests (to me at least) that they're gathering in large groups at the pier not wearing masks or having sex parties in underground pubs!

If they weren't doing this at the beach, they'd be holed up in a cheap apartment somewhere doing the same (exc. fires).

[ezzra]

When you're desperate for tourists dollar, you get all sorts of them, anywhere between the orderly ones to the I don't give a cr*p I'm here to have good time, there's a need to balanced approach handling these issue, too harsh and you scare them away, too lenient and you get these kind of doofus...

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

29 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

One word, "Deport", simple really.

Mr. Taco Bell Testosterone is still here unfortunately, having brought great shame to 'Murica. Not only flouting the mask rules, but with such Quality Tourist charm as well. If they wanted to send the best msg by deporting anyone, it should've been him.

[4MyEgo]

2 minutes ago, CrunchWrapSupreme said:

Mr. Taco Bell Testosterone is still here unfortunately, having brought great shame to 'Murica. Not only flouting the mask rules, but with such Quality Tourist charm as well. If they wanted to send the best msg by deporting anyone, it should've been him.

That went straight over the top, care to elaborate for the not so adapt at this hour in the morning.

[RafPinto]

special task force who had to clamber over rocks 555555

 

Special task force lol: really?

Clamber over rocks lol: yes, sitting all day, staring at their mobile phones and no exercise, it must have been difficult to walk a few meters and climb a rock 555

[ChipButty]

No Drugs? 

[CrunchWrapSupreme]

2 minutes ago, 4MyEgo said:

That went straight over the top, care to elaborate for the not so adapt at this hour in the morning.

The Pattaya Taco Bell guy. Refused to wear a mask, then proceeded to verbally assault and threaten violence upon the other patrons. Was videoed and spread all over the Internet. Was then let off with an apology.

[4MyEgo]

2 minutes ago, CrunchWrapSupreme said:

Was then let off with an apology.

Vermin. 

[ChipButty]

13 minutes ago, CrunchWrapSupreme said:

The Pattaya Taco Bell guy. Refused to wear a mask, then proceeded to verbally assault and threaten violence upon the other patrons. Was videoed and spread all over the Internet. Was then let off with an apology.

Was that the one in Pattaya? 

[smedly]

nothing much to say really the pictures speak 1000 words

 

 

 

[2long]

Has anyone noticed that in the picture there are six cops, so (including the photographer) it took a special crack SAS task force of at least seven to tackle these global fugitives!

[Tropicalevo]

duplicate

Edited August 24, 2021 by Tropicalevo

[Tropicalevo]

52 minutes ago, smedly said:

nothing much to say really the pictures speak 1000 words

 

 

 

I do not think that the bottom picture was taken in KPN.

Not a good comparison.

Edited August 24, 2021 by Tropicalevo

[cocoonclub]

1 hour ago, ikke1959 said:

wait a minute.. a difficult spot to reach, no access for vehicles, a group of 5/6 foreigners.... What is the problem? They are not sitting in a bar, but in open space, they can not infect someone , because no one will come there.

I guess I missed the part where it says they actually live there, bake their own bread and live from insects. Where in the article does it say so? 
 

1 hour ago, ikke1959 said:

 but Thais sitting together under  a tree in or around a village ... no problem

Assuming there are 100 Thais sitting under a tree and 5 foreigners sitting there on Koh Phangan, we have just reduced the number from 105 to 100 instead of keeping it at 105. 

[RafPinto]

30 minutes ago, 2long said:

Has anyone noticed that in the picture there are six cops, so (including the photographer) it took a special crack SAS task force of at least seven to tackle these global fugitives!

because foreigners are involved.

Last year the news were always.

15 new covid cases:

locally infected: ZERO

brought into the country: 15

 

there are everywhere groups of thais hanging together. It's their nature, to sit and eat together.

Don't you dare, farang, doing the same.

[RafPinto]

5 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

I do not think that the bottom picture was taken in KPN.

Not a good comparison.

on the top picture, there are 2 people sitting at the beach, wearing masks. Probably they called the cops.

[crazykopite]

As of today phangan has gone into lockdown from 9 pm until 4 am Can only get takeaway meals , gyms , massage tattoo shops as well as bars closed until further notice . Everything was fine here prior to this years SONGKRAN and since then we have have had Covid cases on a daily basis. . Living on a small island can send people a little stir crazy 

[crazykopite]

1 hour ago, 2long said:

Has anyone noticed that in the picture there are six cops, so (including the photographer) it took a special crack SAS task force of at least seven to tackle these global fugitives!

OMG I didn’t realise we had 6 policemen on the island the most I’ve ever seen is 3 maybe 4 in the local coffee bar