Phuket Gov Gives Press Conference Regarding Alleged Kicking Incident Involving Swiss Expat

[webfact]

 

Phuket—At 3:30 PM, on March 9th, 2024, Mr. Sophon Suwannarat, the Phuket Governor, held a press conference regarding the case progress of Mr. David, a Swiss expat who allegedly attacked a Thai female physician.

Thai national media reported that previously Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul issued an urgent order to the Phuket Governor who reportedly was participating in a tourism event in Germany to return to Thailand. The David case caused significant controversy among Thai citizens and needed attentive monitoring, said Anutin.

 

Sophon publicly revealed that after the incident, he had been following up on the David case closely with a direct call to the Deputy Governor from Germany.

 

The case included encroaching on the public area, revoking David’s visa and registration of two firearms (As well as investigating officials who illegally approved issuing firearm registrations for a foreigner, which is against Thai gun regulations technically), and considering repealing his charity foundation as David was under investigation as to whether he used his elephant foundation to seek benefits and if they were actually rented and not animals in need of sanctuary.

 

By Kittisak Phalaharn

 

Full story: THE PHUKET EXPRESS 2024-03-11

 

- Cigna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

Get our Daily Newsletter - Click HERE to subscribe

 

 

[RandiRona]

This definitely has to be the biggest issue Phuket/Thailand facing which requires press conference ofcourse other than wearing face mask for covid. Why do we have to work on actual problems when we can distract people with ultra nationalism.

long live Xenophobia!! 

[zakalwe]

Again this case keeps getting juicier and juicer. Phuket Governor recalled from Germany, lol.

[Destiny1990]

Would they make the same drama when for example a local thai pickup driver kills 3 tourists on a zebra crossing? 😁

[hotchilli]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The case included encroaching on the public area, revoking David’s visa and registration of two firearms (As well as investigating officials who illegally approved issuing firearm registrations for a foreigner, which is against Thai gun regulations technically), and considering repealing his charity foundation as David was under investigation as to whether he used his elephant foundation to seek benefits and if they were actually rented and not animals in need of sanctuary.

I'd say he's in deep mire... 

[mrmicbkktxl]

Is that the same guy who said there is no russian mafia in Phuket?

[traveller101]

The inner workings of the legal system on public display.

The Governor stating that anyone, foreigner or thai, who violated Thai laws would be held accountable without exception. 

 

The Governor can set an example to validate above statement and hold Anutin accountable - who said it was in his authority to override present laws - such as veto any appeal as prescribed and allowed under present legislation.

 

 

[nobodysfriend]

Imagine if the beach villa would have been rented by a thai national , and the people sitting on the stairs and being kicked would have been foreigners ...

What would have happened ...?

Probably nothing .

[Tropicalevo]

2 hours ago, Destiny1990 said:

Would they make the same drama when for example a local thai pickup driver kills 3 tourists on a zebra crossing? 😁

Maybe. Maybe not.

But the UK press would make much more mileage out of it if a Thai did a similar thing in the UK.

Possession of to firearms

Dodgy business

Illegal encroachment

Issue with an ambulance

Assault

and these are just the ones that we know about through the expat press.

[bob smith]

what a complete and utter circus.

 

bob.

[jacko45k]

6 minutes ago, Tropicalevo said:

Maybe. Maybe not.

But the UK press would make much more mileage out of it if a Thai did a similar thing in the UK.

Possession of to firearms

Dodgy business

Illegal encroachment

Issue with an ambulance

Assault

and these are just the ones that e know about through the expat press.

I believe the UK press would be less likely to focus on race or nationality, or the factor of being foreign... with a few exceptions of course.

[Tropicalevo]

17 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

I believe the UK press would be less likely to focus on race or nationality, or the factor of being foreign... with a few exceptions of course.

I was referring more to the gutter press there which I believe is similar to what we read here at times.

I suspect that the 'woke' rules would not allow the press to highlight the ethnicity/nationality of the person in the UK.

[itsari]

2 hours ago, Destiny1990 said:

Would they make the same drama when for example a local thai pickup driver kills 3 tourists on a zebra crossing? 😁

No drama for ordinary Thais either.

There was recently much drama when a doctor was unfortunatly run over and killed at a pedestrian crossing.

 

[Baz Erckens]

2 hours ago, nobodysfriend said:

Imagine if the beach villa would have been rented by a thai national , and the people sitting on the stairs and being kicked would have been foreigners ...

What would have happened ...?

Probably nothing .

Of course, they would have been charge with tresspassing, loitering and sitting on stairs without a work permit.

[john donson]

hahaha, urgent return

 

thai really know their priority...

[Bangkok Barry]

2 hours ago, itsari said:

No drama for ordinary Thais either.

There was recently much drama when a doctor was unfortunatly run over and killed at a pedestrian crossing.

 

 

And last week a Chinese tourist. No protest there at the crossing.

[Bangkok Barry]

 

It's nice to see a photo of the man who is utterly unable to discipline the 'taxi' drivers in Phuket. But he does have a nice jacket, so his good taste in fashion is something I suppose. 

[Olmate]

3 hours ago, traveller101 said:

The inner workings of the legal system on public display.

The Governor stating that anyone, foreigner or thai, who violated Thai laws would be held accountable without exception. 

 

The Governor can set an example to validate above statement and hold Anutin accountable - who said it was in his authority to override present laws - such as veto any appeal as prescribed and allowed under present legislation.

 

 

Minister has the say in the appeal case, the appeal is  ultimately his resposibilty as in its his ministerial portflio.

[Olmate]

8 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

It's nice to see a photo of the man who is utterly unable to discipline the 'taxi' drivers in Phuket. But he does have a nice jacket, so his good taste in fashion is something I suppose. 

No doubting your expertise in nice jackets on gentleman, on matters on topic your predictably way off, so sad! 

[PETERTHEEATER]

3 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

It's nice to see a photo of the man who is utterly unable to discipline the 'taxi' drivers in Phuket. But he does have a nice jacket, so his good taste in fashion is something I suppose. 

Yellow is a Monday jacket.......

[Banana7]

I hope that Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul also have a chat with the Governor of Chonburi. Lots of beaches in and around Pattaya seem to have private structures built on public beaches, restricting access to public beaches.