Phuket Governor Addresses Rumors in Swiss Expat Alleged Assault Case

[BigStar]

1 hour ago, Bangkok Barry said:

And if it had been a Thai that kicked her none of those would have been involved as she would probably not have demanded that he be charged.

 

Maybe it's time to give up this irrelevant whataboutism we love to whinge constantly.

 

On the the other hand, would he have kicked a farang who could fight back?

 

1 hour ago, damo1967 said:

"Would he have kicked a man in the back?  Would he have kicked a man with a 'muay thai' shirt on?  OF COURSE NOT...

 

[Srikcir]

7 hours ago, zakalwe said:

I'm surprised David's elephant sanctuary is still operating.

Some related articles:

"Phuket Revokes Swiss Man's Elephant Foundation License," March 11 in Phuket News.

• "Phuket officials are moving to cancel the license of an elephant foundation owned by Urs Fehr, a Swiss national after he reportedly assaulted a Thai woman on a beach. The action, confirmed by Governor Sophon Suwannarat"

"Phuket’s Elephant Sanctuary Controversy: Urs Fehr’s License Revoked amid Wildlife Conservation Concerns"

By editorial team March 10, 2024 by CTN News

• "The sanctuary itself, boasting 14 elephants and sprawling over 40,000 square meters near Surin Beach"
• Governor Sophon Suwannarat announced that investigators had discovered that Urs Fehr’s Green Elephant Sanctuary Park was being utilized illegally and that its license would be cancelled.

"Swiss Man Has License to Elephant Sanctuary in Phuket Revoked," published March 10, 2024 

• "According to Governor Sophon, the Green Elephant Sanctuary Park has 14 elephants, 13 of which are hired 13 and one brought from the northern province of Phrae." (my bold)

[Liverpool Lou]

1 hour ago, SpanishExpat said:

Well , good the times are over when that scammer obviously used the Foundation money to fly First class. Because the picture of him was taken in Emirates First Class

As he runs/ran an apparently successful elephant sanctuary also, why shouldn't he use his own money to travel as he sees fit?

[Liverpool Lou]

52 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

At first they said that for sure his visa will be revoked, now they seem to be equivocating.

No, it was announced that his visa would not be renewed but he has the right of appeal which is, apparently, what he is happening.

[Liverpool Lou]

29 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

Some related articles:

"Phuket Revokes Swiss Man's Elephant Foundation License," March 11 in Phuket News.

"Phuket’s Elephant Sanctuary Controversy: Urs Fehr’s License Revoked amid Wildlife Conservation Concerns"

 

"Swiss Man Has License to Elephant Sanctuary in Phuket Revoked," published March 10, 2024 

Still operating and taking bookings. 

[AustinRacing]

For him to make a public statement suggests some credibility about the bribe. Otherwise why bother even comment. Btw the guy has a mean look about him. 

[Gottfrid]

4 hours ago, chickenslegs said:

Fishy indeed.

"He finally opened the sanctuary with five pachyderms but it cost him all his savings. 

Slowly, the park is making a profit through half-day tours where visitors pay 2,500 Baht to bathe with elephants and get their photos taken. The money is immediately invested in the rescue of new animals."

If he spent all his savings, and all income from the "sanctuary" is reinvested in it, where does the money for a luxury villa and expensive cars come from?

As you can read, he rented the house before he invested in the sanctuary. Probably bought a car before that as well. One would also assume that he, as the over 60 workers take out a salary. If you think, you will understand that it´s the net holdings after all is paid that is re-invested in the business.

[renaissanc]

I doubt if the kick in the back was more than a nudge with a foot. It wasn't like to kicked a football. The doctor may be milking the incident for malicious reasons. She obviously wasn't injured. I think that the man should not be removed from the country. Watch the Thai News every day - thieves, robbers, murderers, hit-and-run drivers, drunk drivers, etc. They do far worse than this man, but we don't see the same outrage.

[transam]

9 minutes ago, renaissanc said:

I doubt if the kick in the back was more than a nudge with a foot. It wasn't like to kicked a football. The doctor may be milking the incident for malicious reasons. She obviously wasn't injured. I think that the man should not be removed from the country. Watch the Thai News every day - thieves, robbers, murderers, hit-and-run drivers, drunk drivers, etc. They do far worse than this man, but we don't see the same outrage.

You go put your foot on the back of a Thai lady Doctor and see what happens....😱

 

I don't care if you are another hi-so farangy, you will get burned.......😝

 

[Sydebolle]

When I went to school, I was taught to keep it short and sweeeeeet. 

As a proof of this excellent part of my education, may I suggest to shorten "amid circulating rumors that an individual had attempted to influence the case’s outcome through financial means" into one word which could read "bribe"? Just asking as I left school more than 50 years ago already 😉

[Sydebolle]

When I went to school, I was taught to keep it short and sweeeeeet. 

As a proof of this excellent part of my education, may I suggest to shorten "amid circulating rumors that an individual had attempted to influence the case’s outcome through financial means" into one word which could read "bribe"? Just asking as I left school more than 50 years ago already 😉

[Bundooman]

6 hours ago, Tropicalevo said:

No point in any judicial review.

He has been tried, found guilty and sentenced by the online court of public opinion.

Who have done what he did, which was to put the proverbial boot in!

[BigStar]

9 minutes ago, Sydebolle said:

When I went to school, I was taught to keep it short and sweeeeeet. 

As a proof of this excellent part of my education, may I suggest to shorten "amid circulating rumors that an individual had attempted to influence the case’s outcome through financial means" into one word which could read "bribe"? Just asking as I left school more than 50 years ago already 😉

 

Our posters with educations of much higher excellence than yours have already rejected the term bribe in favor of settlement.

[Boedog]

l can feel some brown envelopes solving the problem

[Ben Zioner]

5 hours ago, motdaeng said:

a few things sounds very fishy ...

Indeed, I can easily imagine the whole doctor story to be a setup, and the tremendous pressure this guy was/is under making him an easy prey.

[Thingamabob]

2 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

The article suggests that the park started seven years ago so perhaps seven years of successful operation provides his income?  Perhaps the money for the villa and his cars was allocated before his savings were exhausted, perhaps the cars are financed?

Perhaps, but the villa is rented, and the flights could not have been pre-paid. Certainly a rather extravagant life-style based on people bathing with, and taking pictures of, a few elephants.

[suspectdevice]

4 minutes ago, Ben Zioner said:

Indeed, I can easily imagine the whole doctor story to be a setup, and the tremendous pressure this guy was/is under making him an easy prey.

Really? Set it up so he would kick a lady in the back and a Doctor at that? Get real! You seem to be an apologist for him.

[praguecr]

Swiss guy looks like a real winner

[ChrisY1]

Good news for him...personally, I don't think that what he did...assault of the doctor....IMO, hardly what usually refers to assault in Thailand...but it is what it is. I hope he gets justice and no more xenophobic nonsense.

[transam]

1 hour ago, Bundooman said:

Who have done what he did, which was to put the proverbial boot in!

Not really put the boot in, but a foot contact with a lady Doctor will most definitely receive the boot in..........🥺 

[Paris333]

Pachyderm human behaviour against to Thai lady from scientific community.

Golden visa is involved in this corruption system and lawyers use "collaterals" to support the Swiss client.

Where is Thai scientific community to support Thai doctor? Its not a sipmle "isolated case" against Thai civilians from European territory.

At least 5 years ban to ender again Thailand because human rights and dig human nity is not "negotiated" at any price.

[Bobydog]

7 hours ago, chickenslegs said:

Fishy indeed.

"He finally opened the sanctuary with five pachyderms but it cost him all his savings. 

Slowly, the park is making a profit through half-day tours where visitors pay 2,500 Baht to bathe with elephants and get their photos taken. The money is immediately invested in the rescue of new animals."

If he spent all his savings, and all income from the "sanctuary" is reinvested in it, where does the money for a luxury villa and expensive cars come from?

Lotto

[Ben Zioner]

48 minutes ago, Paris333 said:

At least 5 years ban to ender again Thailand because human rights and dig human nity is not "negotiated" at any price.

????  Incomprehensible gibberish...

[stevenl]

4 hours ago, AustinRacing said:

For him to make a public statement suggests some credibility about the bribe. Otherwise why bother even comment. Btw the guy has a mean look about him. 

If he wouldn't have denied you would have said it must be true, otherwise it would have been denied.

[RobU]

4 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

As he runs/ran an apparently successful elephant sanctuary also, why shouldn't he use his own money to travel as he sees fit?

Lou, it's a charity not a business. Supposed to care for rescued elephants. All the elephants should have been rescued yet only one is such. The others are rented and the 'employees' are the mahouts or owners of the rented elephants and their families they are not being paid as employees they are being paid rental fees. All the profits go to him as salary and bonuses, that is the sum of his 'investment' back into the charity because as the charity MD he can take whatever salary and bonus he wants which is highly unethical.  He uses charitable donations to fund his lifestyle it's not his money it's money he has abstracted from the charity. 

[Acharn]

Eyes like stones, and throwing a gang sign. I'll be glad if he's finally expelled from the Kingdom.

[Eloquent pilgrim]

 

So the illicit payments from this pernicious Swiss deviant have obviously been percolating through the porous fabric of governance in Phuket for some time; the Governor can have no possible way of knowing if the doctor has been approached with the offer of a bribe from a third party, or not, as the case may be ….

[Eloquent pilgrim]

3 hours ago, ChrisY1 said:

I hope he gets justice and no more xenophobic nonsense.

 

Do you hope that the victim gets justice as well, or just that the perpetrator gets justice, whatever you might deem that justice to be.

[Eloquent pilgrim]

1 hour ago, RobU said:

Lou, it's a charity not a business. Supposed to care for rescued elephants. All the elephants should have been rescued yet only one is such. The others are rented and the 'employees' are the mahouts or owners of the rented elephants and their families they are not being paid as employees they are being paid rental fees. All the profits go to him as salary and bonuses, that is the sum of his 'investment' back into the charity because as the charity MD he can take whatever salary and bonus he wants which is highly unethical.  He uses charitable donations to fund his lifestyle it's not his money it's money he has abstracted from the charity. 

 

Right on the money Rob. I have a friend in Phuket who tells me the whole charity front is a complete sham, and that it is simply a cash cow, funded by the well meaning incurious and gullible.

[spetersen]

17 hours ago, flyingtlger said:

But for the right price.......

Expats like him should get kicked out , to many thugs in the already…