Phuket Looters Threatened With 'harsh Punishment'

[george]

Phuket looters threatened with 'harsh punishment'

PHUKET: -- Eleven people have been arrested for looting in the tsunami-devastated resort town of Phuket, police said Wednesday.

Police Major General Suwit O-thong, the Phuket provincial police commissioner, threatened harsh punishment for anyone caught taking advantage of other people's suffering, and said patrols had now been stepped up in a bid to crackdown on any further thefts.

''Most of the looters are in their late teens, both local and strangers. Some are migrant workers from neighboring countries. They operated in the Patong Beach, and Kata-Karon Komala areas,'' General Suwit said.

''Those in charge of these theft cases have been ordered not to grant bail to any of the men involved. They all face up to 10 years in jail and a 50,000-baht fine,'' he said.

In another development, local police have been trying to identify about 100 dead bodies in Patong by conducting DNA tests. Reinforcements were also called in from the nearby provincial police command to help in the search for more bodies.

Thailand has been one of many countries in the Indian Ocean badly hit by Sunday's powerful undersea quake which triggered the sea surges. The government expects the death toll to rise to at least 2,000.

Meanwhile, police in Pathumthani province in the outskirts of Bangkok, issued a warning about groups of men pretending to represent relief agencies and soliciting donations from the public.

'The money and food collected is not going to the tsunami victims, but straight into their own pockets. If you see anyone behaving as such in you community, please inform police at once and we will take action,'' said Police Colonel Jirasak Muanroddee, of the Prathunam Chulalongkorn Police Station.

--TNA 2004-12-29

[RDN]

On Thai TV the presenter told of a very opportunist looter who shouted that another wave was coming, frightening all the people so much that they ran away to high ground. The looter then cleaned out the gold shop.

Another story I heard was of a man guarding his 8 million baht Benz. He couldn't move it because of other damaged cars around it. While he was standing guard a truck drove up and the driver tried to connect a towing line to his car. So the owner demanded to know what he was doing: "I'm taking my car home" says the thief.

"Burt this is MY car", says the owner.

The thief drives off quickly.

Nice try.

[george]

Police arrest more looters in tsunami-hit provinces

BANGKOK: -- Police working in Thailand's southern provinces affected by last week's tsunamis announced today that they had arrested 58 looters, and seized looted goods ranging from bags and gold necklaces to computers.

Pol. Maj. Gen. Worathep Methawat, head of the Royal Thai Police's information division, said that officers working in Phuket, Krabi and Phang-nga Provinces had arrested 41 Thais, 16 Myanmar nationals and one Vietnamese on charges of looting.

Looted articles seized by the police include 239 necklaces, one bag and one laptop computer.

National Police Chief Kowit Wattana has ordered local officers to set up checkpoints to help stamp out looting in the wake of last week's tsunami disaster.

--TNA 2005-01-02

[cdnvic]

Use the morgues as temporay holding cells for these pricks. A few nights with the real victims to bring them some perspective.

cv

[SiamJai]

''Those in charge of these theft cases have been ordered not to grant bail to any of the men involved.

Not to be the devil's advocate - I despise their acts as much as anyone else - but don't you find it strange that a murderer on the run, once caught, was released on bail, while thieves are not granted such luxury? I don't mind them being behind bars, but just find it weird.

[eljeque]

Civilized countries often shoot looters

[penzman]

On Thai TV the presenter told of a very opportunist looter who shouted that another wave was coming, frightening all the people so much that they ran away to high ground. The  looter then cleaned out the gold shop.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think I heard this one live on 107FM. A reporter was doing a live report and people started screaming around him. The reporter kept talking on his cell phone while running to higher ground. I thought he was going to have a heart attack ...

[kasi]

Civilized countries often shoot looters

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

And seriously that is the only civilized thing to do.

Looters are lower than pond scum!

[cdnvic]

Civilized countries often shoot looters

Agree with the sentiment but after the drug war I'd be afraid that people picking through wreckage looking for their own belongings may be accidently shot by "rival gangs".

I think they should double the fine/jailtime for people committing crimes during a disaster. Castration sounds good.

cv

edited for spellinng

Edited January 3, 2005 by cdnvic

[kat]

''Those in charge of these theft cases have been ordered not to grant bail to any of the men involved.

Not to be the devil's advocate - I despise their acts as much as anyone else - but don't you find it strange that a murderer on the run, once caught, was released on bail, while thieves are not granted such luxury? I don't mind them being behind bars, but just find it weird.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Excellent point. I agree that looters are "lower than pond scum," but we shouldn't advocate anyone being shot on sight unless it is in jest, IMHO.