July Crime Statistics For Phuket

[george]

July crime statistics for Phuket

Police press conferences, like this one at Phuket City Police

station last Thursday, are an almost daily occurrence in Phuket.

PHUKET CITY: -- Statistics for July released by the Phuket Provincial Police show that gambling was the most common criminal offense, with 177 people arrested in 47 cases.

The figure represents a 42.5% increase year-on-year.

There were also 23 arrests for involvement in the underground lottery, statistics for which are tabulated separately.

There were 137 drug arrests for the period, an increase of 22.0% year-on-year.

Among the contraband seized in the arrests were 3,712 ya bah (methamphetamine) pills, 17.5 grams of ya ice (crystal methamphetamine) and a kilogram of krathom leaves, a native plant used as a stimulant.

There were three premeditated murders in Phuket this July, down from seven in July last year.

Investigations led to arrests in two of the three cases.

There was also one case of manslaughter, which remains unsolved.

Despite the wide open trade in sex services on the island, there were just 92 arrests for prostitution, but even that was up 64.1% year-on-year.

There were 48 reported cases of theft or vandalism (-18.6% year-on-year), with 38 arrests.

Of these, there were eight reports of motorbike theft (+166.7% year-on-year), with arrests in all cases, and six snatch-and-run cases, with five arrests.

There were 18 cases of fraud and embezzlement reported, with no arrests.

From October 1 last year until the end of July this year there were 30 premeditated murders reported in the province, a decrease of 26.8% year-on-year.

There were arrests in 60% of the cases.

The leading Web forum on Phuket, the 'Phuket Forum' on ThaiVisa.Com, has been abuzz in recent weeks with strident dialogue about crime in Phuket and Thailand, generally. To see the widely varying, and often passionate, views on this subject, readers may wish to scan the forum here.

-- Phuket Gazette 2009-08-13

[xylophone]

I bet that they do not report the shooting and injuring in a Patong nightclub, for the stabbing and killing of the security guard outside of another establishment in Patong in the August statistics.

The incidents have been hushed up because of the connection to a certain body of people.

[thefalang]

I bet that they do not report the shooting and injuring in a Patong nightclub, for the stabbing and killing of the security guard outside of another establishment in Patong in the August statistics.

The incidents have been hushed up because of the connection to a certain body of people.

I agree with you 100%. What a bunch of white-washed propaganda! If they actually stated accurate statistics regarding crime in Phuket, most foreigners would be afraid to visit Phuket.

[ESB7]

I bet that they do not report the shooting and injuring in a Patong nightclub, for the stabbing and killing of the security guard outside of another establishment in Patong in the August statistics.

The incidents have been hushed up because of the connection to a certain body of people.

I agree with you 100%. What a bunch of white-washed propaganda! If they actually stated accurate statistics regarding crime in Phuket, most foreigners would be afraid to visit Phuket.

Thailand is still one of the safest countries in the world to holiday or live.....just a little common sense and you can live/holiday very safely......I think the overcharging by taxis etc are far more reason people would stay away

[chiang mai]

48 cases of theft and 38 arrests, give me a break!

[thefalang]

Thailand is still one of the safest countries in the world to holiday or live.....just a little common sense and you can live/holiday very safely......I think the overcharging by taxis etc are far more reason people would stay away

"Thailand is still one of the safest countries..." What is the basis of your statement?? Please take your own advice: "use a little common sense" and research the subject prior to making unsubstantiated claims.

I've lived in that area for 20-years and am shocked by the amount of home burglaries, shootings, beatings, traffic accidents, etc.

I cannot name one friend here (who does not have dogs) who's home has not yet been burglarized at least once!

If you feel that it's the same or worse in other countries, you're "dead" wrong. Just check the statistics at:

http://www.nationmaster.com/country/th-thailand/cri-crime

It lists Thailand as #1 for homicides with firearms. Rape and other crime categories are alarmingly high also. The statistics indicate that Thailand is one of the most dangerous popular holiday destinations in the world for foreigners.

Thailand has a high number of police per capita (ranks #14 out of 48 countries). This might suggest that the Thai police are not doing their job.

[ESB7]

The basis of my so called 'unsubstansiated statement' is not to do with tables and figures based on unreliable information and then massaged and presented in a particular fashion or way to prove a point but by 'real living'

After living and working in most of Europe, parts of South and Central America, the U.S. and the past 6 years in Thailand I feel and know that I am the safest I have ever been.

How many teenagers were raped or gangbanged in Patong yesterday?

How many white westerners were verbally and physically abused in Patong yesterday, just for being white?

How many kidnappings were there in Patong yesterday?

How many murders were ther in Patong yesterday?

How many stabbings were there in Patong yesterday?

I could go on and on but when the above are a daily occurance on a large scale in many parts of the world I feel that Thailand is a very very safe place to either holiday or live.

[LivinLOS]

The basis of my so called 'unsubstansiated statement' is not to do with tables and figures based on unreliable information and then massaged and presented in a particular fashion or way to prove a point but by 'real living'

After living and working in most of Europe, parts of South and Central America, the U.S. and the past 6 years in Thailand I feel and know that I am the safest I have ever been.

How many teenagers were raped or gangbanged in Patong yesterday?

How many white westerners were verbally and physically abused in Patong yesterday, just for being white?

How many kidnappings were there in Patong yesterday?

How many murders were ther in Patong yesterday?

How many stabbings were there in Patong yesterday?

I could go on and on but when the above are a daily occurance on a large scale in many parts of the world I feel that Thailand is a very very safe place to either holiday or live.

Only one in Kata.. Followed by shooting in the street..

Yeah just the same as any small town back where I came from !!

[Thaibloke]

c'mon give the BIB a break they are very busy escorting all the VIP"S and shutting down the roads, and also keeping an eye on intersections whilst reading the newspaper

Edited October 20, 2009 by Thaibloke

[thefalang]

The basis of my so called 'unsubstansiated statement' is not to do with tables and figures based on unreliable information and then massaged and presented in a particular fashion or way to prove a point but by 'real living'

After living and working in most of Europe, parts of South and Central America, the U.S. and the past 6 years in Thailand I feel and know that I am the safest I have ever been.

How many teenagers were raped or gangbanged in Patong yesterday?

How many white westerners were verbally and physically abused in Patong yesterday, just for being white?

How many kidnappings were there in Patong yesterday?

How many murders were ther in Patong yesterday?

How many stabbings were there in Patong yesterday?

I could go on and on but when the above are a daily occurance on a large scale in many parts of the world I feel that Thailand is a very very safe place to either holiday or live.

"What the heck is "real living". Is that the opposite of "unreal living"? Yes, I maintain that your claims are unsubstantiated and the statistics indicate your statements are inaccurate.

The stats confirm my experiences & feelings of living here for approx 20-years. You'll never know accurately how many violent crimes occur in various parts of Phuket 'cause they're under-reported. I suggest that you consider empirical data before making comments based on your "feelings".

Speaking of "feelings", it's my "feeling" that violent crime in Thailand, is not publicised as much as crime elsewhere (in the west) and hence does not receive the attention that similar incidents receive in other countries. The effect is that crime in western countries receives more exposure and hence "appears" more prevalent. The triple-homicide that occurred in Rawai recently did not draw, relatively, a great deal of exposure in the local or national news. This happened in Phuket which has a population of only approx 500,000. The same incident in the US (population 300 million/600 times that of Phuket) would probably have received national news coverage.

I could probably find statistics that would substantiate this "feeling", but I offer this theory to the forum for discussion only & not necessarily as a statement of fact.

[thefalang]

Only one in Kata.. Followed by shooting in the street..

Yeah just the same as any small town back where I came from !!

Where are you from, the "OK Corral"?