Phuket Bar Destroyed In Arson Attack

[webfact]

Phuket bar destroyed in arson attack

Initial estimates put the damage at 8 million baht.

RAWAI, PHUKET: -- Police are investigating an arson attack that completely destroyed the popular Roxanne Bar on Wichit Rd in Rawai early yesterday morning.

Chalong Police were notified of the blaze at 3:30am.

It took two Rawai Municipality fire engines about 30 minutes to put down the flames, but not before they destroyed the bar and everything inside.

Located near the Sapphaya Spa, the Roxanne Bar was run by a Nakhon Sri Thammarat woman named Wanida and her Danish husband.

After the bar closed Saturday night, one staff member stayed on for security.

The staff member told police that a man wearing a hood suddenly appeared, dousing furniture at the front of the bar with gasoline and quickly setting it alight before fleeing.

Police are investigating a business rivalry as a possible motive, noting that patrons of the popular bar often park their cars in front of rival establishments.

Initial estimates put the damage from the fire at 8 million baht.

Investigators from the Forensic Police Region 44 Office in Phuket Town are also taking part in the investigation.

-- Phuket Gazette 2010-02-07

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

[ManilaLover]

Very useful such a security guy

[ThailandTommy]

Obviously a lot more to this than published, another day in paradise?

Does anyone think it is as a result of customers parking? I just can't see that! More like gambling debt, or something where money is involved!

Good idea having a member of staff guarding the place after the event! <deleted> is he guarding? The parking spaces?

[TheJoker12]

The tiny little hut was worth 8m baht.

Maybe on the insurance claim.

[Jdietz]

It took two Rawai Municipality fire engines about 30 minutes to put down the flames, but not before they destroyed the bar and everything inside.

That's what happens if you don't pay the firemen first...

[neverdie]

The tiny little hut was worth 8m baht.

Maybe on the insurance claim.

Yes, I was thinking the same thing, nothing like getting paid 8m baht for the burnt down bar & only needing 500,000 baht to rebuild .

Next, beer bar owner becomes irate @ increased insurance costs

[fiddlehead]

I rode by and was quite shocked.

Talked to a girl that was standing there in tears.

She told me basically the same story although she made it sound like perhaps he threw a Malatov cocktail.

The bar was one of the bigger ones and had a very scenic stage down near some big rocks.

So possibly it was worth quite a few million baht. It looked totally devastated.

At one time it had been called the "Wall" I believe. (because of the rock)

Anybody know why this wouldn't be in the Phuket forum?

Many of us don't often check the news forum and only look at what's happening in Phuket.

[sammycic]

I'm so glad I sold my bar in rawaii and left all this bullsh*t behind. phuket would have to be be one of the most corrupt places in thailand.

[KarenBravo]

I don't think you can claim insurance if it is arson.

[webfact]

I rode by and was quite shocked.

Talked to a girl that was standing there in tears.

She told me basically the same story although she made it sound like perhaps he threw a Malatov cocktail.

The bar was one of the bigger ones and had a very scenic stage down near some big rocks.

So possibly it was worth quite a few million baht. It looked totally devastated.

At one time it had been called the "Wall" I believe. (because of the rock)

Anybody know why this wouldn't be in the Phuket forum?

Many of us don't often check the news forum and only look at what's happening in Phuket.

The topic is still in the Phuket Forum.

It was "moved" from there to News Clippings. A links remains in the forum.

If Phuket forum visitors click on that link they are redirected to this topic (now in News Clippings).

Please check it out by yourself

[moskito]

The tiny little hut was worth 8m baht.

Maybe on the insurance claim.

Yes, I was thinking the same thing, nothing like getting paid 8m baht for the burnt down bar & only needing 500,000 baht to rebuild .

Next, beer bar owner becomes irate @ increased insurance costs

insurance is very uncommon here I guess but I also want to know what was 8mio Bath worth there. I have been there yesterday after the fire

stopped and saw police investigating in other bars around and took some pics too.

Seems to me like the bamboo roof and some furniture is destroyed, nothing worth 8mio, maybe they add a 0 too much.

sorry, want to post a picture here but I AM USING TOT INTERNET IN PHUKET and its TERRIBLE LIKE ALWAYS since some weeks

[john b good]

Obviously a lot more to this than published, another day in paradise?

Does anyone think it is as a result of customers parking? I just can't see that! More like gambling debt, or something where money is involved!

Good idea having a member of staff guarding the place after the event! <deleted> is he guarding? The parking spaces?

"Does anyone think it is as a result of customers parking?" It could very well have been the reason.

You can be murdered for a lot less here in LOS

Just allow your foot to point in the wrong direction

[ScubaBuddha]

"Does anyone think it is as a result of customers parking?" It could very well have been the reason.

More likely because it was a partially farang owned business doing well. Those are always the first to go either like this or through official channels like what happened to Shark Discotheque in Patong.

Good idea having a member of staff guarding the place after the event! <deleted> is he guarding? The parking spaces?

Did the article get updated? I don't see anything about the site being guarded after the incident. I think you misunderstood what was meant by "After the bar closed..." I believe this meant after customers and patrons went home, but before the fire.

I rode by and was quite shocked.

Anybody know why this wouldn't be in the Phuket forum?

Many of us don't often check the news forum and only look at what's happening in Phuket.

The topic is still in the Phuket Forum.

It was "moved" from there to News Clippings. A links remains in the forum.

If Phuket forum visitors click on that link they are redirected to this topic (now in News Clippings).

Please check it out by yourself

I just checked and it definitely is NOT in the Phuket forum. Also, I did not get an email notification of it being put into the Phuket forum, but that's nothing new. I get about half the notifications, and sometimes the ones I do get I get 8 to 20 duplicates. Been same same for over a year.

Edited February 7, 2010 by ScubaBuddha

[madmitch]

Just a couple of insurance facts (plus a bit of speculation) following comments above:

Arson is not generally excluded under fire insurance policies however the loss adjusters will spend time investigating the owners finances in order to be sure that the fire was not started by the owner or with the owner's knowledge.

The insurance value would not cover the land costs, only the property, fixtures and fittings and contents, therefore 8m baht is a very high figure to be throwing about. The location itself is pretty irrelevant when it comes to the insurable value.

Would a beer bar of this nature have insurance cover? Unlikely. And if it has only recently been taken out then this too would cause suspicion in the minds of the loss adjusters.

[KarenBravo]

More likely because it was a partially farang owned business doing well. Those are always the first to go either like this or through official channels like what happened to Shark Discotheque in Patong.

I don't believe that Roxanne Bar was partly foreign owned. The Danish guy met the Thai woman owner after she was open a couple of years already.

[rkidlad]

More likely because it was a partially farang owned business doing well. Those are always the first to go either like this or through official channels like what happened to Shark Discotheque in Patong.

I don't believe that Roxanne Bar was partly foreign owned. The Danish guy met the Thai woman owner after she was open a couple of years already.

I don't think that matters. If it was a rival bar, all they will have seen is this white guy with the Thai owner.

Always blame the foreinger. Happens all over the world.

[Colabamumbai]

Very useful such a security guy

Wonder how much the guy with the hood paid him to let him light the fire?

[BigC]

Very useful such a security guy

quality security. gave a good discription and did nothing. was qualifications do u need to be a secutry guard out here. i have 2 eyes and a mouth. have i got all the qualifications. is that all i need.

[RKASA]

Very useful such a security guy

Wonder how much the guy with the hood paid him to let him light the fire?

If they did have a security guy when it happened he did what this type of security person does and that is witness and prevent only by being a possible witness. They are not rambo or bruce lee and someone else's business is not worth dieing for at min. wage. If the perp did this in spite of a witness present then he was likely hired to do the deed by a rival club and is back where ever it is scum hang out..

[BigC]

More likely because it was a partially farang owned business doing well. Those are always the first to go either like this or through official channels like what happened to Shark Discotheque in Patong.

I don't believe that Roxanne Bar was partly foreign owned. The Danish guy met the Thai woman owner after she was open a couple of years already.

I don't think that matters. If it was a rival bar, all they will have seen is this white guy with the Thai owner.

Always blame the foreinger. Happens all over the world.

well if it was a rival business deal and the forang get 8 mill. who will be laughing then. not many businesses selling at the moment with the global so called ressesssion. good luck to the guy if he realy was innocent. get the money and get out

[webfact]

I rode by and was quite shocked.

Anybody know why this wouldn't be in the Phuket forum?

Many of us don't often check the news forum and only look at what's happening in Phuket.

The topic is still in the Phuket Forum.

It was "moved" from there to News Clippings. A links remains in the forum.

If Phuket forum visitors click on that link they are redirected to this topic (now in News Clippings).

Please check it out by yourself

I just checked and it definitely is NOT in the Phuket forum. Also, I did not get an email notification of it being put into the Phuket forum, but that's nothing new. I get about half the notifications, and sometimes the ones I do get I get 8 to 20 duplicates. Been same same for over a year.

Please have a look at this screenshot

The topic is still in the Phuket Forum.

It was "moved" from there to News Clippings. A link remains in the forum.

If Phuket forum visitors click on that link they are redirected to this topic (now in News Clippings).

If you have an issue regarding email notification you should contact support by email or open a topic in support forum.

[harleyclarkey]

Is it normal to have a "security guard"...(i.e. some dope asleep under a table?)...to stay on? I don't think so. So it seems they were aware something was about to happen?

8m Baht?? Nah....don't think so. It's a wooden shack with a leaf roof.

Edited February 7, 2010 by harleyclarkey

[bangon04]

It took two Rawai Municipality fire engines about 30 minutes to put down the flames, but not before they destroyed the bar and everything inside.

That's what happens if you don't pay the firemen first...

I hope the word "they" refers to the flames, not the firemen......but you may well be right.

[ukrules]

Is it normal to have a "security guard"...(i.e. some dope asleep under a table?)...to stay on? I don't think so. So it seems they were aware something was about to happen?

8m Baht?? Nah....don't think so. It's a wooden shack with a leaf roof.

When they say it was worth 8 million I suspect this is the full value including the land as there's no way that hut was worth 8 million on it's own, not unless they had a large pile of cash hidden in there which was also burned

Edited February 7, 2010 by ukrules

[ScubaBuddha]

Hmm..strange. I thought I replied to this already.

The topic is still in the Phuket Forum.

It was "moved" from there to News Clippings. A links remains in the forum.

If Phuket forum visitors click on that link they are redirected to this topic (now in News Clippings).

Please check it out by yourself

I just checked and it definitely is NOT in the Phuket forum. Also, I did not get an email notification of it being put into the Phuket forum, but that's nothing new. I get about half the notifications, and sometimes the ones I do get I get 8 to 20 duplicates. Been same same for over a year.

Please have a look at this screenshot

The topic is still in the Phuket Forum.

It was "moved" from there to News Clippings. A link remains in the forum.

If Phuket forum visitors click on that link they are redirected to this topic (now in News Clippings).

My apologies wf. Somehow I never noticed there was a Phuket News Clippings section.

If you have an issue regarding email notification you should contact support by email or open a topic in support forum.

I have done, numerous times. Thus far there has been no response.

Most recent: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/some-Subscri...ff-t334148.html

[bkkjames]

Rawaii seems to be in the news a lot lately for the wrong reasons.

[mikebike]

The staff member who stayed when the bar closed was a bargirl, not a guy and not a security guard. Its fairly common for a girl or two to be in the short-time rooms overnight...

[LivinLOS]

Very useful such a security guy

quality security. gave a good discription and did nothing. was qualifications do u need to be a secutry guard out here. i have 2 eyes and a mouth. have i got all the qualifications. is that all i need.