Criminals in Phuket are “mostly outsiders”, says Gov

[monkeycountry]

I have a strong feeling, that if you asked most foreigners living on Phuket or in Thailand, they would consider the governor himself the biggest criminal on Phuket - in fierce competition with the mayor of Patong and his son - just a guess

[horsewell]

You know what they say: Lies, damned lies and statistics. I'm sure there are various under and over reporting going on and a lot of people that take care of their own business. I'm also sure that any statistics would be be "interpreted" to show whatever narrative the powers that be would like to show. Regardless of who does the crime it's the job of the powers that be to control it, is it not?

[Tatsujin]

“When crimes take place, please tell me where did [the perpetrators] come from because in most cases, they are not local Phuket people.”

No, but they are not all "foreigners" either . . . and I am dam_n sure the largest % will be other Thai's. But that doesn't count cos they are not from Phuket.

He is clearly speaking not only about 'foreigners' but also about Thais from outside Phuket. That is his main point. He is saying that the majority of criminals are from outside Phuket given the relatively small size of the registered Phuket population. Probably most are from other parts of Thailand (unless you want to argue that people from Phuket are more predisposed to criminal behaviour than Thais from other parts of the country or that foreigners are mostly responsible for the crime there.) And he wants to verify this assumption by having police record/track the origin of criminals/suspects. Not completely unreasonable...

I agree it is a really safe bet to say something like that, very hard to find a true "local" if you follow the Governor's "logic" - so an easy thing to say.

If all the "outsiders" left there would be nothing worth stealing or scamming. So bit of the old chicken and the egg dilemma there.

The "logic" is very easy to understand (albeit flawed) as it's the same one they always use. If the foreigners weren't here, they wouldn't have had a problem, the poor Thai's wouldn't have been "tempted" to be criminals so therefore the blame for everything is laid at the foreigners door every time.

And for those that don't agree with that, or can't see it, then I suggest you open your eyes. If you've never experienced it, well, lucky you.

[gtm2k]

...None of the touts are Phuket locals !

"yeah right !!!"

[hansgruber]

I think he was referring to the Nigerian invasion. Patong will get its Sukumvit Soi 3 in due time.

Edited October 10, 2013 by hansgruber

[me313]

However not mentioned is how locals have learned to imitate outsiders in their attempt to be "world class" tourist destination magnets

[Rorri]

The Governor, so I believe, was not born on Phuket, does that make him an "outsider" , no wonder he can't perform his duties, he doesn't think, like a local...or maybe by his comments, and not only on this story, he simply doesn't think, except which way is the camera......make sure they get his "good" side. What a jerk.

Edited October 10, 2013 by Rorri

[Rorri]

I have a strong feeling, that if you asked most foreigners living on Phuket or in Thailand, they would consider the governor himself the biggest criminal on Phuket - in fierce competition with the mayor of Patong and his son - just a guess

I'm not 100% if your are right, but he is guilty of not doing his duty...my nickname for him is "Mirrors", always looking into things, but rarely does anything.

[IrishIvan]

I think he is mainly worried about burmese and Bangladesh

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[transam]

Perhaps they mean foreign crims are more efficient at being crims.

[mancub]

All non-locally born people should have to obtain a visa to enter the island and duly report every 30 days .!

[LivinginKata]

All non-locally born people should have to obtain a visa to enter the island and duly report every 30 days .!

Din't give the Gov any ideas - he might think that's a good idea

[Docno]

Quite possible. In all my years, I've never met a taxi or tuk tuk driver in Bangkok who was actually born there. People go where the jobs are...

What? You interview every taxi driver you come across?

I engage most taxi drivers in conversation for several reasons:

1. Practice my Thai
2. If you build rapport with someone, they are more likely to do honest business with you.
3. By talking with them about their family, I can get them to drive more safely (I will do this quite consciously if my driver thinks he's Sebastian Vettel)
4. As a professional psychologist I'm genuinely interested in their experiences and worldview

So, yes, I try to strike up conversations with almost all taxi drivers I meet. Satisfied?

[Docno]

“When crimes take place, please tell me where did [the perpetrators] come from because in most cases, they are not local Phuket people.”

No, but they are not all "foreigners" either . . . and I am dam_n sure the largest % will be other Thai's. But that doesn't count cos they are not from Phuket.

He is clearly speaking not only about 'foreigners' but also about Thais from outside Phuket. That is his main point. He is saying that the majority of criminals are from outside Phuket given the relatively small size of the registered Phuket population. Probably most are from other parts of Thailand (unless you want to argue that people from Phuket are more predisposed to criminal behaviour than Thais from other parts of the country or that foreigners are mostly responsible for the crime there.) And he wants to verify this assumption by having police record/track the origin of criminals/suspects. Not completely unreasonable...

I agree it is a really safe bet to say something like that, very hard to find a true "local" if you follow the Governor's "logic" - so an easy thing to say.

If all the "outsiders" left there would be nothing worth stealing or scamming. So bit of the old chicken and the egg dilemma there.

The "logic" is very easy to understand (albeit flawed) as it's the same one they always use. If the foreigners weren't here, they wouldn't have had a problem, the poor Thai's wouldn't have been "tempted" to be criminals so therefore the blame for everything is laid at the foreigners door every time.

And for those that don't agree with that, or can't see it, then I suggest you open your eyes. If you've never experienced it, well, lucky you.

People are too ready to see this as a 'blame the foreigners' piece. A broader view is that Phuket is seeing the age-old pattern of a localised economic boom attracting criminals from outside the city. It happens in places as diverse as Perth, Shanghai, Bali, and even St Johns NFLD. Here's an article on the St Johns experience: http://www2.macleans.ca/2011/12/15/newfoundland-the-rocks-other-boom/. To quote: "The boom in offshore oil and construction is drawing Newfoundlanders and come-from-aways to the provincial capital, but the prosperity is also a magnet for criminals. “When you have economic growth you attract legitimate business and you also attract illegal business,” says RNC Chief Robert Johnston. “Supply and demand.”" In this case, Phuket's economic growth has been fuelled by tourism, and it would be natural for such localised growth to attract unsavoury opportunists from elsewhere.

[MAJIC]

"At Kathu Police Station – which is in Patong – he was shown statistics from 2011-2013 revealing that during the low season, people from outside Phuket – other Thais, expatriates and tourists – total from 36,000 to 46,000. However in the high season the number rises to 50,000 to 65,000 per day.!

So is he saying,the majority of High Season outside of Phuket Tourists are the ones who are causing the crime? to avoid confusion, he should have provided a breakdown of crime figures ie: those that cause the most reports of crime.

People from outside Phuket

Other Thais

Expatriates

Tourists

Without a breakdown of the above,and the figures the whole thing is meaningless, ie it could be more or less of any one of the above categories.