People miss their flights following protest near Phuket airport

[phuketrichard]

Irregardless, they should storm the police station and demand justice, not block the road and cause harm/damage/inconvenience to thousands of people.

Exactly! I am far from defending the 2, by all means throw them to the crowd - but do so in a pit far away from the only reaonsable infrastructure the island has....

Can't disagree with you, but do you think we'd be reading about it if they blocked some soi in the back 40 acres? They wanted to garner attention on this despicable issue and they have succeeded.

Perhaps the lack of a re-enactment means the perpetrators are well connected and the locals fear they won't be punished? I don't know. They do.

or prehaps the police feared the locals would take them and elimiate the court system. Thais are outraged at this senseless act

[connda]

Moronic mob mentality, they ahve already caught the 2 responsible what the <removed> did they expect to achieve? Once again the paymasters(tourists) are made to suffer for this medieval village mentality. The fact we still refer, with some reverence/fear, to vilage chiefs in these matters beggars belief in 2014!

Yet again the BIB are powerless/clueless or unable to perform their civic duties - I am sure there is a law/word for this, time for the armt to take control

99% of the time I would agree with your statement but this case is so... evil that I understand their rage, medievel village justice may just fit this crime.

I understand their rage too, but it's so incredibly misdirected. Block the road around the police station and rant and rave.

[connda]

Run the protesters over and call it a day. As for the twins... Cage match fight to the death will dull spoons.

Give them to Khun Newin. I'm sure he has some Muay Thai boxers that could take good care of them.

[winstonc]

What is the education minimum standard to become a police officer in Thailand. That might answer a lot of the questions as to why this was allowed to happen in the first place. Seems to it is a case of the blind leading the blind. Not one of them showed any common sense.

You must be able to count.

yes but only up to 20 hands and feet ...lucky they aint from cornwall...they go up to 4 something to do with fingers and toes being fused together..webbed is the word..(all that inbreeding)

[ClutchClark]

What is the education minimum standard to become a police officer in Thailand. That might answer a lot of the questions as to why this was allowed to happen in the first place. Seems to it is a case of the blind leading the blind. Not one of them showed any common sense.

You must be able to count.

And they did count.

100's of angry mob.

10 of us.

Smart people do not enter into a fight they can't win.

[connda]

Phuket Police brutality at heart of mega-blockade

Phuket Gazette

The blockade left thousands of motorists caught in Phukets worst traffic jam on record. Photo: Kritsada Mueanhawong

PHUKET: -- Four police officers were removed from active duty last night to bring an eight-hour blockade of Phukets critical Thepkrasattri Road to an end at about 11:30pm.

The officers Lt Akarapol Siwilai, Sub Lt Manus Faipetch, Sgt Maj Sansak Choti and Sgt Yongyuth Ritplud, all of the Tah Chat Chai Police Station were transferred to Phuket Provincial Hall with immediate effect.

They will face an inquiry into allegations they struck three teenagers during questioning over the brutal rape of a 25-year-old pregnant woman on Sunday night. The three teenagers did not include the twin brothers who later confessed to the rape (story here).

Phuket Governor Maitri Inthusut arrived at the blockade, just north of the turnoff to Phuket International Airport, at about 9:45pm after hours of fruitless negotiations by the Phuket Police to bring the roadblock to an end.

By that time, thousands of motorists were stuck in Phukets biggest traffic jam on record, with scores of tourists delayed from reaching their departing flights.

Negotiations were held at the Baan Mak Prok Mosque, where Governor Maitri presented the mob leaders with the official transfer order for the four officers, signed by Phuket Provincial Deputy Commander Col Peerayut Karajedee.

As per your second request, I will see if I can get the four officers to apologize, and to have civil defense volunteer bodyguards protect the three teenagers until they feel safe, Governor Maitri said.

I will also pass on your final request that the superintendent of Tah Chat Chai Police be transferred should this kind of situation happen again.

Governor Maitri also extended his apologies over the incident directly to the parents of the three teenagers involved.

While negotiations were underway, scuffles broke out among the crowd. One incident flared up as a teenager took photos of those taking part in the blockade.

Airport chief plays down delayed takeoffs

Phuket Airport Director Pratuang Sornkham confirmed that 26 flights were delayed by the blockade, as travellers could not reach the airport in time for their scheduled flights.

Flights were delayed by at least two hours as passengers could not make it to the airport in time, he told the Phuket Gazette. Most of the flights were international.

To assist tourists caught in the monster tailback, shuttle vans were dispatched to bring them to the airport along an old secondary road and airport officers launched a phone campaign to inform as many travel companies as possible of the blockade.

Even though a lot of flights were delayed, I have been informed that none of the passengers booked on those flights were left behind, Mr Patuang said. They were all able to board their planes.

Kritsada Mueanhawong

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket-news/Phuket-Police-brutality-heart-megablockade/29228#ad-image-0

-- Phuket Gazette 2014-04-24

[/qu

Is it just me or is this report from the Phuket News completely different from the report from the Nation. The Nation states that the protesters blocked the road because the police didn't bring the 17 year old twins for a reenactment of the crime and the Phuket news states that the protesters were there because the police struck 3 teenagers during questioning about the crime.

No apologies to the passengers that missed flights. No repercussions for the mob leaders who caused a monetary loss to the airlines who now have to sort out the mess with rightfully angry passengers, and the passengers who will have to shell out additional funds while they wait for rescheduled flights.

[ClutchClark]

Amazed to see Thais reacting with anger rather than indifference.

The scent of compensation brings all from far and wide ... to publicise the faces of the miscreants vastly increases the chances of their parents paying compensation of some sort.

My god, you are warped.

A young pregnant woman is brutally attacked and then twice raped while suffering from a broken leg and you can only give the local community credit of feigning anger for financial gain.

It isn't the Thais that fail to show empathy to a poor woman--its you.

[natway09]

Maybe they should have hit the rapists harder.

Now take them to court (confession already) cut heir ba oops lock them up & open the road you stupid people.

Mob rule is becoming tooooo Thai (it never used to be)

[banagan]

And this has what to do with people trying to catch a flight?

[pistachios]

Good to know that you can beat up kids as a thai cop and face at most a slap on the wrist and forced paid holiday.

[shaul19]

Four flights delayed, 74 passengers miss flights because of Phuket mob

Wiparatana Nathalang

PHUKET: -- The chaos on the roads caused by the protest mob caused surprisingly few problems at the Phuket International Airport.

Duty Officer Jaran Pandaeng, told The Phuket News this morning (April 24) that four flights were delayed because of passengers arriving late. A total of 74 passengers missed their flights.

Air Berlin flight AB7425 to Abu Dhabi was delayed from 20:30 to 00:05 before finally leaving without 69 passengers; Nordwind flight NWS2490, due to take off at 21:00 for Kemerovo in Siberia was delayed by an hour, taking off with one passenger left behind.

Bangkok Airways PG280 to Bangkok was delayed from 22:10 to 23:00 but left with all its passengers on board; and Virgin Australia flight VA192 to Perth, Australia, was delayed from 22:05 to 24:45, taking off with four passengers left behind.

Some passengers walked from their buses to the airport intersection or the old airport road intersection. There, Mr Jaran said, “We used minibuses to ferry them to the airport.”

Mr Jaran, asked about a report that a Russian pilot was stuck in the traffic jam, said, “I have not heard anything about a Russian pilot missing a flight.”

Source: http://www.thephuketnews.com/four-flights-delayed-74-passengers-miss-flights-because-of-phuket-mob-45860.php

-- Phuket News 2014-04-24

Phuket is the worst place in Thailand long time that I swore that I will never visit that place. I still not understand why normal visitors are visiting Phuket.

[JoeLing]

Not quite sure but according to the article it seams, the people where not outraged at the rape of this young woman but once they realized, police would not be bringing the twin brothers to the scene to re-enact their crimes.

[NamKangMan]

As this was a "protest" it's possible a travel insurance company could deem that to be "civil unrest" and if so, that means the many people who missed their flights will be up for the cost of their alternative flights themselves, and as the alternate flight would be booked at the last minute, that makes for an expensive holiday on Planet Phuket.

[slygeeza]

I suspect they are just angry that they missed out on their free entertainment

[Yahooka]

i thought "Phuket's critical main artery" was walking street.

No...... That's Pattaya's main artery.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[LivinginKata]

Many off topic and inflammatory posts removed.

[Benmart]

Exactly! I am far from defending the 2, by all means throw them to the crowd - but do so in a pit far away from the only reaonsable infrastructure the island has....

When the mob rules, no one is safe.

[Mrjlh]

Can't argue that many people were inconvenienced and the situation should have been handled differently but did anyone read the last line?

“Even though a lot of flights were delayed, I have been informed that none of the passengers booked on those flights were left behind,” Mr Patuang said. “They were all able to board their planes.”

Tells me at least the airport authorities and the airlines went out of their way to accommodate the customers. And why didn't the other van drivers caught in the blockage just make a u-turn and use the old road? The airport vans sent to the area did.

[mancub]

Can't argue that many people were inconvenienced and the situation should have been handled differently but did anyone read the last line?

Even though a lot of flights were delayed, I have been informed that none of the passengers booked on those flights were left behind, Mr Patuang said. They were all able to board their planes.

Tells me at least the airport authorities and the airlines went out of their way to accommodate the customers. And why didn't the other van drivers caught in the blockage just make a u-turn and use the old road? The airport vans sent to the area did.

And yet the headline reads "people miss their flights". 74 people according to the airport duty officer, who will doubtless now get a bullet from Mr Patuang for telling it other than the official face-saving version.

[skorchio]

What's even more asinine is that they were protesting because the police wouldn't take the boys to re-enact the crime, one of dumbest parts of Thai law enforcement. It really equates to a lack of due process by making those accused of crimes go and reenact the crime as angry families and neighbors watch. It's dangerous and really a legal travesty that this goes on. And it's a circus.

And that the mob wanted the boys the to reenact the crime means they were intent on doing them harm.

And they are above 'harm' ? from what I read they ought to be executed slowly, the pair of <removed>. What do you think?

[philliphn]

_{I can understand all the anger and out rage. I think that the Thai authorities. Should reconsider the parctice of bringing alledged perpertrators to a re-enactment of a crime, as the standard routine practice. Though, I can think that their are instances, when doing this may aid an investigation.}

[hgma]

What is more important to publish?

The Angry Mob?

The Missed flights?

or

The horrific rape/robbing of a pregnant women?

your choice, NOT mine!

[AloisAmrein]

Thai police unable to resolve the problem. Time to spend the holidays in another country. No such problem in Vietnam or Indonesia.

[Maipenraika]

Unfortunately , this protest takes precedence over flights,it curve,shudve but wasn't some where else, if I'd been there I would've been right with them. Thailand is no longer a safe place to be & the thai governing bodies over the past decade or so have themselves to blame. Putting the dollar before preserving your country only gives you one out come, this behaviour & a country full of drunken tourists who are not there to witness the culture or visit tourist spots, just drink as much as they can in the shortest possible time. This lack of governing a country has destroyed what was once the Land of Smiles.

[HerIndoors]

Part of the re-enactment drama is important to Thais as the perpetrators lose face, which is all part of the punishment. Personally, shoot them with a slow bullet might be just as appropriate.

[jacko45k]

These re-enactments at the scene of the crime are a stupid idea anyhow.

A fiasco come riot not long ago in Pattaya because of one.

The lynch mob should have gone to the jail like any-place else.

Phuket is becoming a basket case.

[hawker9000]

Chalk another one up for Phuket, tourist paradise par excellence. This time nothing to do with foreigners; just subjected to "hospitality", Phuket-style. And as for the two teenagers responsible...aaargh, don't get me started. And then the police... What a fine place for a "vacation".

[Mrjlh]

Seems Thai Cops are too afraid of causing loss of face if they ordered the people to clear the road. This is what would happen else where.

At least the the two scums of the Earth were caught!

[Carl64]

Great job! This one can't be swept under the carpet.

[kurnell]

Amazed to see Thais reacting with anger rather than indifference.

The scent of compensation brings all from far and wide ... to publicise the faces of the miscreants vastly increases the chances of their parents paying compensation of some sort.

My god, you are warped.

A young pregnant woman is brutally attacked and then twice raped while suffering from a broken leg and you can only give the local community credit of feigning anger for financial gain.

It isn't the Thais that fail to show empathy to a poor woman--its you.

I don't think it is Johnnie that is warped, as I think what he is saying is true. In this part of the world people will do anything for money. Even when their family members are murdered by a spoiled brat illegally driving a car, they accept a pay off rather than jailing the guilty. Of all the strange things that go on in Thailand, his I will never understand. Where I come from no amount of money makes up for the loss of a family member. Here they are a dime a dozen. Now that is warped.