Slow loris touts return to Phuket beaches
The Phuket News


Two photo touts each with a slow loris were seen on Kata Beach last Thursday (July 14).

PHUKET: -- Karon Police are on the lookout for up to four men plying the sands of Kata Beach to charge tourists to have their photos taken with a slow loris.

The news follows one beach-goer providing photos of two photo touts each with a slow loris on Kata Beach last Thursday (July 14).

“In the last few days I’ve seen four different men with slow loris on Kata Beach. One of the touts was pretty aggressive when he realised I wasn’t there to pay him,” the beach-goer told The Phuket News.

“I didn’t know that loris touts had returned to the beach,” Lt Col Chawalit Niamwadee, Inspector of Karon Police said in response.

“We arrested one tout a few weeks ago, and I will organise a team of non-uniform officers to investigate this,” he added.

Piyawat Sukon, who as Chief of the Khao Phra Thaew Non-Hunting Area Office in Thalang is responsible for the welfare of wildlife animals in Phuket and neighbouring provinces, said his office would also look into the report.

Full story: http://www.thephuketnews.com/slow-loris-touts-return-to-phuket-beaches-58301.php

-- Phuket News 2016-07-18

"I didn't know that Loris touts had returned to the beach"......classic line from the cops indicating the level of patrols they don't do.......in fact, I don't think I've ever seen a Thai cop of the beat....anywhere!

One of them was there yesterday as well.

“I didn’t know that loris touts had returned to the beach,”

They never left.

Pretty amazing that in a region that draws the vast majority of its revenue from tourism and where beaches play a big role in attracting said tourists, there are no patrols on beaches and illegal businesses and encroachment are a regular occurence.

The Slow Loris is the cop's mascot....unless there is money invloved...Then its the Honey Badger.....

Pretty amazing that in a region that draws the vast majority of its revenue from tourism and where beaches play a big role in attracting said tourists, there are no patrols on beaches and illegal businesses and encroachment are a regular occurence.

Pretty much the only people annoyed by the beach massage, the ice cream/chicken stick vendors and the sun glass touts are expats

Very difficult to catch these guys when they are walking up and down the beach in BROAD DAYLIGHT!!

Pretty amazing that in a region that draws the vast majority of its revenue from tourism and where beaches play a big role in attracting said tourists, there are no patrols on beaches and illegal businesses and encroachment are a regular occurence.

Pretty much the only people annoyed by the beach massage, the ice cream/chicken stick vendors and the sun glass touts are expats

All of this can be done in a lawful manner without having the vendors park and block parking spaces or roads. And what about the jetski scams etc?

My point is that this critical piece for Phukets revenue is not being managed at all. Proper waste management, public toilets and showers? One can only dream of such high standards.

Some of the wildlife groups have a fund to buy gibbons out of bars and rehabilitate them, sending them back to the wild.

How much for the loris?

Some of the wildlife groups have a fund to buy gibbons out of bars and rehabilitate them, sending them back to the wild.

How much for the loris?

The sale of them to wildlife groups would be more lucrative than a tout asking for money to pose with one for a photo.

This would cause a bigger problem.