Mafia crackdown: Koh Samet gearing up for trouble as soldiers descend on holiday island today

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Mafia crackdown: Koh Samet gearing up for trouble as soldiers descend on holiday island today

 

Picture: Naewna

 

KOH SAMET: -- Koh Samet has been warned there could be trouble as plans for a big military swoop on illegal operators begin in earnest today.

 

Authorities are attempting to return the island to its rightful status as a national park after decades of exploitation and corruption.

 

But local park chief Prayoon Pongphan has been warned to expect trouble as many established resorts, jetskis/speedboat and song thaew operators and motorbike rental companies are being told they have to clear out, reports Naewna.

 

At least two dozen resorts have just three months before they are set to be torn down.

 

The warning came from Thanya Netithammakun the director general of the national office of the Thai National Parks. He said there may be trouble and warned Prayoon to be on alert as the operators "won't like the orders and will claim they are suffering".

 

The move on the island aims to restore the Khao Laem Ya - Koh Samet National Park and root out corruption caused by involvement of mafia figures and corrupt local officials. Already some eighty bent officials have been replaced with new staff. The former park chief was removed in September.

 

Naew Na reported yesterday that 100 park officials, soldiers and police had set up roadblocks all over the island and were checking work permits, forbidding tents on the beaches, closing down jetski operations and trying to stop speedboats - though they failed to have much impact in the last of these.

 

Today, Monday, soldiers from the Mahasurasinghanat camp will be descending on the island with top brass park officials to back up eviction orders.

 

Some 24 resorts illegally encroaching on beaches are expected to be given their marching orders and will be told their properties will be torn down within 90 days.

 

Naew Na reported that tourists, both Thai and foreign, continued to flock to the island as local tourism chief Pitsanu Khemaphan mulled over the fallout of the crackdown and its effect on the livelihood's of many tourism operators and their staff.

 

Source: Naewna

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2016-11-21

[Pinot]

Slowly getting around to all these places. Thai people deserve to have these encroaching businesses thrown off the King's beachs. 

 

You can not let local officials run these beaches. They're the ones profiting. It's interesting...none of the local officials ever get prosecuted for allowing this to happen. 

Edited November 21, 2016 by Pinot

[mcfish]

Yesss love this government and could care less it's military! Simply brilliant work!!

Sent from my SC-01D using Tapatalk

[mcfish]

<hidden post removed>
So your actually saying that they should take over from the bib and continue the corruption? They already have the ultimate power so your posts makes zero sense

Personally I hope they keep power for as long as it takes to rid Thailand of its despicable mafia.

Don't &lt;deleted&gt; with the army! Strong message indeed :-)

Sent from my SC-01D using Tapatalk
 

[OJAS]

Koh Samet, the setting for a new version of the 1957 film "Gunfight At The OK Corral"?? 

[derator01]

1 hour ago, metisdead said:

Off topic posts have been removed, this is about the cleaning up of Koh Samet. 

 

A post attempting to bait another member has been removed.  

Along with an anti-junta post.  Next one will earn the member a posting suspension.

 

Apologies to the member with the appropriate (now hidden) reply.

[elgordo38]

2 hours ago, Pinot said:

none of the local officials ever get prosecuted for allowing this to happen. 

They obviously keep their insurance payments up to date. 

[brain150]

It's interesting:
So the local government is the mafia !

Instead of dealing with the problem you send in the army and all the Thai people

who try to make a living lose their businesses and jobs.

 

Because some people make the big money out of it it is all justified because you have to hit the "big guys".

Sadly the only ones suffering are the normal people who try to make a living.

 

Pretty hard to believe that anybody would support such action.

[elgordo38]

1 hour ago, mcfish said:

Yesss love this government and could care less it's military! Simply brilliant work!!

Sent from my SC-01D using Tapatalk
 

You could hold up a copy of the constitution (guess there is none but lets suppose) would it stop or deflect a bullet. 

[kingstonkid]

7 minutes ago, brain150 said:

It's interesting:
So the local government is the mafia !

Instead of dealing with the problem you send in the army and all the Thai people

who try to make a living lose their businesses and jobs.

 

Because some people make the big money out of it it is all justified because you have to hit the "big guys".

Sadly the only ones suffering are the normal people who try to make a living.

 

Pretty hard to believe that anybody would support such action.

Brain

 

Much like the US, Canada. Italy and Japan organized crime (OC) has a way of slipping in where people say so they are there they are not hurting anyone and are creating jobs.

 

The problem is not that the local government is full of OC it is that they are under the influence or pay of them. 

 

There are a couple of problems here.  

 

One they broke the law no matter what we may think they re breaking the law.

 

Look at the crap people have to go through that rent a jetski.

 

The hotels are destroying forest and beach areas that are important to country and the people living on the island.

 

They are not going to simply take tings over clean it up and leave (at least I hope not)  They should show the people what it is like to have uncorrupted officials and let them govern themselves.

 

They will then keep a close eye on things and make sure the police are aware that they are watching.

 

 

 

 

[mcfish]

So let's see the army cleans up sukhumvit Bangkok, Bali hi in Pattaya, now koh samet and they are the bad guys? They have done more than the last 100 years of government who were completey corrupt.

Suk it up boys, there is a lot more good work coming
But don't cry, this regime will wind down eventually just like it always has

Sent from my SC-01D using Tapatalk

[sandrabbit]

We'd heard they sacked all the national park people on the mainland at Hat Mae Rhumpung beach so it's continuing on the island. I'd be a bit nervous if I had bought a condo on the island, we had advised people in the past to never buy anything on the island due to it being a national park and you never know what will happen in the future. I'm surprised that Rayong Resort hasn't been targeted as it's right in the national park on the mainland, they were just told to remove their pier. There is a two seater sports car in the entrance which belonged to the King so I don't know if that has any relevance. The army has been quite strict for a while making bars close at midnight in the Ban Phe & Samet areas.

 

They had been taking the national park fees on Koh Samet and they had never been doing anything to the park infrastructure with them, it's only recently that they made the roads better as they were a mudbath in the rainy season.

Edited November 21, 2016 by sandrabbit

[Katipo]

I wonder if they will get rid of that awful Paradee Resort down the bottom of the island. It stretches across the island and blocks access (forcibly) to Ao Kio and Ao Kio Na Nai beaches. Used to be a lovely area, and I just can't see how such an establishment can have been built legally.

[DSJPC]

well, it's about time!!!...maybe there is some light at the end of the tunnel???

[lucky11]

2 hours ago, mcfish said:

Yesss love this government and could care less it's military! Simply brilliant work!!

Sent from my SC-01D using Tapatalk
 

 

 Yes!! So much for the mocking by those that keep on parroting "this government is all talk and does nothing to tackle corruption"!! Their opinions seem a little outdated now, making them look rather foolish and ignorant in the process. Keep it going Prayut, bit by bit, Island by Island, National park by National park - It doesn't matter who they are, if they are not supposed to be there then clear them out and move them on!!

[lust]

Good thing a warning was issued to get their affairs in order before being raided. What a joke.

[HerbalEd]

42 minutes ago, brain150 said:

It's interesting:
So the local government is the mafia !

Instead of dealing with the problem you send in the army and all the Thai people

who try to make a living lose their businesses and jobs.

 

Because some people make the big money out of it it is all justified because you have to hit the "big guys".

Sadly the only ones suffering are the normal people who try to make a living.

 

Pretty hard to believe that anybody would support such action.

So are you saying that the illegal businesses and resorts should be left as they are so the "normal people who try to make a living" don't lose their jobs. 

[zaZa9]

1 hour ago, mcfish said:

<hidden post removed>
So your actually saying that they should take over from the bib and continue the corruption? They already have the ultimate power so your posts makes zero sense

Personally I hope they keep power for as long as it takes to rid Thailand of its despicable mafia.

Don't &lt;deleted&gt; with the army! Strong message indeed :-)

Sent from my SC-01D using Tapatalk
 

 

 

Did you read the article ??

80 'bent' officials have already been removed PLUS the Chief of the National Park.

None of these are poverty stricken Thai.

24 resorts will be demolished ...if you've been there you'd know that most arent tiny,  and the owning families would be now  well off from their illegal exploits  , and  that  they will now  lose big time. ( Infrastructure, future income)

The places I  have stayed in Samet  usually  had a large contingent of  family employees managing and overseeing ,  and way below them , the Burmese labour.

Again , not poor rural Thais .... they are deemed too 'expensive' by these islands exploiters , thus the Burmese get the labouring jobs.

 

I mean this is supposed to be a National Park.

The army comes along to make some attempts to return it to that and you complain.

It cant happen overnight , but  like so many who whine  that all Thai corruption should have been cleaned up by now, " if the army was doing what they claim" , you seem to  forget there has been decade upon decade of corruption and neglect to be dealt with.

And even then it wont all go away.

The system of paying peanuts to those meant to curtail corruption will see to that.

 

But its better than no attempt at all.

And its better than the rampant exploitation growing bigger  , which , from my observations ,  it no longer is.

[Get Real]

I wish the island the best. Military.....Police.....Corruption??? What´s the difference? Help me! I am sinking here. LOL

Edited November 21, 2016 by Get Real

[craigt3365]

15 minutes ago, lust said:

Good thing a warning was issued to get their affairs in order before being raided. What a joke.

This has been going on for a long time. Officials were removed quite some time ago.  Things like this don't always make it to the English news sites.

 

Kudos to the government for dealing with the mafia there.  Bit by bit, they are doing some good things.

[MarkmBha]

About time.

[mcfish]

 

 

Did you read the article ??

80 'bent' officials have already been removed PLUS the Chief of the National Park.

None of these are poverty stricken Thai.

24 resorts will be demolished ...if you've been there you'd know that most arent tiny,  and the owning families would be now  well off from their illegal exploits  , and  that  they will now  lose big time. ( Infrastructure, future income)

The places I  have stayed in Samet  usually  had a large contingent of  family employees managing and overseeing ,  and way below them , the Burmese labour.

Again , not poor rural Thais .... they are deemed too 'expensive' by these islands exploiters , thus the Burmese get the labouring jobs.

 

I mean this is supposed to be a National Park.

The army comes along to make some attempts to return it to that and you complain.

It cant happen overnight , but  like so many who whine  that all Thai corruption should have been cleaned up by now, " if the army was doing what they claim" , you seem to  forget there has been decade upon decade of corruption and neglect to be dealt with.

And even then it wont all go away.

The system of paying peanuts to those meant to curtail corruption will see to that.

 

But its better than no attempt at all.

And its better than the rampant exploitation growing bigger  , which , from my observations ,  it no longer is.

You replied to the wrong person.. It happens. I'm very much pro army and can't thank them enough for cleaning out the scum on sukhumvit Nana where I bought my condo. 12 years of being pushed shoved and relegated to walking on sukhumvit traffic lanes at night and It's now finally over wooohooo

Sent from my SC-01D using Tapatalk

[rak sa_ngop]

One hopes that once they tear down these resorts that they clear away all the rubble and rubbish. Having walked around Ko Samet and seen all the abandoned old resorts and rubbish strewn parts of the forest it was always a mystery to me to work out what all the park rangers did all day. Preserving the beauty of the national park was obviously not in their job description.

I hope this is a change for the better.

[sendintheclowns]

a pleasure to read this news. all the pros and cons discussed. it would be good to see a few complimentary letters posted in the 2 national newspapers.

[MorristheRunt]

I am one of this regimes biggest critics, BUT on this I can only say OUSTANDING EFFORT, well done to all involved!

 

Long may it continue, and lets hope they go all out on the BAR STEWARDS on Koh Tao

Edited November 21, 2016 by MorristheRunt

[MoonUnit]

My Thai wife and I regularly visit LOS and you wouldn't believe the amount of times people in the UK have asked me whether it's safe to come over for holidays while the country is run by the army.  My stock answer is that we prefer it this way and long may it continue. 

[jlwilliamsjr18]

Quack Quack... SOS in the LOS.

 

[zaZa9]

16 minutes ago, mcfish said:

You replied to the wrong person.. It happens. I'm very much pro army and can't thank them enough for cleaning out the scum on sukhumvit Nana where I bought my condo. 12 years of being pushed shoved and relegated to walking on sukhumvit traffic lanes at night and It's now finally over wooohooo

Sent from my SC-01D using Tapatalk

Ahh sorry...

Ive just been staying on the Suk , and for the first time in my 9 years in LOS , experienced what it was like to not have to walk sideways on its footpaths or dodge its vendors ... good job military !

[Familyaffairs]

1 hour ago, brain150 said:

It's interesting:
So the local government is the mafia !

Instead of dealing with the problem you send in the army and all the Thai people

who try to make a living lose their businesses and jobs.

 

Because some people make the big money out of it it is all justified because you have to hit the "big guys".

Sadly the only ones suffering are the normal people who try to make a living.

 

Pretty hard to believe that anybody would support such action.

They are encroachers on a national park which belongs to ALL Thais, not just a handful.

[saminoz]

57 minutes ago, zaZa9 said:

 

 

Did you read the article ??

80 'bent' officials have already been removed PLUS the Chief of the National Park.

None of these are poverty stricken Thai.

24 resorts will be demolished ...if you've been there you'd know that most arent tiny,  and the owning families would be now  well off from their illegal exploits  , and  that  they will now  lose big time. ( Infrastructure, future income)

The places I  have stayed in Samet  usually  had a large contingent of  family employees managing and overseeing ,  and way below them , the Burmese labour.

Again , not poor rural Thais .... they are deemed too 'expensive' by these islands exploiters , thus the Burmese get the labouring jobs.

 

I mean this is supposed to be a National Park.

The army comes along to make some attempts to return it to that and you complain.

It cant happen overnight , but  like so many who whine  that all Thai corruption should have been cleaned up by now, " if the army was doing what they claim" , you seem to  forget there has been decade upon decade of corruption and neglect to be dealt with.

And even then it wont all go away.

The system of paying peanuts to those meant to curtail corruption will see to that.

 

But its better than no attempt at all.

And its better than the rampant exploitation growing bigger  , which , from my observations ,  it no longer is.

I think that, before the pro-junta cheerleading team get overcome by their orgasms, we should wait and see which military bigwigs step in and take over the revenues.

I can't see them simply bulldozing these sources of revenues.

I suspect that they'll simply change ownership somehow.