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PHUKET NEWS
THEPHUKETNEWS.COM
Six tourists hurt as speedboats collide A
hotel shuttle boat carrying 10 people sank after it was hit on Sunday afternoon (February 23) by a fully-loaded speedboat off Ao Nang, Krabi. Six foreign tourists were injured. Pol Capt Sophon Khongthong of Krabi Police said officers received a call at 3:30 pm. When they arrived at the scene they found the badly damaged speedboat Chainath Nam Chok 8, owned by Barracudas Co, half-sunk close to the shore. There was no sign of the hotel boat, belonging to the Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Krabi. Two of the injured tourists were hurt seriously enough to be taken to Krabi Hospital. They were named as Jens Jorgen Andersen, 27, from Denmark, received chest injuries while his four-year-old son Anton, suffered leg injuries. Speedboat driver Sorrasit Haempithak told police he was on the way from Phi Phi to Ao Nang at high speed with 27 passengers on board.
The Centara boat, driven by Anant Khaothong, came out from the pier at Noppharat Tara, taking 10 hotel guests and crew to Pai Plong Bay, the site of the resort, which is difficult to reach by land. As he motored parallel to Ao Nang beach, the Barracudas speedboat T-boned the Centara boat, sending it to the bottom. Chaos ensued as the Centara guests floundered in the sea and were joined by passengers from the speedboat, which was also taking on water fast. Luckily the collision was close to the beach where it was seen by many people. The alarm was raised and a patrol boat from the Krabi Marine Department was quickly on the scene, rescuing all. While the wreck of the hotel boat was marked so that no one else collides with it until arrangements can be made to salvage it, police took Sorrasit and Anant to the police station to see if they can figure out who was to blame. Suthicha Sirirat
The speedboat Chainath Nam Chok 8 wallows in the shallows, half sunk after the collision.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2014
Massive anti-drug sweep nets 62 PHUKET GOVERNOR Maitri Inthusut led 180 officers in a successful mega-raid on two communities in Phuket Town, searching particularly for drug addicts and users. Sixty two people were arrested. The raid, on Thursday (February 20) began with a briefing by the governor. “According to the Win Drug Land Power Plan Phuket, 2014, we will set up checkpoints, then seal off and search the community, especially parts that are known to be drug epidemic areas in Phuket Town.” The task force set up road blocks on the intersection For the checkpoints for two communities, we divided into four checkpoints. The first was at the intersection close to Phuket Provincial Hospital, the second checkpoint at the entrance to Saphan Ruampoonphol 2 Community entrance, a third on Sri Suthat Rd and the fourth
at the traffic lights at the entrance to Rassada housing estate. Each was manned by 25 officers equipped to search for drugs and to carry out urine tests for drug consumption. These road blocks tested more than 700 people for drug use, of whom 57 tested positive. Meanwhile another 20 plainclothes police targeted homes suspected of involvement with drugs. In one house they raided they actually found some teenagers smoking crystal methamphetamine (ya ice). Those arrested who had no prior record of drug use were enrolled in the Matrix Programme, an intensive outpatient course devised in the US 30 years ago, which has proven effective in treating methamphetamine and cocaine addiction. Those found to have previous drug-related convictions were arrested and will face the court. Suthicha Sirirat
Phuket expat killed when car flips, rolls FRENCH EXPAT JULIE Humbert, 30, was killed instantly when she crashed her car into a motorbike and then the median strip on Thepkrassatri Road in northern Phuket around 5am on Thursday morning (February 20). Motorbike rider Patra Deebukkam, 44, told police she was riding her motorbike when she was crashed into by a car. She f lew off the bike onto the road, but the car dragged her bike before crashing into the median strip near Mae Ju’s souvenir shop, around 5am. The car flipped and rolled several times, killing Ms Humbert, who was driving. Nawa Pintu, from Thalang Hospital, told The Phuket News that the French Embassy had been informed. Ms Humbert’s family has arrived in Phuket and a memorial service was held at Nai Yang Beach over the weekend. Ms Humber t lived in Phuket and worked in the yachting industry. Former employer Galileo Yachting posted on its Facebook page
Phuket resident Julie Humbert, originally from France, was killed instantly in the horrifying car crash. last week, “It is with great sadness the we hear about the death of Julie Humbert. Julie was a former employee of Galileo Yachting, she held the role of Stewardess Training
Instructor. Staff and former students send their deepest sympathy to her family and friends. Rest in Peace Julie.” Eakkapop Thongtub and Claire Connell thephuketnews