The Royal Thai Police have ordered a “media blackout” for Phuket,

[FarangRed]

Japanese tourist foils abduction attempt amid Phuket Police ‘media blackout’
Phuket Gazette – Wednesday, July 4, 2012 9:56:03 PM
PHUKET: The Royal Thai Police have ordered a “media blackout” for Phuket, with only the local police superintendent authorized to release information to the media, the Phuket Gazette has learned.

News of the blackout follows yet another disturbing report involving a tourist and a local, although this one has a happy ending – thanks to a brave Japanese tourist.

According to one local media report, a Japanese tourist came to the rescue of a drunken Australian woman who was attacked at 4am this morning (July 4) by a man in front of the hotel where she was a guest.

The media outlet made no mention as to the source of the information, but is known to have a reliable source in cases involving Australians.

The Gazette tried to contact case officer Maj Prathung Pholmana of the Patong Police, but were told that under a new policy set by Royal Thai Police headquarters in Bangkok, only the superintendent was allowed to release information to the media.

Kathu Police Deputy Superintendent Lt Col Kittipong Klaikaew confirmed this, saying the new media blackout policy was recently issued due to the fact that media too often publish false information.

“When the media publish false or misleading information, it makes our work more difficult and sullies the image of our province,” he said.

Both Thalang and Chalong Police also declined to release information to Gazette reporters today, citing the same policy.

The Gazette was eventually able to contact new Patong Police Superintendent Jirapat Phochanaphan, who took up the position in mid-June. He confirmed that such an attack did take place, and that the perpetrator had already been arrested.

“There was one Australian woman walking back to her hotel in Patong. She was drunk at that time, but was still able to make her way back on foot,” he said.

“[As she approached the hotel] a man parked his vehicle in front of the hotel and got out. He then tried to grab her and pull her into his car. She tried to resist him and screamed for help,” he said.

“Suddenly, a nearby Japanese man came to her rescue. He suffered minor injuries during the rescue, but I can't confirm the exact nature of his wounds,” Col Jirapat said.

“Though I can’t release any more details about the case, I am happy to say that we have already arrested the man who attempted to abduct the woman. He is originally from Nakhon Sri Thammarat province.”

“We are now investigating his background, but have yet to question the Australian woman; that is why we can’t give out any other information,” he said.

http://www.phuketgazette.net/archive...icle16341.html

[aging one]

Perhaps. But from Phuket Wan
The Nap Resort, close to where the attempted abduction took place
Photo by phuketwan.com


Phuket Attack: Japanese Tourist, Resort Staff Save Aussie in Rape Bid

By Chutima Sidasathian and Rattanawan Vatcharasorat
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
PHUKET: Resort staff and a Japanese tourist saved an Australian woman from a man who tried to drag her into a vehicle on Phuket today.

Police in Patong believe the man would have raped the 23-year-old Aussie tourist if he had succeeded in getting her into his Toyota Vigo pickup.






The woman's desperate cries for help brought bellboy Panpong Srisamai from the Nap Resort and Piyanutsara Perhat, who was nearby, close to Patong's beach road, at 4am.

But it was the physical intervention of Japanese tourist Takahiro Maruyama, 26, that prevented the woman from being abducted.

Mr Maruyama suffered a cut that later needed stitches and a black eye, police said, but he and the others managed to subdue the woman's attacker and hold him until police arrived.

Police at Kathu station, which oversees Patong, were holding Kagornsak Rungrang, of Ranong, for attempted rape.

Officers said Khun Kagornsak saw the Australian tourist out walking alone at 4am and decided to pounce.

Management at The Nap said today that Mr Maruyama was resting after treatment at Patong Hospital. He planned to leave Phuket tomorrow, as scheduled.

Today's attack took place in a poorly lit part of Patong, near a construction site, where there are no security cameras.

The incident follows rising concern about violence committed on tourists on Phuket and the ''cry rape'' case last month of Australian tourist Stevie Bamford who lied about being attacked by a tuk-tuk driver for fear her boyfriend would react angrily when she stayed out late.

[BobR]

I cannot decide whether the Thai way of imposing a news blackout to deal with the press covering tourist tragedies is more hilarious or disgusting, but is certainly is not surprising.

[Sailing into trouble]

Obviously they are becoming increasingly alarmed at the news coverage that is telling things as they are. Trying to impose a news blackout is like petrol (gas) onto a fire for any news reporter.

Still have to say: A lone women. Drunk. 4am. Poorly lit street. Dangerous situation in most places on this earth. She is very, very lucky. The Japanese Tourist was very brave.

[harrybarracuda]

Correct, so stop portraying Phuket as tourist safe.

Rapes, Murders, Stabbings, robberies, shootings, scams, etc.

There are plenty of other places in Thailand that have nowhere near this amount of crime.

[Sailing into trouble]

HARRY BOG OFF.

The same can be said about your beloved London. Or at least parts of it! So you tell me what is likely to happen to a drunk women, walking alone at 4am in the shadier parts of gunner land? Good people get mugged, killed it is wrong the pits and terribly sad.

Does Phuket need a kick up the arse to get back on track. Dam right, is it all like that, no bloody way, not by a long shot. But honestly according to your logic 99% of the world is unsafe. Oh I just remembered you are a PC advocate, so the logic part of my argument is wasted!

So just BOG OFF

[sabang]

new media blackout policy was recently issued due to the fact that media too often publish false information.

Examples?

[BobR]

Sooner or later the companies that issue travel insurance are going to start charging a massive premium to those who are visiting Thailand, they're the only ones besides the Thais who have the power to force a correction to problems like those that plague Phuket.

[harrybarracuda]

HARRY BOG OFF.

The same can be said about your beloved London. Or at least parts of it! So you tell me what is likely to happen to a drunk women, walking alone at 4am in the shadier parts of gunner land? Good people get mugged, killed it is wrong the pits and terribly sad.

Does Phuket need a kick up the arse to get back on track. Dam right, is it all like that, no bloody way, not by a long shot. But honestly according to your logic 99% of the world is unsafe. Oh I just remembered you are a PC advocate, so the logic part of my argument is wasted!

So just BOG OFF

I'm agreeing with you, you fucking idiot.

All I'm saying is the Thai authorities are constantly trying to make it sound like a crime-free island paradise occasionally troubled by bothersome foreign criminals, and they should either clean the place up or stop bullshitting.

[CaptainNemo]

^
Aye, I don't think all the crime London is blamed on foreigners, is it... Mr Diamond notwithstanding.

[Simon43]

He is originally from Nakhon Sri Thammarat province

Seems like most of the murderers assassins and rapists come from NST. Must be a piss-poor boring place if all the locals have to resort to killing or raping anyone that they chance upon

[Sailing into trouble]

Dam it harry! Now I have to start my day of by apologizing to a gooner! Sorry

At least you do not have to worry about Van I Pee Alot getting his next knock. Hear wigan has put in a bid! For his mother!

[Lorenzo]

Phuket is a shithole!

[Sailing into trouble]

Phuket is a shithole!

No its not!

Undoubtedly has it's crappy side, has it's major problems, corruption, scammers, sleaze bars, dirty, elephant on the road. But what's your point?

[ossierob]

Phuket is a place where you either take it or leave it....since my last trip a couple of years back I would sooner leave it as there is a lot more enjoyable places around Thailand that suits my interest...but that is not so for everybody as some younger peoples love the elevated risk of getting drunk in livelier surrounds

[terry57]

Rapes, Murders, Stabbings, robberies, shootings, scams, etc.

There are plenty of other places in Thailand that have nowhere near this amount of crime.

Sounds like any Australian Capital city to me Arry.

But you are well correct that there are many great safe places in Thailand and 99.9% of the crime committed on tourists are in Pooket and that other shit hole Patters.

Anyway dumb slappers must consider that being pissed up walking around anywhere at 4.00AM is a totally fuked up Idea.

[terry57]

Phuket is a shithole!

No its not!

Undoubtedly has it's crappy side, has it's major problems, corruption, scammers, sleaze bars, dirty, elephant on the road. But what's your point?

Yes it is same as Patters, it shows the bad side of Thai society and attracts some major sex tourists which should be in jail. Unfortunately decent family orientated real tourists read the glossy brochures and think there going to paradise.

Phuket is stunning, take away JJ and his jet skies, the corrupt police and the criminal element that gather there Phuket might just return to being a desirable destination.

The major trouble trigger is the presence of the bars peddling the sex industry. Remove them from the picture and the vast majority of Phukets problems would disappear over night.

That goes for Patters as well.

Thailand is an awesome country for the tourists but to find it one needs to keep well away from these two places.

That's my point.

[t.s]

I cannot decide whether the Thai way of imposing a news blackout to deal with the press covering tourist tragedies is more hilarious or disgusting, but is certainly is not surprising.

western police forces also employ press officers, or release news through appointed liason officers. I think the term blackout is misapplied here.

the news was released, but through official channels, so it most certainly was not a blackout

[SEA Traveler]

Phuket is a place where you either take it or leave it....since my last trip a couple of years back I would sooner leave it as there is a lot more enjoyable places around Thailand that suits my interest...but that is not so for everybody as some younger peoples love the elevated risk of getting drunk in livelier surrounds

I'm of the same opinion. Too many other places more to my liking. But to each their own.

[dirtydog]

No News Blackout in Phuket (Phuket’s top-cop denies ‘media blackout’ in effect)

[nigelandjan]

Ronaldo;s just arrived in Fhuket and is not happy its raining ..

Think his agent's gonna be looking for a new client anytime soon

[Kurgen]

The same can be said about your beloved London. Or at least parts of it! So you tell me what is likely to happen to a drunk women, walking alone at 4am in the shadier parts of gunner land? Good people get mugged, killed it is wrong the pits and terribly sad.

I think Phuket is a wee bit smaller than London, there maybe even a few less people on Phuket than there are in London? Serious crimes per capita between the 2? I think cases solved would be a big difference too, IMO.
FFS, everybody knows Phuket, Pattaya and Samui are rife with the lowest of the low Thais (yes, Farrangs too). It's about time naive tourists were given the warning that they're not in Kansas now Toto.