The British national, 50-year-old David Kevin Griffin, was held after an undercover police officer offered, by telephone, to buy some packs of methamphetamine (yah ice) from him.

Mr Griffin arranged to meet the undercover buyer in front of the Dala Resort, at Phuket’s Bang Tao Beach. As he was on his way to the rendezvous, the man was stopped at a police checkpoint.

A check of Griffin’s Toyota Vios revealed a brown bag, containing marijuana, yah ice and cocaine. Police then searched Mr Griffin and found 3.5g of yah ice secreted in his underpants, and more cocaine in his wallet.

After police arrested the man, they proceeded to his home on Soi Pasak, in Phuket’s west coast Cherng Talay Village. Larger quantities of illicit drugs were found here.

Phuketwan reported that police allege Griffin is a drug supplier for upmarket southern Thai resorts, such as Bang Tao.

Police added that Griffin had previously been detained for drug possession. On February 4, 2009 he was arrested and subsequently bailed for the same kind of offences. At the time of this arrest he was also pulled over at a checkpoint, and found to be carrying an assortment of hard drugs.

This time Mr Griffin has not been released, and is currently in jail, on Phuket.

Indian officials told their Thai counterparts on June 3 that Station 23401 had slipped its moorings and was floating slowly towards Thailand.

After the buoy went missing, Thai and Indian naval vessels searched for it. They found it on June 29, but were unable to retrieve it. Thailand’s National Disaster Warning Center (NDWC) monitored the station’s movements until Saturday’s rescue mission.

Bang Pakong 456, a Royal Thai Navy warship, left on Friday afternoon charged with the task of saving Station 23401. Divers accompanied the ship to help with the operation and look for damage. The buoy was 350kms from Phang Nga Province and had floated several hundred kilometres from its original location.

Following the tsunami that devastated much of southwest Thailand on Boxing Day, 2004, the buoy was anchored at sea, 900kms from Krabi and the mainland.

The tsunami that ripped through the coastal areas of countries around the Indian Ocean’s shores is estimated to have killed 230,000 people in 15 nations. In Thailand alone, 10,000 people were killed or reported missing.

The buoy was only moored out at sea last year, with the device and the operation costing 48 million baht. Station 23401 was designed to give advance warnings of any serious tidal activities or possible tsunamis. Advance notice allows people to head for higher ground, away from the untamed force of a tsunami.

The campaign began with a parade starting at Phuket Police Station on July 1. The parade featured a 2,000 strong motorcade of motorcycles with helmet-clad riders and passengers.

The crackdown was aimed at foreign tourists, expats and locals, and included both the rider of the motorbike and the passenger. Wanchai Ekpornpit, the Phuket City Police Superintendent, said at the time that Phuket had one of the worst road accident records of the 76 Thai provinces.

Thai law states that motorcycle riders and their pillion passengers can be fined 500 Baht each for not wearing a safety helmet. The rider is liable for an extra 1,000 Baht penalty for carrying a passenger who is not wearing a helmet.

Instead of a monetary fine, Phuket’s safety campaign compelled violators of the law to go to the police station for safety training and to watch a graphic film that showed injuries sustained by motorcyclists not wearing helmets who were involved in smashes.

Last week, Mr Thavorn Sennium, Deputy Interior Minister, visited Phuket to see for himself how the campaign was progressing. He noted that 95 per cent of motorcyclists were wearing safety helmets.

Mr Thavorn praised Phuket’s police and suggested that other police forces should apply the measure in their jurisdictions. He also recommended that the campaign should continue throughout the year, not just at peak holiday periods.

On Saturday June 26, Mr Decland Rowland, 41, an Irish national, parked his pick up truck at Phuket’s Karon Beach. He then went for a swim with his Thai girlfriend, but forgot to lock his vehicle.

Mr Pichai Boonrit,26 , and 24-year old Patcharin Rattapansoontra, were passing by and saw the pick up was not locked. They grabbed Mr Rowland’s ATM card, gold rings, 7,000 Baht cash and personal papers.

When Mr Rowland discovered the theft, he told police at Chalong, but as it was the weekend, did not report the loss of his cashpoint card.

Meanwhile, the couple had searched through Mr Rowland’s papers and found his date of birth, which unluckily for him, was also his ATM’s PIN number.

Police say that the couple then travelled through southern Thailand, drawing money from Mr Rowland’s bank account as they went along. Police added that security cameras at some of the ATM locations gave them good pictures of Mr Pichai and Ms Patcharin.

Police further allege that the couple transferred money from Mr Rowland’s account to several of their friends. They say that the amount involved in the transfers was around 700,000 Baht.

The jaunt ended on Wednesday evening when Mr Pichai and Ms Patcharin were held at a hotel in Nakorn Sri Tammarat. The couple were taken back to Phuket and jail cells at Chalong.

At the demonstration, the team, led by Australian David Field, held a mock surf rescue operation. The event showed that lifeguards on jet-skis can reach swimmers in difficulties, much more quickly than they can on paddle boards.

Mr Field, with the Australian Surf Life Saving Association, told the Phuket Gazette that jet-skis carrying a sled board are a useful tool for rescuing people quickly.

Mr Field added that when distressed swimmers are pulled out of the water and transported back to the beach rapidly, they have a better chance of surviving. Less people would drown if the jet-skis were used in rescues, he said.

As well as Mr Field, the exhibition team included two other Australians and six Thai trainers from the Promedic Rescue Team. Officials from the Marine Police and Karon Municipality, as well as local rescue service volunteers, attended as interested parties.

The jet-skis used were supplied by Thai Yamaha Motors. The company’s regional manager, Thanachai Lekvanichkul, said that his company wanted to help lifeguards teach jet-ski operators to perform rescues and prevent drowning tragedies.

The company may face a hard battle to get the general public to accept jet-skis in Thailand as they are seen in a negative light.

There have been a number of unsavoury incidents involving jet-ski proprietors. Footage shown on UK television of Winai Naiman threatening UK military personnel added to the stigma of the country’s jet-skis.

In spite of warning signs, Rebecca Callaghan, 21,  followed her boyfriend into the sea at Karon Beach, Phuket, on June 12. Her boyfriend was using a hired body board but Rebecca had no flotation aid.

Although the victim did not go into the deep water, she was hit by waves and pulled under by riptides common at this time of year.

Lifeguards got Miss Callaghan out of the water and, together with a nurse on holiday, performed emergency resuscitation on her. Miss Callaghan was transported to Patong Hospital, where she later passed away.

Last Monday, Phuket’s honorary British consul, Martin Carpenter, told Phuket Wan that there should be media coverage and signs at all hotels which inform tourists of dangerous beaches.

In an interview with the Phuket Gazette, the lifeguard station chief for Karon and Kata beaches, U-tane Singsom, said many tourists, even after seeing danger signs, go into the sea.

Mr U-tane added that some visitors, when physically informed of the dangers, become abusive. He continued that in the wet months, between April and November, the seas are treacherous for swimming but okay for surfing. Surfers have a board to hold on to when the waves get rough.

There have been a number of recent cases where tourists have got into difficulties after ignoring safety flags. In countries such as Australia, beach lifeguards are empowered to stop swimmers getting into unsafe seas.

Last Wednesday Pradit Pattaraprasit, the deputy finance minister, presided over the destruction of counterfeit DVD movies, perfume, and copy designer clothing and accessories which had been seized in a series of raids by authorities in southern Thailand.

The action was part of Thailand’s ongoing fight against breaches of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) laws. After the goods had been bulldozed Minister Pradit said that the act indicated the country’s commitment to suppressing IPR infringements.

Minister Pradit added that he hoped the ceremonial action would help Thai people realise that copyright infringement was against the law. Educating buyers so that they no longer chose counterfeit articles would stop the production and need for them.

Somchai Sajjapong, the director-general of the Thai Customs Department, and customs officials from 12 other ASEAN countries also attended the event at Phuket Town’s, Customs’ offices. The ASEAN officials are in Phuket for the 19^th ASEAN Customs Director-General’s meeting and observed as honourable guests.

After the destruction, the World Customs Organization’s Kunio Mikuriya commented that both Thailand and ASEAN seemed intent on stamping out the production and trading of counterfeit articles.

Thailand is still on the US’s Priority Watch List of countries that break copyright laws. Being on this list means that Thai exporters could pay more duty on goods imported into the US.

The Sea House Beach Resort is tranquillity-encapsulated in Had Yao (Long Beach) and perfect for people who want to rejuvenate themselves and seek a little refreshment on their travels.

Situated only half-an-hour drive from Krabi International Airport, there are only nine exclusive villas, one of which are is a Beachfront Private Pool Villa.

The rest are mainly villas and deluxe villas located a stone’s throw from the beach which is ideal for the discerning guest who values their privacy and seclusion.

The Sea House Beach Resort is decked out all in Mediterranean decor and perfect for small families or couples looking for a romantic get-away.

Other special offers include free evening cocktails, discount of 20 per cent for dinner free round-trip transfers, 24 hours WiFi access, DVD movies, free use of bike or canoe plus shuttle buses around the region.

The message conflicts with alerts from the vast majority of national governments who have warned their citizens against travelling to Thailand. Only Taiwan currently lists Krabi as a safe destination for tourists to visits.

Similarly the Pattaya hotel market is facing another awful year with occupancy of luxury establishments falling to below 50 per cent.

In 2006 and 2007 Pattaya experienced usual booming tourist trade with occupancy reaching three-quarters of all four and five star rooms.

Meanwhile the Criminal Court will announce tomorrow whether it will approve an arrest warrant for former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra on terrorism charges, as the massive clean up operation in Bangkok gets underway.

The judicial body will re-examined a request by the Dept of Special Investigation for an arrest warrant for Thaksin.

Volunteers including teenagers and students were among those who helped to clean six venues which remained littered with rubbish and reeking of sewage after the red shirt demonstration.

Participants wanted to remind the red shirt rioters of the damage they had done to the peaceful image of Thailand around the world and the damage done to the economy through the destruction of property and decline in tourist numbers.

The 44-year-old Siam Theatre, in Bangkok, and CentralWorld shopping centre are just two of many buildings left gutted by fire.

And tourists have been warned not to break tonight’s 23:00 to 04:00 curfew after 36 people were fined 2,000 baht and received two month suspended jail terms in Bangkok last night.

There have been a total of 511 arrests for violating curfew intentionally or without justified causes since May 20 according to the Metropolitan Police Bureau.

Authorities warn they will continue to arrest those who violate the condition, which has been put in place in the Thai capital and northern provinces after escalating violence.

Plans to enforce a curfew have been postponed although all government offices and schools remain shut as tourists and the general populace were warned not to venture onto the streets.

Clashes spread to Chiang Mai and Ubon Ratchathani yesterday, which are both United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) strongholds within Thailand.

The decision to prevent the reopening of schools and the making of today and tomorrow government holidays was unavoidable because the pitch battles engulfing the capital, according to the Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situations.

The centre is also putting pressure on UDD finances by banning transactions of 106 firms and individuals including military personnel seen as affiliated to the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School class of ousted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday that removing demonstrators from their Ratchaprasong rally site was the only way to save lives.

But red shirt leaders asked for UN-led negotiations to put an end to what they refer to as “civil war”.

But a government spokesman said the time for talking was over and insisted the crackdown would continue.

The reconciliation roadmap of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva offering elections on November 14 now lies in tatters as demonstrators refuse to go home despite their leaders initially agreeing to the proposal.

The conflict has had a dire effect on the Thai tourism industry with thousands of holidays to Bangkok cancelled and many of the region’s hotels empty.

Thaksin-supporting red shirts want a ballot before the current leader of the Thai military steps down to ensure a sympathetic figure is installed in his place.

The former Manchester City FC chairman has been on the run since he was ousted in a military coup and faces corruption charges should he return to Thailand.

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