Heed the consul's warning
Australia's honorary consul in Phuket, Mr Larry Cunningham, last week, on the eve of his retirement, issued a warning that Australian tourists were being given spiked drinks by criminal gangs, then being raped and robbed.
This was widely reported in the Australian media, but strangely I have not seen a word of it in Thai media. The drug, kratom, is mixed with cola and ice and leaves people stupefied and vulnerable.
Mr Cunningham said Australian parents would be shocked to know how these criminals target young Australians and other foreigners at parties like those on Koh Phangan, where each full moon up to 30,000 ravers cram onto the beach and drink cocktails from buckets sold to them by criminals. “They are some of the worst criminals in Thailand ... rapists, murderers and thieves, and some are corrupt police,” he said.
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs website carries warnings for travellers, but Mr Cunningham said more ways should be found to publicise the risks of places like Phuket.
Mr Cunningham has previously led criticism of jet-ski, taxi, motorbike and other scams targeting tourists on Phuket.
David Brown
Rayong
