Police launch vendor raids

PATONG: Officers from the Phuket Provincial Commercial Office (PPCO) and Kathu Police Station last night launched a series of raids on unlicensed businesses and pirate goods with unannounced inspections of 30 vendors’ stalls. PPCO Deputy Chief Tharadol Thongruang said that the raids, between 8 pm and 9:30 pm, turned up just one unlicensed business on Thaweewong Rd selling Game Boy and other computer games. Although Adisorn Jutikunakorn, the vendor at the stall when the officers arrived, claimed that he was not the owner of the stall, he was fined 500 baht for selling goods without a license. All the goods at the stall were genuine. K. Tharadol said, “There are about 200 licensed CD shops in Phuket. We will also check in other areas including Kata, Karon, Phuket Town and Thalang.”