Don't ask the people of Phuket about their compatriots from Nakhon Sri Thammarat, a provincial city about three hours travel away. They will mutter under their breath about 'dark skins' and then, inevitably, spit out the word: mafia. Yes, the good folk of 'Nakhon' have a rather very poor reputation among their island brothers.Apparently, it harks back to the days when settlers from the less wealthy Nakhon moved to Phuket in a bid to get a slice of the tourist dollar. The people of Phuket were not that charmed at accommodating the financial desires of their brothers from the mainland. But the Nakhon heavyweights were not going anywhere, so they banded together to ensure their survival. Thus their reputation of being a little thuggish was cemented in the minds of the locals. They took over small sectors of the Phuket economy and everybody settled down again.
These days it's a little hard to tell who's from Nakhon as dark-skinned Thais from all over the country have descended on the island. But they are still around: and their reputation lingers.However, it seems that while the seamier side of Phuket has quietened down under the onslaught of families and wealthy couples, things have been swinging back home. Two recent reports in the Thai media suggest that NST may not be a quiet backwater.
First came the tale of lewd goings-on in the local library. Apparently lustful teenage couples have been 'doing their thing' between the rows of books. It came to a head on February 1 when parents held a meeting calling on the authorities to take action. One parent, who works opposite the library, testified that he often saw students, aged 13 to 15, courting at the library and then engaging in sex. They were often still dressed - or partly dressed - in their school uniforms.
Said the outraged man, Khun Witthaya: “I and other parents have seen children openly engaging in sexual intercourse – with no shame whatsoever. We were embarrassed to see it and had to take a detour round it.”A 55 year-old worker at the libary said that the horny youths were in fierce competition with each other to grab the best spots on the second floor of the library. They showed no regard for people visiting the library for study purposes. "Staff have warned the youths about their behavior many times, but staff can’t be at all points in the building at all times," said one librarian.
As a result, the furniture and lighting has been re-arranged to make the second floor less attractive as a love nest and truancy officers will be on the lookout for copulating couples. Half-dressed offenders will be dragged home to their parents and reported to the school authorities.The second report casts a dark shadow over Nakhon's temple, Wat Suan Pam. Apparently three monks there were using their dormitory as a makeshift disco over the weekends. News of the temple disco leaked when neighbours told the police that they had seen monks leading a number of young girls into the temple late at night.
The police sprang into action. At first all they could find was a funeral wake, which was taking place at the temple. Then they heard some noise from the direction of the sleeping quarters - the distinct thump of techno music. Peeping through a crack in the door, a wide-eyed cop spotted three young monks and three young girls The police pounced. The girls dived onto the bed in a bid to hide, but the drunk monks could only stumble around.The cell was set up like a mini-karaoke bar with a coloured lightings system, speakers, a VCD player with microphone, a computer and eight X-rated movies. The officers counted 13 beer bottles and two wine coolers. Clearly a fun time was being had.
Unfortunately the young monks - one aged 21 and the others 18 - were immediately defrocked by the abbot. Two girls, aged 15 and 18, were handed over to their parents, while a 20-year-old was photographed for police records.
So, if things get any more exciting in NST, the hefty taxi drivers and moneylenders from Nakhon now living in Phuket may well be tempted back home. It certainly sounds more exciting than island life.
