After spending more than thirty years at the Interior Ministry, Sophon Suwannarat, the governor of Phuket, probably believed he could handle any challenge from its leaders.
But he received a major surprise last week when Anutin Charnvirakul, the Interior Minister, called him back from Europe to deal with a scandal in his province. Sophon had been in Germany for a global tourism event.
The issues in Phuket started when a Swiss resident allegedly kicked a female Thai doctor while she sat on steps that he claimed belonged to his property by the beach.
The news of the incident spread quickly, and the subsequent investigation revealed illegal activities that went beyond just the assault.
“I was in Germany when the scandal emerged. The time difference between Thailand and Berlin is six hours. So, I woke up at 3am to have discussions with my deputy governors,” Sophon explained at his first press conference after returning.
Hot issue
The press conference took place on March 9, just a day after Anutin stated to journalists: “I am going to summon him [Sophon] back. He must return from Germany to take care of his province because it is full of problems.”
There was public outrage when it was reported that a foreign man had kicked a 26-year-old doctor, Thandao Chandam, who had done nothing to provoke him other than sitting on a stairway that appeared to be a public area of the beach on February 24.
The doctor’s version of events was shared in a social media post written by her father, a well-known author.
The post mentioned that when police officers arrived at the scene, they seemed to be supporting the foreigner rather than assisting his daughter. It was only after the post went viral that the authorities decided to further investigate the case.
The suspected assailant was identified as 45-year-old Swiss national Urs Fehr, also known as David. He was reportedly upset that the doctor was spending time on his beachside villa property.
However, it was later discovered that the steps she had been sitting on were encroaching on the public beach. They were subsequently demolished, along with other structures encroaching on the same beach.
Investigators also found that Fehr’s elephant sanctuary – which locals said used hired elephants instead of rehabilitating them – had been operating unlawfully. Authorities then revoked its license.
Several locals came forward to say they had encountered issues with Fehr before and hoped he would be expelled from Thailand.
As of press time, Fehr’s business visa had been revoked, as had his licenses to possess firearms. “This is a lesson. We need to thoroughly examine hidden motives when applications for licenses are submitted seemingly in accordance with the law,” Sophon remarked.
Veteran of the Interior Ministry
Born in the southern province of Phatthalung, Sophon assumed the role of Phuket governor in October. Although he was new to the province – Thailand’s largest island with a thriving tourism industry – Sophon had ample experience in the field.
He started his public service career in 1988 and steadily advanced through the ranks over the next decades. In 2008, he was recognized as the “people’s favorite district chief” in Loei province.
The next year, the office he supervised won second place in a nationwide contest, and by 2013, he had been named an excellent government worker.
In 2017, he became vice governor of Satun, and a year later, he took the same job in Loei. Between 2018 and 2019, he was recognized for helping Loei become known for being clean.
In 2021, he became inspector general at the Interior Ministry Permanent Secretary’s Office. In 2022, he was promoted to the role of Chaiyaphum governor but left the following year to become Phuket governor.
Sophon earned a bachelor’s degree from Ramkhamhaeng University’s Faculty of Law, a master’s in political science from Chulalongkorn University and a doctorate in social development from Loei Rajabhat University.
By Thai PBS World’s General Desk
