What a way to go

Bruno Frankowski, a 62 year old German tourist, died last weekend of a heart attack during sexual intercourse with an 18 year old bar girl.
When police arrived on the scene, they learned that Frankowski, affectionately known as “King Kong’ at the bar he frequented, had taken 18 year old Kanya Burana off for sexual activities.
Kanya recounted her story to police, telling them that sexual intercourse had been going on for about 15 minutes when Frankowski flopped down on her. She couldn’t breathe and asked him to get off. But after he hadn’t moved for about 10 minutes, she felt something was amiss. She gathered her strength and with a mighty shove, got the problem off her chest. When he rolled onto the floor, she became alarmed and ran down to tell hotel employees.
Hotel staff went up stairs and tried first aid, but to no avail.
Frankowski’s body has been sent to the forensic division.

Road rage reaches Pattaya

The phenomenon of “road rage” is not just restricted to the streets of Western countries, as was witnessed by a punch-up on the streets of Pattaya last week.
A foreign tourist, Kurt Carniere (sic) from Belgium, and a Thai chauffeur, Nakorn Klinnim, became involved in fisticuffs after neither of the two would back down from each other while driving through traffic.
Police found the two involved in the imbroglio after having parked on the side of the road. Both were brought in for questioning.
At first, the drunken Nakorn was bragging that he knew many influential police officers, yet officers could not understand his Thai dialect. Officers were also puzzled as it was Visakha Bucha Day and they did not know how Nakorn had got his hands on intoxicating beverages.
Police then turned their attention to Carniere, who told them that he had been visiting Thailand for 4 years and loved Pattaya. He said he was driving through Pattaya in the evening, looking for an open watering hole. As the public houses were all closed, he started to drive home when another vehicle passed him and then slowed down. He then revved his engine and passed the other vehicle. The other vehicle then revved its engine and passed him again and then slowed down again and stopped.
This forced Carniere to slam on his brakes. Nakorn got out of his car and walked to Carniere’s car, opened the door and yanked Carniere out of the car, whereupon the two began to fight.
Carniere was charged with public brawling. He protested, saying that he had not caused the fight, but when police asked him if he would rather be put in jail, Carniere decided to pay the fine.
After paying the fine, Carniere told reporters that he was fed-up with Pattaya and wasn’t coming back. He said the police had treated him very unfairly. He was not drunk and had not started the fight.
Whether Nakorn really did know influential police officers, which led him to not being charged, is not known.

Over 500 grams of hash seized from British national

Rampersad (center) at the scene of his arrest where over 500 grams of Nepalese hash was confiscated.

Richard Edison Rampersad, a British national, was arrested last week and charged with possession of illegal drugs after over five hundred grams of prime black Nepalese hashish was found in the wardrobe of his flat.
Police investigators had received tip-offs that the foreigner, living at Suthat Court in Banglamung, was leaving and re-entering Thailand quite often. The source felt that these were not the usual “visa” runs that most foreigners residing in the area must perform. Police also learned that this foreigner liked to sleaze around in various bars in the city selling drugs.
A special police squad followed the suspect until they were sure that he was engaged in the sale of drugs. Officers then made their move and stormed the his flat.
They found Rampersad in bed with Ms. Uthay Jaisabai. Police could see that Uthay was concealing nothing when they entered the apartment, but they did find over five hundred grams of prime black Nepalese hashish under a wardrobe. The two were then charged with possession of illegal drugs.
At the station, Rampersad confessed to smuggling the drug in from India, Nepal and Pakistan. He said he bought it in those countries at the equivalent of 400 baht per gram and sold it in Thailand for 1,000 baht per gram. He told officers that this was how he supported himself in Thailand. He sold it only to foreign con-noisseurs, though.

German vs. Thai girl brawl

Jorg Heimer from Berlin, Germany, was subject to a 500 baht fine for slapping a Thai woman.

Police received a report that a European man and a Thai women were engaged in a verbal and physical battle at the Grand Hotel in South Pattaya.
At the scene, police found a bashed car and not far away, saw a foreign man slapping a Thai women. After officers stepped in and separated them, the two combatants, Jorg Heimer, a German from Berlin, and Ms. Kruawan Phannor, were then taken for questioning.
The wronged women told police that Heimer had forced her to apply for a passport to travel to Germany, even though she did not want to go, as she knew no-one there. Angered by her obstinacy, Heimer slapped her face. She was going to bash his head with the beer bottle she was holding, but the agile Heimer managed to duck and the bottle smashed a car window instead.
Heimer said he did not want to file a complaint. It was true his car was damaged, but it was insured. Kruawan said she did not want to file a complaint either.
Both were charged with being public nuisances and engaging in drunk and disorderly conduct. Each was fined 500 baht and given a warning by police.

Europeans arrested for overstay

Klaus Müller and Dominique Heno, a German and a Belgian national, were arrested by Immigration police at the Pattaya Beach House Condominium in South Pattaya and charged with being in the country illegally and working with-out work permits.
When taken for questioning, Müller told police that he did have a work permit and his passport was in the process of being renewed. This was being done by a law firm near Soi 6, Pattaya Klang.
Heno’s visa, however, had expired. He told police that he did not have enough money to leave the country when his visa expired. Müller claimed he did not know this when he hired Heno to assist in the business.
The two were charged with visa overstay and working without a work permit. They await trial.

Gov’t going high tech

Officers demonstrate their new high tech equipment.

Sattahip government of-fices are becoming quite high-tech. From May 16, most documents that are issued by the office will be done by computer.
Household registries will be redesigned and computer generated, as will citizen identification cards and various document regis-tration lists.
The change-over will not be immediate, however, with the following two provisions being allowed:
1. Identification cards now held by citizens will be valid until their expiration dates.
2. Household registries will be changed to computer generated documents when changes are requested after May 16th.

Faulty sign leads to electrocution

Somchai Choochan and Anucha Loh-hoh, both local Thai men, were electrocuted near Jomtien Beach last week during a rain storm after becoming entangled in a loose wire dangling from an improperly hung sign.
When police arrived on the scene, they found about twenty young men carrying the deceased away from a electric pole. Police rushed the two to Pattaya Memorial Hospital where physicians tried in vain for about 20 minutes to revive them.
A friend of the two men told police that a large group had been playing football and after the game drove to Jomtien to celebrate. They were swim-ming near Jomtien Beach when it began to rain. One of the group went to fetch the food that the group had bought. A live wire had apparently fell near the pole and Somchai received a charge of electricity to which made him unable to move. Anucha grabbed him and became part of the circuit. Both fell to the ground, unconscious. The rest of the men used a long piece of wood to push their friends’ unconscious bodies off the wire.
Examining the area, police saw that an advertising sign had not been properly grounded. Police are now doing further investigations, as the owner of the sign or the company which erected it may be found criminally negligent.
Doctors listed the cause of death as cardiac arrest caused by high voltage.

Switch to computers causing initial headaches

Large crowds of people trying to obtain various registrations and permits at Pattaya’s Municipal Office are finding that technology doesn’t always translate into speed. With city officials having difficulties learning to use the new computer system properly, causing work to almost stop, the office gets jam-packed every day.

Illegal immigrants rounded up

A squad of immigration police raided an unnumbered rental house on Soi Nori, Naklua and arrested 4 illegal Burmese immigrants.
Police learned that the men had been brought into the country by Mr. Sahmed Hussein, 27, and were told that they must pay him 500 baht per day or be beaten. Anything they were able to earn over 500 baht, they could keep for themselves.
The three are now in police custody, awaiting process of law. No report was given on the status of Sahmed Hussein.

Rayong Ladies Circle in action

The April luncheon of the RLC was privileged to have Susan-Carole Ellmore (left), the Circle’s current Chair, speak to the members on the subject of “Teaching Braille to Blind Children”. Susan-Carole is a qualified teacher and has taught Braille to young children for many years in England. All members and guests at the luncheon were given a sample of Braille to test how sensitive their fingertips were to detect the various letters. Of course it is possible to read Braille visually and the ladies agreed this was the easier method.
Everyone at the luncheon left with a better under-standing of the Braille system, the dedication of the teachers involved and how difficult the learning process is for students and their parents.
Sadly, the RLC must bid farewell to the Chair of the Circle, Susan-Carole Ellmore, as she returns with her husband to England after 2 1/2 years in Thailand. Susan-Carole has been the Chair for over 12 months and had led RLC from strength to strength. The current Vice-Chair, Jane Van Lienden, will take over the Chair position from June 1997.
Unfortunately, RLC will also lose current Secretary Sue Priddle at the end of June as her full time job as Matron at Garden International School consumes more of her time.

Rayong Ladies Club current committee members: Standing from left: Juliet Abbot, Angela Yeates, Dana Kerrigan, Louise Van Alenburg, Odette Geenen and Gwen Caldwell. Seated from left: Sue Priddle, Hope Klassen, Jane Van Lienden, Susan-Carole Ellmore, and Mary Markovich.

The Queen of Curry

A taste of paradise from Award winning chef Felicia Sorensen at the Amari Orchid Resort on June 6 & 7

Serendipity means ‘having the ability to make magical discoveries by pure accident.’ This word was taken from a tale, ‘The Three Princesses of Serendip’. Serendip was a name which the island of Sri Lanka was once called.
The name ‘Sri Lanka’ means ‘resplendent island.’ Resplendent indeed. The first Europeans to visit this island near the southern Indian coast possessed monumental amounts of riches.
A paradise with natural beauty unsurpassed by any other country on earth, nature had gifted Sri Lanka as almost no other place on earth. Garden of Eden like vegetation, fruits in unimaginable abundance, majestic mountains and exotic beaches dazzled visitors.
Some historians say that Sri Lanka was the “King Solomon’s Mines’ of the bible, because aside from diamonds, every gem species on earth could be found in Sri Lanka. The mines have been being worked for 5,000 years and show no signs of exhaustion.
Sri Lanka’s abundance of spices naturally led to the development of a complex and subtle culinary tradition. Influences also came from India and seafaring traders. Describing Sri Lankan food would be like an attempt to describe the colour ‘red’ to someone who has never seen it.
It must be experienced to be appreciated. The Amari-Orchid Resort is offering that opportunity on June 6th and 7th.
Felicia Sorensen is the doyenne of Sri Lankan chefs. In 1992 she was awarded by the Sri Lankan government for her work as a culinary ambassador to the island nation.
After completing her studies at St. Bridget’s Convent in Colombo, she completed the city and Guild Chef’s Diploma course and then took courses to become a certified dietician.
At the age of 29, she moved to Hong Kong and began her career as Sri Lanka’s culinary representative to the world. She now shares her expertise and art throughout Asia and the world.
On June 6th, she will conduct a morning cooking class, which will be followed by a three course lunch. Class begins at 10:30 a.m.
On June 7th, Felicia Sorensen will create a delicious buffet of Sri Lankan food. The buffet begins at 6:00 p.m.
Please don’t be mistaken into thinking that Sri Lankan food is just a ‘variation’ on Indian or proto-Thai food. This will be a true experience of ‘serendipity’ from the island which gave us the word.

U.S. Navy joins Rotary to help those in need

Dental check-ups by dentists from the USS Independence.

When the U.S Navy anchors in Pattaya Bay, the city becomes full of activity. Banners are hung to welcome them ashore, the beer bars are full and the shopkeepers’ eyes light up. But not all of the sailors want to spend their liberty time at the bars or shopping, many opt to go and meet the local people and do charitable work for the many organizations here in Pattaya.
More than seventy-five men from the USS Independence, Curts, Curtis Wilbur, Fife and Honolulu recently joined forces with the Rotary Club of Jomtien/Pattaya, along with twenty men from the Royal Thai Navy, to visit the Banglamung Boys Home and the Fountain of Life Center 2 for Com Rels (Community Relations).

Painting the Banglamung Boys Home by the U.S. Navy, the Royal Thai Navy and the Rotary Club of Jomtien/Pattaya.

On the first day, the men painted at the Banglamung Boys Home and then played with the children, treating them to a huge barbecue of hot dogs and hamburgers with as many helpings as the kids wanted and plenty of soda to wash it all down. To see the men and the children together was great and several friendships were struck up. One very large American serviceman even sat down with a group of the boys and read them a book, teaching them to count in English at the same time.

Many a hungry mouth was fed with a delicious barbecue at the Banglamung Boys Home.

The second day was spent at the Fountain of Life 2, and all the children from center 1 were bused over to have a dental check-up and a lesson in oral hygiene from two dentists and five dental hygiene assistants, courtesy of the Independence. Again a painting task force set to work on the huge job of painting the rooms on three floors of the building and also doing emergency treatment on the electrical wiring in the beauty training shop. The children enjoyed a barbecue and soda’s, the ice cream man turned up at the right time and the fruit vendor followed his example. A good time was had by all, except one small boy who found eating too many hot dogs and hamburgers was just too much for him.

After a hard day of work is done, its time to record the event for posterity.

The Rotary Club of Jomtien/Pattaya would like to extend their thanks to Commander Carl D. Bindman, Naval Attaché to the American Embassy for arranging these com rels and the trip out to the Independence, which was enjoyed by all. And our sincere thanks must go to the men of the U.S. Navy who gave up their leisure time to help others.

Painting of the Foundation of Life Center by the U.S. Navy and the Royal Thai Navy.

Reading to the kids and making many new friends in the process.

There’s plenty enough for everyone!

Looking under the carpet

Comment by Kittisak Khamthong

Sethapan Buddhani, the Managing Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand for region 3 told ladies and gentlemen of the media that at the recent PBTA meeting, the business and tourism sector of Thailand called for the TAT to organise a public relations program for Pattaya in every possible way, as quickly as possible.
This was due to the bad press that Pattaya was receiving overseas. It was not mentioned whether there was any truth in these stories or not. The ladies and gentlemen of the business sector were particularly upset about the recent police ‘crackdown’ which resulted in hordes of special police officers coming to Pattaya. This was due to the government’s policy to create a better image for Pattaya.
Actually, Pattaya is in better shape than previous years. Roads, utilities and other public convinces are improving.
Pattaya is again drawing tourists from the Thai and foreign sectors as can be seen from the poisonous fumes of the thousands of cars which pour into the city each weekend.
Traffic is almost like Bangkok on holidays; to some this is a sign of progress. Pattaya does not have the criminal elements purported. It is merely wrong doers being arrested and receiving due process of law by police.
The ladies and gentlemen of the business sector stated that most of the arrests are criminals from overseas who have come to Pattaya to ‘hide-out’.
Whenever this happens, the media immediately sends the news overseas, which damages Pattaya’s tourism. The business sector then must explain this to the uninformed who think that Pattaya is a crime centre.
The ladies and gentlemen of the business sector demand that every news medium be used to exonerate Pattaya from these scurrilous accusations. Newspapers, foreign newspapers and travel publications should be informed of Pattaya’s desirability as a tourist destination.
The PBTA is preparing a proposal for the Tourism Authority of Thailand and expects it to receive total approval from all concerned ladies and gentlemen.
They were very worried, because if they became financially downward mobile, they could not refer to themselves as ladies and gentlemen, but would have to revert to being ‘men’ and ‘women’ like the vulgate.

U.S. Embassy Consular Officer to visit Rayong and Pattaya

A Consular Officer from the American Embassy in Bangkok will visit Rayong and Pattaya on June 2 and 3. His visit will provide the opportunity for Americans residing in these areas to have passport, notary and other consular services taken care of.
The officer will be providing services at the following times and locations:
· June 2, from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the lobby of the Star Hotel, 109 Rayong Trade Center Road, No. 4, Rayong.
· June 3, from 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the lobby of the Merlin Pattaya Hotel, 429 Beach Road, Pattaya City.
The Consul has asked for all who read this notice to share the information with other Americans. The goal is to provide services to as many U.S. citizens as possible so that they can possibly avoid a trip to Bangkok. Below is a list of services which can be provided during this visit:
· accept passport applications (be advised, however, that the new passport must be picked up at the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok - it cannot be sent via mail).
· insert extra pages in your passport.
· execute notarials, including affidavits required by the Thai government for driver’s licenses and certain types of visas.
· register you with the U.S. Embassy.
· provide information on application procedures for Thai citizens seeking U.S. visas.
For additional information please call the U.S. Embassy’s American Citizen Services office at 02-205-4049, 205-4000, fax: 02-205-4103.

Driver of the year

by Renu

There are a lot of very good drivers, a lot of O.K. drivers and a lot of terrible drivers. Especially in Pattaya.
To show some appreciation, a local organization decided a driver from Pattaya must receive an award. The first one to win was Khun Kaprot Maipen. He managed to escape from his car, which was going the wrong direction on a one-way street, on it’s back.
Well done, Khun Kaprot Maipen! We are sure he’ll find many others who’ll do the same.