“Golden Mile” to be off limits to traffic

The Pattaya City Council has issued an order that will turn South Beach Road between the police box and Nang Nual Restaurant into a ‘walking street’ (promenade). No motor vehicles will be allowed on this pedestrian thoroughfare between the hours of 7:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m.
The purpose of this new project is to make Pattaya more attractive to tourists. The ‘walking street’ could also be called a ‘night plaza’ and be concrete evidence of Pattaya’s expansion into a world tourist destination.
This joint project of Pattaya City and the Pattaya Police Department was scheduled to begin on June 26th, 1997. It will be under the supervision of the traffic police.
A parking area for motor vehicles will be constructed at Chaimongkol Temple, utilising one side of the road (only).
During the hours of 7:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m., traffic exiting from the side of Nang Nual will be one way. Vehicles are to enter by Second Road, pass Nang Nual and then turn left, leaving by way of Bali Hai point.

Bauhofer caught in Malaysia

Thomas Bauhofer is back behind bars.

Thomas Bauhofer, who fled the country after being released on bail, was arrested on June 18 in Penang, Malaysia, local police there have announced.
Bauhofer, arrested in April for his confessed involvement in the brutal slaying of British school teacher Guido Raffenberg in Pattaya last December, is being detained in Malaysia for possessing a fake passport. He may face prosecution for that offense in Malaysia before being extradited back to Thailand to face murder charges.
Bauhofer’s arrest was a combined effort from the German police liaison authorities, the Thai and Malaysian police, and Interpol, who had been tracking Bauhofer since he skipped bail on May 21.
Bauhofer was first sighted in Kuala Lumpur, but was able to flee to Penang before being arrested. He now resides in the Penang jail.
Many questions still remain unanswered as to how he was granted bail in the first place, knowing that he was a confessed murderer and a member of an international criminal gang with enough contacts to allow him possible escape. Thai law states that there are only two reasons to deny bail; one being if there is a possibility that the accused poses a threat to potential witnesses; the other being the if there is a chance the accused will escape. Bauhofer was inexplicably allowed to post 1.5 million baht bail, which he has now forfeited.
A date has not yet been set for his return to Thailand.

Unusual speed bust on Thepprasit Road

Tawee Maneechan, 25, an alleged mule for local speed dealers, was arrested after he foolishly attempted to invite bar employees unknown to him to a drug party at his expense. The employees, wanting nothing to do with his illegal offer, informed their supervisor who then went to the police.
Police received the report from Mr. Khorn Kaewklang, the 25 year old manager of the bar, who told police that a suspicious looking man had come in to the Daeng-Dam Bar on Soi Thepprasit encouraging his employees to go to amphetamine orgies with him. Mr. Khorn told police that the suspicious looking man was still at the bar, and requested police to accompany him.
A group of police went to the bar and searched the man in question, Tawee Maneechan. Police found 410 amphetamine tablets hidden in the lining of a jacket Tawee was wearing. He was also carrying 7,200 baht in cash, a mobile telephone, and had a motorcycle with no license tags parked outside the bar.
Tawee told police that at the time he was arrested, he was on ‘delivery’ runs to customers in South Pattaya. He said he felt the yen for some speed so stopped at the bar to see if any of the employees were interested in joining him. The employees refused, then told their supervisor.
The accused Mr. Tawee also alleged that he was a relative of a well known journalist in Pattaya. Police are now holding him in custody to await trial.

Hold on to your bags tightly

Mr. Saichi Ichimaru, a 47 year old Japanese tourist, reported to police that a snatch and run bandit had stolen his bag while he was waiting to flag down a baht bus in front of the OD Hotel.
The robber, a motorcycle driver, sped by him and grabbed his bag and then sped off.
At the scene, the victim told police that he saw a motorcycle with two men on it drive up quickly and snatch his bag. The motorcycle had no licence tags. He called for help and then telephoned police.
Police searched the city and found the motorcycle, which the thieves had abandoned in the Na Jomtien area. The motorcycle was kept as evidence. Police now know the registration number and are searching for the thieves.

The hand is faster than the eye

Ms. Chanitha Chanaphai, 25, a fish merchant at the Ban Phe Market in Rayong, was waiting in queue to make a deposit of 200,000 baht at the Siam Commercial Bank when a white European and one dark skinned foreigner walked up to her and engaged her in conversation in a foreign language. They told her they had never seen Thai money before and asked her if they could see her money. They counted the money, Chanitha watching them all the time. She said ‘it was almost like a magic show.’ After a moment, they gave the money back to her and walked out of the bank.
When she counted the money, 44,000 baht was missing. She rushed out of the bank to look for the foreign prestidigitators, but they had disappeared as quickly as her money had.
Police taking the report said that there had been several other cases of this in the past months and that the men who robbed Chanitha were probably the same foreigners who did the other jobs.

Over-zealous lover kills mate

Somchai’s overactive libido has earned him a long stay in prison.

Somchai Soythong, 41, allegedly shot and killed his lover because she wouldn’t allow him to have further sexual relations with her maid.
Mr. Sompong Huayyai, a guard at the Villa Na Win Bungalows, called police and told officers that there had been a shooting at Bungalow 27. The perpetrator was still at the scene.
Arriving at the scene, officers found a Thai man with a towel around his waist, standing in front of the bungalow with a .22 calibre pistol in his hand. They immediately arrested the man, Somchai Soythong.
Entering the room, officers found the body of Prakorb Tabreuang, 29, in the middle of the room. She had been shot once in the back of the neck.
Police learned that Sompong, driving a Bangkok taxi, had checked into the hotel with Prakorb and another woman, Ms. Anchan Khaonork, 20. Anchan was apparently Ms. Prakorb’s maid.
Somchai told police that they had rented two rooms and he and Ms. Prakorb had gone to their room and had sexual relations. He then told Ms. Prakorb that he was going to the maid’s room to see if she would have a go with him. Ms. Prakorb tried to forbid him but he told her to get lost. She then slapped his face. Feeling very insulted, he picked up a gun and shot her.
The maid, Anchan, hearing the shouting and the shot, ran out of her room and saw that her mistress was dead. She ran to the hotel guard and the police were called.
Somchai has been remanded to custody and awaits due process of the law.

Rights of Thai children under scrutiny

Children’s rights under Thai law were put under the microscope during a three day symposium entitled “Child Rights Protection: Problems and Solutions” held at the Merlin Hotel Pattaya last week, and the overwhelming conclusion was that much needs to be done.
Under the current judicial system, children who either break the law or are victims of abuse are extremely limited in their options. One of the main problems discussed at the seminar was the fact that limitations are brought upon the children themselves under current Thai law. Being young and impressionable, most children are fearful of revealing the true facts of cases they are involved in.
Sappasit Khumpraphan, director of the Child Rights Foundation, stated that a lack of a protective mechanism for abused children is a major shortcoming, adding that there is no law to protect children before or while the case is in progress. Sometimes the limitations were the result of a close relationship between victim and the suspect, or from an unpleasant atmosphere during the interviews which frightened the children and put them under intense pressure.
Trakoon Vinijnaiyaphak, special attorney for foreign affairs, concurred, sighting the case of a girl who was raped by her stepfather. The girl didn’t tell the courts anything because her stepfather was sitting just a short distance away during the trial. Mr. Trakoon suggested amendments to the law to allow investigators to interview young victims (under 15) in a separate room with a pleasant atmosphere, adding that judges should be allowed to decide on a case by case basis if it is necessary during a trial to have young victims in a separate room so that they don’t have to face the suspect. The idea is to prevent direct contact between the victim and the accused.
Pol Col Chavengsak Sinsungsud, deputy commander of the Children Safety Control Division, said police have difficulty in cases where children have been abused by their parents. He said that in some cases, if there is no clear evidence, such as a bruise or an injury, parents can only be fined and released, while concerned agencies have no right to keep the children under their protection. He said in most cases the children are usually sent back to their families where things return to the way they were.
Vallop Tangkananurak, senator and child rights advocate, told reporters, “We can’t deny that some laws and regulations even violate child rights,” and that law enforcement is selective. If sons of the rich are charged with a crime, they area easily freed on bail, while poor children in similar situations can’t afford bail and are sometimes held for a year or longer before the courts can rule them innocent. “So we should think how to help these poor children in order to give them a chance to defend themselves.”
Vatcharin Patchekvinyuskul, chief judge of the Central Children Court, said in cases where children were suspects, prosecutors tend to be lax, resulting in children having to spend longer periods in detention. Many social workers and officials dealing with child abuse lacked knowledge when it came to protecting children’s rights.
Mr. Chingchai Mongkoltham of the Prime Minister’s Office presided over the symposium, organised by the National Commission of Promotion and Co-ordination for Children, which was attended by about 70 participants from concerned agencies, including the Council of State, the Narcotics Control Board, the Labour Welfare and Protection Department, the Office of the Attorney General, Local Administration Department, Corrections Department, Police Department, General Education Department, and NGOs.
Lectures at the seminar dealt with policy and implementation, involving both the public and private sectors, concerning topics including the rights of children to education, freedom of thought and the ability to be ‘open’; the right to rest, the right to have religion, the right to Thai nationality, the rights of abandoned children, sexually abused children, illegal child labour and disadvantaged children.

Royal writing released in paperback

His Majesty the King has graciously permitted publication of a soft-cover version of the book ‘Royal Father’ about the life of His Majesty’s Father, His Royal Highness the Prince of Songkhla.
This soft cover version is being printed in response to the enthusiastic reception of the hard cover version. The soft cover version, which does not require the buyer to pay for a gold medallion which came with the hard cover, will make this informative book available to members of the public who wish to own it.
The book is the story of the life and work of His Royal Highness the Prince of Songkhla, whose contributions to the field of medicine in Thailand are well known.
His Royal Highness the Prince of Songkhla graduated from Harvard Medical School and was instrumental in bringing innovations in western health care to the Thai people.
For details, call the Chonburi Provincial office at (038) 279-448.

Anti-drug campaign kicks off

The start of the anti-drug campaign gets an auspicious blessing at the Mai Samran Temple on Larn Island.

Mr. Niran Watanasartsatorn, Assistant City Manager of Pattaya, presided over a the opening of an anti-drug campaign and educational program. This new program is to educate young people concerning the dangers of illegal and psychotropic drugs.
The opening was held at Mai Samran Temple on Larn Island.
The program will be conducted at 10 schools in Pattaya city. Over 200 people will participate in the symposium, including students parents and teachers.
Police Master Sergeant Jirat Phichitphai, of the Narcotics Suppression Division, will be giving information and young people who have gone through drug treatment programs will speak at the symposium.

15 year old girl escapes rapist

After three days of rape and torture, this 15 year old cashier finally managed to escape and run to police for help.

A 15 year old cashier at the Wan Dee Cafe ran to safety after three days of torture and rape by a man known to her.
“Dao”, 15, brought her bruised body into the Pattaya police station on June 17th and asked to see Police Lieutenant Colonel Prachot Kanha after she had been kidnapped, held for three days and threatened with murder. During that time she had been beaten and raped.
She wanted police to arrest a man named ‘Tee’, aka ‘Chai’, whose surname she did not know.
She told police that three days before she had left the establishment after finishing work at 3:00 a.m. While she was waiting for transportation, ‘Tee’, aka ‘Chai’, drove up. She was well acquainted with him, as he often came to the cafe at which she worked.
He stopped, pulled her into his pick-up truck against her will, and took her to an unidentified house in Soi Photisarn. Once there, he began kicking and beating her until she had two black eyes. He raped her repeatedly for three days.
She managed to escape by snatching away his keys while he was in the bathroom, then ran to the police station.
A group of police conducted a search for ‘Tee’, aka ‘Chai’, but as of yet have not found him. Police have set up a ‘stake out’ outside his house and are confident they will bring the man to justice soon.

Amorous Finn arrested at shopping mall

Finnish Antti Ilmri Puustinen wants people to know the true facts behind the age limit laws for consentual sex in Thailand.

Antti Ilmri Puustinen, a 36 year old national of Finland, brought a complaint to journalists at the Pattaya Mail. He told reporters that he, a homosexual, was window shopping at the Royal Garden Plaza on June 12th. He saw a young Thai male sitting on one of the benches, sat down and began a conversation with him.
The youth told the Finn that he was 16, which Puustinen understood to be the consentual age for sex. He told reporters he had read this in documents issued by the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
He told reporters that he had put his arm around the boy to create an atmosphere of intimacy, but had not done anything overtly sexual. He planned to invite the youth to his room for further interfacing.
At that moment, a police official approached them and took them to the Pattaya police station. The Finn was charged with indecent behaviour and fined 5,000 baht. Puustinen felt that this was unfair, so brought his story to the Pattaya Mail.
Reporters pointed out that Thai law states that it is forbidden to engage in non-consentual sexual behaviour (prostitution comes under this law) with any person under the age of 18. The clause concerning 15 year olds specifies that the sexual contact must be non-commercial and both parties must be willing to have sexual relations.
If the act is violating the laws of decency or the good moral code of Thailand, it will be considered illegal behaviour. Reporters told the Finn that he had not been falsely charged and police had acted correctly.
Before leaving the Pattaya Mail offices, Puustinen asked reporters to please inform people of this law, so future gay tourists may avoid illegal situations.

Politicos poli-talk about the proposed landfill project

In August of 1996, the National Environmental Board issued a directive which ordered 101 illegal business operating on encroached land to be removed from South Pattaya Beach, paving the way for the implementation of the South Pattaya Landfill project.
In May of this year, Chonburi Governor Sujarit Pajchimanan signed order No. 1132/2540, which gave permission for a committee to be set up to oversee the demolition of these illegal buildings. The committee has been holding closed door meetings to avoid media attention and to surreptitiously create a plan to implement the changes without interference from the influential figures who stand to be adversely affected.
In response to the recent disclosure of this committee’s work, local politicians and business owners have been becoming vocal in their support or defiance of the proposed plan. The following are excerpts of their rhetoric.
Governor Sujarit Pajchimanan says the area which is being occupied by trespassers has the most severe pollution problem in Pattaya. Sanitation and public health concerns were totally ignored and there was no government supervision. This problem cannot be solved as long as the trespassers remain there. The environmental degradation cannot be reversed without a thorough cleaning of the area. The water and general environmental pollution problem is chronic now and it will take many years to bring nature back into balance.
Songsak Yomjinda, Pattaya City Manager, said this committee was to enable the members, who were appointed by the Provincial government, to study and gather information on these areas and how to implement the program so it could be put into action, although, at present, no action has been taken. The committee must wait for approval from the Roads Department and the Environmental Committee. (The removal of the trespassers will be the responsibility of the Roads Department.) However, he feels that the plan will be quickly approved by these government agencies, so that is why the committee was constituted. Even though it will have a hugely adverse effect on the trespassers, it must be done for the sake of society.
Mr. Tawich Chaisawangwong, member of the Pattaya City Council, said that Pattaya is not empowered to do the removal of the buildings. This power belongs to the government alone. He said to look to the government sector to see how sincere it is in enforcing the eviction. If the government really wants to evict the trespassers, it should invoke law Por Wor 44 or the orders of the Revolutionary Council, volume 44 regarding trespassing. He said the government must have a meeting with the trespassers and agree on how much compensation it is going to give them. The public should be informed of the advantages and disadvantages of evicting the trespassers.
Charnyuth Hengtrakul, Head of the Provincial Council, said that this trespassing had been going on for a long time and has become a chronic problem of national proportions. People are unwilling to address this problem in an honest manner as many are deriving considerable personal advantages from it. He continued, saying certain people had profited handsomely from this trespassing and they should know when it is time to give some thought to other people. He disagrees with any public protests against the government’s action to reclaim the land for society in general. To keep the law sacrosanct, the law must be allowed to run its course. He said all people should be equally responsible under the law but at the present time the law is very lenient with people who violate it.
Anusak Rordboonmee, a member of the Pattaya City Council from the business sector, has said two words to the media. “No removal.” These words are in regard to those trespassing on public land.
Pattaya’s city charter also allowed Pattaya Mayor Pairat Suthithamrongsawat to be barred from the meeting, which he was. However, that did not preclude him from responding to the results of the meeting. Mayor Pairat stated that he feels that the order to remove the businesses is very unfair, as the illegals were there long before Pattaya became a city. He said this type of trespassing happens everywhere in Thailand. It is unfair, forcing Pattaya to obey the law when other places do not.
He said the best solution was for the government to begin the landfill as soon as possible and then the Roads Authority could begin to revive the Pattaya plan. He said that all the citizens of Pattaya would be more than happy to give all the help they could.
He continued, saying that there were no major problems with the landfill, however, the Ministry of Science not being involved was one reason for the sluggish manner in which the problem is being dealt with. He continued, saying that if the Ministry of Science became involved, they would gain benefit from the programs. He said as soon as this ministry became involved, things would start moving.
When entrepreneurs/trespassers learned that the National Environmental Protection Board had appointed a committee, it caused a great stir among this group. They did not expect that the Board would demand such an absolute and violent reaction which would allow no more ‘reasonable’ solution than removing the buildings.
The trespassers hoped that the landfill project, suggested by the Chaika Company of Japan, would be done at a considerable cost to the government, instead of removing the illegal buildings as this will cost the trespassers a considerable amount. The government had initially given this project the go-ahead, but the National Environmental Protection Board decided differently.
The trespassers are therefore banding together and took their case to the Chonburi MPs. There were more than 100 people present.
Mrs. Suwanna Suphachartkraisorn, the leader of the Trespasser’s Association of South Pattaya, handed a written appeal to MP Sansak Ngarmphiches to give to the Governor of the Province. This letter was an appeal to find a solution which will bring the least amount of grief possible to the trespassers.
The group hopes that they will be allowed to continue their trespassing, saying that many people in Thailand are living on public land and waterways illegally. The appeal states if the Pattaya trespassers, (who are mostly well-to-do) are thrown off the public land, they demand that all people, even though poor, who are living on public land, be removed also. Only then will they move their illegal go-go bars, restaurants, and jewelry stores.
The group wants the sea to be filled to a length of 40 metres from the side of the road. Any buildings which are beyond 40 metres could be pulled down. The trespassers said after this was done, they would be glad to pay rent for the land upon which they are trespassing.
Sansak Ngarmphiches said that ‘of course the committee’s order was not an absolute and order. It was only an order so the province could be ready.” He said the committee must help the people. A choice between tearing down or not tearing down would be presented to the Ministry of Science and the National Environmental Protection Board. If these two organizations give the order, it will be considered absolute. But at the moment there was still time to find solutions to the dilemma.
Sansak said he would make sure the mayor took the trespasser’s complaints to the proper authorities. Mr. Sansak said he would present their case to the Governor of Chonburi.
Sansak agrees with the people of Pattaya that the landfill is the best solution, as it will provide more land for tourist venues. He and the Pattaya MPs are with the people 100%.
Mr. Twit Chaisawangwong, a member of the Pattaya city council, said the council and the citizens of Pattaya would absolutely refuse to allow the tear-down. He continued, saying that when the landfill was finished, the citizens of Pattaya would not give up the right to rent the land.