Pittayakarn students to be moved

The Mab Ta Phut Pittayakarn School, whose students and teachers were being poisoned by noxious fumes from a refinery adjacent to the school, is now beginning to receive some attention from authorities.
Khunying Jintana Patsriwongse, the Secretary of Education, said as the students and teachers were being poisoned by the fumes, they were temporarily being moved to another school. All the teachers were more than happy to move as they could not stand the situation any more.
The Rayong Pittayakom School is taking in 152 high school students and the Utsahakam School will be taking in 752 students from the beleaguered institution. Teachers will go with their students to the other schools. The schools are approximately 10 kilometres away from the Mab Ta Phut Pittayakarn School. Transportation will be provided for students.
Mr. Vinij Pratarnras, the Director of the school, said the move was supported by all teachers and will be done after examinations are completed. There will then be another meeting of the PTA to increase understanding of the problem.
The long term solution will be to build a new school on land which is being requested from the Crown Property Department. As there is a limited budget for this, the Ministry of Education may have to request the offending factory to help with funding. If they can solve the toxic emission problems, the students will not have to move and may return to their old school.
After the government finally looked at the citizen’s complaint, Prime Minister Chaovalit Yongchaiyudh ordered the Environmental Protection Committee and the Ministry of Industry to solve the problem within 7 days. The Prime Minister is the head of the Environmental Protection Committee. The Prime Minister sternly stated that if the offending refinery (or refineries) could not solve the problem in the time allotted, it (they) would be closed.
Mr. Yingphan Mahasikorn, the Head of the Ministry of Science and the Environment, agreed with the Prime Minister and said there would be a meeting within 7 days and the problem would be solved.
Mr. Korn Thaparansri, Under Secretary of the Ministry of Industry, said that officials had travelled to Rayong for a meeting with the administrators of 6 different refineries in various areas of Rayong and all were more than willing to co-operate with the problem solving process.
Mr. Korn ordered all factories and refineries in the Mab Ta Phut area to pay closer attention to safety and emission standards and make all improvements necessary to bring their industries in line with standards.
He told them to make modifications in the following areas: the factories must make sure that any chemical by-products release waste only into holding tanks and not allow any leakage of fumes from dangerous chemicals such as Asitric(sic) and Sulphuric Acids. In the future, if any residents should suffer from any conditions which doctors could prove were caused by industrial waste leaks, the companies would have to pay damages and hospital costs unconditionally.
Reporters have noticed, though, that although the orders came out on July 11th to solve these problems within 7 days, Mr. Korn has not done this. The Prime Minister has thus had to order a 7 day ‘grace period’ to allow more time. This extra time began on the 17th of July.
Another committee has been set up to study the problem and work out all the details with the Ministry of Industry.
The provincial council had a meeting on July 7th to discuss the ramifications of this problem and lectures were given about how poisons poison people.
Some of the lecturers made the motion that Mr. Somchet Thinapong and Mr. Inthorn Saptah be terminated from their positions in the Industrial Standards Department, due to lack of responsibility.

Aftermath of the disaster: Hotel safety rules to be enforced

Sujarit Pajchimanan, Governor of Chonburi Province (right) and Police General Kongdech Choosri (left) lecture hotel owners on the need for safety.

On July 15th, Sujarit Pajchimanan, Governor of Chonburi Province, along with police and other municipal officials, called hotel owners from 300 hotels in the Pattaya area for a meeting to inform them of the laws governing hotel safety, promulgated in 1992. Hotel owners were given information and a stern lecture which lasted over 2 hours.
The Governor told all hotel owners to make stringent checks on their fire safety systems. He also laid down the law concerning the following:
1. There must be two sets of fire exits which are wide enough for people to walk in and there must be signs which say ‘fire exit.’
2. There must be emergency lights on all floors in case of blackouts. These must be in working order at all times.
3. All seminar rooms must be marked with signs which say ‘Seminar Room.’
4. All fire escape doors must be able to be opened from the inside (swing-out type doors).
5. Large axes must be kept in visible cabinets on all floors. There also must be fire extinguishers and fire hoses with at least two water sources.
6. There must be water tanks so there will be enough water to extinguish the fires.
7. Standard fire alarms must be in all hotels.
8. Hotel staff must receive basic training in fire prevention.
9. Electrical wiring must be safe and inspected on a regular basis.
10. There must be good management and constant vigilance in safety matters.
The governor then pointed out that the real cause of the fire at the Royal Jomtien was the owner’s gross negligence.
Pattaya City Manager, Songsak Yomjinda, then appointed 5 committees to examine the safety measures of the various hotels in Pattaya. If any hotels are found to be unsafe, they will be reported to the concerned officials and/or agencies and given a certain amount of time to solve these problems. If the committee finds that the problems have not been solved after a certain amount of time, the hotel owner’s license will be absolutely revoked and/or charges will be filed against the offender.
The hotels which must follow these rulings are only those built after the laws of 1992 were promulgated. The government will make new laws for the new hotels.
The committee began checking hotels in Pattaya on July 22, 1997. The checks will take 15 days and are divided into 9 different areas.
The first hotel to be examined was the Grand Sole, which belongs to Sansak Ngarmphiches, Head of the Tourism Authority of Thailand for the government. This will be an example for the rest of the hotels.
Mr. Sutham Phantusak, Eastern Seaboard Chairman of the Thai Hotelier’s Association, said the group was more than happy to give all co-operation in this investigation as it was for the best.
Sethaphan Buddhani, Director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand Region 3, said that the fire may have a minor effect on tourism but after safety standards were improved, the TAT would be able to advertise Pattaya as a ‘safe’ tourist destination.
With 1998 and 1999 being ‘Amazing Thailand’ year, TAT expects almost 15 million tourists to visit the country. It is hoped that this will take some of the ‘droop’ out of the Thai economy.
The National Safety Council has issued directives for all provinces to give special attention to safety measures of all kinds. The Council emphasised safety in buildings of three floors and higher. This includes hotels, factories, theatres, hospitals, shophouses and residences.
Buildings used by tourists must be given special attention, the Council ordered.
The promotion for ‘Amazing Thailand Year’ will also feature the slogan ‘Safety First.’

Vocal yokel lands in hoosegow

If he truly is guilty of fleeing the scene of an accident, Jorgensen did himself no service by making a scene in the Pattaya 2nd Road branch of Bangkok Bank.

In a rather strange set of circumstances, Peter Bernhard Jorgensen, 25 year old native of Norway, was detained by police for leaving the scene of an accident, an offence totally unrelated to the one he was brought to the police station for.
On Wednesday, July 16 at about 3:00 p.m., police received a report from the Pattaya Second Road branch of Bangkok Bank that a Norwegian had gone into a frenzy, and was yelling at the tellers. This outburst was apparently because the employees could not allow him to withdraw money from the bank, as he had no passport, which is required identification.
Arriving on the scene, police found Jorgensen still in the process of yelling in his native tongue. He was detained and taken to the police station for questioning.
Bangkok Bank administration told police that they were not going to file a complaint as this sort of thing is not uncommon and was probably a cultural misunderstanding.
But in a bizarre coincidence, Mr. Nitaya Kaewta came to the police station and identified Jorgensen as the man who had run into his car on July 5th. Apparently, Jorgensen had been driving a Jeep and had hit Nitaya’s car. The car had been damaged and Nitaya injured. Jorgensen had fled the scene of the accident. Nitaya had filed a complaint with police and Jorgensen fit the description.
Jorgensen was detained on charges of reckless driving leading to the injury of others and property damage. He now awaits due process of law.

Khao Kheow Zoo expansion

The government announced that yet another committee had given its approval for the expansion and development of the Khao Kheow Zoological Gardens.
The Zoo’s first project will be on 5,000 rai of land and is budgeted at 911,613 million baht. The budget for the second stage of the project is 740,776 million baht. Miscellaneous budget requirements are 170,837 million baht.
Three thousand rai will be devoted to research and study of Thailand’s rapidly disappearing wild animals and plants. It will also be a tranquil place where the public may come to enjoy the natural surroundings. Students will also be brought to this area for field trips to be educated on the importance of wildlife preservation.
The second project is to be a model zoo and will also be used for breeding wild animals. There will be 9 areas for animals new to the zoo and 10 areas for animals to conduct their daily lives in a natural manner. The zoo is now searching for 20 new species of animals to add to its collection.
Field trips, seminar groups, bungalows for tourists and lectures will be given in natural surrounding which aim not to disturb the animals more than necessary.

Rainmakers requested

Cha Chueng Sao Province, a centre for Thailand’s largest concentration of chicken farming and chicken egg production, is suffering from a drought this year. Many households have no tap water and Khlong Nam Khai, which is a source of water for the province, was at dangerously low levels. The water had become malodorous and brackish and residents were having to buy water by the truckload at 150 baht per delivery.
Additional water has been being released from the Bhoumibol and Sirikit dams, but the water levels in these sources in also dangerously low now.
Province Agriculture officials report that if rain does not fall soon, approximately 600,000 rai of rice, Sago, sugar cane, maize, and soybeans will die. Another 1,000 rai of vegetables will also be lost.
Officials are preparing to ask for help from His Majesty the King’s cloud seeding team to come in and attempt to ‘make rain.’ They are also asking for access to 17 large water pumps to suck water from other sources farther away. Whether these sources are willing to share their meagre water resources is not known.

Royal Jomtien board of directors turn themselves in

The Board of Directors of the Royal Jomtien Resort gave themselves up to Police General Kongdech Choosri on July 15, 1997. No reporters were allowed to cover this event or take any photographs.
After the closed-door meeting, a police representative told reporters that this was only a preliminary investigation. However, if found to be in the wrong, the hotel owners could receive 10 years in prison.
Police General Kondech told reporters that so far police have determined Thaworn Ucchin to be the person they believe most responsible for the disaster.
Police will also be investigating all people concerned, including any officials involved in licensing or approving the hotel.
The government officials who have been pointed out as failing in their duties, which led to the tragedy, have not yet been investigated. Police said they will be calling them to account soon.

More help for the victims

Ms. Boonchan Thaithongsukh (center), Head of the Social Security Office for Chonburi, supervises the distribution of relief assistance to the victims of the Royal Jomtien Resort disaster.

On July 14th the Social Security Office of Chonburi set up centres to assist victims of the Royal Jomtien Hotel fire. The Office was charged with the responsibility for the disbursement of compensation to employees of the Royal Jomtien Hotel, the Serm Sukh Company, and the Seapack Company.
Ms. Boonchan Thaithongsukh, Head of the Social Security Office for Chonburi, told reporters that the office had sent workers to assist the 52 wounded at the scene of the fire and co-ordinated treatment with the various hospitals.
A payment of 15,700 baht will be made to the families of those who died and 60% of the deceased’s monthly salary will be paid to families for a period of eight years.
The total budget for all payments totalled 20,467,546 Baht.
The Social Security Office will pay the hospital expenses of all injured up to an amount of 35,000 baht. If the employees are not able to work after three days, the Office will pay 60% of the injured person’s monthly salary for a period of up to one year.
Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s Khunakan Foundation will also give 5,000 baht to each family who have lost loved ones and 5,000 baht to each of the wounded.

Another hotel employee arrested

Police have made another arrest in the search for those responsible in the Royal Jomtien Hotel fire. Khayan Kasiern, a 19 year old dishwasher at the hotel, was remanded for questioning for being in the vicinity of the fire when it began.
Mr. Chamnien Sutho, the headwaiter at the hotel, has already been arrested and charged with negligence leading to death, injury and property damage.
After learning that Mr. Khayan was at the scene of the fire, Police Lieutenant Colonel Prachote Khanha arrested Khayan on orders from Police General Kongech Choosri, the Provincial Commander of the Chonburi Police. Lt. Col. Prachote was given 7 days to find Khayan. Four squads were formed to catch the 19 year old dishwasher. One squad was sent to Ubon Ratchathani Province, where Khayan is from. Another squad was sent to Nakhorn Ratchasima due to information that Khayan had a sweetheart there. The third squad was sent to Bangkok and the fourth squad combed Chonburi.
Pattaya police managed to capture Khayan’s girlfriend, Ms. Duang Oanklang, and took her to the police station. She tearfully admitted that after the fire, she and Khayan had gone to Ubon Ratchathani and stayed there one day. They had then gone to stay with Khayan’s sister on Soi Chokechai 4 in Bangkok. Ms. Duang then suggested that she and Khayan come back to Pattaya to collect their pay at the hotel. She came first and Mr. Khayan was to follow. But police took her into Bangkok and set up a stake out at the Mor Chit Bus Station and arrested Mr. Khayan when he was buying his ticket to return to Pattaya.
He now awaits trial.

Eight cinemas ordered to close

After inspections, fire officials have found that eight cinemas in the Saen Sukh municipality are not safe and have been ordered to close. Among these are the Forum Theatres 1,2 3 and 4; the First One and the First Two theatres; and the Chalerm Thai.
Officials have also been conducting hotel inspections, and in the initial stages have found some hotels’ safety equipment has been found to be below standard. The names of the hotels have not been released.
The charred remains of the Royal Jomtien Hotel are now being inspected to determine whether the building may be used or not. Experts and seasoned technicians are being called in to make the inspection and determine if renovations are possible.
The shareholders wish to demolish the hotel with high explosives as there is much bad feeling connected with the building.