Shuttle bus system proposed

Designed to make it easier for tourist to visit sites

On July 30th, Pattaya City and the private sector held a meeting at city hall concerning a proposal for a new Pattaya Shuttle Bus system.

The idea of the shuttle bus is to make it more convenient for tourists by providing a free bus service to various tourist and historical venues. It is hoped it will also help combat the considerable problems caused by the infamous ‘baht bus’ drivers.

According to the proposal, the buses will be air-conditioned with a capacity of 60 passengers. They will make one trip a day to each tourist destination. A guide will be available to give information and answer questions.

The Pattaya Shuttle Bus (PSB) is the brainchild of private businessman Jonkol Srisuphan, Managing Director of the Tarzan Hut and Chuckie’s Pub, and who is also involved in the water sports business.

Jongkol stated that this project was necessary for sensible, orderly and standard tourism, as it is in other countries.

He said the expenses would be minimal, as the bus company would receive commissions from the operators of the various tourist venues in the city and environs. The hotels and hostelries would still receive their commissions from the entertainment venues as usual. They would only have to pay a bit for the bus service.

He concluded by stating, "The possible advantages are great; increased number of tourists and no scrambling for transportation."

U-Tapao to receive 110 million Baht budget for 1999

Improvements to be made to airport

A 110 million baht budget for U-Tapao Airport for 1999 is expected to be approved, insiders say.

Sansak Ngarmphiches, MP Chonburi and the Head of the Parliamentary Committee on Tourism, said that the Sub-Committee for U-Tapao Airport had presented a development plan to aid tourists at the airport who entered on charter flights.

They requested that the following conveniences should be provided: 1. A larger transit lounge which would hold 600 instead of the present capacity of 400. 2. An Immigration Checkpoint. 3. A shuttle service to transport passengers. 4. Access and egress roads to the airport.

The constructor of the road told the committee it would cost approximately 200 million baht. This was sent to the Prime Minister, although no mention was made as to whether this amount is intended to be above and beyond the submitted budget.

Up to now, the Ministry of Communications has set a budget for 1999 of 110 million baht. The committee that considers such requests and then drafts them and sends them for His Majesty the King’s approval believes this budget will be approved.

Local MPs are confident that U-Tapao Airport will be very helpful in increasing Thailand’s tourism and lead to more foreign currency coming in, especially from Russian tourists.

Eighty thousand visitors a year are expected.

Forgotten water heater sets apartment ablaze

Hard lesson learned

It took the Pattaya Fire Police only ten minutes to extinguish a five alarm fire on the second floor of the Panya Apartment House in Pattaya Na-Jomtien, but a hard lesson was learned by the renter of the room.
After forgetting to unplug her electric kettle, Ms.Benjakul lost most of her belongings when her room was gutted by fire.

Ms. Benjakul Thali, 26, the occupant of the apartment, told police that she had forgotten to unplug her electric hot water kettle and it had caught fire.

Arriving at the scene, firefighters saw flames issuing from an apartment on the second floor. The squad took 10 minutes to put out the blaze.

Ms. Benjakul told police she had plugged in the water heater and then left to see the doctor at a local clinic. When she returned after a mere 10 minutes, she saw that her room was in flames.

Ms. Benjakul will have to take responsibility for all damages to the apartment building. She was taken to the police station for further questioning.

Drunken tourist assaults police officers

Loses control over bar tab

An angry, intoxicated national of Oman refused to pay his bill at a beer bar in front of the Diamond Beach Hotel in South Pattaya, and in the process, assaulted two Tourist Police officers.

When officers arrived at the scene, Yacob Suhiarni, 24, was engaged in a fistfight with the cashier. Two police officers tried to stop the fight and arrest the man, but he began to punch them, forcing the officers to call for reinforcements.

A squad of officers were called in and managed to quell the imbroglio.

At the police station Suhiarni confessed to all and was sent for formal charging.

The two Tourist Police officers received treatment at the hospital.

British pedophile arrested

Police sending message: pedophiles stay away

Police are continuing to send a strong message for pedophiles to stay away from Pattaya. Increased vigilance has resulted in a number of arrests since the beginning of the year, with cases being made public to warn offenders that their behavior will not be tolerated.

On Thursday, August 13th, British citizen Andrew Seymour from Southend-On-Sea became the latest to be remanded to custody when he was arrested from a Soi Buakow hotel room where he was caught nude with a 14 year old boy.

An undercover police officer spotted Seymour handing a hotel business card to the boy on Pattaya 2nd Road. The undercover officer then tailed the boy to Seymour’s hotel room on Soi Buakow.

The officer called in back-up, knocked on the door and found Seymour naked in bed with the 14 year old boy. Both were brought to Pattaya police station for questioning.
After interrogation, Seymour was incarcerated under the charge of child molesting. He now awaits trial.

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Created by Andy Gombaz, assisted by Chinnaporn Sungwanlek.