Hotel fire flushes embarrassed massage client

Estimated 100,000 Baht damage to hotel accounting office

Over the weekend police and fire fighters were called to the VC Hotel where a fire erupted on the 2nd floor. By the time they arrived, the fire was put out by hotel personnel. However, the damage was estimated at over 100,000 baht.

The fire started in the accounting office on the 2nd floor. Two workers had turned on the antiquated computer equipment and then left the room to attend to a guest at the reception counter. It is believed that a short in one of the computers may have started the fire.

When flames erupted from the room, the employees sounded the alarm, then proceeded to extinguish the fire with nearby water hoses.

During the melee, a tourist enjoying a massage at the parlor upstairs noticed the fumes and in a hurry ran out with the massage girl. In the excitement, the two came out clothed in a single towel and were greeted in the hotel downstairs by a throng of bemused on-lookers.

Public officials pull out of Pattaya Road Show

Falsely accused of misusing government funds

Three of the region’s top officials pulled out of the "Pattaya Road Show" at the last minute to disprove accusations that they were misappropriating public money.

Chonburi Governor Sujarit Pachimnan, Pattaya Mayor Pairat Suthithamrongsawat and Phinit Phunsri, Head of the Pattaya Tourism Commission, all cancelled their scheduled participation in the promotional trip to New Zealand and Australia.

All three were accused by a local Thai language newspaper of using public funds for the trip. However, the Thai language newspaper ignorantly printed the story after they failed to investigate the matter. All three officials were paying for the trip out of their own pockets.

Funds from the city budget in the amount of 250,000 baht were allocated to produce videos promoting Pattaya. But after the three announced their participation in the trip on June 15th, a local Thai language newspaper ignorantly printed articles on consecutive days claiming the trip was squandering money from the city budget in the amount of 2.2 million baht.

The three key persons then decided to withdraw from the Road Show trip before being hit with any further false accusations, ruining their reputations and damaging their chances in future elections.

The Road Show will proceed as planned, minus the three key personnel.

Somewhat dishonest van driver arrested

Returned a lost wallet, but not the money

As it turns out, tourist Peter Linkofski was lucky. Not only was his lost wallet returned, but the money stolen from it was returned as well.

Lucky Linkofski points out the dastardly van driver at the Pattaya tourist police station.

Linkofski last week reported to Pattaya Tourist Police that he was ripped-off by the van driver who brought him to Pattaya from Bangkok.

Linkofski had rented a van in Bangkok to bring him to the Sunshine Garden Hotel in Pattaya on June 16th. When he arrived at the hotel he collected his luggage, but forgot his wallet in the van.

While at the hotel and wondering what to do, the driver showed up and returned his wallet. However, the driver then left in a hurry.

When Linkofski inspected his wallet he found that his money, US$400, was missing.

Following Linkofski’s description, Tourist Police were able to locate the van parked in front of the K.P. Tour Company at South Pattaya Road and Pattaya 3 Road. The driver was promptly arrested.

At the police station, the driver, Prasert Chaphornhom, 35, admitted to taking the money. He said that when he found the wallet and saw the amount of money inside, he could not resist keeping it. He said he felt he wasn’t stealing the money - it just happened to fall into his possession.

After returning the wallet minus the cash he exchanged the dollars into Thai currency, receiving 14,000 baht. He then parked at the tour company to wait for passengers to take back to Bangkok. That was when police picked him up.

The money has been returned to Mr. Linkofski.

Prasert was arrested for theft and now awaits due process of the law.

Chinese caught with fake Yuan

Duped tour guide turns him in

Pattaya Tourist Police last week investigated another counterfeit money scam, this time involving a Chinese tourist trying to exchange fake Yuan in Pattaya.

Tourist police point out Pan Guaping from China who was caught after passing off counterfeit Yuan.

A tour guide from the Thai Jong Rian Group Ltd. reported to authorities that a Chinese tourist, Mr. Pan Guaping exchanged 17 one-hundred Yuan bank notes for 6,120 baht with him on June 16th. When he later tried to exchange the notes at the bank they were identified as fake, many having the same serial numbers.

The tour guide provided police with information about the suspect and directed them to the Jomtien Grand Hotel.

The police stopped Pan as he was coming out of the hotel and took him into custody. After searching his belongings police found more of the fake Yuan notes in his billfold. All had the serial number DS 01370376.

Pan, age 36, admitted smuggling in 20 counterfeit notes from China and changing 17 of them with the tour guide for Thai currency. He is being charged with transporting counterfeit currency from a foreign country into the Kingdom.

Canadian drug suspect arrested in Pattaya

Allegedly evading Australian law enforcement

Police last week arrested Canadian David Walter, 31, for possession of the drug type E, also known as ecstasy.

Police received information from an unidentified source that Walter was dealing the drug to other foreigners in the area of Soi Diamond. The source also said that Walter was reportedly involved in a bombing incident in Australia. Two others have allegedly already been arrested for the bombing and are in the early stages of being tried for the offense.

Thirty-one year old Canadian David Walter was arrested last week for possession of illegal drugs.

Walter was spotted and arrested in the Soi Diamond area. A search of his person turned up 25 pills, type E, in his pant’s pocket.

Investigations revealed that Walter entered Thailand from Sydney, Australia in 1996. He has been staying at the Flamingo Hotel in Soi Day Night.

Walter told police that the type E pills were for his own use and that he purchased them at 500 baht per pill. He insisted he was not involved in selling the drugs.

Police later searched his hotel room and found an additional 15 type E pills and a powder can containing the drug "type K", which was ground into powdered form.

Police are charging Walter with illegal possession of drugs. Australian authorities are being contacted to clear up the matter from down under.

American busted with drugs

The management of a Pattayaland hotel called police last week to inform them that one of their tenants was using drugs to entice young Thai men into his room.

Investigating police found Mr. Ronald Allan Nevfelio, age 42, an American, in the hotel room with four Thai men. All four Thai men were 20 years of age or older.

American Ronald Allan Nevfelio was caught in his hotel room with illegal drugs.

Police searched the room and found marijuana packaged in 30 cigarettes, 11 pills of the type E drug, two bottles of a sex enhancing liquid called "Khithara" and three sex videos. All items were confiscated as evidence.

Nevfelio admitted to police that the drugs and other items were his. He is being charged with possession of class 1 illegal drugs, Type E and the Khithara liquid, and possession of a class 5 illegal substance, marijuana.

Investigations revealed that Nevfelio was in the process of requesting a work permit and intending to buy the Tower Club Company Ltd. in Bangkok. He was biding his time in Pattaya when the hotel management notified the police of his activities.

Naklua fire victims want to rebuild

City doesn’t want them back on that public land

The homeless victims of the May 31st fire in Naklua are pushing the city to grant them house registrations. This will allow them to return to the area destroyed by the fire and begin to rebuild their slum community.

Pattaya’s City Manager Niran Watanasadsathorn.

However, Pattaya’s city officials are saying that the land is public, not private property, and that the residents have no claim to it.

City Manager Niran Watanasadsathorn and city administrators met to discuss the aftermath of the fire in Naklua, and said that the victims contacted city officials on June 8th to request house registrations for the homes destroyed in the fire.

According to regulations, after homes are destroyed by fire their addresses are automatically withdrawn. The owner(s) of the land must produce documents showing ownership before they can be granted a new address. However, in this case there are no documents portraying ownership of the land.

City officials investigated the matter and decided that the land involved is public property. The addresses to the homes destroyed in the fire have been automatically withdrawn according to regulations.

The city has been providing assistance to the victims by giving them temporary shelter and other necessities provided by the city, Red Cross, and other charitable organizations.

Police round up 36 Burmese illegal laborers

Over 60 avoid capture

Immigration Police received information that foreign laborers were working illegally at the Seminar Center construction site at the Thammasat University along Hwy 336.

Illegal immigrants from Burma were arrested at a local construction site and will be sent back across the border.

The Immigration Police and officials from the Sattahip Rodchana Foundation put a force together and went to the location and found over 100 persons residing at the construction site area. When the laborers realized it was immigration officials they fled in all directions. Only 36 persons were caught, 12 women and 24 men.

All were taken into the Pattaya City Immigration Police Office for questioning. Each one was Burmese and all had entered the country illegally.

The arrested aliens told officials that they came into Thailand at the border in Tak Province and have been working for almost four months at the construction site. They said they have been earning 120-200 baht per day, but have not yet been paid. It’s not uncommon for employers to turn in their illegal workers before having to pay their salaries.

The 36 persons will be kept in jail until they are transported back to their homeland.

Mass casualty training held Banglamung Hospital

Local students invited for first hand experience

Banglamung Hospital Director, Dr. Prasit Chittiwadanaphong, prepared a "Mass Casualty Training Session" for hospital staff. 50 students from local schools were invited to take part in the exercise.

Fitty local students took part in a mass casualty training exercise at Banglamung Hospital.

Dr. Prasit coordinated with teachers at the Banglamung Schools to allow the 50 students to assist during the training exercise. At the same time, all received a first hand look as to what is involved in such an operation.

The training objectives were to ensure hospital staff members can function efficiently during an emergency involving mass casualties.

All hospital facilities were involved, including volunteer agencies and local community organizations, to familiarize everyone with their responsibilities and functions during such an emergency and to ensure quality care for injured personnel in a real emergency.

Thai Red Cross holds 7^th Assembly

HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, Director of the Thai Red Cross, presided over the opening of the Thai Red Cross 7th Assembly from June 23-25 at the Ambassador City Jomtien Hotel.

Her Royal Highness also graciously presented a special address concerning the Thai Red Cross.

The main objectives of this assembly were to allow the Red Cross members from the 75 provinces (altogether 3,000 people) to meet and exchange ideas.

Red Cross members also discussed the establishment of stores to sell local handicrafts in the various provinces, so as to help subsidize Red Cross activities throughout the country. These objectives were in celebration of His Majesty the King’s upcoming 72nd Birthday.

Miss Rewadi Thamarak, Public Relations Director of Region 7, said that the gathering of members also viewed a multi-media presentation of the "Thai Red Cross Evolution", and were treated to a lecture on "Red Cross Lessons in Provincial Social Development".

Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai and Deputy Ministers from the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Labor and Social Benefits, and the Ministry of Health, including Madame Butri Wirawaithaya, debated the "Ideas and Intentions of the Thai Red Cross in the Year 2000". Jakraphob Phenkhae headed the debate.

Philippine travel warning for US citizens

The following was received via e-mail:

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The following clarification on travel was received from USFK J3:

USFK J3 Force Protection position is that all US military, DA civilians, and DOD civilian personnel assigned to USFK or PACOM are not authorized to travel to the Philippines in a leave status.

US civilians and contractors are highly encouraged not to travel to the Philippines based on the current threat to level HIGH, in the Philippines.

Those personnel requesting permission to travel should be reminded what HIGH threat means. HIGH threat means there are factors of existence, capability, history, and intent on the part of terrorists to commit acts against US personnel and facilities.

Carl Sizemore
EUSA, G3 Operations
Force Protection Specialist

Cleaning the beaches on World Environment Day

Pattaya City and private organizations began a Pattaya Beach preservation project to celebrate World Environment Day on June 5th.

Pattaya Mayor Pairat Suthithamrongsawat presided over the opening ceremony to commence the campaign to clean up the Pattaya Beach area. The campaign is being led by the Dusit Resort Hotel and vendors along the beachfront.

Pattaya City Manager Niran Wattanasadsathorn and his assistant Wirawad Khakhai and 150 other people took part.

The campaign was part of the environmental activities being conducted in conjunction with the World Environment Day on June 5th. The activities of the day included arranging the umbrellas and beach chairs in order and collecting trash along the beach. Businesses and vendors along the beach were also asked to continue maintaining the area so as to present a pleasant location.

Tomorrow’s leaders receive training

Rayong Development Department presents Leaders Training to Young Peoples Center

Residents of the Young People’s Center in Rayong received a wealth of information from a number of resident experts on a variety of subjects earlier this month.

The Rayong Development Department presented "Leaders Training" for the youths from June 9-11 at the Rayong Alternate Education Center’s Conference Room.

The training disseminated information on theories and provided an opportunity to discuss common problems, as well as exchange ideas.

Resident experts from the Eastern Gulf of Thailand Fishery Center presented lectures on preserving the natural environment.

Experts from the Rayong Election Committee lectured on the new constitution and voting regulations.

Health department officials presented information on the dangers of drugs.

The next generation of leaders were also taken on a tour of the Ban Poonsri Drug Rehabilitation Center in Pattaya. Pol. Lt. Col. Jirat Pichitpai, head of the center, presented information on drug addiction and the rehabilitation center’s procedures in helping those unfortunate young people addicted to drugs.

As part of their training, students were instructed to take what they learned back with them and pass it along to other young people in the sub-district to build a better society.

Copyright 1998 Pattaya Mail Publishing Co.Ltd.
370/7-8 Pattaya Second Road, Pattaya City, Chonburi 20260, Thailand 
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Created by Andy Gombaz, assisted by Chinnaporn Sangwanlek.