Low enforcement cracks down on “protected species” trade

Law enforcement officials from the Forestry Department and Pattaya Police Department swept through the city last week, rounding up merchants engaged in the sale of products made from the skins of animals protected by Thai law.

Police and forestry officials converge on Thawi Janthong for illegally using a protected species of monkey for profit. Thawi was jailed and his monkey confiscated.

Three vendors from Pattaya 2nd Road were arrested and their merchandise of wallets, purses, belts, cigarette cases and lighter cases made from python and cobra skins were seized.

All three vendors feigned innocence, saying they were unaware their merchandise was illegal or that the materials came from animals considered to be protected species. All three were arrested and fined.

In a related matter, the same group of officers arrested Thawi Janthong from Kamphaengphet for illegal possession of a protected species of monkey, a type of Rhesus Monkey or Macaque (macaca nemestrina). Thawi was using the monkey as a prop for taking pictures with tourists, charging 100 baht per photo. Thawi was jailed and the forestry department officials took custody of the monkey.

Shootout in Jomtien

Car theft gang loses gun battle with police

A year long investigation involving police from Chonburi, Saen Sukh and Pattaya tracking down a gang moving stolen vehicles to Cambodia evolved into a shootout in Jomtien at 9.15 p.m. on January 29.

Pattaya Police Chief Pinit Satcharoen inspects one of the three bullet-riddled pickup trucks at the site of a shootout in Jomtien. Three members of a stolen car ring were killed, two escaped.

After collecting information indicating the suspects were about to move stolen vehicles to the border from Jomtien, 25 police officers cordoned off the street and waited for the vehicles to show. Three pick-ups soon drove out onto the street and stopped where police blocked off the road. Spotlights were shown on the vehicles, and police were able to see five men inside.

Police yelled for the men to disembark and give themselves up, but the five men instead opened fire on the police. The officers responded immediately.

The gunfire lasted for 10 minutes before police called cease fire and moved in to inspect the carnage. Three dead bodies, riddled with bullets, were on the ground within a few meters of each other.

The dead men’s weapons were later investigated and it was determined that only one or two shots had been fired from each handgun.

Chonburi Provincial Police Commander Pol. Maj. Gen. Phanuphong Singhara Na Ayuthaya made a statement afterwards identifying the two members that got away as gang leader Chuphong Sukkasem and his henchman Udom.

The Provincial Police Commander said the two men will soon be arrested along with two more gangs involved with the car theft ring in Chonburi.

Elephant ride got a bit too exciting

Elderly Chinese woman thrown to ground

Sixty-two year old Chinese tourist Mrs. Lee Yu Seng got a little more than she bargained for when she climbed up onto the back of an elephant to go on a nature ride. A bizarre set of circumstances resulted in Ms. Lee being thrown from the back of her otherwise tame form of transportation.

U-then went back to doing normal elephant things, perhaps unsure why he was being scolded.

A car passing by the Suan Sunak elephant park on Siam Country Club Road blew a tire. The loud bang startled an elephant named Bunlert, which sent Bunlert charging in the direction of an elephant named U-then, which Mrs. Lee just happened to be sitting on.

U-then reared back on its hind legs to defend itself against the charging elephant, causing the elderly lady to tumble to the ground.

The owner of the park, Mr. Sumet Rangsanphirul, was upset and embarrassed over the incident. He had Mrs. Lee rushed to the Bangkok-Pattaya Hospital and said the company would cover the all her hospital costs.

Mrs. Lee required stitches to her leg, but was otherwise ok. Nevertheless, she spent the next few days in hospital resting from the ordeal.

Kidnap leader still at large

Victim recovering

Miss Zhang Yuhong is recuperating in the Pattaya Memorial Hospital after the singer from China was kidnapped in Bangkok almost three weeks ago and was then held for ransom in Pattaya by a gang of hoodlums from Singapore. She was rescued by Pattaya police last week.

Four of the gang members were arrested on the day Miss Zhang was rescued but the gang leader Michael Teaw was not at the rented house during the police raid. Miss Zhang was found handcuffed to the bed with her mouth and eyes taped closed, and was immediately rushed to hospital.

Her physical condition at the time of the rescue was very weak after not eating for five days. It was also later discovered that her captors forced her to take up to 10 sleeping pills a day to sedate her while waiting for the ransom money.

Her mental condition has improved with help of close friends staying with her at the hospital, and she is now responding to people without showing fear.

The four men were interrogated separately on the day of capture and the arrest of the first gang member at the Kasikorn bank in Central Pattaya was re-enacted for police records.

Pattaya police had one of the arrested gang members contact the gang leader on his mobile phone in Bangkok, arranging to meet at the Morchit bus terminal to split the 500,000 baht ransom money. They agreed to meet the following morning at 08.30 a.m., but the gang leader again eluded capture by sending a Thai girl in his place. Police got little information from the girl who claims she was just told to pick up a package at the bus terminal.

Tourist Police receive accolades

Top cop says they are “the most effective police in Thailand”

Tourist Police Commander Pol. Maj. Gen. Wutt Liphataphunlope told a gathering of local Tourist Police that they are “the best in Thailand”. The head of the Tourist Police made the statement at a seminar he held at the Grand Sole Hotel for the local force to express his deep gratitude to all the officers.

He said that the Tourist Police Force has been at the top echelon of the Royal Thai Police ranking and is still regarded as the most effective police force in the Kingdom.

Police Maj. Gen. Wutt Liphataphunlope, Commander of the Tourist Police

He reiterated his support for the local Tourist Police, adding that he was very proud to be their leader because he had received so many compliments about the Tourist Police in the short time he had been their chief. “You look after the tourists and we, in turn, will look after you,” he told the gathering of officers. “We will see that all of you receive what you deserve. This is my promise to you. This year... I intend that our department will continue to serve and be able to meet all the tasks given to us,” the Commander concluded.

Pattaya’s Tourist Police Department 3 Chief Inspector Police Major Polarid Lilasiri met with the commander and briefed him on recent activities. The major informed the commander that the department had made 1,444 arrests in 32 different categories in the past year.

Pol. Maj. Polarid also took the opportunity to indicate the department’s inadequate space and outdated communications equipment and other shortfalls hindering operations.

The Pattaya Tourist Police Department has 81 officers assigned to it and is responsible for manning personnel in the nine provinces of Chonburi, Rayong, Chantaburi, Trad, Samutprakan, Chachoengsao, Nakhorn Nayok, Sakeo and Prachinburi.

In response to Pol. Maj. Polarid’s remarks, Major-General Wutt announced three provinces in Department 3’s jurisdiction will be transferred to the recently established Department 6 in Rayong, alleviating some of the responsibility and improving efficiency. The three provinces identified are Rayong, Chantaburi and Trat.

Agricultural women’s groups meet at Grand Sole

Discuss new savings plan for farmers

250 women from women’s groups in 28 communities in 7 sub-districts met for the first time this year at the Grand Sole Hotel in Pattaya on January 27th. The meeting provided a platform to disseminate new information to the women’s groups and gave them an opportunity to exchange ideas on different subjects and announce new activities and plans for events in the coming months.

Bang Lamung Agricultural Officer Amnaj Thamawich was invited to address the meeting to discuss the main topic of the evening, the revised government action in supporting a new savings plan for agricultural cooperatives and farmers. The revised plan offers minimum deposits of 30 baht and includes a special loan plan for agricultural improvements or investments.

Chanyut Hengtrakul, the former Chonburi Council Member and Chairman of Parliament, also attended the meeting, urging the members to take advantage of their right to vote and to return to their communities encouraging others to do so as well. Chanyut covered the three forthcoming elections clarifying the dates, election type and polling booth locations.

Equal opportunity employment

Handicapped to benefit from law

A current law requires employers with more than 200 employees to employ one handicapped person for every 200 employees, or about 0.5% of the overall workforce. The law also stipulates that employers not hiring the required number of handicapped people must contribute funds for handicapped assistance programs at 50% of the starting pay for the worker’s annual salary.

Local employers were reminded of this law at an “Equal Employment Opportunity for Handicapped” seminar held at the Pattaya Redemptorist Vocational Center. The requirement is viewed as a social corrective action rather than a burden on employers, as handicapped persons make up a trained and qualified work force.

Former chairman of the Chonburi Administration Organization Bhinyo Tanwised was the keynote speaker during the seminar, which was supported by the Chonburi Handicapped Assistance Center and the Chonburi Employment Office.

Former Chonburi council member and chairman of Chonburi parliament Chanyut Hengtrakul and the Redemptorist Vocational Center Director Suphatham Mongkhonsawad opened the seminar, held to demonstrate to local employers the capabilities of handicapped persons.

Statistics show only 15,000 handicapped workers are currently employed out of the 1,400,000 eligible handicapped workers in Thailand, which is only about 1%.

For further information employers can contact the Pattaya Redemptorist Vocational Center at (038) 716538-9 or E-Mail: [email protected], or P.O. Box 25, Bang Lamung, Chonburi 20150.

U.S. Embassy consular officer to visit Pattaya

Consular Officer Paul O. Mayer from the U.S. Embassy, Bangkok will visit Pattaya on February 8, 2000. His visit will provide the opportunity for Americans residing in the area to obtain a number of consular services without having to travel to the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok. The officer will be providing services at the following times and location:

- Tuesday, February 8, 2000 from 08:00 to 12:00 a.m. and from 13:00 to 16:00 p.m. at the Merlin Hotel, 429 Moo 9, Pattaya Beach Road, Pattaya City, Chonburi, Tel. (038) 428-755.

Below is a list of services that will be provided during this visit:

- Extra passport pages

- Passport applications (be advised, however, that new passports must be picked up at the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok - they cannot be sent via mail)

- Notarials, including affidavits required by the Thai government for marriage, driver’s license and certain types of visas

- Registration with the U.S. Embassy

- Information on application procedures for Thai citizens seeking U.S visas (note that applications must be submitted at the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok)

Please note that U.S. law requires a $US55 (or Thai Baht equivalent) fee for each notarial service provided. Passport applications cost $US 40-60.

For further information please contact the American Citizen Services office at 02-205-4049.

International environmental exhibition visits Pattaya

Aptly titled “Before It Is Too Late”

The Environmental Preservation Association in Thailand, in conjunction with Thammasat University, organized an exhibition on preserving the environment and life in this country as a continuing tribute to His Majesty the King’s 6th Cycle Birthday Celebration. The exhibition was held at the Pattaya Central Festival Business Center.

Chonburi Governor Sujarit Pachimnan and honored guests signed a card to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej showing their support for His environmental projects.

The purpose of the exhibition called “Before It Is Too Late” was to increase the public’s awareness and understanding of preserving the world environment for generations to come. This exhibition was recently held in the Philippines and Singapore before coming to Pattaya.

The environmental problems of today are of great concern to His Majesty the King, and the destruction of the environment has turned into a world-wide problem capable of escalating to catastrophic proportions within this century.

The exhibition portrayed some of His Majesty’s initiatives in preserving the nation’s resources, reforestation projects and environmental educational development centers established in the rural areas of Chiang Mai, Chachoengsao, Chantaburi, Sakon Nakhon, Naratiwat, and Phetburi.

The exhibition also portrayed world environmental concerns resulting from the United Nations Environment Program, which is supported by 70 nations. The final area of concern covered the urgent necessity to recycle used items into reusable goods and showed various examples of methods and procedures.

Copyright 1999 Pattaya Mail Publishing Co.Ltd.
370/7-8 Pattaya Second Road, Pattaya City, Chonburi 20260, Thailand 
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Updated by Chinnaporn Sangwanlek, assisted by Boonsiri Suansuk.