Bali High Pier construction may begin soon

The 18.79 rai project is to be contracted out to the Bang Saen Mahanakhorn Company Ltd. The company has already completed the project assessment, and now only the signing of contract agreements has to be undertaken before the actual construction work can begin.

However, a few obstacles still remain in place before the heavy equipment can move in. One of these obstacles is the many boats that are parked on Bali High Point. These would have to be removed, but more importantly, the land area is still tied up in a court case between the Royal Thai Navy and national level government officials.

Another controversy clouding the issue is that of the 101 businesses located on South Pattaya’s Walking Street who have no land ownership documentation. Identified for removal by the city administration, the 101 businesses have presented their plea to the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Tourism of the House of Representatives, Santsak Ngamphiches, and have also joined forces with a number of associations and various committees in Pattaya in trying to block the plan of dismantling these businesses.

At press time, it was also reported that a new road was being considered for construction, behind the business area, that would connect both Beach and Pattaya roads.

Senate election yet to be ratified

The Election Committee announced the three Chonburi senate candidates receiving the most votes in the March 4th election must undergo an investigation, which will delay the final decision and any official taking of office.

Chonburi’s three candidates in question are Sombat Phechtrakul, Pol. Lt. Gen. Preecha Padibatsarakij and Rear Adm. Wiroj Amtakulchai.

Thus far only 43 provinces have completed going over the results of the election. Eleven provinces were initially sited as possibly being dishonest, with the three provinces of Chonburi, Buriram and Nonthaburi requiring further deliberation. Out of the 200 elected senators, 75 are currently officially now on hold.

According to Election Committee member Yuwarat Kamonwech, the official results of the election are being delayed until the investigations are completed. He hopes more clarification will be forthcoming by 21 March.

No free ride, or room at the Inn, for Erich

Indigent traveler tries to rip off taxi driver

Sililak Promlee, a taxi driver from Bangkok, probably figured he’s scored a good fare when his passenger didn’t try to bargain down the 1500 baht price for a trip to Pattaya. Little did he know, however, that his fare would never be paid.

Schmidt (left) lost all his money in Bangkok and tried to get a free ride and room in Pattaya. He may have got both, but his “free room” has bars on the windows.

On the afternoon of March 5, Sililak Promlee requested assistance from the Tourist Police when the foreigner he drove to Pattaya refused to pay the taxi fare from Bangkok. Sililak told police he needed the money to re-fill his fuel tank for the return trip.

Police soon found the errant tourist in the area of the Nimit Hotel in Soi Bua Khao, and escorted him to the station for further questioning. The man was identified as Erich Schmidt, age 57, from Austria.

Schmidt said he came to Pattaya hoping to get a free room for a few days at the Nimit Hotel, after having all his money and his return flight ticket stolen from him in Bangkok. The hotel refused him a free room and the taxi driver showed no sympathy either, telling police to arrest the culprit for tricking him out of his 1,500 baht taxi fare.

Schmidt told police to do whatever they thought fit to do with him, as he had no money to pay the taxi fare. The officers promptly followed his request and now Schmidt has his requested “free room” in the local jail while he waits to go to trial.

Chemical gas leak in Maptaput results in one death

At least three laws may have been broken

A carbon chloride gas leak at the Thai Carbonate Production Plant in the Maptaput Industrial Estate on March 6 resulted in the death of employee Phongpitak Nilnet. Phongpitak was in charge of opening and closing the plant’s gas valves.

Residents in the immediate vicinity were examined afterwards at the Rayong Hospital for possible adverse affects from inhalation, but all 166 residents tested were released.

However, Prasert Thangthong, a Thai Railway employee, suffered serious injury from the gas leak while working at the railroad crossing 100 meters from where the leak occurred.

Rayong Hospital Director Dr. Chatree Tantiwrong announced at a press conference on 13 March that Prasert has recovered he has been transferred from the ICU into a special room. Complicating matters, Prasert also has tuberculosis, a long time ailment.

Rayong Provincial Deputy Superintendent Pol. Col. Chuwong Wachanodorn and a team of investigators inspected the Carbonate Production Plant and found three separate legal aspects that require further investigation. The first and obvious is the gas leak resulting in death.

The second was discovered by the Director of the Military Provisions Department from the Military Industrial Division, Col. Thichanok Phisidnornsi, who discovered that the Carbonate Production Plant was storing chemicals without authorization.

The third legal aspect involves a case where the Thai Achahee Chemical Plant, located in the Pha Daeng Industrial Estate, although having authorization to receive carbon chloride chemicals, was illegally selling the chemicals to the unauthorized Thai Carbonate Production Plant.

Wolfgang Ullrich’s yacht up for sale

Sealed bids start at 80 million baht

Wolfgang Ullrich’s Yacht, ironically named “Last Money”, was seized by the Thai customs department during the middle of 1998 after the alleged Pattaya Mafia leader was unable to come up with the 97 million baht fine for illegally bringing the yacht into the Kingdom.

Last Money is now docked at the Ocean Marina Yacht Club in Na Jomtien and is being auctioned off to interested buyers around the world. Sealed bids are being accepted from 27-31 March 2000. The bids will be opened on 5 April.

Wolfgang Ullrich’s yacht “Last Money” is being auctioned off

Pol. Lt. Gen. Somsak Kangwalpong of the Economic Crime Investigation Division and Miss Jira Srisaengfa, the Chairman of the Auction Committee from the Customs Department led a group of officials and news reporters aboard the yacht for a tour inspection on 11 March.

The 90 meter long yacht, built in 1985, has four bedrooms, one living area, a kitchen, dining room and four bathrooms. The yacht is powered by two 675 hp diesel engines, fully equipped with high quality furnishings in top condition. The customs department had the yacht brought into Pattaya to make it available for viewing by interested bidders prior to accepting offers.

The bidding requirements specify a five million baht security deposit in the sealed bid. Government tax is approximately 50 million baht and with an added cost of 20 million baht, the minimum bid has been established at 80 million baht. The estimated value of the yacht is 2.4 million USD, or 90 million baht.

More information can be obtained from the customs department on Sunthorn Kosa Road in Klong Tui, Bangkok 10110 (02) 249-0431-40 or 269-7051-100).

200 divers clean ocean floor

Annual Pattaya Bay Environmental Preservation Project held last week

About 200 divers participated in the Annual Pattaya Bay Environmental Preservation Project beginning at 9:00 a.m. on 11 March. The environmentally minded divers from both the navy and private sector collected waste from the floor of Pattaya Bay, helping to preserve the natural environment and increase environmental preservation awareness in the local community. The divers were dispersed throughout Pattaya Bay and Jomtien, as well as the coral reefs around Larn Island.

Divers prepare for a tough day of cleaning garbage off the floor of Pattaya Bay.

The official activities commenced when the Commander of the Royal Thai Naval Fleet Admiral Narong Yutthawong cut the ribbon during the opening ceremony in front of Soi 4 and 5 on Pattaya Beach Road.

Participating in the opening ceremony was the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Tourism of the House of Representatives Santsak Ngamphiches, Pattaya City Mayor Pairat Suttithamrongsawat, and Region 1 Naval Fleet Commander Vice-Admiral Suchat Lertlam, and a host of honored guests.

The Pattaya Bay Environmental Preservation Project is part of the “Thai Gulf Underwater Park Project” of the Commander of the Royal Thai Naval Fleet, Admiral Narong Yutthawong, and tasked to the Royal Thai Naval Fleet in Region 1.

The annual project receives additional support from the Pattaya City administration, the Pattaya Business and Tourism Association, the Thai Eastern Hotel Association and the Pattaya Hotel Association.

Hotel room tax still being fought

Scheduled to start on May 1

Over 100 representatives from the Thai Hotel Association (THA) Eastern Chapter, the Pattaya Business and Tourism Association (PBTA) and the Pattaya City Hotel Community gathered at Dusit Resort on March 2nd to debate the Provincial Administration Organization (PAO) hotel room tax. THA Eastern Chapter President Chachawan Supachayanont chaired the meeting.

The Ministry of Interior has issued directives to PAO’s in every province to collect the tax at a rate of no more than 3% per room. Pattaya, being a tourist city with many hotels and over 40,000 rooms, would make the collected tax a considerable contribution.

In the past, Pattaya has been making efforts to delay the room tax in order to explore all possibilities and aspects of implementing the directive. Alternative solutions submitted in the past included having no more than 40% of the rooms in a given hotel taxed at 3%, and delaying implementation for another two years. The latest development prompting the 2 March meeting was a document from Chonburi Governor Sujarit Pachimnan declaring the room tax is to be initiated starting 1 May 2000, at a rate of 0.05% on each and every room.

The members of the meeting were largely in disagreement, wanting a clearer understanding of the collected tax and a more suitable proposal. The overall viewpoint of the members at the meeting is that if the tax is to be implemented, then the PAO should be directing 60% back to development in Pattaya with the remaining 40% going towards other developments in the province. However, the Chonburi PAO is inclined to favor the opposite.

The members concluded the meeting after deciding to appoint resident experts to represent the THA, the PBTA and the Pattaya Hotel Community at further discussions with the PAO.

Missing street kids, beach cleanup, loses temper, and receives an amorous visitor

Pattaya’s newly elected mayor, Pairat Suttithamrongsawat, replete with the extra power that the new constitution has given to his position, has gotten off to quite a start.

The adventure began on March 6 when the mayor was alerted by police of a complaint from a business owner in South Pattaya’s Walking Street that street kids were pestering tourists. The mayor took his entourage to get a first hand look at the situation, but unfortunately the people who control the kids caught wind of his imminent arrival, and when the mayor and city council members arrived, there were no kids to be found.

The problem of the children, mostly from neighboring Cambodia, has been going on for some time now, and the city appears to be unable to stop the practice. The clean-up attempt by the mayor was yet another example of how warnings are spread beforehand, and the people controlling the business clear the kids off the street in advance.

The next day, March 7, Mayor Pairat assembled his deputy mayors, sanitation and maintenance officials, and security officers and conducted an inspection along Pattaya Beach from Soi 4 to South Pattaya Road. The inspection tour was aimed at identifying areas that require corrective action.

Police officers question Miss Khatliya after she nonchalantly walked into the mayor’s home to offer her affections.

During the walk, the group collected discarded items along the beach, putting the garbage in a vehicle that followed close behind. The mayor pointed out areas that needed attention and chose officials to be responsible for taking corrective action. The mayor’s ultimate goal is to clean up the beach, whereby creating a better and cleaner environment.

Deputy Mayor Niran Watanasadsathorn, who is in charge of the city security officers, was instructed to initiate action to keep the various vendors along the beach in order, in accordance with city directives.

Deputy Mayor Witisak Reumkijakarn, in charge of the City Sanitation and Environmental Department, was instructed to institute cleaning up the discarded rubbish and organize the proper collection of the waste found along the beach area.

Finally, officials from the city maintenance department were instructed to devise a plan of action to improve the appearance of the beach area to create a more attractive image for visiting tourists.

However, as all this was going on, when the group neared Soi 7, a table selling pictures to tourists was obstructing the walk-way and Mayor Pairat ordered the table removed. News reporter Somjai Keopleuk jumped forward to take pictures of the mayor issuing this directive, and to ask questions as to why he, the mayor, had ordered the table removed.

Mayor Pairat took offence and ordered that the man’s identity card be produced. The reporter was soon ushered to the Pattaya Police Station. Somjai, employed by the Bangkok Combined News Center, told police he didn’t understand what the commotion was about, as he was merely doing his job, and if taking the picture was wrong he apologized. Somjai, a Chonburi resident, also pointed out that he had voted for the mayor in the last election. The mayor had police issue him a warning.

Finally, the mayor’s eventful few days ended on March 8 when a young woman nonchalantly walked into the his house at 11.30 p.m. The mayor and his family were at home watching television on the 2nd floor. The family was taken totally by surprise as the girl unexpectedly entered their lounge area, and the police were immediately summoned.

Police rushed to the mayor’s house on Sukhumvit Road and found Miss Khatliya Thongkham, age 25, still inside.

Police began questioning her as to why she entered the mayor’s home without an invitation. Khatliya confessed that she had been in love with the widowed mayor for some time, adding she finds Pairat irresistible and has had a long time fantasy of sleeping with him. This evening, she said, she walked by the mayor’s house, and seeing that the door was open, she decided to go inside.

Khatliya’s answers to police questions then became irrational and confusing, prompting police to surmise there was more to her story than she could admit. Police searched her personal belongings and found a medical card identifying Khatliya as a mental patient.

Since no apparent violence was intended, under the circumstances the mayor agreed to allow Miss Khatliya be released.

Mayor Pairat has been a widower for the past two years, and due to his son’s young age he has decided not to remarry. He admitted that this was the first time any woman has walked in on him at his home to offer her affections.