Hotel lift plummets from 3rd floor

Close call for 17 tourists

The director of the hotel, Surapol Charoensupapol said that the October 28 accident was caused by a failure in the maximum capacity overload system. He also said that the emergency lift brake safety gear kicked in, preventing the elevator from a free-fall from the 5th floor to the bottom floor, and that there was neither a catastrophic impact nor did the cable snap as was mentioned in some reports.

Surapol asserted that the hotel would cover all hospital costs for the injured.

Surapol also said that both the hotel’s lifts were undergoing servicing by the LPN Elevator Company, which was changing motor gears and cabling, and working on the motor control unit as well as performing other general maintenance.

He said the maintenance on the lift involved in the accident was completed on October 27, at which time the elevator was opened for use. The hotel’s second elevator was then closed for maintenance, which he expects to be completed by the end of November.

However, witnesses had a slightly different account of what happened.

Hotel staff said they heard a loud crash, followed by cries for help from the victims inside the lift.

Investigating police officers said the inside of the lift was filled with broken glass, and upon opening the trap door in the ceiling they could see a snapped cable hanging overhead.

One of the injured, Mr. Thanu Pho-Iang, an irrigation engineer from Suphanburi on holiday in Pattaya, said he and his family were staying on the 10th floor. He after his entire family entered the lift to go downstairs for dinner, the elevator stopped on the 7th floor, where the foreign tourists got in, then again on the 5th floor where two more people entered the lift, making a total of 17 people on board. Although the lift was crowded, he said, no alarm was signaled to alert them that it was loaded beyond capacity. “The lift continued to descend normally,” he said, “until reaching the 3rd floor when it suddenly jolted violently, then went screaming down to the bottom floor.”

He said that 83-year-old Mrs. Siang Pho-Iang broke her left leg when the lift hit the ground floor. 11 others suffered minor injuries and were transferred to Pattaya Memorial Hospital. Luckily, no one was seriously injured.

Loy Krathong festival begins Monday

A week of festivities planned along Beach Road

The city of Pattaya kicks off a week-long Loy Krathong celebration on Monday, November 6. Beach Road from North to South Pattaya will be lined with booths and stages featuring everything this 700-year-old tradition has come to encompass.

The festival will run through to Sunday, November 12, with the actual Loy Krathong day being on Saturday, November 11.

Booths along Beach Road will be selling Thai handicrafts, clothing, decorative items and other merchandise, along with food and drink. A number of displays will be set up demonstrating the techniques involved in making garlands and traditional “krathongs” from natural materials, usually from banana leaves rolled into intricate designs and adorned with flowers, candles and joss sticks. There will also be on-stage entertainment each evening from 7 p.m. - midnight.

This year, organizers have created a special exhibition on preserving the natural environment as part of the campaign to increase public awareness of environmental concerns.

Celebrations on “Wan Loy Krathong”, November 11, will begin with an opening ceremony on Soi 4 starting at 7 p.m. A parade will follow the ceremony with traditional Thai dance, a contest judging the crafted “krathongs” and beauty queens.

Later in the evening, many people will follow the ancient custom of floating their Krathongs in various waterways to worship the mother of all water sources and secretly make wishes for future prosperity.

German tourist slain

Throat slit after allegedly refusing to pay rental van

German tourist Guenter Girresser, age 44, paid the ultimate price for allegedly refusing to pay the fee for a van he had rented. Girresser had his throat slit while sitting at a beer bar in Naklua on October 24.

The laceration cut a main artery in his throat causing a massive loss of blood. Emergency surgery at Pattaya-Bangkok Hospital prolonged his life, but he succumbed to his injuries 4 days later.

Witnesses at the bar told police that near closing time a man came looking for Girresser and demanded payment. The heated argument developed into a fight, during which time the alleged driver pulled a knife and slashed Girresser’s throat.

At the scene, police found a bag belonging to Girresser containing his identification and a document identifying the Montree Tour Company in Naklua. The document also identified the driver’s name as Jurint Khaosa-ad, and listed his home address.

Police collected information indicating that Jurint may possibly have been the assailant and are now stepping up their efforts to find him after Girresser’s death.

French pedophile arrested in Pattaya

Caught naked with 14-year-old boy

Jean Paul Guy Gilbert, 48, was arrested in Pattaya on October 26 when police raided his apartment and found him in bed with a 14-year-old boy.

Pattaya Tourist Police Major Pawaris Lilasiri led the arrest.

The 14-year-old boy points out suspected French pedophile Jean Paul Guy Gilbert.

During a search of his room, police found over 100 pornographic photos of young boys along with prophylactics and lubricating jelly.

Police later registered charges ranging from luring a minor away from parent protection with the minor’s consent to engaging in sexual activity and performing homosexual acts with a minor with or without his consent.

Gilbert later admitted to knowing the 14-year-old boy for the past two years. He told police that during this visit to Thailand he discovered the boy was in custody at the Huay Pong Correctional Facility and he arranged for relatives to coordinate his release.

Reviewing police records it was discovered that Gilbert was arrested in 1997 for possession of methamphetamines and released on a one-year probation after paying a fine of 5,000 baht.

Gilbert’s arrest came after police agencies in Pattaya received instruction to be on extra alert for pedophiles during the school break. Police special observation units are conducting sweeps throughout the city.

Taiwanese drug pusher nabbed in Pattaya

Wanted in Taiwan for selling heroin

A 34-year old Taiwanese man, Chen Hui Tai was arrested in Pattaya on October 27 on a 4-year-old warrant for allegedly selling heroin in Taiwan.

Pattaya’s immigration police received information from the Taiwanese government that Chen Hui Tai was wanted in Taiwan for smuggling and selling heroin. Taiwanese police sources had information indicating Chen was hiding out in Thailand.

Pattaya immigration police found and arrested Chen as he was boarding a bus bound for Bangkok. Chen had been illegally residing in Thailand for over four years working as a tour guide.

Pattaya immigration police colonel Jiraphan Idsarangkul said the effort was coordinated with Pattaya municipal police after receiving an official request from Taiwan for assistance. Chen will be extradited back to Taiwan to stand trial.

Immigration Police bust international drug ring

Two Thais and three Malaysians arrested

Immigration police last week busted an international drug ring operating out of Naklua, arresting five people, two Thais and three Malaysians.

Immigration Police Col. Jiraphan Idsarangkun Na Ayuthaya led the arrest after investigations indicated the suspect group was hiding out in a hotel on Soi Wong Amat.

Four of the five suspects arrested in Naklua for possession of class 1 narcotics.

Police had been monitoring the group’s movements and on the afternoon of October 26, made the decision to raid the hotel. A group of officers were positioned nearby as a police officer disguised as the hotel room boy knocked at the door. When the door opened, police charged in and arrested all five occupants who were busily packaging a variety of pills in containers.

The drugs confiscated included 24 tranquillizers, 13 type “E” pills and four bags of cocaine weighing a little over 200 grams, along with an assortment of drug paraphernalia.

The five arrested included a Thai woman from Bangkok named Moni Narabutteva, age 29, and a Thai man named Mongkhon Saetan, age 37, from Yala. The three Malaysians were identified as Ang Ah Let, age 53, Vincent Ooi, age 31, and Yeap Chow Sin, age 56. All five were charged with possession of class 1 narcotics with intent to sell.

City organized beach attack on renegade prostitutes and katoeys

Round up 15 freelancers

Mayor Pairat Suttithamrongsawat, the leader of the Banglamung Civilian Crime Prevention Volunteers Thonglo Ampheung and Pattaya Municipal Police Major Mana Intpitak formed a posse of 50 at 9 p.m. on October 26 to round up renegade prostitutes and katoeys.

A Pattaya posse rounded up 12 women and three “women of the second category” in a late night raid of the Pattaya Beach walkway last week.

The posse consisted of municipal police officers, city hall officers and members of the district’s civilian crime prevention volunteer group, all deputized to conduct a sweep on Pattaya Beach from Central to South Pattaya Road.

The action commenced at 11 p.m. and caused quite a stir, sending many of the free-lance operators running for cover when they noticed the approaching law enforcers.

The posse divided up and converged onto different points along the beach and in the end 12 actual females and three “women of the second category” were taken off the beach and brought into the police station to be charged with causing a nuisance in a public area.

Mayor Pairat said the increasing number of prostitutes and “women of the second category” operating along the beach were creating a nuisance and adding to the city’s poor reputation. “Pattaya is already known for having a large population of women working in the sex trade operating from the more than 800 types of bars, which already creates a number of unwanted problems,” the mayor said, “And it’s no wonder the city has the reputation as a sex capitol”.

“The stretch of beach is attracting other elements targeting unwary tourists ending in muggings and injuries,” the mayor continued, “and it’s difficult to correct when the laws only impose minimal fines allowing the offenders to gain quick release to continue luring tourists into danger.”

The mayor said tourists are warned to stay clear of the area and residents of the community are being asked not to encourage the activity as the city looks for corrective measures.

Want to close loopholes in the law

Local government has formed a zoning committee to try to contain the number of beer bars and karaoke bars popping up throughout the city.

The committee is made up of members from the private sector, business community, office of provincial plans, municipal and district police representatives, the city mayor, district chief, city council members, and is chaired by Chonburi’s deputy governor, Wirasak Pornpibul.

Local government has formed a zoning committee to look into the possibility of controlling the number of beer bars and karaokes in Pattaya.

Members of the committee say they are working on ways to close legal loopholes that currently give them no power to control beer bars and karaokes. The committee will also address the issue of closing times for places of entertainment.

The zoning committee is the result of a proposal made during Pattaya’s first Government and Private Sector (G&PS) meeting held in September. The Pattaya Business and Tourism Association proposed implementing zoning procedures to restrict entertainment businesses to certain localities.

The intention of the proposal is to reinvent the city’s image while protecting residents from undo noise by isolating such entertainment to specific localities and keeping the businesses away from schools and Buddhist temples.

However, the transformation will require re-writing laws governing entertainment businesses, which may take 5-10 years. “Current laws fail to support any plans for proper zoning,” Mayor Pairat said.

Deputy Governor Wirasak added that, “Hundreds of beer bars and karaokes now operate with only a permit to sell alcohol, and without a legal permit from the province, because prevailing laws fail to identify beer bars and karaoke bars.”

Banglamung District Chief Vichien Chawalit said the district’s procedure for issuing permits to sell alcohol specifies that the province issue a separate permit for each type of entertainment activity. The authorized types of business are hotels, massage parlors, restaurants and coffee houses.

The committee agreed that a clear definition of “beer bar” was necessary in order to proceed with establishing standards.

In the future, Banglamung and Chonburi offices responsible for issuing permits for the sale of alcohol and entertainment businesses are to verify the type of activity prior to issuing authorization, limiting the number of beer bars and preventing businesses from offering lewd entertainment and prostitution.