Russians mobsters arrested at U-tapao Airport

Hiding in Pattaya, working as tour guides

Chonburi provincial police commander Pol. Maj. Gen. Sene Khamthiang announced the arrest at a press conference on November 2.

Maj. Gen. Sene said that police department heads from the Pattaya municipal and immigration police were instrumental in apprehending the two men after Russian police captain Andrey Lisitsya traveled to Pattaya to coordinate the arrest.

The foreign crime suppression center at the Pattaya municipal police station and Pattaya immigration police uncovered information revealing the two men were staying in Jomtien. Police also learned the two were receiving Russian tourists coming in on charted flights at U-tapao Airport.

Maj. Gen. Sene said a group of officers were positioned around the U-tapao passenger terminal while another group entered the terminal area where Russian Pol. Capt. Andrey Lisitsya pointed out the two alleged criminals. Both were taken into custody with no resistance.

Styajkov and Lavrinenno will be extradited to Russia after they stand trial for overstaying their visas, having entered Thailand over 10 months ago.

Fire debastates construction camp next to Thai Oil Refinery

Second large fire there in less than a year

Much of the Sawot Construction Company’s campsite in Tung Sukhla Sub-district was destroyed by fire on November 1. The construction workers’ temporary housing was located just 200 meters from where a tragic explosion occurred at the Thai Oil Refinery in Laem Chabang on December 4 last year.

Over 100 temporary houses were destroyed by fire near the Thai Oil refinery in Laem Chabang, the second large fire in the area in less than a year.

The temporary houses were constructed from compressed wood with corrugated steel roofing, and much of the material was highly flammable which fed the raging fire.

Eight fire trucks from Laem Chabang and Sri Racha responded to the call, as did the Thai Oil Company’s foam truck.

When firefighters arrived, construction workers were frantically trying to save their personal belongings, making it difficult for firefighters to enter the long, narrow entranceway. Firefighters had to park their trucks at the base of the street and spray water onto the flames from a distance.

The flames were brought under control within an hour, but not before over 100 of the 300 structures in the congested area were destroyed.

The fire occurred mid-morning and there were no reports of serious injuries, as most off the construction workers were away at work.

One worker said he was sleeping during his off shift when an explosion woke him up. He said he investigated the noise and saw the fire was already leaping skywards.

Investigators presume a faulty circuit caused the fire. None of the temporary shelters had circuit breakers and none had any emergency fire equipment.

Captain abandons ship, leaves crewmembers without pay

International crew left stranded in Laem Chabang

The international crew of the M.S. Millennium Queen was left stranded without pay in Laem Chabang when their Singaporean captain allegedly fled the country after the cruise ship docked for the last time on October 4.

Crewmembers picket outside the M.S. Millennium Queen after being stranded without food or money.

Most of the crewmembers are women from the Philippines, Taiwan, Indonesia and Burma.

A spokesperson for the crew of over 200 said that they hadn’t been paid in over 4 months. They also said that when the captain fled, the only food they had was what little remained aboard the ship.

Once they realized what had happened, the crew began picketing around the ship, pleading for help and complaining about the lack of concern from company headquarters in Singapore.

A Philippine crewmember explained that it cost 8,000 dollars to secure her a job on the ship, and that the rest of the crewmembers paid similar amounts. The amount of money due to the 200 crewmembers for their past wages equates to a sum of 800,000 Singapore dollars, or nearly 12 million baht.

Somsak Khosaisuk, International Transportation Federation (ITF) coordinator in Thailand, was finally made aware of the situation and brought a team in to try to settle the matter on November 1. The ITF team’s visit prompted cheers from the stranded crewmembers.

The ITF had just designated October 16-20 as a “Safety Aboard Ship Campaign”.

Somsak and the ITF members boarded the ship and held a meeting that lasted for over three hours. When they emerged they told reporters that they had contacted the Wimba International Cruise and Holiday Company in Singapore and made arrangements to have the crewmembers paid by mid-November.

Agreeable terms were also met concerning the docking fees in Laem Chabang and the food and beverage costs for the crewmembers, with the understanding that the M.S. Millennium Queen would remain in Laem Chabang until all matters were settled.

Another matter still being investigated concerned whether the boat docked in accordance with immigration laws.

Somsak said he felt it was imperative to settle the matter quickly because he left the talks with the crewmembers with the impression they were prepared to take some drastic measures if their wages were not forthcoming.

City hall officer wanted for murder surrenders

Allegedly killed his wife during an argument

Pattaya city hall tedsakij officer Mit Khongcheeb turned himself in at the Banglamung police station on November 2. Khongcheeb was wanted for the October 22 murder of his wife Yupdee.

Yupdee Khongcheeb was gunned down in her home at 2 a.m. October 22 after an alleged argument with her husband Mit. Yupdee died as a result of a fatal gunshot wound to her chest.

Phadungsak Khongcheeb, the assailant’s older brother, told police that the married couple had an argument concerning Yupdee’s discovery of her husband’s minor wife.

Phadungsak said that he and other relatives were sitting in front of the house drinking when Mit when Yupdee returned from work. When the couple began arguing the party broke up and everyone went home. Shortly after he left, Phadungsak said he heard a gunshot. He also told police that Mit was known to pull out his gun often and make threatening gestures.

Phadungsak said when he returned to the house he met his brother preparing to leave in his pick-up. He said Mit told him he would be able to finagle his way out of this without having to go to jail.

In his statement to police 10 days after the killing, Mit Khongcheeb said he did not murder his wife, telling police that he was drunk and the gun accidentally went off during the argument.

Quill gets second hearing

Third scheduled for November 18

Englishman Kevin Quill appeared for his second court hearing on Monday, November 6. Since prosecutors are not yet ready to try the case, the judge set November 18 as the date for his next hearing. Quill has been denied bail.

Kevin Quill on the say he was arrested for possession of contraband cigarettes and amphetamines.

Quill was arrested in Pattaya on October 12 after police found two large black bags containing 170 cartons of Benson & Hedges cigarettes in his Mercedes Benz sport utility vehicle parked on 2nd Road. During the police search of the contraband, one of the cartons appeared altered and closer inspection revealed 100 methamphetamine pills, type orange, were concealed inside one of the packs of cigarettes.

Quill admitted to charges of possessing contraband cigarettes and evading Thai import tax, claiming he intended to transport the 170 cartons to England for sale in local markets. However, he denied the charges of possessing illegal narcotics, which carries a class 1 punishment, saying he had no knowledge of the 100 methamphetamine pills found with the cigarettes.

Immigration police arrest 24 illegal laborers

Illegal immigrant problem continues to grow

Vichan Pladpueng reports

Immigration police organized a raid after receiving information indicating large numbers of foreign laborers were located in an area near the Jomtien Palm Beach Hotel.

After police processing, illegal laborers were marched to a bus that would take them back to their home country.

Escape routes were blocked off before police officers entered the area, and once the raid commenced, the illegal immigrants began running in all directions.

Police arrested 24 Cambodians and Burmese, twenty males and four females. The group was taken in for questioning and later transferred back to their respective border crossing points.

The members of the group all had similar stories, describing paying up to 5,000 baht apiece to Thai contacts for coordinating transportation and work in Thailand, with some members describing the contact as a Thai police officer. This group ended up working for a Thai agent in Pattaya, who provided living quarters and paid them 120 baht per day. Each person in the group was charged with illegally entering the Kingdom and engaging in work without proper permits.

The number of illegal workers coming into Thailand is increasing, with the majority seeking work as construction laborers. Many end up in Pattaya after being brought in by Thai agents from the Burmese and Cambodian borders. Many Thai employers prefer the foreign labor pool because the illegal laborers accept lower wages and they have less call to complain. The problem is considered serious enough to be a concern to national security and has a negative impact on the Thai labor force.

Local government meets to discuss bar closing times

Aim to iron out details before approaching Ministry of Interlor

Chonburi Governor Sujarit Pachimnan and deputy provincial police commander, Police General Anant Chasri met at city hall with the city administrators, municipal and district police to discuss the matter of entertainment business closing times.

Governor Sujarit Pachimnan and Police General Anant Chasri met with local officials to discuss bar closing times.

The governor said the meeting was held to review a document submitted by the bar business community justifying relaxing current regulations on closing hours, and to solicit views on the subject from different areas involved. Once completed, the document will be forwarded to the Ministry of Interior and the office of the Royal Thai Police.

“Currently, a 1966 regulation governs the closing hours for all entertainment businesses, but we expect it will be replaced in the near future by a new administrative act that will probably include changes affecting the arguments in question at this time,” the governor said. He reiterated the government’s steadfast position on closing businesses if found involved in any of three unacceptable activities: drug activity, violation of Thai moral ethics, and staying open after designated closing times.

Police General Anant said he has met with business owners in the past, who requested assistance complying with closing time regulations. He said he told them that increased drug usage among young people was one of the main reasons for enforcing the regulation and prohibiting minors from frequenting such establishments. But the talks were ignored and some bars were still operating after hours, with some staying open until 7 a.m. or later.

Pattaya city council chairman Tawich Chaisawangwong submitted that the root of the matter concerns the fact that the regulation does not take into account the special case of a tourist center such as Pattaya trying to develop the country’s tourist industry. Tourists from some countries are accustomed to entertainment businesses operating 24-hours a day. He said the issue has no connection with drug related activities, which is an area that the police should be able to control with stricter punishment for offenders. Tawich added that businesses requesting to operate after 2 a.m. should each be considered on an individual basis according to suitability in the respective locality. The city council chairman said that if Pattaya is to govern itself in the form of a special administrative case then the city should be able to decide which areas are suitable.

Pattaya city council member Wichai Rodpia, who is the manager of the Hollywood Pub, and city council member Pisai Phanomwan Na Ayuthaya, who is general manager of Alcazar, were both of the same opinion that the current law was outdated and failed to address the needs of Pattaya. The needs of the city have drastically changed over the years and are concurrent with situations in Bangkok where regulations have been amended to meet the situational requirements, with some localities closing at 4 a.m. It was also pointed out that the tourist industry suffers directly whenever strict measures are taken, especially following police crackdowns.

The current law in affect since 1966 specifically pertains to provinces considered tourist areas, including Pattaya, and specifies both opening and closing times on normal days and government holidays. The law divides entertainment businesses into four categories. Businesses with dancing and or singing entertainment, food and alcohol beverage sales such as discotheques and pubs are subject to close at 2.00 am. Businesses with food and alcoholic beverage sales and working girls, such as massage parlors, are subject to close at 12 midnight. Businesses offering massage, steam baths, haircuts and traditional massage are also subject to the 12 midnight closing time. Businesses with food and alcoholic beverage sales, offering musical performances, such as coffee shops and garden restaurants, are subject to a 1 a.m. closing time.

Commemorative activities to take place all year

Students and teachers from the Singsamut School, local officials, Air Defense Unit personnel and their family members helped release 500 sea turtles back into their natural habitat in honor of the late Princess Mother, HRH Princess Sri Nagarindra.

Five hundred turtles were released back into their natural environment in honor of the late Princess Mother, HRH Princess Sri Nagarindra.

Coastal Air Defense Unit commander in Sattahip, Rear-Admiral Nakhorn Aranyanak presided over the ceremony late last month.

In February 1999, the government established October 21 as a national commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of the late Princess Mother, HRH Sri Nagarindra. The government announced that the entire year will be dedicated to Her memory.

Organizations around the country have bee organizing special projects to honor the Princess Mother’s noble achievements in humanitarian and environmental areas.