Pattaya’s waters beginning to clear up

About 3-4 decades ago Pattaya Bay was an unspoiled, picturesque setting with small fishing villages dotting the coastline. The coastal waters were crystal clear and teeming with sea life.

Clear water in Pattaya Bay brings back some of the natural beauty.

But then tourism arrived, and with it rapid build up, and Pattaya turned into a metropolitan city complete with big industry and pollution.

During the years of rapid growth and expansion it was beyond the local administrations’ comprehension what was taking place, with the overriding fact that times were good and business was better. It was once estimated that Pattaya was responsible for bringing into the country 2-trillion baht annually. Preserving the environment was not a concern.

Then the seawater turned smelly and murky from sewage dumped into the bay by many of the hotels and businesses profiting from the tourist industry. The once sandy shores became littered with waste and it seemed that no one cared.

Eventually, Pattaya was designated as a pollution control area, and tourists began to decrease in numbers.

Finally, environmental funds were allocated for the construction of a 1.8 billion baht wastewater treatment plant and Pattaya was on its way to cleaning up its act.

Construction was completed in November 2000, and the plant became fully operational this past January. Already the water in the area is reverting back to its former natural condition.

The city administration also took steps to increase public awareness on the importance of preserving the natural environment. Beach clean-up programs were started and continue to this day. Action is being taken against hotels and business dumping waste into the bay. An aggressive public relation campaign is in full swing calling for local participation in waste management starting at the source.

The long awaited changes are finally beginning to become evident - the beaches are becoming more attractive, the water is clearing up, and small fish are returning. Hopefully the trend will continue.

Two Bulgarians arrested for expired visas

Suspected of running con game against Austria tourist

Reporter: Boonlua Chatree

Angel Ivanov Drankov, age 41, and Maksim Todorov Mihaylov, age 31, both carrying Bulgarian passports, were arrested this week for overstaying their visas. Police believe the two were also involved in “con games”, ripping off foreign tourists.

Angel Ivanov Drankov and Maksim Todorov Mihaylov were arrested for visa overstay, and are suspected of running a scam on an Austrian tourist.

On February 15th, Mr. Bendl Alexander, a 56 year old tourist from Austria contacted the Pattaya tourist police reporting that he was conned out of 10,000 shillings, nearly 27,000 baht, by two foreign men fitting the Bulgarians’ descriptions.

Alexander told police the men approached him at the money exchange booth in front of the Royal Garden Shopping Plaza and accompanied him back to his room at the Pattaya Beach Inn where they presented an undisclosed scheme and eventually disappeared with Alexander’s money.

Pattaya tourist police believe the two Bulgarians fit the description given by Alexander and encourage him to contact police to make a positive identification so appropriate charges can be brought against the two men.

Pattaya police officers warned not to get involved with drugs

Take sacred oath to comply

Reporter: Boonlua Chatree

Pol. Col. Padungsak Ubekanon, Pattaya municipal police chief, said absolute measures would be taken against any police officer suspected of involvement in drug-related activity, regardless of rank or position. He described the current drug situation as seriously threatening society and said there was no room for a police officer involved with drugs under his command.

Over four hundred officers listened to the police chief’s anti-drug policies.

The police chief made the statements at a training session he and senior police officers assembled for subordinate police officers at Wad Chaiyamongkol community center on March 8. Over 400 police officers of all ranks attended the session, which focused on professional bearing in the ranks, with special emphasis put on police officer involvement with drugs.

Each officer was encouraged to fully serve and protect the public, and make every effort to suppress drug-related activity, both on and off duty, in order to prevent further spread of drugs in the community.

Bangladeshi tourist arrested for counterfeiting

Trying to pass fake 100 USD banknotes

Reporter: Boonlua Chatree

Mohammed Jan, age 40, carrying a Bangladesh passport, was arrested last week for trying to cash fake banknotes.

Mohammed Jan from Bangladesh was arrested last week for trying to exchange counterfeit banknotes.

Police spotted Jan acting suspiciously whilst trying to exchange money in Central Pattaya at 3 a.m. on March 8. Pattaya municipal police officers, led by Pol. Maj. Mana Inpitak, then followed him to the Little Duck Hotel.

Mohammed Jan attempted to exchange the money with the hotel clerk, but police stepped in to investigate further. Jan was in possession of four banknotes in the denomination of 100 USD each. A close look at the banknotes revealed two had the same serial number, AL 58797922A, one was just one number off (AL 58797912A) whilst the 4th was numbered AL 69789327F.

At the time of his arrest, Jan told police he wanted to exchange the money into Thai baht to continue his holiday spree in Pattaya. He claimed he obtained the money from a friend and didn’t realize it was fake, a defense he will have the chance to make in Chonburi court.

Foreign kept gay gambler robs Italian tourist

Says it was to cover gambling losses

Reporter: Boonlua Chatree

Giuseppe Baracchi contacted Pattaya tourist police on March 7 after discovering the entire contents of his hotel safety box was missing.

The Italian tourist told police he first noticed his hotel safety box key missing from his room at the Marina Inn in Soi Yen Sabaai, and then immediately checked his safety box at the hotel counter finding the entire contents missing, including his passport, Krung Thai bankbook, airline ticket, and over four million Italian Lira.

Wichien (left) confessed to stealing Giuseppe Baracchi’s money and possessions to cover his gambling losses.

Pattaya tourist police officers questioned hotel employees and collected information indicating the theft probably involved 26 year old Wichien Kansang, who resided at A.R. Apartments in Soi Sukrydee off of Central Pattaya Road. Police went to his room and caught Wichien napping. During a search of the room, all of Baracchi’s possessions were found except for his money. A .38 revolver was also found in the room.

Wichien confessed to stealing the safety box key and told police he was previously employed at a gay bar in Pattaya where he met a foreigner who takes care of him sending 20,000 baht per month. Wichien said he decided to commit the theft to recover his gambling losses and get his TV, refrigerator, stereo and other possessions out of hock.

Wichien was charged for breaking and entering, theft, and faces a charge for possessing an unregistered weapon.

Students from Pattaya City Schools get orientation at “Moral Camp”

Reporter: Vichan Pladplueng

Last week 56 high school students from Pattaya entered the “Moral Camp” program, a 5-day orientation inspiring proper values for young people. The camp took place from March 7-11 at the no-hunting area near Bang Phra Reservoir in Sri Racha District.

Pattaya deputy mayor Watana Chantanawaranon presided over the opening ceremony to welcome the students. The guest speaker was Doctor Kasemsuk Pamornsatit, the chief student counselor in the Pattaya City Education Department.

Students at the Moral Camp wash their own clothing, prepare their own meals and clean up afterwards.

The “Moral Camp” program was created to encourage proper values and train young people to be aware of the associated dangers involved with various types of unacceptable behavior. In addition to behavioral guidance, the program also incorporates techniques to build individual confidence, raise self-esteem, and teach students to take care of themselves.

Students at the camp wash their own clothing, prepare their own meals and clean up afterwards. Following morning chores, the instructors engage each student with different activities under close supervision carried out in the natural environment far away from fast-paced city life and its many temptations.

The camp counselors maintain contact with the students nearly 24-hours each day, developing an older sibling relationship and providing guidance that may have been absent in the home environment.

Many students entering the “Moral Camp” program have very serious inner problems that end up surfacing during their stay. In-depth counseling is provided. Some positive qualities rub-off on some students bringing out forgotten courtesies and in most cases the students’ attitudes change and they are more receptive to help.

Camp counselors say that the short program is quite beneficial and a marked improvement is usually noted in students’ character. Camp instructors and counselors routinely contact the students in school to monitor their progress after leaving the program. Parents and guardians are also consulted and provided with additional information and advice.

The program objective is to help reduce the current social problems facing young people today. Corrective action is a complicated matter that is not expected to be resolved in the near future, but a consolidated effort among communities is underway hoping to realize positive change down the road.

Pattaya gets its own “technology warehouse”

Brits in Trouble

Barry Kenyon describes the consular side of Pattaya

I was invited by the then HM Consul to become Pattaya area consular correspondent (a type of honorary officer) in 1997. Since then I have dealt with more than six hundred cases of varying degrees of complexity, including some Irish and Commonwealth citizens. As British visitors to Pattaya now outnumber those of any other European Union country on a year on year basis, the casework is growing. The referrals come from a variety of sources: the embassy itself, the police (city, tourist and immigration), hospitals, hotels, bars and individuals. As Pattaya continues to expand as a tourist destination and as a centre for retirees and investors, the workload also becomes more complex. My job is essentially to make initial inquiries, take any urgent action and report the findings to the embassy in Bangkok.

Barrie Kenyon

It is important at the outset to stress what the consular section of the embassy cannot do because this is a constant source of misunderstanding. Under Foreign Office regulations, we cannot from public funds pay people’s bills to get them out of trouble, nor offer detailed legal advice. We cannot intervene with the police to get British citizens released, nor spring them from jail. This is because international law prevents us from interfering in the Thai judicial process, just as we would not like it if Thais tried to tell British courts what to do back home. The consular section, for which I work, is not responsible for visa applications by Thai nationals to go to UK. There is not an office in Pattaya funded by the embassy and it is most unlikely there ever will be given the proximity to Bangkok. I work from phone, fax and e-mail and visit the trouble spot in person. Incidentally, this is not supposed to be a full time job.

The Police Station

The most urgent area of casework is generally on the arrests front. Whilst most visitors to Pattaya experience a trouble free vacation, a tiny minority of British citizens end up at the police station with a significant problem. Statistically, the most frequent reason is visa overstay, usually occasioned by a lack of funds, coupled with a reluctance to go home on time. Other categories of arrest include working in Thailand without an authorized permit, inability to pay bar or hotel bills, violence against a Thai national, vehicle accidents, possession or trafficking in an illegal substance and sex offences, notably involving children. Typically, if the police are satisfied that an offence may have been committed, the accused will appear in Pattaya court within forty-eight hours. Both the police and the court have the power to give bail based on a financial guarantee. What happens then depends on the seriousness of the charges. In minor cases, it may be a question of the embassy, through the Foreign Office, contacting friends or relatives in UK for funds to pay the fine and to purchase the air ticket for the deportation which is an automatic consequence of conviction in a Thai court. If the arrested British citizen does not want any consular services, this wish will be respected. I visit the main police station several times a week to ensure British nationals in the system are being treated fairly, and to check for new arrivals.

Chonburi Central Prison

Men - and we have yet to have a British woman appearing in court in Pattaya - accused of serious offences will normally be remanded in custody in Chonburi jail, which is run by the Department of Corrections. The public prosecutor normally begins to present his evidence in court after about three months. The embassy is responsible for prison visiting and advises on prisoners’ rights. We will help with names of local lawyers, if requested, who can apply for bail or conduct the trial defence if necessary. We will try to keep prisoners in touch with their family or friends, if asked, and post letters on their behalf. Financial help is sometimes available through the British charity Prisoners Abroad, partially funded by the Foreign Office, which currently assists 1,200 prisoners in over 60 countries. I visit Chonburi prison on average twice a month. Most guys are anxious to talk at length. A prisoner’s health is of paramount concern. Based on my reports, the consular section will, if necessary, request the prison authorities to allow medical checks from a doctor in the neighbouring government hospital. Thanks to occasional donations from public spirited individuals, I usually manage to take along some sandwiches or fruit since the prison diet is meagre by western standards. Cash donations can be placed in the prisoner’s personal prison account where the maximum daily withdrawal rate is 200 baht, to be spent in the prison shop. The Thai justice system will provide a lawyer only in the most serious cases. It is the individual’s responsibility to hire and pay for his own legal representation. The Foreign Office in London will liase with friends and relatives and suggest ways in which they can help.

Illness and Death

The embassy becomes involved in cases of hospitalization only where a consular service is needed. For example, if a person does not have medical insurance (a most foolish thing to overlook), we can contact the next of kin to explain the predicament. The injured person himself or herself may have funds, say a credit card or travellers’ cheques, or have friends in Thailand willing to contribute to the bill. Matters become more complicated if the individual is unconscious on arrival since private hospitals in Thailand normally require a financial guarantee before performing major surgery. Such cases often involve some quick action and co-operation with the police, for example in verifying ID or visiting the hotel to check for valuables or relevant information. Like all popular holiday destinations, Pattaya has its fair share of deaths. Consular section does not conduct legal or criminal inquiries, but we endeavour to contact next of kin as quickly as possible and, via the Foreign Office, ascertain their wishes about disposal. Foreigners who die in Pattaya are normally transported to the police autopsy unit in Bangkok. If a British citizen is married to a Thai, the wife will typically make the final arrangements for a cremation. The embassy can arrange international transportation subject to funding from insurance, the estate of the deceased or the next of kin.

Miscellaneous Services

Most other consular services are available only in Bangkok, including notarial work, marriage recording and passport replacement or renewal. But a popular tourist resort like Pattaya inevitably throws up urgent problems of an unpredictable nature. Many of these come as referrals from the tourist police who are used to distressed folk turning up on their doorstep. There is not always a simple answer for British citizens who have lost, or had stolen, all their possessions including valuables, credit cards and ID. There are also those who have become mentally ill or have been the victim of a drugs cocktail or Mickey Finn. We also deal with enquiries from relatives in UK who are desperately trying to contact someone in Pattaya because there is a crisis at home, although there is little to be done without a local address. There are even a handful of cases every year of British citizens who have forgotten the name and location of the hotel where they are staying in Pattaya. In all these cases, we do our best within Foreign Office guidelines. Sometimes we have to say “No” and, from time to time, people do try to deceive us. Usually unsuccessfully, I might add.

The Broader Framework

The Foreign Office’s aim is to provide as much help as they can to those who really need it. They publish detailed travel advice, both generally and on individual countries, which can be found, for example, by accessing the Internet at http:www.fco.gov.uk/. The section on Thailand specifically warns about issues such as using only authorized taxis at Bangkok airport, the high costs of uninsured medical treatment and the dangers of getting mixed up in drugs, smuggling and child sex tourism for which the penalties can be very severe. Additionally, there are no social services for foreigners in Thailand. Some matters, such as driving a vehicle uninsured and having an accident, create daily disasters in Pattaya. Anticipating problems in advance, including financial ones, observing Thai laws and customs and keeping your wits about you at all times should mean your time in Pattaya, long or short, goes smoothly.

Copyright 2001  Pattaya Mail Publishing Co.Ltd.
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