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Zoning plans make
an about-face
“Plan A” deemed inappropriate
The second entertainment zone in the new zoning plan
would be 100 meters to the west (ocean side) of Pattaya-Naklua Road
through to 50 meters on the other side of Pattaya-Naklua Road from Dolphin
Roundabout to Soi 13 (Wongamat). Entertainment businesses would be allowed
to operate inside this 150 meter wide stretch of land.
It is important to note that this plan still needs
approval from the Ministry of Interior. Once again, the zoning committee
feels this will happen, and that the plan will become law by Royal Decree
within a couple of weeks.
The types of restricted businesses are those set out in
entertainment act 2509 (1966), which includes teahouses, massage parlors,
nightclubs, coffee shops and discos. Also included in the zoning plan are
karaoke businesses, beer bars and go-go bars, and other entertainment
businesses according to directives from the Ministry of Interior.
This plan effectively maps out an entertainment
business area, and all areas falling outside this area would be considered
“off limits” to opening new entertainment businesses.
Under the new plan, all entertainment businesses
currently operating in restricted areas will be unaffected and allowed to
continue unless found in violation of prescribed operating hours or
involved in illegal activity. Inspections are allegedly planned for the
near future. This clause also applies to businesses operating within
authorized zones (i.e., if a business breaks the law, no matter where it
is, it can and will be shut down).
Chonburi governor Sujarit Pachimnan said it was
necessary to revise the previous plan in order to properly control the
entertainment business industry and growing expansion in Pattaya. He said
the designated zones would be beneficial for controlling opening and
closing times. The governor also said that, according to Minister of
Interior Purachai Piemsombul, in the future, businesses in specific
tourist areas deemed appropriate may be allowed to operate beyond
prescribed times, and may be allowed to close as late as 6.00 a.m., and
possibly stay open 24 hours a day. It is, however, doubtful that this
would ever become law.
The new, revised plan was put together after the
Ministry of Interior on June 20 deemed the previous plan as being
inappropriate. “Plan A” would have allowed for entertainment venues to
open up anywhere outside of restricted areas, which could have resulted in
continual expansion and no control.
Chonburi governor Sujarit Pachimnan, Pattaya mayor
Pairat Suttithamrongsawat, and Banglamung district chief Vichien Chawalit
met at City Hall on June 22 to review the zoning plan. Local businessmen,
hoteliers, city council members and police attended, and it was during
this meeting that the new plan was assembled.
Jomtien also became a main topic of discussion, and was
ultimately identified as an area to be maintained as a natural preserve
for tourism. Therefore, according to the new plan, no new entertainment
businesses will be allowed to open in Jomtien. Businesses already
operating in Jomtien would fall under the same guidelines outlined above.
However, not everyone agreed with the new plan. Surat
Mekhawarkul, president of the Pattaya Business and Tourism Association (PBTA)
and Suwat Phaepiromrat, chairman of the Pattaya Hotel Community (PHC),
both said that beer bars and the like now operating along Beach Road are
inappropriate. They said that the sight of beer bars and go-go bars
portray a poor image to chartered tours and families visiting the city and
are just a disguise for the sex industry. Their proposal suggested that
entertainment businesses on Beach Road be directed into side streets and
restricted from operating within a distance of 50 meters from the main
roadway. At press time, their addendums to the plan had apparently not
passed.
All districts in Chonburi were scheduled to submit
input on entertainment business zoning to the provincial office on June 27
to be included with the overall submission to the Ministry of Interior.
U.S. and Thai
Navies launch bilateral exercises
by Ensign Christina Skacan
Commander Destroyer Squadron One Public Affairs
As three U.S. navy ships floated in the background,
American and Royal Thai Sailors and Marines celebrated the opening of the
annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training exercise with pomp,
circumstance and genuine friendship.
“I believe the most important element of that acronym
is the C for cooperation,” said Marie Huhtala, deputy chief of mission to
Thailand.
“Today, few nations ‘go it alone’ in dealing with a
natural or man-made catastrophe or in managing a difficult search and rescue
mission. It is critical that our armed forces have the opportunity to train
together in order to better manage real-world challenges.”
Approximately 4,000 American and Thai Sailors, Marines,
Soldiers and Coast Guardsmen will participate in bilateral surface, air,
submarine and amphibious exercises during a two-week period. Combined, the
two nations will use 16 ships and 12 aircraft.
“CARAT aims to enhance regional cooperation and improve
interoperability that is vitally important for possible future operations
involving U.S. and Thai forces,” said Capt. Gary Erickson, commodore of
the U.S. contingent.
“There is much we can learn from each other,”
Erickson told the 250 Sailors and Marines and more than 100 distinguished
guests from both countries who attended the opening ceremony.
Beyond military exercises, CARAT incorporates cultural
exchanges as well. Sailor-athletes from each country will compete in sports
events. And they’ll participate in a variety of engineering, medical and
dental civic action projects.
“Our knowledge and experience gained is not only for
the U.S. and Thai Navies, but for the Sattahip people - for example the
dedication of the Anakeprasong building at the Baan Khoa Buy Sri school in
Sattahip and the medical and dental visits to drought-ridden rural areas,”
said Rear Adm. Kanitakung Sirichai, commander, Attack Force CARAT.
This marks this seventh anniversary of the exercise in
Thailand. CARAT is a series of bilateral exercises that takes place
throughout the Western Pacific each year. Thailand is one of six countries
participating. The U.S. CARAT crew will stop in Indonesia, the Philippines,
Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei as well.
USS Rushmore (LSD 47), USS Wadsworth (FFG 9), USS Curts (FFG
38), all homeported in San Diego, Calif., make up the CARAT Task Group.
Elements from III Marine Expeditionary Force, Okinawa, Japan; a U.S. Coast
Guard mobile detachment from Alameda, Calif., and members of Explosive
Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 5, Detachment 53 from Guam will also
participate.
The exercise includes the U.S. Navy 7th Fleet Band,
Orient Express, from Yokosuka, Japan; Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 37
from Kaneohoe Bay, Hawaii and P3C Orion aircraft from Patrol Squadron 46,
deployed to Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan.
Leaders say this year’s CARAT Thailand is “robust”
thanks to all the players, including Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit 1,
Detachment 7 from Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Aerial Targets Detachment from Fleet
Activities Okinawa, Japan; Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion
1, homeported in Gulfport, Miss., forward deployed to Guam; and a group from
Mobile Mine Assembly Unit 10, from Okinawa, Japan.
Army vets will support CARAT as well with veterinarian
civic action projects in local communities in and around Sattahip.
Assault Craft Unit 5, Camp Pendleton, Calif.; Third Naval
Construction Battalion; Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit One, Det. 7 and
Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 5, all based out of Pearl Harbor,
Hawaii, are participating. USS Los Angeles (SSN 688), homeported in Pearl
Harbor, Hawaii, will take part in the exercise too. And crews with the P3C
Orion aircraft from Patrol Squadron 46, deployed to Kadena Air Base,
Okinawa, Japan will work with their host nation counterparts.
Beware of young
woman who hires services but doesn’t pay
Local businesspeople seek media help
Chakrapong Akkaranant
Remember the character “Wimpy” in the Popeye
cartoon and his trademark phrase of “I’ll gladly pay Tuesday for a
hamburger today”? Well a young woman in Pattaya has been mimicking Wimpy
with some success and upsetting business owners after not paying as
promised.
 Beware
of this woman: Ripol Masomdee has been going around South Pattaya hiring
services and not paying for them.
Mrs. Somsong Pattapong, the owner of a beauty shop in
Soi VC recently paid a visit to the Pattaya Mail offices to bring
this situation to light. She requested help from the news editor,
Veerachai Somchart. Mrs. Pranee Seednas, the owner of the Sana Restaurant
located in the same vicinity, accompanied the beauty shop owner and the
two women related their plight hoping the press could be more helpful than
the office of local law enforcement.
Mrs. Somsong described how she was tricked into
performing 6,000 baht worth of hair care for a woman. The woman then said
she was unable to pay for the expensive hair care involving a long and
tedious process of making hair extensions. However, the young woman
convinced the beauty shop owner that payment would be made on the
following day, and she was allowed to leave. Needless to say she failed to
return as promised.
Somsong added that she had just opened the beauty shop
last month and was trying to build up a strong relationship with
customers. After discussing the incident with others she found out that
the woman was terrorizing the area, performing similar ruses without
paying for services rendered.
Mrs. Pranee was another victim. She said the young
woman ordered a large amount of food claiming a foreigner had sent her out
to get it. She later refused to pay, stiffing both her and the restaurant.
The ripped-off business owners got wind that the woman,
now referred to as “tramp” and later identified as Ripol Masomdee, 24,
was sauntering around trying to catch tourists near Soi B.J. in South
Pattaya’s Walking Street, and police were summoned to assist. They
explained their story to the officer on duty at the Pattaya police
station, Pol. Maj. Preecha Samryt, who recorded it in the daily police
ledger. Ripol was remanded to custody, but quickly released with police
officers asserting that it was not a criminal matter. They called it a
civil case requiring the plaintiffs to seek retribution in court.
Flabbergasted, the business owners found it difficult
to comprehend that not paying for services rendered was a matter for the
civil court. Somsong asked Pattaya Mail to circulate this story to
prevent others from falling victim to what the police describe as a breach
of contract, when the tramp never intended to pay to start with.
However, one small consolation was won when police had
Ripol sign a statement agreeing to have her hair extensions cut off, and
failure to complete the hair treatment would result in added charges
against her.
Pictures of Ripol were also taken for display in South
Pattaya warning other businesses to beware of her exploits. She has
allegedly accumulated more than 100,000 baht in unpaid services from
various businesses.
Both Mrs. Somsong and Mrs. Pranee were not fully
satisfied with the response received from police but hope that the
circulated pictures and this printed story will attract others duped by
Ripol to come forward, resulting in more complaints registered with
Pattaya police.
Yaba addict gets
lucky break from police following employer’s suggestion
Boonlua Chatree
Choi Ponda, 20, from Ubon Province caught a lucky
break. After ingesting yaba and causing a scene at work, his employer,
fearing reprisal, opted not to press charges and turned him over to the
drug treatment center instead.
The owner of the K. Bhatr Construction Depot on South
Pattaya Road contacted Pattaya’s city police on the afternoon of June
25th requesting their assistance in restraining Choi, who he described as
undergoing a drug induced rage.
During his bizarre behavior he was non-responsive to
police questioning. After 20 minutes of wasted attempts to bring Choi
under control, his fellow employees offered assistance and police officers
were told that Choi was obviously disturbed over an unknown personal
problem. They said he had been acting extremely depressed for the past few
days, although no one volunteered information that he had resorted to
illegal substance abuse.
Choi’s employer said his presence was no longer
wanted at work, but offered to turn over his remaining wages, fearing
reprisals later on, and suggested that Choi’s fellow employees, if they
were so inclined, escort Choi to the Ban Phoonsri Uppathum Drug Treatment
Center in Naklua.
An agreement was made and police assisted in
transferring Choi to seek treatment, leaving the man with a stern warning
that arrest awaited him if he caused any further trouble in the future.
New
Zealander found dead
Boonlua Chatree
Suicide suspected
Allan Leonard Dlinton, a 31-year-old tourist from New
Zealand, was found dead in his hotel room on Pattaya 2nd Road. A leather
belt had been wrapped around the neck and attached to the bathroom door.
The hotel cleaning lady, Miss Suphin discovered the body on June 18 at
around 4.00 p.m.
Police investigators found no evidence of a struggle.
The Banglamung medical examiner said the condition of the body suggested
the death occurred 2-3 hours before police arrived.
The body was transferred to the police forensic lab for
further examination.
Miss Suphin told police investigators that Dlinton was
a regular at the hotel who frequented Pattaya 2-3 times a year. Miss
Suphin said that Dlinton had just related his troubles to her a few days
earlier, describing an unrequited love affair with a girl from a local
beer bar. He told her that he was so miserable over her rejection that he
no longer wanted to live. Miss Suphin said she didn’t take his remark
seriously and offered no advice.
Skeleton found in
Naklua
Police haven’t a clue
Boonlua Chatree
A local villager discovered a set of human remains on
June 24 in a secluded area near Soi Beung Noi Fishing Pond, approximately
200 meters behind the South Naklua cathouse in Moo 6, Nong Prue
sub-district.
Investigating police and personnel from the Sawang
Boriboon Rescue Foundation trekked through three-meter tall elephant grass
to the area, where bone fragments and pieces of female clothing were
scattered near a trail leading to the other skeletal remains. The skull
was surrounded by long black hair and a one-meter length of red nylon rope
was around the neck area.
Nothing was found that would help identify the body.
Police have no clue as to who it was, but hope evidence will turn up after
forensic tests.
No flesh was attached to the skeletal remains
suggesting the body was exposed to the elements for at least two-months.
An unidentified
body of young man found on railway tracks
A railway worker had a rather gruesome discovery whilst
making his rounds last week. A young man’s body, severed in half, was
lying across the railroad tracks about 500 meters from the nearest road
crossing.
Police and Sawang Boriboon personnel were called to the
scene. The body was described as having a fair complexion, approximately
160-165 cm tall, but had no identification.
Police surmise the man must have been drunk and had
fallen asleep on the tracks. The late night freight train from Rayong
transporting liquid petroleum gas must have run over the body without
realizing what had happened.
The body was transferred to Banglamung Hospital to await
relatives to collect it for the necessary funeral rights.
Pattaya to
experience partial Lunar Eclipse on July 5
If the weather is clear on the night of July 5, people in
Pattaya should be able to view the year’s second lunar eclipse, although
this one will only be a partial eclipse. The magnitude of the eclipse will
be 0.499, or about half the moon will be covered.
For you heavens watchers out there, the moon will rise at
19:37. The Penumbral Eclipse (when the Earth’s shadow first begins to pass
over the moon) begins at 20:10, but most observers will be unable to detect
any shading during the first half hour or so. The Partial Eclipse begins at
21:35. The Greatest Eclipse (middle of eclipse) will be at 22:55. The
Partial Eclipse ends at 00:15. The Penumbral Eclipse ends at 01:39. The moon
will set at 07:14.
For the more experienced star gazer, the eclipse will
occur in eastern Sagittarius three degrees north of Nunki (Sigma Sag). The
event is a moderate partial eclipse with the Moon’s northern limb dipping
15 arc-minutes into Earth’s umbral shadow.
The next solar eclipse in this part of the world will
happen on June 10 next year.
U.S. Navy Sailor
goes home to Thailand
by JO1 Joseph E. Krypel, CARAT Public Affairs
A Thai Sailor in Thailand? Not unusual - unless that
Sailor is in the Unites States Navy supporting an annual exercise in the
Western Pacific region.
 ET1
(SW) Suthichai S. Nolpho
ET1 (SW) Suthichai S. Nolpho. Nolpho, born in Thailand,
now serves aboard USS Rushmore (LSD 47) as part of the annual Cooperation
Afloat Readiness and Training exercise known as CARAT 2001.
At 12, Nolpho, who lived in San Diego, Calif., moved to
the United States with his father in 1978.
“Most of my family is still in Ubon. And they are very
proud that I am able to serve my new country in such a special way.”
Although he visits Thailand regularly with his Thai wife,
Sumalee, the Sailor says this visit is extra special.
“I’m very excited about coming to my birth nation as
part of CARAT. I feel like an ambassador in the exercise to my Thai Navy
counterparts.”
“Visits like this always bring me back to my childhood.
There is so much beauty here, and I’m very glad that the Sailors from my
new country get to interact with the Sailors from my native land.”
CARAT exercises allow Thai and U.S. Sailors and Marines a
chance to get to know each other; understand each other’s cultures, and
learn about how their jobs are done in the East and West.
While the navies of the two nations share many
similarities, Nolpho reflects on some differences in lifestyles. “Life in
Thailand is very hard. Everyone in the family must work, and there is little
opportunity to make something of yourself. But for the Sailors of both
nations, life is a bit more fair. While difficult at times, both navies
provide a means of advancement and betterment through hard work and
accomplishment.”
Accomplishment is a mindset for Nolpho. The 10-year Navy
veteran recently took his chief’s advancement exam. On his first try, he
became board eligible. His past duties have helped him achieve his current
position as leading petty officer in Rushmore’s electronics division’s
operations department. He supervises eight junior Sailors.
Nolpho, Sumalee and their boys, Benjamin and Franklin,
visit their families in Thailand every two years.
Panthers and
Panties pomp it up for the season end
The Pattaya Panthers and Panties held their inaugural end
of season dinner at Shenanigans Irish Pub last weekend. Landlord Kim
Fletcher was dressed for the occasion and feeling like a stuffed penguin in
tuxedo and Jim Howard a bright multi-coloured suit with Pink Panther Socks.
The wayward mascot adorned with bra and silk underwear also turned up for
the event of the rugby year.
 The
Pattaya Panties put the boys to shame during their toast
The crowd grew to over 90 who joined the Panthers and
Panties to celebrate the end of season with a 3-course dinner and wine.
Jim Howard, MC for the evening, instructed everyone that
there would be no smoking during dinner and no one was to eat before grace,
with the exception of Gethin Thomas who was subsequently fined 500 baht for
his blasphemy. The money is going towards sponsorship for the Jesters
Charity Drive. An empty beer jug was also placed on each table with all
donations going to the charity drive.
Grace came in the guise of David Garred (aka Forrest) who
blessed all with his version of thanks to the almighty referee in the sky.
After which everyone dug in to enjoy the feast put on by Shenanigans, whilst
the wine flowed.
After dinner the traditional toasts were given, followed
by the presentation of Club Player of the Year, Most Improved Player and
Player’s Player. In true gentleman style the Panties were given the stage
and Karen Pennington made the presentation to the lively Panties team,
followed by what can only be called a tribute to rugby players across the
world (well, at least for those who can scull beer quicker than water),
proving their place amongst the rugby fraternity.
Next up, the Panthers Captain Adrian Sparrow presented a
host of awards, even though he was still reeling from the Panties’
tremendous beer drinking skills. The ever-likeable Moose was given a bib for
his efforts during the British Army tour, as he had been taken outside and
burped after spitting the proverbial dummy.
The more serious awards were given out by Captain Sparrow
to Club Player of the Year David Garred, Most Improved Player Paul Crouch
and Players’ Player of the Year Barry Daniels, who will leave Pattaya to
teach in Phuket. After the formalities were over for the evening, the
drawing of the raffle commenced, the grand prize being a Lions Jersey. The
crowd then danced and partied on to the small hours of the morning.
Chris Kays, the main organizer for the evening, who was
ably assisted by those too many to mention, pulled of great evening of fun,
as well as raising funds for the club and local charities.
The next season, set to start in September, will see the
Panthers and Panties with new faces as a number the current players and
supporters will be moving on to new cities, towns and countries. The new
season will also see Rugby in Pattaya going to the next level, as more
international teams and tours are planned.
The Panthers would like to express their thanks to all
the sponsors and supporters throughout the year, namely Gareth and Catherine
Attwood and John McGarry of Foster Wheeler and Ellis Vanardo of General
Motors.
Representatives from other Rugby Clubs present were Eddy
Evans from the British Club and Mike Grassafi from the Southerners.
During the evening 33,000 baht was raised out the 50,000
required to be a Gold Sponsor for this year’s Jesters Charity Drive.
Updated every Friday
Copyright 2001 Pattaya Mail Publishing Co.Ltd.
370/7-8 Pattaya Second Road, Pattaya City, Chonburi 20260, Thailand
Tel. 66-38 411 240-1, 413 240-1, Fax: 66-38 427 596
Updated by
Chinnaporn Sungwanlek, assisted by Boonsiri Suansuk.
E-Mail: [email protected]
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