Zoned areas could remain open until 4 a.m.

Jomtien residents protest beach construction

City says its beneficial to tourism and the environment

About 100 Jomtien residents and beach vendors gathered on October 24 to protest the construction along Jomtien Beach Road. Their main complaints were that it will hurt tourism rather than help it, and it will destroy the natural setting of the beach.

The early stages of construction have been upsetting local residents.

The city is constructing 14 resting points along a 5 kilometer stretch of beachfront property in Jomtien. The construction includes a walkway, bicycle path, and steps leading to the water.

The protesting residents and beach business operators held up banners stating that the construction is actually destructing the beach area’s natural beauty, and that the area is the “last untouched beach area in Pattaya”.

The protestors also complained city administrators neglected to consult the public before beginning the project.

Mayor Pairat Suttithamrongsawat addressed the disgruntled protestors, and told them the objective of the project was to not only attract more tourists to the area but also to prevent further erosion along the beach.

Protestors hold up banners depicting their dissatisfaction with the destruction of the beach’s natural beauty and identifying the specific area as the last untouched beach in Pattaya.

The mayor said the construction project is being supported by the TAT, with 28% of the cost funded by the Thai government and the balance coming from the (Japanese) Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund (OECF), through the Japan Bank for International Cooperation.

The mayor told the group that the completed project would be an impressive tourist attraction that would be beneficial to everyone in the local area. He said visiting tourists would have access to convenient resting areas along the five-kilometer stretch of beach, and that the project would provide attractive walkways and other improvements.

Mayor Pairat tried to reassure the group and said that if necessary he would have representatives from the Tourist Authority of Thailand (TAT) and the architects explain the anticipated results.

Architects from the ATT Consultant Company Ltd. designed the layout of the project. The construction contract was awarded to the Wiwat Engineering Company.

The mayor also said, if deemed absolutely necessary, the entire plan could be presented before the city council and if found to be detrimental to the natural environment, the project could be called to a halt and revised before continuing any further.

Jomtien man confesses to sexually abusing his 13-year-old daughter

Girl found begging on Jomtien Beach

Boonlua Chatree

Sombun Suksawat, 37, was arrested last week for sexually abusing his 13-year-old daughter since she was 10-years-old. Sombun confessed to the crime, but denied he forced his daughter to have sex.

Welfare workers found the girl begging on Jomtien Beach. After questioning her, they took her to the children’s welfare department for help.

After learning her plight, officials from the Pattaya and Chonburi children’s welfare department, accompanied by Veerawit Veewatphanich, the deputy provincial governor, contacted Banglamung police and registered charges against her father, Sombun Suksawat.

Sombun Suksawat, 37, confessed to sexually abusing his 13-year-old daughter.

The young girl told police her father had remarried soon after her biological mother passed away. The girl was only 2-years-old at the time. Now 13-years-old, she said that she and one other sibling lived with Sombun and her stepmother.

The girl told officials that her guardians forced her to beg on Jomtien Beach. If she was unable to bring in 1,500 baht a day, she said her father would beat and chastise her, and threaten physical abuse. Later, she said that her father began sexually molesting her. She said this began around the time she was age ten.

The young girl said the daily torture of threats, physical and sexual abuse increased, and recently her father began to trail close behind as she begged from tourists on the beach. When confronted by officials on Jomtien Beach and questioned about her existence, she said she freely told them everything as she was unable to face her ordeal any longer.

Police, accompanied by the deputy governor and officials from the welfare department, arrested Sombun Suksawat at his residence in Moo 2, Naklua.

Sombun confessed to the charges of sexually molesting his daughter. He also told officials that he sent his daughter out to beg because she was the oldest child in the family and had to help make ends meet.

The deputy governor asked police to press all available charges against Sombun and lobbied for maximum punishment. He also asked, for the safety of the rest of the community, that no bail be set.

The girl was provided with medical care.

Transvestite arrested for stealing from tourist

Daeng Wongsoongnuen, a 52-year-old katoey from Nakornrachasima Province, was arrested for stealing 18,000 baht from an elderly Englishman.

Austin Manning (left) points out the culprit who stole his wallet and passport.

Austin P. Manning, 73, reported that while he was walking in front of Chaimonkol temple intersection, he was approached by what seemed to him to be a woman with long hair. After some talk they decided to go up to a rented room nearby.

He said the person then started to embrace him while reaching for his wallet. He said he tried to get his wallet back, but the supposed woman was very fast and was able to flit away and disappear. The wallet contained his passport and 18,000 baht in cash.

After the report, the police showed Austin several pictures, one of which was of his lady-boy of the night.

Daeng was later apprehended in his room behind Bungalow 94 in Soi Kophai. Daeng denied the charges, but Austin reassured police that the lady-man in question was the culprit. Daeng is now under police custody waiting for his or her trial.

Nine drug agents arrested in Pattaya

14,857 methamphetamine  pills confiscated

Boonlua Chatree

Two women, Samniang Prailaharn and Paichit Panichkul, were arrested for drugs late last month by undercover region 2 narcotics suppression police officers. At the time of their arrest, the women were in possession of 4,860 methamphetamine pills.

During interrogation, the two women provided information leading to the arrest of seven other members of their drug gang that had been distributing methamphetamine drugs in Pattaya.

The seven other gang members were all males and the arrests were made within a 12-hour period following the first two arrests.

The results of the sting operation included a total of 14,857 methamphetamine pills, 2,000 baht in cash, mobile phones and an assortment of gold chains being confiscated.

Irish tourist overdoses in hotel room

Irish national Bill Bostroy, 38, was found dead on October 24 in his South Pattaya hotel room.

Mrs. Prathin Kruama, the housekeeper at the hotel told police that the tourist had checked into the hotel many days ago and everything seemed to be normal. On the day of the death she had used a spare key to enter the room for cleaning, as she thought he may have gone out as usual, but instead she found the body in the room and informed the police.

Investigating police found a tube containing a white substance believed to be cocaine on the bedside table. Police surmise the man had died 5 hours earlier from a drug overdose.

The body was sent for autopsy to determine the actual cause of death.

Hundreds of people pay homage to the beloved King Chulalongkorn

Chaiyapruk trash site closing nears

Benevolent organizations donate wheelchairs to Redemptorist Center

Updated every Friday
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Updated by Chinnaporn Sangwanlek, assisted by Boonsiri Suansuk.
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