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Second Road reverting back to 2-way traffic - temporarily
Beach Road Walking Street plan delayed one week
At approximately 9 a.m. this Saturday, February 16,
Second Road will “temporarily” revert back to 2-way traffic from the
Central Road intersection through to the Dolphin Roundabout. No date has
been set for when it will become one-way again.
This is being done to try and alleviate anticipated
traffic congestion when construction begins next month on Beach Road.
 The
One-Way signs on 2nd Road will be temporarily covered when Second Road
“temporarily” reverts back to two-way traffic at 9 a.m. on Saturday,
February 16.
City planners have also decided to delay the beginning
of the “Amazing Thai Wisdom Fair” for one week. This plan, scheduled
to kick off February 16, but now delayed until February 23, would see
Walking Street extended up Beach Road through to somewhere around the
Central Road intersection, prohibiting vehicular traffic every Saturday
from noon to 2 a.m.
The fair’s organizers said that the reasons for the
delay include waiting for commitments from high ranking officials to
preside over the fair’s grand opening, and allowing planners to work out
some of the possible traffic situations that would result from diverting
vehicular traffic from Beach Road.
The Minister of Interior, Purachai Piumsombun has been
invited to preside over the opening ceremony. The government’s “one
tambon - one product” program will be featured at the weekly fair, as
will traditional Thai entertainment keeping to regional and local customs,
plus Thai boxing, dancing and dozens of exhibition and merchandise booths.
Pattaya traffic police inspector, Pol. Maj. Somchai
Pongsai, announced that the city has organized additional personnel to
help direct traffic during the weekly fair. These additional traffic
directors will come from community volunteers and police officers from
adjacent areas.
He also said that Pattaya 2nd Road, now that it is
temporarily reverting back to two-way from Central to Dolphin Roundabout,
and 3rd Road will be the main routes for north and south bound traffic
during the weekly fair. He supplied copies of the traffic plan supporting
the weekly fair to the city mayor, the district chief officer and the
Pattaya municipal chief of police. At press time, Pattaya Mail had not yet
seen a copy of the plans.
Regarding the Second Road traffic plan, the city’s
traffic organization committee announced that the 30-day trial period was
a success. Aside from a good many businesses along 2nd Road still
objecting to the idea, the change to the one-way system received an 80%
favorable rating in a public opinion survey.
Pattaya traffic police inspector and member on the
traffic organization committee, Pol. Maj. Somchai Pongsai said turning 2nd
Road into a one-way street has many positive advantages and will revert
back to the one-way system following the completion of construction on
Beach Road.
City officials said the road improvements along the
beach are scheduled to be completed within nine months, but the contractor
is confident that the work will be finished within a 5-6 month period. The
construction includes road improvements along the entire stretch of road
budgeted at B102m.
Deputy mayor Nirand Watanasadsathorn said he considers
the trial period for the one-way flow of traffic on 2nd Road was a
success. He said that businesses that oppose the change should be able to
incorporate measures to override any temporary ill effects.
During a February 7 meeting at city hall, other ideas
were proposed to alleviate traffic congestion including designated “baht
bus lanes” and prohibiting large tour buses from turning off Central
Road onto 2nd Road. Neither idea received much favor.
“Time to stop!” Mayor tells business operators obstructing walkway on Beach Road
Also warns responsible officials to “get in line”
Vichan Pladplueng
Mayor Pairat Suttithamrongsawat last week warned
business owners along Beach Road that they will have to stop obstructing
the path. He said that this has been going on long enough, and that it is
time to stop.
 Mayor
Pairat took notes identifying violators obstructing public property on
Beach Road, and vowed that “things will change”.
The mayor and city officials walked the entire length
of Beach Road on February 7, taking notes on infractions and reproaching
business owners who were encroaching onto the public walkways area,
setting up their wares on the footpaths to attract attention.
The mayor tried to reason with the violators, and get
the shop owners to understand that pedestrians were considerably
inconvenienced by this practice. He explained that the footpaths in front
of their shops are not theirs to do with as they please, but are public
access areas for pedestrians.
During the mayor’s discourse with proprietors in the
area he announced the city’s intentions to improve Beach Road and
explained that new construction to improve sidewalks and widen the road
would begin soon. The city has allocated a 35 million baht budget to
support these improvements.
Disturbed and annoyed by the chaos and disorder that
rules the walkways along Beach Road, Mayor Pairat said the lack of
enforcement by responsible officers has also continued for too long. He
said that this cavalier attitude was allowing shopkeepers to do as they
pleased with public walkways. The mayor stressed things were going to
change. “Officials who use their positions for personal advantage or
profit, or those who are not doing their jobs risk losing them,” he
said.
Bali High Pier should be finished ahead of schedule
However, tourist boats are causing work to slow
The Bali High Pier in South Pattaya should be finished
ahead of schedule, although tourist boats using the area are causing a bit
of a headache for planners and workers.
According to Monthol Sudprasert, a civil engineer with
the Ministry of Interior, construction of the pier is about 60% completed,
and there is still 10 months remaining on the contract.
 Monthol
Sudprasert, a civil engineer with the Ministry of Interior, said that
construction of the new Bali High Pier in South Pattaya is about 60%
completed, and should be finished ahead of schedule. The construction
contract expires on December 12.
The Department of Engineers in the Ministry of Interior
is supervising the 238 million baht project. Investors with Bangsaen
Mahanakhorn Ltd. obtained the construction contract and began work in June
2000. The contract finishes on December 12, although progress is steady
and work may be completed a few months before the contract expires,
Monthol reported.
Initially, 120 rai of land was to be filled in, but the
plan was whittled down to filling in only 18.79 rai of land to create the
new pier.
Meanwhile, city administrators, architects and
engineers are having some difficulty trying to decide how to handle the
increasing number of tourist boats that use the area.
There are currently about 450 boats registered with the
Pattaya Tourist Boat Association, and another 100 operating outside the
association. A large percentage of these boats are either launched from or
stored in the area.
The Bali High Cape area was formerly the main parking
lot for boats in the Pattaya Tourist Boat Association. Many boats were
hauled up on shore at the foot of Chalermphrakiat Road, and many more
anchored off shore scattered around the bay.
The chairman of the Pattaya Tourist Boat Association,
Sanit Boonmachai said that some boat owners were hoisting their boats onto
trailers daily and returning home, which poses a nuisance on the roads.
Initially it was a problem just to clear the boats from
the shore at Bali High so construction on the pier could continue. Boats
remaining needed constant rearranging in order to allow convenient working
conditions at the location.
Once the pier is completed only a limited number of
boats will be able to dock at the pier; the remainder will have to seek
out other arrangements. Two-tiered storage has been mentioned as a
possibility.
More talks are planned to come up with better ways to
handle the ever-increasing number of boats operating in Pattaya.
Drainage pipes on Wongamart Beach upset vendors and tourists
However, project should be finished soon
Chakrapong Akkaranant
Large, square-shaped drainage pipes indiscriminately
deposited on Wongamart Beach in Naklua have caused tourists to shy away
from the area. A few tourists show up to gaze at the on-going construction
and hurry away to find a more attractive part of the beach.
 The
huge concrete drainage pipes scattered along Wongamart Beach are upsetting
local vendors.
Vendors that make a day-to-day living working the beach
area are just as dismayed and even more upset over the loss of business
caused by the massive drain pipes scattered on the beach, each standing as
tall as a man.
The on-going construction at the beach is being done to
connect hotels in the vicinity to the city’s wastewater drainage system,
which will transfer wastewater to the treatment plant. As important as the
drainage system is, many residents and tourists feel that the
contractor’s employees were irresponsible in the way that the large
pipes ended up strewn about on the beach all the way to the shores. No
signs were posted giving advance warning and tourists have moved to other
locations leaving the vendors stranded and no longer able to make a
living.
But take heart, the drainage pipe project, under
construction since February of last year, is scheduled for completion by
this coming February 19th, with a budget of B88m from the ministry of
science, technology and environment.
Upon completion of the project, hotels and residential
homes in the side streets off of Soi Wongamart and Naklua Soi 16 will be
connected up to the wastewater drainage system directing the flow through
the pipes along the beach to the pumping station and on to the wastewater
treatment plant.
Underwater museum in Pattaya still on the table
Funding has yet to be obtained
Chakrapong Akkaranant and Veerachai Somchart
The plan to sink decommissioned warships in Pattaya Bay
to create an underwater tourist attraction for divers is still being
sought in order to create a new tourist attraction. The main obstacles are
the B30m needed to support the plan and the desired location has still not
been approved.
City officials and the TAT Central Region 3 Office came
up with the idea over a year ago, and are currently waiting for the
completion of environmental studies.
The area suggested as most suitable to sink the ship
and create the museum is 200-300 meters east of Phai Island. The moderate
prevailing current and the depth of water during ebb and flow tides is
enough to prevent a submerged ship from becoming a navigational hazard.
A location off Samae Beach at Larn Island is the second
choice, and compared to Phai Island may be more feasible because
permission from the Thai Navy to use Phai Island has been difficult to
obtain.
Planners had hoped to use two ships, the Prasare and
the Thachin, but the Royal Thai Navy recently revealed that they sold the
ship “Prasare”, leaving only the Thachin available.
Admiral Suthee Buranasin, the navy’s consultant on
the underwater museum plan, said that both ships, the Prasare and the
Thachin, have played an important role in defending the country’s
sovereignty. Information documenting both ships’ histories needs to be
recorded and official ceremonies must be held before the ships are
officially decommissioned.
Each warship is approximately 92 meters long and 12
meters wide. “The underwater museum created would require divers to have
more experience than the usual diver admiring coral reefs,” Admiral
Suthee said.
The mayor tasked Pattaya’s Ocean Rescue Unit to
survey other possible areas to create the underwater tourist attraction,
and to look at locations near Larn Island, Rin Island, Marawichai Island,
Kleung Badal and Phai Island.
The planning committee intends to maintain contact with
Sattahip Naval Base and the Regional Port Authority to continue pushing
the idea to use Phai Island. Once final decisions are made, another 7-8
months would be needed to prepare the location prior to sinking the ship.
Planners also decided to contact Australian experts
familiar with the intricacies involved in sinking ships and creating
underwater museums.
Royal Thai Navy tries to inspire young people to renounce drugs
Holds anti-drug exhibit and awareness training
Vichan Pladplueng
“If the youth of the nation can be prevented from
having any interest in illegal drugs, the threat and the sale of illegal
drugs would soon disappear,” said Admiral Taweesak Somapa, navy chief of
staff & director of the Navy Drug Prevention and Suppression Center.
 Admiral
Taweesak holds up an example of illicit drugs as he implores students from
Pattaya city schools to stay away from experimenting with drugs.
To attempt to accomplish this, the Royal Thai Navy has
begun a program called “The Navy’s Collective Stance Against Drugs”.
Admiral Taweesak presided over a ceremony on February 6 at the Sattahip
Navy Base to introduce the new program.
The Navy Drug Prevention and Suppression Center’s
program is covering coastal waters and a wide area under the Royal Thai
Navy’s jurisdiction, both on land and at sea, in its mission to suppress
drugs. The center disseminates information on the dangers of drugs and
provides drug rehabilitation for addicts.
 In
all, there are 11 naval units located in all regions around Thailand
operating Drug Suppression and Prevention Centers. They are playing an
important role in dissuading the nation’s youth from experimenting with
dangerous drugs.
Educating the nation’s youth on the dangers involved
in drugs and increasing local awareness is the main objective at the navy
centers. The Navy hopes to save the nation’s youth from the current drug
epidemic and protect the future Thailand.
More than 500 students from three Pattaya city schools
attended the anti-drug program, receiving instruction and observing the
exhibit portraying the dangers of drugs at the Royal Thai Navy Drug
Prevention and Suppression Center in Sattahip.
Local businesses trained to conduct employee drug testing
Governor Chadej targets drug abuse in the workplace
Employees from 70 businesses in Pattaya learned how to
issue drug tests on February 6. Chonburi governor Chadej Insawang, who
opened the in-house drug testing training session at the Pattaya Town in
Town Hotel, described the training session as part of the anti-drug
campaign designed to deter drug use and to protect personnel and property
in the work place.
The training was provided to 150 selected people from
personnel sections from various businesses in the area. The training
involved proper procedures to conduct drug testing on people applying for
employment and employees displaying suspect behavior. Graduates of the
program can also use their newly learned skills for random testing.
Governor Chadej said the nation’s drug epidemic
currently affects every part of society, including educational
institutions, and is a chief contributor to accidents in the workplace.
Citing national statistics, the governor said three
districts in the province are a major concern. Chonburi’s Muang
District, Sriracha and Banglamung were identified as having the highest
number of drug related problems.
The central government’s annual budget allocation to
the drug suppression and prevention agency ranges from .1 - .5 billion
baht and continues to be an added drain on the nation’s economy, the
governor said.
He also said that surveys conducted by nine provincial
teams revealed that drug-related problems in provincial schools at the
secondary grade level outnumber problems at institutions of higher
learning. “But more disturbing,” he said, “was the drug problem
identified in the workplace.”
The Pattaya administrative personnel association,
chaired by the assistant personnel manager at the Pattaya Montien Hotel,
Jarun Boonsompong, arranged the combined training session for the business
community. Pol. Lt. Col. Jirat Phichitpai, the founder and administrator
at the Ban Phoonsri Uppathum Drug Treatment Center in Soi Phothisarn
presented the instruction.
Thai champion boxer dies following bout with Russian
Vichan Pladplueng
Famous Thai boxing champion, Chatchai Phaisithong, also
known as “Samart 2”, died of heart failure at the Bangkok-Pattaya
Hospital following his bout with Russian boxer Alexi Berarut.
The match was one of the many held during the “5th
ISS Brute Force Thai Boxing Match” in North Pattaya on February 2. It
was a tragic result in what was otherwise a well-attended event, with
various charities being sponsored.
 28-year-old
professional boxer Chatchai Phaisithong, also known as “Samart 2”, was
pronounced dead of heart failure at Bangkok-Pattaya Hospital following his
bout with Russian boxer Alexi Berarut.
In the 5th round of Chatchai’s bout against Alexi
Berarut, Chatchai appeared listless and allowed the much taller Russian to
pound away. Chatchai nearly went down on the canvas before the end of the
round. When he began to lose consciousness, the referee stopped the fight
and awarded the Russian a TKO victory.
The referee, trainers and medical personnel rushed to
Chatchai’s aid but he failed to respond. He was then rushed to the
hospital emergency room where artificial respiration was administered. The
28-year-old professional boxer’s condition failed to improve, and at
1.30 a.m. on February 2, the famous boxer was pronounced dead.
The cause of death was given as heart failure, but it
has yet to be determined whether the death was caused from blows received
during the boxing match, as x-rays showed no signs of a cerebral oedema.
Chatchai’s body was covered with bruises and most
conspicuous were contusions in the abdominal area, and the front and back
of his rib cage. The injuries were consistent with those received in a
boxing match.
The late boxing champion Chatchai began training at the
age of ten. During his career he won two championships in the 122-pound
weight class.
Pregnant elephant kills 70-year-old mahout
Vichan Pladplueng
An eight months pregnant elephant went out of control
on February 5 and killed its 70-year-old mahout, Suphat Janla.
Suphat’s son found the body, which had been mauled
and badly trampled, in a field of tall grass near the Ratanasuk Inn in Moo
5, Naklua.
The son of the deceased, Yai Janla, 30, told police
that his father took the 30-year-old elephant, named Phang Nimnual, to
feed behind their residence. He later heard his father screaming for his
life and rushed to his aid, only to discover the trampled body where his
father had been securing the elephant for the night.
Exactly what caused the elephant’s behavior remains
unknown, although police suspect the pregnant elephant was overworked,
causing it to have an ill-temper and she took out her frustrations on
Suphat.
German couple attacked on Soi One
After nearly 3 decades visiting Pattaya, they may never return
Peter and Erika Strehlau, a hard working and thoroughly
charming German couple, have been coming to Pattaya - their favorite place
- for almost 30 years. To them it was a “love affair” at first sight,
when they came upon a pristine, tiny fishing village which they have seen
grow and develop into the Pattaya of today.
 Peter
and Erika, while walking home after a quiet evening together celebrating
37 years of marital bliss, were attacked by motorcycle hoodlums who
dragged Erika down the soi.
Peter and Erika were fastidiously careful in presenting
a modest lifestyle, and never showed any outward appearances of wealth.
Even so, they were only too aware that anywhere in the world - yes, even
in their beloved Pattaya - there are criminal elements undermining the
safety and security of human beings.
Reality struck suddenly and viciously last week. Peter
and Erika did not notice two criminals drive up on a motorcycle behind
them as they were walking home to their hotel on Soi One. When the pillion
rider attempted to grab Erika’s handbag hanging over her shoulder, her
quick reaction was to hold onto the bag. Even when the rider dragged the
bag with Erika still hanging on down the soi, Erika did not let go,
fighting to protect her rightful possessions without any thought of
physical danger.
The robbers finally gave up and let her go, racing down
the soi to Beach Road.
Peter watched with horror as his wife of 37 years was
dragged down the asphalt road, screaming for help. This was more than he
could bear. “We are going back to Germany, immediately,” was his
immediate thought, as he picked up his frail and frightened wife off the
street. Looking for injuries he was even more pained to see that Erika had
bruised her hips and thighs badly. Her knees were bleeding and she could
not move.
“We have been coming here since 1975, have met so
many wonderful people and have nothing but fond memories of this country
and the Thai people.” Now in retirement, they were planning to spend at
least half the year in Pattaya. “But, after this,” said Peter, “I
will not risk the lives of my wife and myself in this dangerous place. We
are devastated.”
Asked why they didn’t report the incident to the
police, he merely said “For what purpose? Nothing is going to happen
anyway. The robbers are probably, right now, attacking other tourists,
with impunity. They have gone and all we’re going to have is a whole lot
of hassle at the police station. What does a tourist do in this
situation?” said Peter with much bitterness.
This incident is even sadder when it was revealed that
Peter and Erika were walking home after a quiet evening together
celebrating 37 years of marital bliss.
Notorious bar in South Pattaya raided by combined force
Owner charged with selling young boys for sex
Vichan Pladplueng
Naris Watanayaem, 42, owner of the Sports Corner Bar in
Sunee Plaza, South Pattaya, was arrested last week for allegedly pimping
young boys. He denied the charges and denied knowing the boys were staying
upstairs at his bar.
Authorities had received numerous reports from
concerned members of the community, many of whom alleged to have witnessed
minors being used in the sex trade. Witnesses told police they had
observed young boys, some who were not yet in their teens, play pool in
the downstairs bar, then watched in horror as foreign pedophiles, mostly
old men, entered the bar and took one or more of the boys through a door
in the back of the bar. Many of the reports were incredulous that this had
been going on for so long, and being done so openly.
Apparently, police finally received so many reports of
the alleged happenings they could no longer ignore them, and on February 7
a combined effort from Banglamung security, Pattaya municipal police and
more than 20 civilian crime prevention volunteers from the district
descended on the bar and performed a noontime raid.
Banglamung security officer Witisak Singhdecho led the
raid, supported Pattaya municipal police officers led by assistant
inspector Police Maj. Piya Unruangarn.
When the combined forces descended on the bar, they
went directly upstairs and found 12 boys sleeping in seven rooms on the
two upper floors. All were taken into police custody and later identified
in three age groups, 13, 14 and 15.
A search of the rooms produced an item used to ingest
methamphetamine drugs. Police also confiscated as evidence numerous used
condoms collected from waste containers in the rooms on the 2nd and 3rd
floors.
Naris was taken into custody and charged with operating
an illegal business in the sex trade and employing underage boys to engage
in the illegal activities conducted on the premises. He denied the charges
and allegedly told police the boys must have sneaked in the place without
his knowledge.
Naris is well known in the expat community, but not for
pedophilia. He has, in the past, been part of many of the local darts and
pool leagues. He was once an active member of the Pattaya Sports Club.
Police are recommending that provincial authorities
permanently close the Sports Corner Bar.
All 12 boys were placed in the care of the Chonburi
Provincial Welfare Office.
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