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Angry mobs crash Prime Minister’s party in Maptaput
Force delayed beginning to mobile cabinet meeting
Veerachai
Somchart
Over 5,000 protesters mobbed the front of the Maptaput
Industrial Estate office on June 21, effectively delaying the start to
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s mobile cabinet meeting on the
Eastern Seaboard. Blocked by the angry mob, the PM could not convene the
meeting on time.
Police had their hands full dealing with the huge
number of people who demanded help solving problems in the region.
 Prime
Minister Thaksin Shinawatra confronts an angry mob that had gathered in
front of the Maptaput Industrial Estate office where the prime
minister’s mobile cabinet meeting took place. The protesters blocked the
prime minister’s entry to the office and effectively delayed the start
of the meeting.
Tensions were running high, as many of the
demonstrators feared the prime minister would not take the time to
sincerely respond to them. However, after the protesting groups each
submitted their petitions to the Thai premier, the mob eventually
dissolved.
Six groups of social organizations from Chonburi and
Rayong provinces crowded in front of the office to protest.
The Khao Chamao conservative group from Rayong
protested against the construction of a stone mill by Silapetch Co, Ltd.
in Khao Chamao areas.
Employees of Petrochemical Thai Co, Ltd. (TPI) urged
the government to open a dialogue with TPI about threats to lay off 7,000
employees. TPI went bankrupt and had to adopt a restoration plan from
Effective Planners Co, Ltd. (EPL).
Rayong’s environmentalist groups gathered at
Trokyaichai Temple before they marched over to the front of the Maptaput
Industrial Estate office to protest against the power plant construction
by BLCP Power Co. Ltd. They filed a formal petition against the power
plant construction and presented it to the prime minister.
Local residents from Khao Tabaek areas in Chonburi
Province asked the government to resolve the problem of ownership of local
residents’ land which overlaps land owned by the Thai military.
Residents of Samet Island requested that the
infrastructure system on the island be upgraded and more efficiently
administered.
And finally, a group of Ban Jak’s local residents in
Ban Chang District, Rayong Province urged the prime minister to help them
sort out the problems of license ownership of the land that overlaps
national forest reserves.
PAGE 3: Police had their hands full dealing with the
huge number of protesters who demanded the government help solve problems
in the region.
Pattaya City warns Larn Island restaurant owners and beach vendors
Don’t profiteer from or hassle tourists
Veerachai Somchart
Pattaya City Administration is scrutinizing Koh Larn
closely and plans to reverse some of the degradation to the tourist island
which has been getting worse in the past years. Recently, city officials
sent workers to bulldoze businesses that were not only encroaching on
public land but doing business without proper authorization.
Freelance
vendors peddling their wares to tourists on the beach at Larn Island are
upsetting established business owners on the island.
This week city officials and Larn Island’s general
committee called together operators of 16 restaurants and 40 vendors for a
meeting to resolve the issue of fleecing tourists by overcharging them and
thus damaging Pattaya’s image in the tourist industry. Unfortunately,
the turnout at the meeting was disappointing.
Bunjonsin Pharnson, head of the Larn Island committee
said the problems were brought to the attention of the committee and the
city after a number of tourists complained of the large number of
wandering vendors disturbing them while relaxing on the island.
The Government & Private Sector (G&PS)
Committee agrees that Pattaya City Administration should create order and
address problems on Larn Island, thereby benefiting all legitimate
business operators on the island.
Currently, a number of the restaurants cooperate with
tour guides to bring groups of tourists, especially visiting Chinese, to
eat at specific restaurants, where the tour guides often receive a
commission. These restaurants and vendors have worked out a mutual
agreement which seems to work without animosity.
However, there are still a number of freelance
operators on Larn Island beaches that negatively affect the tourist trade.
Some 14 to 16 restaurants operate in conjunction with wandering vendors
who peddle their goods on the beaches. The vendors that operate
independently were told not to sell their goods, as these restaurants and
their vendors are unwilling to compete for the tourist trade.
Deputy Mayor Niran Wattanasartsathorn said, “A
resolution to these problems must come from a suitable agreement with all
parties so everyone understands the rules and all individuals and
businesses can mutually cooperate in this zone.”
“Some of these restaurants that work in tandem with
tour companies and guides do not want other vendors to sell their goods on
the beaches or inside the restaurants because these businesses sell the
same type of goods,” Niran explained.
“The city administration wants both sides to
cooperate in resolving this issue and stop restaurants and vendors from
taking advantage of tourists by overcharging them. There is no reason
tourists cannot be charged a fair price for their food and shopping on the
island. Also, visitors should have the opportunity to chose what they want
to buy and from whom they make their purchases. One group should not have
a monopoly that closes out other entrepreneurs,” Niran added.
Solving this dispute in a fair and inclusive manner
will not be easy since only 3 of the Larn Islands restaurant owners and 40
vendors who ply their wares on the beach showed up at the meeting. This
indicates a serious lack of interest in resolving the issue.
The other business operators obviously want to keep
their market protected by trying to prevent other vendors from selling
their goods. The city may opt to allow these vendors to rent booths on the
Larn Island pier, where all boats will dock in the future, rather than
have wander the beaches disturbing tourists.
Banglamung district chief expresses concern over rising social problems
Focus put on drug abuse, illegal entertainment and traffic
Suchada Tupchai and Laor Thongpradap
Rising social problems, increased crime, accidents and
teenage hoodlum behavior are giving the powers that be in our region a big
headache. Therefore, Banglamung District administrators are planning to
target three major areas of immediate concern: drug abuse and trafficking,
illegal entertainment venues, and enforcement of traffic regulations. All
three are going to receive increased attention.
 Banglamung
District Chief Chaen Chuensiva
On June 18, Banglamung District Chief Chaen Chuensiva
chaired a meeting of the Banglamung district security and order committee,
and the committee of drugs prevention and protection center. Thirty
representatives from both the government and private sectors attended the
meeting.
The district chief officer declared that citizens and
authorities have to be aware of today’s rising social problems and work
hand in hand to solve them. As there has been an increase in drugs abuse,
especially among teenagers, the district chief urged the government to put
more effort into finding solutions to deal with these issues.
The chief went on to say that entertainment businesses
must be strictly monitored and forced to comply with the social order
control policy which states that no customers under 20 years are allowed
on the premises. Drugs and weapons must be strictly prohibited. All lewd
and indecent shows should be stopped and places that harbor prostitution
should be closed down.
The number of street accidents in Chonburi Province is
among the highest in the nation. In fact, the province lists in the top
three over the past 10 years. Concerning this shocking statistic, the
district officer urged police to strictly monitor traffic. Traffic
officers must be more diligent in enforcing traffic laws and helmet laws,
and arresting drunk and drugged drivers.
The district chief said that recently there have been a
number of notifications to police officers about setting 5,000 baht
rewards for informers who report information that leads to prosecution of
drug traffickers.
Committee members acknowledged that the only way to
solve some of these problems is to take a tough stance and make it stick.
Occasional crackdowns only send a message that law enforcement is
intermittent and temporary.
Pattaya releases three million sea turtles, fish, shrimp and crabs
Pattaya Bay once again abundant with life
On June 20, the city administration organized the
release of 3 million sea animals into Pattaya Bay. Sea turtles, fish,
shrimp and crabs were all set free, released just offshore.
Governor Chadej Insawang and Mayor Pairat
Suttithamrongsawat jointly presided over the opening ceremony at Pattaya
Beach in front of Sois 4 and 5, as a crowd of Pattaya residents, tourists,
students and teachers watched.
(L to
R) Mayor Pairat Suttithamrongsawat, vice president of Pattaya City Council
Adisorn Phonlookin and Governor Chadej Insawang begin the release of 3
million sea turtles, fish, shrimp and crabs into Pattaya Bay.
Governor Chadej said, “This activity is part of a
project to promote fisheries in Pattaya, as well as tourism and fishing -
currently a popular sport among foreigners.”
He went on to explain, “Apart from promoting the
quality of Pattaya’s seawater and tourism in Chonburi, releasing marine
life into Pattaya Bay will also help improve the condition of the sea in
Pattaya Bay, as water quality tests must be conducted before the breeds
can be released in order to assure that the marine life will survive. The
project will also help improve the image of tourism in Pattaya, as once
Pattaya Bay was quite notorious for its polluted waters.”
Elementary school children learn about dental care
Don’t forget to floss!
Suchada Tupchai
Statistics from Pattaya’s Public Health and
Environment Division show that 44.5% of elementary school children in
Pattaya have dental problems. 28.95% are of a serious nature.
 Deputy
Mayor Wuttisak Ruemkijkarn awards a prize to the girl voted as having the
most ‘beautiful teeth’.
Pattaya has plenty of dental clinics in the city, but
obviously parents and children need more information about how to prevent
dental problems and need to learn good dental hygiene.
The Pattaya Public Health and Environment Division,
therefore, organized a “dental care for elementary school kids”
exhibition at Pattaya Municipal School #3 on June 21, to teach students
how to look after their teeth.
Pattaya Deputy Mayor Wuttisak Ruemkijkarn presided over
the opening of the activities. Pattaya municipal officers, public health
officers, teachers and students attended the exhibition.
Pictures of dental diseases were exhibited and the
students performed different shows about dental care. A ‘beautiful
teeth’ contest was held, and there was a demonstration of the correct
way of brushing teeth.
The deputy mayor also gave toothbrushes to students to
support the dental care activity.
PM Thaksin sets strategies for Eastern Seaboard development
Addresses industries, agriculture and tourism
Veerachai Somchart
At the conclusion of the mobile cabinet meeting on the
Eastern Seaboard, which ended on June 23, Prime Minister Thaksin
Shinawatra set strategies for Eastern Seaboard development. The proposed
strategies focused on 3 main development issues: industry, agriculture and
tourism.
The prime minister urged that both the government and
private sectors continue to provide Laem Chabang Industrial Estate with
free space for more investment, and that the estate further improve its
transportation facilities to compete with other countries.
The prime minister assigned Sonthaya Khunpluem,
chairman of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, to take
charge of resolving environmental problems. Minister Khunpluem will be
tasked with controlling waste disposal systems, especially toxic dumping,
at all of the industrial plants in the region.
A special committee under the supervision of the
Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Commerce, and the Ministry of
Industry, was set up to take charge of agricultural problems, and will
cover production, sales, preservation, and subsidy.
The prime minister also visited a royal black tiger
shrimp production project at Kungkraben Bay, Chantaburi Province. The
project’s environmentally friendly seawater irrigation system has been
very successful, and the prime minister proposed introducing the new
irrigation system to the Fisheries Department for further research. He
also suggested finding a “pioneer province” to process black tiger
shrimp. The PM said he expects the project will help improve the mangrove
environment in the region.
Finally, the prime minister said an independent public
organization will be established to run the country’s tourism
development, and that the organization will start with Koh Chang.
Plodprasop Suraswadi, director-general of the Forestry Department, was
appointed chairman of the functional committee of eco-tourism
administration and will supervise the independent public organization in
making policies on Koh Chang development.
Having visited local vineyards, the prime minister also
gave some advice to local vine producers, urging that they allow
specialists from Kasetsart University to supervise production.
Sanit Boonmarchai wins city council seat
Earns landslide victory in local bi-election
Veerachai Somchart
Sanit Boonmarchai of the Rak Pattaya Party, the same
party as the mayor and every other city council member in Pattaya, won
last weekend’s city council bi-election. Pattaya’s newest council
member won by a landslide, garnering 5,647 votes. His nearest rival,
Jaroon Kasemsantithum received 1,371 votes.
Pattaya
Mayor Pairat Suttithamrongsawat (right) celebrates getting another Rak
Pattaya Party candidate onto the city council. Sanit Boonmarchai (center)
won the election in a landslide.
Election statistics showed that just 17.6 percent of
the 53,701 eligible voters turned out to cast their ballot. Voting was
slow in the morning due to some rainfall, but those who did vote made
their way to the ballot boxes between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Urit Nansurasak vacated the city council seat when he
was appointed Pattaya’s 4th deputy mayor.
Boonmarchai received support from his local party, Rak
Pattaya and a number of local officials, including the well-known mayor of
Saensuk Municipality, Somchai Khunpluem.
In all, there were eight nominees running for the seat.
The results: No. 1 Sanit Boonmarchai 5,647 votes. No. 2 Veerachai
Sumetsawasdee 1,343. No. 3 Pai Mungkung 441. No. 7 Chakrapong Akkaranant
69. No. 8 Jaroon Kasemsantithum 1,371 votes. The remaining nominees pulled
out of the election prior to voting day.
Highway police set up roadblock to test drivers’ urine
Searching for drivers on drugs
Boonlua Chatree
On June 16th from 8 p.m. until ten minutes past
midnight, police set up roadblocks on Sukhumvit Highway, stopped all
passing vehicles and subjected the drivers to urine tests and searches for
illegal drugs.
 Highway
police and police from region 2 set up roadblocks to test drivers for
drugs. The surprise check netted 100 drugged drivers, a handgun and an
illegal police radio.
In an effort to reduce accidents, reduce street crime,
and to send a message that police are getting tough on people who drive
while under the influence of illegal drugs, Banglamung Highway Police and
Pattaya Municipal Police collaborated on the road check and urine testing
tactic.
The plan proved to be productive. During the six-hour
surprise road check, more than 100 drivers of cars, trucks and busses
tested positive for illegal drugs. All were arrested and taken into
custody, charges were filed and all will face legal proceedings.
During the road check, officers also arrested a man in
possession of an 11 mm handgun loaded with 17 bullets, and an illegal
police radio was also confiscated.
Local news reporter arrested for moonlighting as a drug dealer
Vichan Pladplueng
Pattaya police arrested Sanai Wataya, a reporter for
the Eastern Post Newspaper, for possession of a large number of
methamphetamines, known locally as “ya ba” or “crazy pills”.
Sanai
(center) with his customers Kwannetr Phuplup (left) and Kwanchai
Yingdumman on the right.
Sanai was caught on June 22 on the 3rd floor of an
apartment building in north Pattaya as he was in the process of delivering
1,920 orange methamphetamine pills worth 9,500 baht to Kwanchai Yingdumman
and Kwannetr Phuplup. Police confiscated the packet of pills and a loaded,
unregistered .38 caliber Smith & Wesson pistol.
Pattaya’s police chief, Pol. Col Padungsak Ubekkanon
said that police have been watching Sanai since receiving anonymous
reports of a local news reporter exhibiting suspicious behavior similar to
that of a drug dealer. The informant told police he believed the
individual was one of the major dealers in the city.
When police stormed in to make the arrest, Sanai made a
run for it and jumped from the 3rd floor. However, Sanai was injured and
easily apprehended.
During his interrogation, Sanai told police that he
worked as an editor and reporter for the Eastern Post Newspaper, a local
Thai language publication. He said a close friend convinced him to begin
selling the drugs in Pattaya using his contacts from the crime beat and
his job as a cover.
Sanai Wataya was charged with distribution of a class 1
illegal substance and possession of an unlicensed and loaded weapon.
Fleet-footed disabled illegal alien stabs drinking partner
Police say they “don’t have much to go on”
On June 19, an unidentified Thai man was rushed to
hospital with a stab wound to his abdomen. The assailant, who witnesses
thought might be a disabled man, had fled the scene by the time police and
Sawang Boriboon personnel arrived.
Local residents reported they had heard an argument and
the sound of a scuffle, after which they witnessed a man running away from
the area. When they went to investigate, they found blood splattered
around the area and the injured man lying on the ground.
Investigating police learned that the area is well
known as a hangout for construction workers from neighboring countries,
most of whom are illegally residing and working in the kingdom.
Pol. Lt Col. Pisanu Kingkaew, investigating inspector,
said that he didn’t have any significant evidence to work with, as no
one saw the crime happen or knew who was responsible for the man’s
injuries. “No one has come forth to offer any information and we are
almost certain that the man responsible is a foreigner and that the
incident was caused by an argument between the two men who had been
drinking together,” he said.
Police are now looking for a physically disabled man in
his thirties.
The injured man is now in stable condition.
Drug trafficker gunned down
Shot to death over business conflict
In the wee hours of the morning on June 14, a young
owner of a garage was peacefully eating supper with his wife when shots
rang out. When they finally summoned courage to go out and see what
happened, they discovered a body lying on the ground and called the
police.
Receiving the report at ten minutes after midnight, Pol.
Lt. Col. Thiprut Rattananam, investigation inspector of Banglamung police
station, and Sawang Boriboon Foundation officers arrived at the Kiat
Motorcycle Garage, 60/3 Moo 6, Nongplalai, near the Nong Ket Noi temple.
The body of a Thai man, approximately 1.70 meters tall was discovered with
3 shots in his chest, lying on the ground in front of the garage, wearing
a black T-shirt and blue pants. Several shell casings were collected as
evidence.
Somporn Prasert, 25, owner of the garage said, “I was
having supper with my wife in our garage when the shooting occurred. We
heard several gunshots from the front of the garage, but we didn’t dare
to go outside and have a look. When the shots stopped, we went out and
found nothing but the body lying on the ground.”
According to Meechai Duangdara, 27, who was walking
nearby the garage when the crime took place, the victim was riding a red
and black Honda motorcycle without a license plate, accompanied by a
pillion rider. The victim later stopped the motorbike and had a
conversation with his companion. After talking for about 5 minutes, the
latter took out a gun and shot at the victim until he was dead, then fled
on the motorbike.
Police have not yet found any other evidence regarding
the victim or the perpetrator but suspect that the murder was caused by
conflict in a drug trafficking business. The case is still being
investigated.
Desperate thieves steal temple donation boxes
Make off with more than 20,000 baht
Vichan Pladplueng
Times are really getting tough when thieves take to
plundering Buddhist temple donation boxes. Kaosaothongthong Temple Abbot
Prakroo Pladchaluay Apacharo panicked when he discovered his home in Nong
Prue, Banglamung, was broken into by thieves and two donation boxes
containing more than 20,000 baht had disappeared.
The temple is very popular, with hundreds of visitors
worshiping with the abbot and donating money to the temple every day.
Responding to the report on June 19, control inspector
of Banglamung police station, Pol. Lt. Col Suwaphon Asawamethee and his
officers rushed to the scene and inspected the premises. Close scrutiny
revealed the window of abbot’s house had been pried open. There was
evidence that the thieves had searched through the home until they
discovered the donation boxes.
During the interview, Abbot Prakroo Pladchaluay said he
noticed something wasn’t right when he was tiding up the place after his
morning duties. Alarmed, he checked and found the two donation boxes with
more than 20,000 baht cash and a number of mini-Buddha images missing.
Officer Suwaphon suspects there were two or more
persons involved in the break-in. Police also think that the thieves may
have known the location of the donation boxes before conspiring to steal
them.
The abbot’s house was dusted for fingerprints and
samples were sent to the lab.
World Cup gambling den busted in Pattaya
Bank records show tens of millions of baht changing hands daily
Vichan Pladplueng and Boonlua Chatree
The World Cup is a major event around the world and
gamblers in Pattaya are having a field day. However, some punters recently
lost their backsides - not on a soccer match, but during a surprise police
raid on their bookie joint.
Gambling agents Sanont Patin, Somjai Sinsomboon and
Sontaya Sukpiti were arrested when police, acting on a tip, burst into
their betting shop on Central Pattaya Road. Officers confiscated as
evidence 15 gambling tickets for the World Cup and 7,200 baht in cash.
This was somewhat of a landmark event, as police usually only find 20 baht
in cash during raids of gambling dens in Pattaya.
During interrogation, Sontaya, aka “O”, confessed
to all charges and revealed that the shop was previously a bookstore, but
he turned it into a “bookie” shop for the duration of the World Cup,
saying this would certainly be more lucrative than selling books.
He said that most of his gamblers were from Pattaya and
they usually placed bets over the phone and without gambling tickets.
Payments were made through direct bank account transactions on the day
following the match.
Pol. Lt. Col. Sakrapee said the raid was in response to
National Police Bureau’s policy of soccer gambling suppression in all
areas. The bust came after receiving a tip-from an undercover police
officer.
Sontaya, or “O”, was a major soccer bookmaker in
the Pattaya area and allegedly had a long list of clients ready to put
their cash on the line. Most notably, a large percentage of Sontaya’s
customers were school children, hotel workers and company employees. The
bets were made and delivered, passing from hand to hand before they made
their way to an agent at Sontaya’s betting shop.
Apparently the World Cup 2002 has given birth to a new
form of gambling here in Thailand, with punters placing bets on the phone,
and payouts being transferred via bank accounts. This system allows money
used for gambling to circulate without trace and puts law enforcement in
the unenviable position of having little evidence for prosecution and a
faint trail of information to follow.
Authorities expected that the World Cup would provoke
an increase in gambling throughout the country. A survey of banks in
Pattaya alone showed that at the height of the World Cup, daily
transactions were numbering in the tens of millions of baht.
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