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Rayong fisherman lands 13th century catch
Strange incident frightens man into bringing ancient pottery to temple
A Rayong fisherman has landed a far more valuable trawl
than the fish he set out to catch - five ancient Sangkhalok pots.
Reported on February 1, the abbot of Wat Phla, Ban Chang,
said that the fisherman had brought the pots to the temple in order to
authenticate them after discovering them stuck in his nets during a fishing
trip around 1.5 kilometers from the shore.
Realizing that there might be more around, another local
villager then started digging, and was rewarded with 27 Sangkhalok bowls.
Although the villager had originally wanted to keep them for himself, an
‘unusual incident’, on which the abbot did not elaborate, frightened him
into taking the bowls to the temple.
The bowls and pots, which the abbot said he believed to
be from the time of the 13th century King Ramkhamhaeng, are now on public
display in the temple. (TNA)
Pattaya Water shortage reaches critical stage as city urges the water authority to urgently resolve the problem
Water authority denies shortage is grave but advises conservation and solutions are forthcoming
Veerachai Somchart
Complaints of tap water shortages in the Pratamnak area
were the hot topic at the last government and private sector meeting. Many
hotels are losing revenue to the tune of 100 million baht because they are
forced to buy water from private companies. This prompted Governor Sawang
Srisakun to ask the local water authority to resolve the matter without
delay.
The
water level has dropped over 2 meters at Mabprachan Reservoir. The reservoir
supplies water to North, Central and South Pattaya. The water authority says
water levels have not yet reached the critical stage.
In response, the water authority sent a letter to the
provincial administration asking them to inform residents and business
operators to reduce water usage as reservoir levels have dropped.
Kamol Pachakorn, manager of the Pattaya Water Authority
office said, “The Pattaya Water authority has issued suggestions to the
governor’s office on how resolve the city’s water shortage problems on a
short term basis.”
A number of measures have been taken, including an
increased amount of water purchased from the Sattahip office from 150 cubic
meters per hour to 250 cubic meters per hour in order to facilitate further
distribution to residents in the district.
Output production will be increased from 1,100 cubic
meters per hour to 1,400 cubic meters per hour.
Two additional water trucks will be on duty to distribute
water to residents in Huay Yai. Close coordination with the district’s
administration organization will ensure that all residents are serviced.
Water production at Mabprachan Reservoir, which is still
under construction and due to be completed by March this year, will be
increased from 1,000 cubic meters per hour to 1,500 cubic meters per hour.
In response to requests from hotels in Pattaya City to
eliminate the need to supplement their water supply from private sources at
great expense, the Water Authority office is preparing plans which will soon
be ready to submit it to the committee for approval.
Kamol said, “The water problems in Pattaya have yet to
reach critical levels as Pattaya and Chonburi have 5 reservoirs: Mabprachan,
Nongklangdong, Huaychun Jit, Huay Saphan and Huay Charknok. All five
locations have falling water levels, in particular the Huay Charknok
reservoir, which is at 10 percent capacity and can only produce 400-500
cubic meters per hour. The reservoir has a capacity of 7 million cubic
meters per hour.”
The remaining four reservoirs are around 50 percent of
capacity and are still capable of normal production. This is due to a
previous reduction of 10,000 cubic meters per day.
Shortages are attributed to the influx of tourists during
the peak season in Pattaya from December through March.
Furthermore, condos in Pattaya that did not use city
water in the past are now availing themselves of the service, which has put
a strain on supply.
The regional water authority admits it has problems with fresh water
supplies. In the long-term, alternative sources will be needed.
Prime Minister assigns MOF
to study the legalization
of casino establishment
Veerachai Somchart
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra recently asked
Somchainuk Engtrakul, permanent secretary of Ministry of Finance (MOF) and
chairman of Governmental Lotteries Bureau to review ways of introducing
legalized gambling in Thailand.
The request came after a group of members of Thailand’s
parliament in charge of its financial bureau returned from an information
gathering trip to Australia geared to study that country’s casinos.
Thaksin said the knowledge gained from the trip will be combined with the
research being done on gambling in Thailand led by Sangkheet Piriyarangsan,
Chulalongkorn University’s Finance Faculty professor.
According to Professor Sangkheet money used for gambling
as it is now conducted in Thailand is considered ‘black money’. It does
not circulate honestly through the economy, and in fact disrupts the smooth
flow of money through the country.
The professor said that illegal gambling businesses are
often backed by government officials from all levels, and they can also be
recipients of this black money in the form of kickbacks in return for favors
or vote-buying.
Professor Sangkheet said legalizing gambling could reduce
the amount of money used in vote buying, and prevent police from accepting
underground money from the illegal business operators. He said presently,
Thais favored spending their money on lotteries, both legal and illegal, and
gambling in casinos in local areas along the border and abroad.
Regarding underground lotteries, the professor estimated
the number of players increased from 21 million in 1995 to 27 million in
2001. The money lost to the underground lotteries and other types of
gambling was estimated to be over 500 billion baht in 2001.
The professor said after he had spoken with some of the
bookmakers and corrupt police officials, it was evident that about 5% of the
total amount was acquired by police.
Sonthaya Khunpluem, Minister of Tourism and Sports said
that the discussion over casinos legalization is coming to its final stage.
There is now a lot of information on the issue and there
was a consensus that Pattaya City has the most potential as a site for a
casino because of its facilities. Pattaya already has extensive
entertainment complexes, transportation, and over 40,000 hotel rooms.
Sonthaya added he still needs as much information as
possible to support the issue and adopt measures which will prevent economic
and social problems. For example, he mentioned that Korean casino
regulations require gamblers to present their passports.
Prime Minister Thaksin said that many casino business
operators such as the Mirage Group Co., Ltd, MC Group, and Singaporean
investors were interested in investing in the casino infrastructure in
Thailand. Ambassador City Jomtien is also attracted by the offer of the
rental fees and the profits earned from accommodations and catering
services.
Border casino business operators are also ready to move
to better locations that promise bigger incomes. A trusted source disclosed
that if the government creates a sound structure, strict controls, and
efficient taxing methods, Thai people may get their legalized casino in
2004.
City addresses traffic and parking problems on Beach Road
Parking fees to be introduced ... really
Suchada Tupchai
Traffic gridlock and lack of parking on Beach Road are
getting out of hand and authorities are seeking solutions to reduce the
problems. Mayor Pairat Suttithamrongsawat met with city officials and
members of the Pattaya traffic police to examine Beach Road and come up with
ideas on how to restore order and traffic flow.
Mayor
Pairat Suttithamrongsawat, Police Major Somchai Phongsai and city officials
inspect Pattaya Beach Road with the aim of improving the situation. The talk
of parking fees was raised once again, and once again city officials claim
they will be enforced by the end of this month. Time will tell...
On the day of the inspection officials found the
beachfront in total disarray with a number of auto and bike rental
businesses commandeering public parking spots and city footpaths. The
inspectors - like the public - found it almost impossible to walk through
the area. They agree that this chaos is unsightly, inconvenient and portrays
a bad image of the city.
After the inspection a final decision was made that in
order to maintain some standard and order along the street, there will be 44
areas where vehicles will be able to park, each for 1 car and 3 motorcycles.
Armed with statistics and information from the
inspection, officials spoke to business operators about where they can and
cannot park and the implementation of parking fees at 5 baht per hour for
motorcycles and 10 per hour for cars.
The fees will increase to an appropriate level shortly
after the introduction. Clearly marked signs will also be erected as to
where motorists can or cannot park as well as clearly defined pick-up and
drop-off points for baht buses, which are a constant danger on the roads due
to their frequent stopping and starting in a haphazard manner.
The new Beach Road order campaign is aimed improving the
traffic flow, parking conveniences and the overall image of Pattaya.
Mayor Pairat said that the project is already underway and should be
completed by the end of February when the signs have been put in place. Once
the city has sorted out Beach Road, they plan to implement order in other
main traffic areas in the city.
Somchai Khunpluem ready to hand over 600 rai of land to Royal Turf Club to construct new horse racing track
If the club doesn’t show progress within the next 3 years,
the mayor will take back the land
Veerachai Somchart
Somchai Khunpluem, or ‘Kamnan Poh’, Saensuk
municipality mayor recently confirmed that he was ready to hand over 600 rai
of land situated next to Highway 331 in Huay Yai after the club committee
has been reelected and reinstalled. He said he was pleased to donate the
land to the Royal Turf Club for the new horseracing track, and said the land
transferring process would take at least 2 more months. The land is now
being used to grow potatoes, pineapples and tapioca.
Kamnan
Poh is ready to hand over 600 rai of land to the Royal Turf Club to
construct a new horse racing track, but only if the club shows progress in
the next 3 years. If not, he will take back the land.
Mayor Somchai added that he was concerned over one
condition. If the Royal Turf Club could not find a budget for the
construction within 3 years, he would have to reclaim the land.
He said it is uncertain in the future that the club might
use the land for the wrong purpose or sell it if they could not successfully
complete the project. The club was recently refused a 2,000 million baht
budget by the government and will have to borrow from other sources.
Arkhom Saisa-ard, honorary secretary to the Royal Turf
Club conceded that the construction of the new horse track might be faced
with budget constraints, but there were no worries over the plans and
blueprints the JRA or Japan Riding Association (JRA) had been contracted to
provide.
Arkhom said the current Nang Lerng horseracing track’s
annual lease had just been renewed because the JRA has not sent the final
blueprint to the club yet. He said this year the lease fee was increased but
that did not affect the club’s expense plan. He said the budget amount was
still uncertain because the committee had not yet seen the new blueprints.
JRA was to show the plans to the club in November of last year.
Besides the racetrack, JRA was also contracted to study the possibility
of building a horse hospital, horse swimming pool, stables, audience
stadium, and other facilities.
Hit and run drug user arrested
Kamolrak Anusornweeracheewin was buzzing down Soi
Buakhaow, high on drugs, in his Honda Civic when he hit a pedestrian. When
he didn’t bother to stop, concerned citizens called the police. Police put
chase and were able to apprehend him on Thepprasit Road.
The
faraway stare gives it away; Kamolrak Anusornweeracheewin was high on drugs
when he ran down a pedestrian on Soi Buakhaow last week.
During a body search, Kamolrak Anusornweeracheewin, aged
27 from Bangkok, was found to have one bottle of ketamine pills, 3 ecstasy
pills, and one bag of pills containing the designer drug ‘ice’.
Kamolrak admitted to the crime saying that being a person
who loves to have fun, he bought the drugs for his own consumption from an
entertainment venue in Bangkok.
Kamolrak is now facing charges for possessing class one illegal
substances, as well as hit and run, and he will have plenty of time to have
fun with others in jail.
Pattaya police raid gambling den and find 600 ya ba pills
Gambling with their lives
An investigation by Pattaya police led by Pol. Col.
Kamolchai Tienrungroj, and Pol. Lt. Col. Sakrapee Preawpanich ended in a
raid on a gambling den in Soi Tong Yan on Pattaya Third Road.
Gambling
for drugs instead of money, these multiple lawbreakers lost their bet that
the law wouldn’t show up and can now look forward to gambling for
cigarettes in the local jail.
Seven gamblers were accused and taken to the police
station. Six of the betters were identified as Sompong Sinprasert, Sombat
Poosai, Sompong Prakobsuk, Pranee Watkaew, Kulthida Deeboonchai and
Kriankrai Kongsungnern. All six tested positive for illegal drugs.
The seventh gambler, Thanet Sakdee, was found to be in
possession of 200 methamphetamine pills.
All confessed to the crime and said they gambled for
drugs instead of money.
Further investigation led police to arrest two more members of the gang,
identified as Nilsak Wichaisorn and Nantana Numnim, with 400 illegal pills
in their possession.
Pattaya investigation police arrest thieves just 30 minutes after crime
Thieves run out of gas during chase
Russian nationals Michael Lisisin, age 31, and Alsbina
Lisisue, age 24, were riding on a motorbike down Jomtien Beach Road. Just as
they approached the Thepprasit Road intersection, a motorcycle driven by a
Thai rode up next to them, and the pillion passenger snatched the couple’s
bag and rode off towards Sukhumvit Highway.
Since the bag contained a Russian passport, 2000 Thai
baht and 100 US dollars, the two Russian visitors went straight to the
police. Fast acting officers caught up with the culprits and arrested them
just 30 minutes after receiving the report.
Songsak Porncharoen, age 23, and Anusak Thapthawee, age
20, from Chonburi, confessed to the crime. According to their own admission
the pair had been very busy crooks, saying they had pulled similar stunts 7
times before in front of Lotus on Thepprasit Road, Pattaya Second Road, and
gas stations on South Pattaya and on Pattaya Third Road.
The pair of villains then divided the money between them
and eventually bought their own vehicle with stolen cash to better assist
them in their criminal activities. They said they had enjoyed the profession
because it seemed easier than holding a steady job. Unfortunately for the
devilish duo, the thieves ran out of gas while being chased by the cops and
were busted on the spot.
Both are in police custody for stealing and will face
charges. They may have to consider going back to their day jobs if and when
they are released from jail.
Drug party raid nets users and dealers
Police raided a house in Soi Arunothai off Central
Pattaya Road and arrested 17 people who were having a great drug party till
the cops broke it up. All 17 people’s urine tested positive for illegal
drugs.
A drug
party raid eventually led to the arrest of these two dealers from Surin.
During interrogation police were able to obtain further
information on their drug source, and disguised as buyers, they were able to
arrest two dealers identified as Nob Pasda from Chaiyapoom and Thai Phanya
from Surin.
Thirty-nine pills of methamphetamine were confiscated as evidence, along
with a sum of cash and two mobile phones. Both dealers will face trial for a
trafficking in a class one illegal substance.
Police Briefs
Drug gang shoot-out leaves one dead and drugs on the road
A dispute between drug dealers recently ended in murder
in a soi of Na Jomtien. Scattered around the body were 600 pills in three
plastic bags. The man had been shot dead by a 9mm gun with 6 gunshot wounds
found on his head and body. It was believed that he had been dead for 4
hours prior to discovery. The body was transferred to the forensic institute
for autopsy.
From the evidence of bullet casings and pills found
scattered on the ground, police surmise that the murder was caused by drug
dealing gangs double-crossing each other.
More than 6 deaths have been reported involving drug
dealers after the government announced the serious crackdown on the
nation’s drug traffickers.
Vendors selling knock-off brand name products arrested
Police raided several stalls all the way from North to
South Pattaya earlier this week and found that many were selling fake brand
name products. Five vendors were arrested and officers confiscated wallets,
bags, perfumes, and other items with pirated brand names.
The five were identified as Rangsiya Khumyat, Kritaya
Saeliew, Pennapa Aebsuantua, Ampa Suksai and Nujaree Kuedudom.
Following questioning at the Soi 9 precinct, all five
offenders admitted to their misconduct saying they had obtained the goods
from Klong Toey in Bangkok and were selling them to foreign tourists.
Their excuse was that the profits gained from the sales
were nothing significant and were just enough to make a living. However, all
five are now facing charges for selling unauthorized brand name products.
Drug dealers from a Nakorn Sawan network arrested
After receiving a tip that a drug network in Nakorn Sawan
was in the process of delivering their goods to agents in Pattaya, a crime
suppression police team led by Pol. Lt Col. Sakrapi Priewpanit waited at the
site of the impending transaction in front of Robin Hood Hotel in Soi
Bongkot.
The two drug suspects were eventually apprehended about
3:00 a.m. and police found 2200 pills of methamphetamine in their
possession.
The two were identified as Wuthichai or Wut Ramsoon, age
19, from Nongprue Banglamung and Wichian or Pla-chon age 39 from Nakorn
Sawan.
Both admitted to the crime saying that they had obtained
the goods from Vichian’s friend in Nakorn Sawan at 60,000 baht per lot and
sold them out at 90,000 baht, then split the money between them.
Investigation into records revealed that Wuthichai is the
son of a big cosmetics businessman in South Pattaya and has 5 prior arrests.
Wichian was a construction worker and was previously arrested for carrying a
weapon without a license and involvement in drugs in Unthai Thani Province.
Wichian had just been released from a one and a half year jail sentence.
Perhaps these two culprits feel prison is their second
home and keep going back.
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