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The Greatest Christmas gift of all, My Mother
Adopted son finds mother after almost 30 years
Patcharapol
Parnrak
This is a story that is so incredible, yet so touching
especially now during Christmas.
It all started 35 years ago when born to Mrs. Woraporn
Pongsuwan and an American father was a healthy bouncing baby boy by the name
of Krit. Krit’s father John Ababido (sic) was serving in the United States
Air force as a pilot stationed at U-tapao airbase 12 kilometers from
Sattahip town. This was in the very early days of construction of the
facility and during the height of the Vietnam War.
 I
love you Mom. Roger tenderly kisses his mother whom he had longed to meet
for almost 30 years.
John and Woraporn were in love and had happy times
together. But as fate may have it those good times came to an abrupt end
when John completed his tour of duty in Thailand and rotated back to the
United States.
In those days it wasn’t so easy for an American soldier
to take their Thai wives back to the States. They had to go through a lot of
red tape and it was very time consuming. It didn’t make things easier if
you had to leave your loved ones and go away to be stationed somewhere else.
Of course there have been many happy stories of servicemen marrying their
Thai sweethearts and successfully taking them to live with them in the US.
 Together
again: I will take care of you from now on, mom. You will never suffer
again.
But this was not the case with John and Woraporn and
their little baby. Woraporn waited and waited, but the good news never came.
She fell into hard times and it became excruciatingly difficult for her to
raise her little boy.
Seven years passed and Krit was getting older. He needed
the love of a father. He also desperately needed schooling and a decent
life. One day Krit had a slight accident and hurt his arm. Woraporn took
Krit to get treatment from the American medics. The medical officers David
and Corey who treated Krit immediately fell in love with him and on
realising that the boy needed someone to take care of him more than his
mother could at that stage of her life, humbly requested permission from
Mrs. Woraporn to adopt her son.
Mrs. Woraporn was torn between the love for her child and
the reality of a much better life he would have living with the kind hearted
American couple. With heavy heart she reluctantly agreed.
The years went by and Krit, now known as Roger Roland
Rodriguez grew up with this unbearable emotional pain and longing to meet
his mother again, made two trips to Thailand but was not successful in
locating her.
Roger said in an emotionally charged voice, ‘For almost
30 long years I have lived in the States, but not for one moment did I not
think of my real biological mother. I knew deep down in my heart, that I had
a mother and a sister somewhere in Thailand and I was determined that one
day I would come back here and look for them.’
On his third fateful trip to Thailand God answered his
prayers. He located his mother’s home in Plutaluang near Sattahip. Without
further delay he headed for the place of the gentle person who gave him
life. With mixed emotions yet confident, he knocked on the door. Mrs.
Woraporn was taken aback and was totally confused as to the presence of this
young man at her door who just could not stop talking, trying to explain to
her that he was her long lost son Krit.
As if out of a fairy tale, Krit showed her the scars from
his injury when he was a child. It was as if the Holy Spirits were watching
over this family many years ago, Krit showed a mark on his right arm, which
upon closer inspection was a tattoo of Thai letters which read ‘Krit’.
As the truth started to sink into her being, the curtains of her memory
started to unfurl and her mind sped through the time barrier recalling those
early years together with her beloved son Krit and the pain that she had to
endure on giving him away.
That was all she needed to see. Tears of joy flowed down
her face as she grabbed Roger and hugged him close never wanting to let him
go, making up for all those lost years of not having seen his face, having
held him and loved him.
An overjoyed Mrs. Woraporn, now 67, said that she had
never for a single moment forgotten that she had a son. ‘I have wondered
to myself all these years as to how Krit was doing and prayed that he was
well and happy. On seeing him today, I am sad when I think about what had to
be done 30 years ago, but yet I am most thankful to David and Corey for
having brought up my child’
An emotionally-charged Krit pledged that his mother would
never have to suffer again. ‘I have a very good job in a
telecommunications firm and I am going to take care of my mother from now
on.’
Mrs. Woraporn said that when Roger was small, a local
fortune-teller had predicted that Krit, born on Monday, March 27, 1967 would
one day travel to a far off land, and would find fame and fortune. ‘At
last it has come to pass.’ said the overjoyed mother. ‘Not only is Krit
happy and successful, but we are also together again’
Still finding the entire situation hard to believe, tears
welled up in her eyes as Krit’s older sister, Sarinya, confirmed that she
believed the story was true and that this was her long-lost brother. ‘We
were very close, when we were young,’ she said ‘and I distinctly
remember the scars on his arm.’
Roger turned to the reporters and said. ‘This is the greatest and the
most precious Christmas gift of all, My Mother’.
Pattaya prepares for 2004 elections
Strict Campaign guidelines to be enforced
Suchada Tupchai
Next year’s Pattaya City elections for mayor and
council members were recently discussed at city hall with campaigning
guidelines being ‘set in stone’, as required by the law. The meeting was
chaired by acting Pattaya City clerk, Apichart Puechphan amid city
officials, council members and potential candidates who stressed the
election guidelines for the February event.
 Pattaya
City announces elections by March 20 2004
Pattaya’s legislation states that elections for council
members and city management are to be held every four years - the last round
of elections occurred in February 2000 - and in accordance with the law,
elections must be held within 45 days, as of December 13. The final election
deadline is March 20, 2004.
Candidates campaigning for positions on the council can
include as many as 6 persons per sub-district and any one person as mayor
from the four sub-districts of Banglamung area.
As brought up in the meeting the tentative election date
was set for March 20 and an exact date for the elections will be agreed upon
at the next meeting. Laws and guidelines as to how to inform the voting
public, the procedure to follow by officials overseeing the processes, and
campaigning restrictions were also topics of discussion.
Under current legislation, candidates are prevented from:
1. Suggesting or promising, directly or indirectly, to
influence votes through donation of cash or items regardless of the
circumstances and including birthdays, weddings, merit making in new houses
or other types of similar ceremonies.
2. Suggesting or promising special benefits or funding to
a community, club, foundation, educational or welfare institute, or offering
charitable items that could influence votes.
3. Conduct campaign advertising that uses verbal media or
hold shows.
4. Hosting or organizing parties, seminars, meetings,
demonstrations in the campaign.
5. Cheat, force or influence, threaten directly or
indirectly or give false information for votes.
6. Allowing Thai nationals to aid in voting campaigns.
7. Holding positions or be employed in local or regional
government offices/departments that govern the voting area or seek
assistance from people in similar positions.
8. Conduct advertising via graffiti, painted
advertisements, using pictures announcing the candidate’s intentions as
well as paste stickers or posters on government or public property including
walls, power poles, trees, bridges. Private property must have the owners
express permission. Violators will be prosecuted under the current
legislation.
9. Hosting or organizing activities that involves
gambling as to the results of the elections.
10. Collecting resident’s national ID cards or other
evidence used in the voting process without legal or legitimate purpose
during campaigns.
11. Making false promises or announcements on policies
that are in direct opposition to legislation. All polices must be in line
with guidelines of appropriate positions under government procedures and
within the law, budget allowances or able to be given consideration n the
best interest of good governance.
Prior to the formal announcements, the department for
local governance will also announce election guidelines and the date to the
public so that voters are well informed of their choices on candidates.
Local authorities hold drug awareness training for community leaders
Vigilance key to continued success
Suchada Tupchai
Banglamung district officers recently held a drug awareness
training program for members of the public and community leaders from 15
villages within the area.
 Surapol Tiensuwan
Banglamung District Chief.
Surapol Tiensuwan, Banglamung district chief opened the
seminar at city hall for 375 people who had been selected to represent their
community for the seminar to promote drug awareness and aid in prevention
programs to continue the fight against the social menace.
The focal point of the day was to emphasize theoretical and
practical training in five main areas including following up on drug users and
those under rehabilitation, to ensure local security, following up on
information related to drug activities and methods of how to win the war against
drugs at the village and community level.
Community leaders
listen intently at the training program.
During the course of the day, Surapol said, “The next phase
is the war against drugs in Thailand which began on December 3. However the
problem we face at the moment is, although the number of producers, distributors
and users has been reduced, it is up to everyone to perform your duty and keep a
watchful eye over your community to ensure that the issue does not resurface and
return to their former levels.”
Road Section leading to Bali Hai pier to be widened
Private owners oblige for the betterment of the city
Suchada Tupchai
In an effort to address traffic congestion in Pattaya, city
officials are targeting specific areas to ease the flow. One such location is
the bottleneck road at the far southern end of Walking Street leading to Bali
Hai pier.
 The
soon to be removed bottleneck close to the Bali Hai pier.
Mayor Pairat Suttithamrongsawat recently met with the Siam
Bayshore Hotel officers to discuss the idea of removing a one meter section of
the Bali Hai kitchen that chokes the traffic flow. The mayor, intent on
improving traffic flow has requested the hotel to renovate the kitchen area. The
city has offered to pay for the renovations and reclaim the section of road that
in recent years has been the scene of many accidents.
Hotel engineering officer, Boonkert Sothornchareonsilp said,
“The kitchen belongs to the hotel area and was built 30 years ago when there
were no roads in the area. Over the years Pattaya has developed and we now face
general traffic problems, including this particular section. Since it is one
route to the new pier area, and with the increased number of visitors, the hotel
has decided to cooperate with the city providing that the plans that the city
offers to correct the situation are satisfactory and agreeable on both sides and
is for the greater good of everyone concerned.”
Once both parties agree on the specific plans and
renovations, construction is expected to begin within a very short period of
time.
Young people scared of AIDS
Thailand’s youth remain frightened of catching the AIDS
virus despite their confidence that they have received sufficient education from
their teachers and parents to protect themselves, according to a recently
published poll.
The concerns of the 1,000-plus young people aged 15 to 23,
shown in a Bangkok poll on ‘Interest in AIDS among young people’, were
particularly interesting given that they perceived prostitutes as the group at
greatest risk from contracting HIV.
While 37.2 percent felt that people who used prostitutes were
also a high risk group, a mere 2.6 percent said that the general public was at
particular risk.
And despite their worries, 63.1 percent felt that they were
completely confident of their ability to protect themselves against AIDS, while
only 11.7 percent said that they were not sure that they were 100 percent safe.
Interestingly, 25.1 percent said that they had no views on the matter.
Nonetheless, asked what disease they were most afraid of
contracting, 51.9 percent mentioned AIDS, against 39.5 percent for Severe Acute
Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
Friends emerged as the most trusted people to give advices on
sex and relationships at 55.3 percent, followed by teachers and parents at 28.4
percent, and relatives at 10 percent.
An impressively high 92.9 percent said that they had been
educated about safe sexual practices, and 48.4 percent said that this
information came from their schools and teachers. (TNA)
Local and regional police thank media for their support
Crime reporters receive special acknowledgement
Boonlua Chatree
Members of the media, specifically the numerous reporters
involved in crime reporting, were invited to a thank you party by regional
police departments.
Held at the Gulf Siam Hotel in Naklua, Pol. Lt. Gen.
Jongrak Juthanont Region 2 Superintendent thanked the media for their
cooperation throughout the year.
 Pol.
Gen. Jongrak Juthanont thanks the media for their assistance throughout the
year.
He explained that news reporters and police were similar
in their duties in serving the public interest in safety and security. He
added that the media have also acted as the eyes and ears of the police
force to bring criminals to justice and to inform the public.
The Region 2 commander emphasized that the media also
plays an important role, especially in Pattaya, commended them for their
efforts and stressed the need to maintain a strong working relationship for
the good of all.
Countdown to 2004 celebrations to be a spectacular affair
Festivities to be held at Bali Hai Pier
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
City officials and business operators are preparing to
host New Year’s celebrations with a huge party in the grounds of Bali Hai
Pier. Entitled “Pattaya Celebration 2004 @ Bali Hai” the event is set to
bring in the New Year. The festival, beginning December 31 through to the
early hours on January 1 aims to draw thousands of party goers and visitors
to the area.
Pattaya City Mayor Pairat Suthithamrongsawat will preside
over the party festivities, which will start in Walking Street with
residents forming a parade down to Bali Hai at 6 p.m., until a final
10-second countdown ends 2003 with numerous clocks posted around South
Pattaya ticking off the minutes until the New Year begins.
The grand finale will be a spectacular fireworks display
at the stroke of midnight with more than 700 sticks of pyrotechnics lighting
up the city’s night skies to welcome in 2004.
Numerous shows and demonstrations will feature throughout
the night with nationally acclaimed artists showcasing the evening’s
events as well as plenty of games and prizes to be won over the 2-days of
festivities which will also be broadcast live on local cable TV from 11.40
p.m.
Further details are available from the TAT Region 3
office on Pratamnuk Hill or by calling 038-427667.
Khao Kheow to hold the first ever Zoo Festival
3-day event will star zoo’s treasured residents
Damri Muangkaew
At a recent press conference, directors and senior
veterinary doctors announced the first Khao Kheow Zoo Festival to be held at
the 5,000 plus rai facility from December 26-28.
 Visitors
to Khao Kheow Open Zoo feed a couple of hungry Hippos.
The festival celebrates another successful year for the
zoo, now moving into its 27th year of operations, and will promote further
awareness on the importance of preservation and conservation of the all
natural resources, both flora and fauna, specifically the dwindling numbers
of wild animals on the verge of extinction.
According to Suriya Saenpong, acting Zoo Director, the
festival will begin on December 26 where by a number of activities will be
held to educate the general public on conservation and preservation of the
limited natural resources as well as a number of shows and displays by staff
and residents (the animals) to emphasize the project.
During the three-day festival animal sponsors, who
through a donation program support endangered species, will be given the
opportunity to learn more about their beneficiaries and further methods in
which to help preserve the fauna of the world. And for those persons wishing
to sponsor an animal, special visiting privileges will be given. Sponsors
will be able to visit the zoo at any time during operating hours to view
their ‘extended family members’.
The Khao Kheow Open Zoo and Night Safari was established
as a unit of The Zoological Park Organization of Thailand on June 1, 1978 as
an open zoo with an area of 5,000 rai (2000 acres) with more than 300
species of animals with a population of over 8,000.
The Chonburi facility is just one of 5 main zoos under
The Zoological Park Organization Thailand, which is also under the patronage
of HM the King. Khao Kheow focuses on education and conservation through
research and public recreation as well as a sponsorship program.
Foul play not ruled out in death of foreign resident
Investigation continues as police gather evidence
Boonlua Chatree
Criminal investigation officers believe the primary
motive in the death of Danish resident, Lund Mejnert (sic) at the Kao Karat
Condo was due to the man’s money lending business.
Officers were called to the condominium in central
Pattaya, after a friend of the dead man discovered the body. Mejnert was
found naked from the waist up with a plastic bag over his head and
electrical wire used as a seal around his neck.
Initial examinations revealed bruises on the man’s body
and officers suspected that he had been dead for at least 10 hours before
being found. Papers and documents were strewn across the room and numerous
footprints marked the floor. Three bags of a white powdery substance, were
discovered in the room and the substance was sent to a police laboratory for
testing.
Investigators questioned the dead man’s friend who told
officers that Mejnert had once run a bar in Pattaya but unfortunately went
bust, and to supplement his income, Mejnert had turned to money lending to
make extra cash from interest charged. Police located the book with a list
of names and confiscated it along with the deceased’s bankbook.
Police have two theories as to why Mejnert died. The
first is that he was murdered due to a business conflict, in which case
there are at least two suspects police want to interview. The other
possibility is that he committed a copy-cat suicide similar to two other
previous but unrelated deaths.
The body of Lund Mejnert was sent to the forensic
institute for a post mortem examination for the cause of death and the
investigation continues.
Joint Thai Navy and police drug suppression units sweep Larn Island
James Bond like action scenes during cleanup operations
Patchapol Parnrak
A high level cooperative team between regional navy and drug
suppression police recently staged an armed raid on several locations on Larn
Island as part of the continuing efforts on the war against illegal drugs.
 Rear
Admiral Sirichai Kanitakul region 1 chief of Staff
Over 70 armed navy and police officers made their way to the
Laemtien pier from Sattahip to implement the raid. Spreading out into seven
teams and carrying arrest warrants for perpetrators, the units moved in on
several buildings believed to drug dens on the island community, arresting 3 men
in possession of marijuana and wanted on distribution charges.
 The
suppression team with the assistance of drug-sniffer dogs during the operations
on Koh Larn.
Rear Admiral Sirichai Kanitakul Region 1 Chief of Staff said,
“Larn Island comes under naval jurisdiction on drug enforcement and we had
already thoroughly investigated the case and were aware that there were still
people selling illegal drugs on the island. We will continue to enforce the
anti-drug policy, especially after the recent 60-day drive in honour of H.M. the
King.”
 Navy
and police suppression officers in commando gear search a house on the beach.
Suriyprapar Thraiwech, director of the central office of drug
suppression and prevention added, “The eastern region is still a place that we
are worried about, especially the amount of drugs still available here because
the constant influx of tourists. After ‘ya ba’ it was ‘ya ‘E’
(ecstasy), then ‘ya ‘K’ (ketamine). We intend to focus on arresting
dealers and specifically those bringing drugs into the country through border
towns from neighbouring countries. With the current influx of drugs we intend to
tighten the noose around the drug trade and eliminate all possibilities for
these people to import illegal drugs.”
Banglamung police arrest son of village headman for drug trafficking
Narcotics officers leaving no stone unturned
Boonlua Chatree
The continuing drive against illegal drugs pushes deeper into
collective consciousness of the community leaving no offender hidden. The latest
investigation by Banglamung police led to the arrest of a 23 year old man, in a
sting operation by undercover officers. The man was detained and police found 10
methamphetamine pills in his possession along with marked bank notes and a
mobile phone was also confiscated. A search of the man’s vehicle turned up an
additional 30 ‘ya ba’ pills in the back of the pick up truck.
 The
young suspect in police custody.
During interrogation, it was revealed that suspect is the son
of the Village Headman in Najomtien and had been selling drugs for quite
sometime. He confessed to his wrong doings, saying that his illicit income was
used for entertainment purposes and going out with friends. But the suspect
refused to reveal where and from whom he purchased the drugs. He was charged
with possession and distribution of a class one illegal substance.
Expensive aerial stolen from crime reporter’s car
Vehicle was parked in front police station
Boonlua Chatree
Pattaya Mail’s crime reporter (yours truly) Boonlue
Chatree’s vehicle was targeted by light fingered thieves even though the
car was parked outside Soi 9 police station.
 The
circle points to where once stood a tall aerial on Boonlue’s car. Now the
reception on his walkie-talkie radio won’t be so clear.
Despite numerous officers on duty, criminal hands were
quicker than the eye, especially for Pattaya police, as the car was left
unattended 5 minutes. During that brief time the 3,800 baht radio aerial was
stolen and no there were no witnesses to point out as to who committed the
crime, but as always - the investigation continues.
The incident was reported and officers noted the incident
down but were unable to nab the criminals.
Man shot dead in broad daylight
Witnesses watch in horror as gunman murders victim
Boonlua Chatree
Police were called to a North Pattaya location after
receiving a report of s fatal shooting. Officers arrived on the scene to
find the body of Tikanporn Mulla with multiple bullet wounds to the back and
head lying on the ground outside a North Pattaya restaurant.
Witnesses told police they saw the young man pull up on
his motorcycle and noticed he was followed by two other men presumed to be
Thai nationals, of approximately 20 years of age. One of the pair of
assailants pulled out a gun and placed it against the man’s head after
exchanging words.
Witnesses admitted that they watched the incident in
amazement but did not suspect that the gunman would pull the trigger.
According to all accounts, the shooter fired 5 shots, two of which hit a
restaurant window, before speeding off on the unlicensed bike. Police pulled
two 9 mm shells embedded in the wall of the restaurant keeping them as
evidence.
During an investigation police learned that Tikanporn was
working as a bartender at a hotel and because of his good nature and
handsome appearance had many female admirers.
The dead man’s wife, who broke down at the news of her
husband’s death, explained that her husband was a good man and was on his
way home with groceries and food after finishing work.
Officers surmise that the deed was committed by some
jealous rival vying for the affections of a young lady working within the
hotel. They are proceeding with the questioning of all suspects in the case.
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