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1.2mn baht budget adds sparkle to Vegetarian Festival Parade
The best and brightest yet
Pattaya’s annual Vegetarian Festival promises to be the
biggest and best yet, according to officials who met last week to discuss
plans.
The meeting was held at city hall to update the arrangements
for the upcoming Vegetarian Festival Parade. Finalizing all the details were
Mayor Niran Wattanasartsathorn, deputy mayors Wirawat Khakhai and Ronakit
Ekasingh, Sawang Boriboon Foundation representatives, Pattaya police and
traffic police officers, and organization committee members.
The good news is that the city is ready to allocate 1.2
million baht to facilitate all the needs to make the event a successful and
memorable one this year.
Wirawat explained some highlights lined up for the opening
day. Giant dragons, a huge vegetable soup pot, and what is somewhat
mysteriously described as “supernatural fried rice” will lead the parade to
signal the beginning of Pattaya’s Vegetarian Festival on October 2.
Mayor Niran has laid down the management plan and the
promotional campaign for the festival, and decided on a route for the parade.
The Vegetarian Festival, which is being held in cooperation
with the Sawang Boriboon Foundation, will be held from October 2-12. City hall
predictions are that the event will be the biggest yet, with about 5,000
participants.
The October 2 parade will start from Bali Hai pier and wend
its way along Walking Street, then turn onto Second Road until it reaches the
traffic light on Second Road Central Pattaya.
The parade will end here at the Telephone Communication
Department, but the participants will board transport that will take them to
the traffic light at Third Road South Pattaya. Here the parade will pass
through Wat Chaimongkol and end at the crossroads, where the participants will
once again board transportation.
Pattaya School No 3 is the third starting point, the parade
passing along Sawangfa Road to Naklua New Market, reaching the traffic light at
the fork in the road and finally ending at Lan Poh Public Park, where the
festival’s opening ceremony will be held.
Security and traffic circulation will be coordinated by two
police stations, with officers and volunteers expected to number more than 500.
Nations meet at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in move to preserve the Golden Cat
Suchada Tupchai
Khao Kheow Open Zoo was the venue September 5-7 for
representatives of 11 nations meeting to discuss the breeding and
preservation of the endangered Golden Cat.
The meeting was led by Sophon Dumnui, director general
of the Zoological Park Organization, which is under the patronage of His
Majesty the King, together with the association’s advisor Pisit na
Pattalung and Suriya Saengphong, director of Khao Kheow Open Zoo.
Representatives
of 11 countries in the Golden Cat breeding project attended the meeting.
The Population and Habitat Viability Assessment (PHVA)
Golden Cat Project is being undertaken by the South-East Asia Zoo
Association, SEAZA, in cooperation with the Zoological Park Organization.
The 11 countries involved in the project are Nepal,
India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, South
Korea, New Zealand and the US.
Sophon said the Golden Cat (Catopuma temminckii
temmincki) is of the same race as the domestic cat, but is bigger. The cat
has a slender body with red-brown or gray fur, and black and white
markings around its face. It originates from East and Southeast Asia, and
lives in mixed forests and humid virgin forests. The cat is now in trouble
because its natural habitat is so often destroyed by fire in the dry
season, and its food supply is becoming erratic.
The Zoological Park Organization had two special
announcements to make during the meeting.
The first was that the World Association of Zoos and
Aquariums, WAZA, has now certified Khao Kheow Open Zoo as having reached
world zoo standards. The second announcement was that a Siberian Tiger in
the zoo has given birth to three cubs, two males and one female. All are
healthy. They were fathered by a three-year old tiger named Dimitry, the
mother being a four-year old female named Kiera that the Zoological Park
Organization had imported from Canada in May.
The Siberia Tiger (Felise Tigris) lives in cold areas
and is found in Siberia, North Korea, northern China and southeast Russia.
The number in the wild has fallen dramatically. Sophon said that it was
greatly to Khao Kheow Open Zoo’s credit that it can breed the Siberia
Tigers.
There are about 42 types of tiger in the world and Khao Kheow already
has more than half of them. Few other zoos have anything like this number.
The zoo is planning to develop a tiger valley with a budget of over 20
million baht.
City hall mulls problems of parking fee collection
Narisa Nitikarn
A committee meeting was held at city hall on September 5
to examine the problems of the somewhat vague system of collecting parking
fees from vehicle owners.
 U-Rit
Nanthasurasak, deputy Pattaya councilor and Sitthipab Muangkum give their
opinions.
U-Rit Nanthasurasak, deputy Pattaya councilor, said that
the hiring on a lump-sum basis of those collecting the parking fees is
divided into three zones: Lanpho-Naklua, Beach Road from the Amari curve to
Siam Bayshore, and Jomtien. There are obstacles to the collection of the
fees, the main one being the use of plainclothes officials which makes
motorists wary of a scam.
This should be resolved as soon as possible, said U-Rit,
because in addition to the fee collecting Pattaya at the moment has problems
enforcing the parking regulations. The regulations are not clear enough, and
those infringing them are often not aware of doing so.
Sitthipab Muangkum, deputy city clerk, said that collectors might be more
motivated if they received a 10 percent commission on the fees. Another idea
would be for local contractors to be assigned the job.
Education committee chairman points to continuing low level of English language skills amongst schools
Chairman of Pattaya education committee
Faruk Wongborisut made a plea to the education chiefs at city hall on
September 5, pointing out that the children under their responsibility have
poor English language skills. Standards need to be raised, with teachers
skilled in teaching their subjects, he said.
Tawatchai Rattanyoo, director of the Education
Department, responded that the city council continuously supports and
encourages English knowledge learning.
 Faruk
Wongborisut, chairman of the education committee, made an urgent called to
all concerned departments.
“A part of the school curriculum is that the subject
should be taught by a native English teacher,” he said. “The Ministry of
Education policy, which is applicable to the whole country, is that under
the English teaching and learning system students should be able to read,
write and make conversation before finishing secondary school class 3. This
lets each school prepare its own teaching system because the ministry
realizes that the students’ ability and English skills are not uniform
countrywide.”
Tawatchai added that city hall has formulated a teaching
and learning plan by having workshops in each subject, which enables the
school director to monitor progress.
Faruk said that in his opinion adjusting the level of the
English courses is essential for students and it should have been adopted a
long time ago.
“Pattaya City is a tourist destination and it has a lot of foreign
visitors,” he said. “Students in our schools need to improve their
English skills for use in the future. If this adjustment is a success then
other languages should be added to the curriculum, such as Chinese and
Russian.”
It could be the end of the Rainbow as city hall gives lukewarm reception
to LED screen idea
Narisa
Nitikarn
City council chairman Tawit Chaisawangwong presided over
a meeting of councilors at city hall on September 6 to decide whether
Pattaya should purchase an advertising screen board made by Korea-based
Rainbow Light & Electronics Co Ltd.
CEO and vice-chairman of Rainbow Light & Electronics
Sang-Mo Lee said that the company was founded 23 years ago. Headquartered in
Seoul, they are leaders in LED screen production.
 Tawit
Chaisawangwong, city council chairman, presides over the meeting.
It has been proposed that a screen be placed in the
Walking Street area to advise visitors on activities and projects happening
in and around Pattaya.
“The LED screen is admired in many countries such as
the US and Singapore,” said Lee. “In Korea there are 138 LED boards, of
which 86 have been manufactured by Rainbow. They can be used for up to 18
hours a day and have a lifetime expectation of 16 years.”
Lee said the investment required for a 12m by 9m screen
would be US$1.5 million, with maintenance costs of 150,000 baht per month.
Tawit said he was unclear of the purpose of the LED
screen presentation. Did they want Pattaya City to be an investor, a buyer,
or a co-investor?
The company didn’t give any details on this matter, he
said. Rainbow should submit the price and specifications including all
relevant details, which they allegedly didn’t present at the meeting.
If Pattaya City council thinks it would be advantageous
then a new appointment can be made for further discussion. Tawit also asked
whether the meeting attendees would be interested in a portable 5 by 4m
screen which could be mounted on a vehicle and would be transportable
throughout the city.
After the Rainbow presentation, Tawit talked about the duty of Pattaya
council, which is not to make an order immediately. Pattaya councilors
didn’t make a resolution at this meeting, he said. Cooperation is
requested from all councilors for the final council resolution.
High-powered delegation arrives to prepare for November meet
Narisa Nitikarn
Representatives of countries from the Asia Parliament
Association visited Pattaya as part of the preparation for a major conference
to be held at the resort in November.
Representatives
of the Asia Parliament Association have their photo taken with Mayor Niran
Wattanasartsathorn as a memento of their visit.
Mayor Niran Wattanasartsathorn and Chawalit Saeng-utai,
senior deputy Banglamung district chief, welcomed 17 delegates from five
countries. The representatives were from Pakistan, Bangladesh, China,
Cambodia and the Philippines, the group being led by Zahid Hamid,
Pakistan’s minister of the interior.
Amongst those welcoming the guests was Narong Ratanaporn,
director of the Bureau of International Relations Secretariat of the House of
Representatives and secretary-general of the MP Department.
Narong told reporters that the delegates had come to
Pattaya to prepare for a meeting that will be held November 19-25 at the
Royal Cliff Beach Resort. There will be over 200 participants from 40
countries throughout the Asia and Pacific region.
The visitors had a meal at the Pattaya Park Hotel before going on a
sightseeing tour of the city. They visited the World Gems Collection and then
went on to Mini Siam, with Mayor Niran personally leading the tour.
Spurned lover slits girlfriend’s throat in karaoke bar toilet
Boonlua
Chatree
Pattaya police station in the early hours of September 5
received a report that a woman had had her throat cut at Pom Karaoke on Soi
Buakao, and that a man had been injured. A friend had already taken the
woman to Pattaya Memorial Hospital while the man had been transferred to
Banglamung Hospital.
Police went to Pattaya Memorial Hospital where they
found the injured woman, Miss Benjamat Kotprae, age 26, undergoing
emergency surgery in the intensive care unit. Her throat had been deeply
cut and her windpipe was almost severed.
Officers at Pom Karaoke interviewed the owner,
39-year-old Nopakhun Namsawang, who had taken Benjamat to the hospital. He
said that Benjamat had entered the venue with four male and female friends.
They had ordered about 700 baht worth of food and drinks. Later he had seen
a man named Pern, who he knew to be a former lover of Benjamat. The two had
talked together for about five minutes before Pern pulled Benjamat sharply
into the toilet and cut her throat with a knife. Benjamat shouted that she
was hurt and fell to the toilet floor.
Rushing into the toilet to help, Nopakhun found Pern
using the same knife to stab himself in the chest. Nopakhun asked an
employee to take Pern to Banglamung Hospital and he took Benjamat to
Pattaya Memorial Hospital himself.
Police at Banglamung Hospital identified the attacker as
Sakda Bunprasert, age 26. The knife was still sticking in his chest and the
Banglamung medical team hadn’t removed it. He was transferred quickly to
Chonburi Hospital for treatment. He couldn’t give any statement to the
police.
Witnesses told police that Benjamat had a new British
boyfriend. Pern tried to persuade Benjamat to go back to him (Pern) but she
refused. He then attacked her, cutting her throat and then attempted to
commit suicide. Police have charged him with attempted murder.
Woman and her son shot by robber on motorcycle
Son succumbs to gunshot wounds
Boonlua Chatree
An armed robber on a motorcycle shot a woman and her son
before escaping with a 3 baht gold chain that the woman had been wearing.
Banglamung police station on the evening of September 4
received a report from Banglamung Hospital that two people, a mother and her
son, had been admitted with gunshot wounds. The woman was gravely injured, but
the son was dead on arrival.
At the emergency room police discovered 58-year-old Mrs
Mukda Thamprayot, who had been shot to the left side of her head. The bullet
had lodged in the back of her skull. Another shot had hit her in the left
knee, and this bullet also remained in her body. Mukda’s son Monchai
Thamprayot, age 29, had been shot in the left side of his chest, with another
shot to the torso and a third to his left knee. All the bullets remained in
his body.
Mukda’s sister-in-law, 59-year old Mrs A-Nong Thamprayot,
had accompanied the two to hospital. She told police that the three of them
had gone by motorcycle to the market. They had returned home with A-Nong
riding pillion on Monchai’s motorcycle with Mukda following behind on her
own motorbike.
About halfway home, behind Thuanthong Temple in Pong
district, a man on a motorcycle and wearing a full helmet had cut in front of
Mukda’s motorcycle. He forced her to hand over the 3 baht gold chain and
amulet she was wearing around her neck. Mukda shouted to her son for help, and
Monchai turned his motorcycle round. The robber shot Monchai three times and
then fired two shots at Mukda before escaping with the gold chain, although
the amulet was dropped in the road. A-Nong said she was not shot because the
robber had no bullets left.
Robber stabs 71-year-old German man to death during break-in
Boonlua Chatree
A 71-year old German man was stabbed to death by a robber who
broke into his home and escaped with valuables.
Pattaya Memorial Hospital on September 9 reported to Pattaya
police station that a man of German nationality had been certified dead on
arrival, the cause of death being knife wounds. The crime had happened at a
house in Jomtien Nivet Village.
Arriving at the hospital, officers found the body of Kurt
Heinz Nigen Horst. He had been stabbed in his left ribs and had wounds to his
face. Physicians confirmed he had died before reaching the hospital.
Police at the townhouse in Soi 8 in Jomtien Nivet Village
found evidence of a struggle. They also found the murder weapon, a 35cm long
knife, which had been dropped on the kitchen floor.
Police are looking for a man described by a witness as being
about 20 years old, 160cm in height, with a shaven head and looking like a drug
consumer. He was seen exiting the house carrying property and wearing a
red-black shirt and blue jeans. He ran off in the direction of Najomtien.
German biker wanted on drugs charges is seized and deported
Boonlua Chatree
The head of a German biker gang wanted in his own country
in connection with over 40 drugs charges has been arrested and deported by
Pattaya Immigration Police. He had been hiding out in Thailand for three
years.
Working in conjunction with the German Embassy and the
Royal Thai Police, the Immigration Police traced Thorsten Wiechmann, 38, to
a North Pattaya address via his motorcycle license. Wiechmann, a distinctive
figure with his many tattoos, was apprehended in Walking Street and served
with an arrest warrant that had been issued in his native Hamburg.
He was wanted for a total of 40 cases, most notably
bringing over 3kg of cocaine into Germany. Investigators allege Wiechmann
was trying to buy drugs in Thailand for export.
Health care for the elderly combines with medical training at Yanasangworn Center
Chatchanan Chaisree
Dr Wichai Thianthaworn, permanent secretary to the
Ministry of Public Health, was guest of honor at the 12th anniversary
celebrations of the Supreme Patriarch Center on Agingon August 25.
 Dr
Wichai Thianthaworn visits Supreme Patriarch Center on Aging.
The Institute of Medicine for the Elderly opened
the center in 1993. As well as providing health care for senior
citizens it also serves as a training center for medical personnel and
public health employees. Both the public and private sectors, from
Thailand and overseas, attend the center which in the recent past has
hosted visitors from Chulalongkorn, Mahidol, Khon Kaen and Burapha
universities, and researchers from Vietnam, Korea, Australia and the
USA. To date, over 4000 people have successfully undertaken training
courses at Yanasangworn.
The elderly residents of the center receive
comprehensive care for both physical and mental ailments under the
responsibility of trained physicians, nurses, psychiatrists and
nutritionists using modern medical techniques.
Dr Wichai said it is vital that care for the elderly meets the
requirements of the Elderly Act 2003. The Ministry of Public Health
has stipulated that all hospitals should have a special elderly
service, and has directed that the capacity of clinics for the elderly
be expanded so that there are sufficient places both for now and in
the future.
Longan fruit from troubled South on sale in Pattaya
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Seasonal longan fruit from the troubled Southern province
of Narathiwat is available throughout Pattaya following an agreement signed
between city hall and the Narathiwat provincial government and its chamber
of commerce.
Pattaya
public supports Southern compatriots by buying longan.
Inking the agreement were Mayor Niran Wattanasartsathorn
and Narathiwat Governor Pracha Taerat, together with Somchai Khunplome,
mayor of Saensuk municipality, which has its own distribution agreement.
Ensuring open distribution channels for the greatly loved
fruit is a Royal Projects initiative devised for the three border provinces
suffering insurgency problems.
It was feared that the internal provincial strife would
affect the longan season, at its height in the period September to October,
preventing farmers from getting their crops to the market.
Her Majesty Queen Sirikit is giving her support to the
governors of Narathiwat, Pattani and Yala to help agriculturists in the
region.
Pattaya City and Saensuk municipality have agreed to buy the prized
Tanyongmas grade longan for distribution. Amongst the outlets, the fruit can
be found at the entrance to Walking Street and Dongtan Curve at Jomtien
Beach.
Time for a tiger
Sriracha Tiger Zoo donates cubs and crocs to Chiang Mai Night Safari
Narisa Nitikarn
Sriracha Tiger Zoo has presented tigers and freshwater
crocodiles to the government-organized Chiang Mai Night Safari. The new
intake will be available for the public and zoological students to view in
November.
 (From
left) Maitree Temsiripong, chairman of Sriracha Tiger Zoo Co Ltd, Plodprasop
Suratsawadee, deputy minister for resources and the environment, donate
Bengal Tigers and freshwater crocodiles to Chiang Mai Night Safari Zoo.
The announcement was made at a press conference led by
Maitree Temsiripong, chairman of Sriracha Tiger Zoo Co Ltd, and the zoo’s
legal advisor Watcharin Duangdara. Also present were Plodprasop
Suratsawadee, deputy minister for resources and the environment, and Vijit
Kessamma, administrative director of Conservation Area Department Section 2.
Plodprasop said Sriracha Tiger Zoo breeds a significant
quantity of Bengal Tigers each year and that the government has a project to
open the Chiang Mai Night Safari, which still needs a lot of animals,
including tigers and crocodiles.
The zoo presented 100 tigers and 20 freshwater
crocodiles, to be collected in three stages. November 16 will see a
handing-over of tiger cubs, giving an opportunity for children to hold the
baby tigers and have their photographs taken.
Maitree said that Sriracha Tiger Zoo is happy to cooperate with the
government so that students and the public will have a better understanding
of wildlife. The zoo has a breeding program for Bengal Tigers and every year
breeds more than 30,000 crocodiles.
Police briefs
Boonlua Chatree
Three drugs dealers netted
during one evening
Three drug dealers were arrested in three separate police
raids during the evening of September 2.
Banglamung police already knew from their investigations
that ya ba dealers were using the Petroleum Thai filling station at Khao Mai
Kaew crossroads as a distribution point, and they moved in and arrested
Suchart Laor-Iam, 36. Suchart had 1,200 ya ba pills on him.
Officers entering a house in Nongplalai sub-district
found Sompong Dang-Nual, 42, in possession of 200 ya ba pills. Police
staking out Bangkok Pattaya Hospital car park seized Rangsan Kotchomphoo,
34, and found him in possession of a 5-gram pack of the narcotic ice.
All three men have been charged with illegal possession
of class 1 drugs with intent to distribute.
Electrician burned
climbing pole to enter his room
An electrician climbing an electrical pole to get into
his room after forgetting his door key accidentally touched a live cable and
was seriously injured.
The incident happened at a three-story building under
construction in Soi Naklua, in front of Big C in North Pattaya.
Officers from Pattaya police station along with a team
from Sawang Boriboon Foundation rushed to the scene on the evening of
September 5 after reports that a man had been electrocuted.
They found the man, a 19-year-old Karen named Soo
Ja-prem, on an overhanging part of the building. He had suffered burns to
his right hand, had a broken right arm, a dislocated backbone and broken
ribs. The officers used a wooden ladder to get to the man and a cradle to
lower him down to the ground.
Investigations revealed that Soo was an electrician
responsible for installing the cables during construction of the building.
He had rented a room next door, on the second floor. Discovering he had
forgotten his key, Soo climbed an electrical pole and accidentally touched a
high-voltage cable.
Mother of 2 climbs post
and threatens to jump
A mother of two who was beset by domestic problems
climbed a 130-meter high-voltage electricity pole on the evening of
September 6 and threatened to jump.
Police and Sawang Boriboon Thammasatarn Foundation
officers called out to the scene, in front of the Electricity Generating
Authority of Thailand offices at Nongprue, found Mrs Sawat (or Saifon)
Sothon, age 38, in a distressed condition. She cried out that she wanted to
be reconciled with her husband, who had left her to bring up their two
children alone. Sawat said her mother-in-law had interfered in her marriage,
causing quarrels and the eventual breakup of the relationship. She said that
if she could not have what she wanted she would jump to end her life and all
her troubles.
A large crowd had gathered, and they and the police
officers told Sawat that such an action would leave her children in an even
worse predicament. Police asked Sanit Bunmachai, a Pattaya council officer,
to bring an elevating work platform and an air cushion. Still Sawat refused
to come down.
By 1:30 a.m., after three hours and with rain falling,
and with police unable to find Sawat’s husband Ae, police decided to take
the risk. Five officers ascended on the platform and offered her some
drinking water. Then they quickly secured her and brought her safely to the
ground. During the struggle Sawat lost consciousness and was transferred to
Bangkok Pattaya Hospital for treatment.
Police bust ya ba party
and find youth with gun
A police raid on a ya ba party held by a group of youths
in a room at the Wichit Bencharong apartment building on Soi Samroeng on
September 5 revealed that one of them was armed.
Responding to a report from a member of the public,
police entered the premises where they found four youths taking ya ba. The
officers were in the process of confiscating the equipment and arresting the
four when another youth entered the room and was discovered to be carrying a
.357 caliber gun and 32 bullets. Kriangkrai Saengsawang, 20, claimed he had
bought the gun for 20,000 baht to protect himself. He was charged with
illegally possessing and carrying a gun and bullets.
Police conducted a urine test on the other four, which proved positive in
all cases. Woratod Klaisuban, 20, Kamron Net-In, 19, Chaya Net-In, 17, and
Komsan Wanacheep, 20, were charged with consumption of a class 1 drug.
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