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Province to survey land to ensure fair price is set for Jomtien Second Road acquisition
Vimolrat Singnikorn
Chonburi Deputy Governor Komsan Aekachai has ordered a survey of land along
the route of the proposed Jomtien Second Road, with the aim of determining a
reasonable price for it. He added that prices being sought by landowners are
currently too high, but that he appreciates the difficulty of surrendering
property in this economically successful area.
Komsan held a meeting at Pattaya City Hall on April 10 during which he
discussed the basic price and payment amount for land surrendered to the
government according to the Royal Decree of Land Limits. The land is within
the Nongprue area, located between Thappraya and Najomtien.
Pattaya City has received a budget of 600 million baht from the government
to buy land for the government for construction of four reinforced concrete
road lanes for a length of 7 km. This will enlarge the Thappraya-Najomtien
road.
The government had a budget of 300 million baht to purchase land to
surrender to the government from 500 occupied sites. However, because the
Jomtien area is growing well economically, the value of the land being
sought has increased. The official evaluation price is about 10,000 baht per
square wah, low enough to outrage the landowners who must surrender their
property.
Komsan said that the committee resolved at meeting to follow the government
regulations for the time being, and they will survey and inspect all owners’
property to be fair. If the survey committee feels it is necessary, the
prices being offered for the land would increase by 20-30 percent over the
official evaluation.
TAT and Pattaya ready to roll out welcome mat for PATA Conference delegates
City hall provides 2.5mn baht for support and promotions
Piyavadee Suvannahong
With the PATA Conference drawing near, city hall is finalizing the
organizational and security plans for what will be an important showcase
for Pattaya.
The 55th annual conference of the Pacific Asia Travel Association will
take place from April 23 to 27 at PEACH, at the Royal Cliff Beach
Resort. Hosts are Pattaya City and the Tourism Authority of Thailand.
One of the most high-profile tourism industry events in the Asia Pacific
region, the conference allows foreign and domestic tourism operators to
exchange ideas on major markets like the US, Japan and Europe. The
conference will also act as a showcase for delegates to judge Pattaya’s
ability in organizing and staging international conferences.
Held this year under the theme “Changing Lifestyles New Opportunities,”
the conference is expected to attract over 1,500 tourism industry
professionals from PATA’s member countries.
Thailand has hosted the event three times previously, each time Bangkok
having been the host city. This will be the first time for Pattaya. The
conference is being held to develop long-term tourism activity
promotion, with 44 tourism countries represented.
City hall has allocated a 2.5 million baht budget to welcome the
delegates, providing food and making VCDs introducing Pattaya. Delegates
will also be offered tours around Pattaya to further help promotions.
TAT governor Mrs Juthamas Siriwan said that Thailand is efficient in
organizing international events and that Pattaya has all the qualities
and experience needed for a successful large-scale conference.
Deputy Mayor Verawat Khakhay said the city has already undertaken public
relations programs advertising the event and the benefits that will be
gained.
PATA’s president and CEO Peter de Jong said the conference would discuss
measures for tourism industry development, marketing and human resources
development. Ministers of Tourism from member countries have already
accepted invitations to attend the conference and press members from
around the world will also be in the city.
Extra tourist police out
on the streets during Songkran
More protection for tourists during holiday period
A tourist police information
station was also set up at night during the holidays to answer questions and
give guidance.
Boonlua Chatree
More tourist police were sent out on the streets to protect visitors during
the Songkran festival, with extra officers sent out on the beat during a
ceremony held on Walking Street on April 10 by Pol Col Supapol Arunsit,
Tourist Police Commander of Division 3, and Pol Lt Col Wuttichart
Luonsukhan, Inspector of Pattaya Tourist Police.
Fifty tourist police officers, municipal officers, Thai and foreign national
volunteers attended the ceremony and then set off on motorcycles, bicycles,
and in patrol cars and pickup trucks, saluting Pol Col Sopapol smartly as
they drove past to commence their duties.
Pol Col Supapol said that the extra men on the beat were there to help
visitors feel safer, as well as act as a crime deterrent. Tourists in
Pattaya must receive the best protection from the police, he said, adding
that his men are committed to safeguarding lives and property.
Sex alert clinic being set up
to combat the spread of AIDS
Narisa Nitikarn
Ways of combating the spread of AIDS were discussed on April 3 at city
hall, with a meeting led by Deputy Mayor Verawat Khakhay and attended by Dr
Piya Netwichian, deputy secretary general of the National Health Security
Office (NHSO), Mrs Wannaporn Jamjumrus, bureau director of Public Health and
the Environment in Pattaya City, and officers from the NHSO.
Dr Piya said that Pattaya is setting up a sex alert clinic with a budget of
2 million baht a year. The clinic, located at the Pattaya Rak Center in
Naklua can provide information and treatment on venereal diseases but
doesn’t have direct AIDS treatment yet. The center needs a physician, and
city hall is being asked to provide the necessary budget.
Mrs Na-Anya Chantarakat, a nursing officer at the Public Health and
Environment Department in Pattaya City said that a survey had revealed only
3 percent of homosexuals had HIV from direct contact from gay bars.
Verawat said city hall is ready to provide support but that officers must
report on how the money is to be allocated and how effective they estimate
it will be. Officers must draw up a proposal for discussion at the next
meeting.
HIV data compiled last year by the Epidemic Department at the Department of
Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health, found that the disease goes
beyond the service groups. From the sampling, the pregnant females group has
an infection rate of 1.7 percent, 7.07 percent of prostitutes are infected,
3.47 percent of escorts are, 6.66 percent of homosexuals are infected, 8.21
percent of men that have venereal diseases are, 45.83 percent of drug users
who use needles are, and 3.46 percent of fishermen are infected as well.
City Scope: Mayor and team in Pattaya Klang walkabout listen to community problems
Mayor Niran Watthanasartsathorn and a team of
city administrators and members of Pattaya City Council District 3 meet the
public. Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Mayor Niran Watthanasartsathorn led a team of city administrators and
members of Pattaya City Council District 3 on a “meet the public” visit to
the area around Wat Nong Oor, on Pattaya Klang Road, on April 11.
This is the third time for this program in which administrators go out on
the streets to meet the public. There are a total of nine communities in
District 3 comprising the communities of Soi 5 Thanwa, Pattaya Klang, Soi 6
Yodsak, Koh Larn, Chumsai, Khao Noi, Photisamphan, Wat Thamsamaki and Roi
Lang. The program is organized in order to get to community roots and answer
all questions asked by the public.
Mayor Niran said that the city is prepared for the further expansion and
development of the area in terms of public utilities and the improvement of
the quality of life of the people living there. In the future a community
public administration office will be constructed as well as a volunteer
center.
The problems encountered during heavy rains in District 3 will also be
tackled. These are mainly caused by the rapid development of the area and
the construction of new buildings. City hall is preparing to tackle the
problem and has already coordinated with Chiang Mai for the use of pumps to
drain out water and refuse caused by the heavy rains and clean out drainage
pipes. Chiang Mai, said Niran, has implemented and tested these new
procedures with good results. The process requires less labor resources than
existing procedures, and saves time, but requires a larger budget outlay.
Most complaints received by the public involved the disorderly parking of
baht buses. The mayor said city hall had already held meetings with the
operators and clear punishment will be implemented to solve the problem but
because there are a total of 700 baht buses throughout Pattaya it is
difficult to control. In future the city will color-mark the concession
routes. As for the problem of traders selling on the footpaths this only
happens in developed areas and city hall has implemented order procedures.
Towards the end of the session members of Soi 6 Yodsak Community praised the
efforts of the present administrators and said the public could rely on them
24 hours per day.
Beach gang assault and rob British tourist
Boonlua Chatree
A British man was beaten and robbed in front of Mike Shopping Mall in the
early hours of April 7.
Police arriving at the scene on Beach Road at 3.45 a.m. found a crowd of
foreigners around the prone victim, Dave Clark, 51, a British national who
had suffered swelling to the face, a split lip and a broken nose which was
bleeding profusely. He was taken to Pattaya Memorial Hospital.
 Kiatsak
Fongkoet was arrested in connection with the robbery and beating of a
British tourist.
Witnesses said that the attack was carried out by a gang of four youths who
controlled the beach at the front of the shopping mall, who attacked and
robbed the victim before separating and running off.
Police later arrested one of the attackers, Kiatsak Fongkoet, 21, a resident
of Srakaew province. During questioning he told officers that there were 10
gang members who congregated around the beach at the front of the shopping
mall. The gang leader, “Mr Chai”, noticed Clark who sat drinking alone and
encouraged other gang members to rob him. However, the victim fought back so
the gang laid into him before taking his wallet and making a run for it.
Kiatsak told officers that he got less than 100 baht from the share-out. He
couldn’t make his getaway quick enough hence he was arrested.
Police know the identities of all the gang members. Most of them work in gay
bars. After work they act as pimps controlling young prostitutes who sell
their services along the beach, and rob foreigners, using the money to go
out on the town. Police are going to round them up to face the courts.
Kiatsak has been charged with gang robbery.
Tourist police arrest foreign drug dealer
Patrick Biandhard, 41, was charged with
possession of a Class 1 narcotic with the intent to sell.
Boonlua Chatree
Police mounted an undercover operation to arrest a Frenchman who was
selling amphetamines. Officers on the evening of April 12 arranged to
buy a single tab of ya ba from the man for 400 baht. The money was
photocopied and the officers went to a room at the NN Apartment in Soi
Yensabai, as arranged. When the man appeared and handed over the tablet
in return for the money, he was arrested.
Patrick Biandhard, 41, was charged with possession of a Class 1 narcotic
with the intent to sell. He told officers that he bought the drug from
an unknown Thai male and did not know that the buyer was a police
officer.
Lucky rescue for 1-year-old Taiwanese girl who almost drowned at Koh Larn
Boonlua Chatree
A one-year-old Taiwanese girl almost drowned when she was swept out of
her mother’s arms while paddling in the sea at Koh Larn.
Police at Koh Larn and marine police were called out at 2:00 p.m. on April 8
where they found a crowd gathered on the beach. A Taiwanese woman was
cradling her daughter, one-year-old Wu Yuwen, and at first it was thought
she had drowned. A rescue officer gave the child first aid before she was
transferred to Pattaya Memorial Hospital, where she recovered. Doctors,
however, kept her in intensive care to ensure the water drained completely
out of her lungs.
The mother made a statement in tears, saying that she came to Pattaya with a
tour group and that the guide had taken them to visit Koh Larn. There was a
large wave while she was playing in the sea with her daughter. She was able
to grasp the child, but the little girl had lost consciousness and it was
feared she had died. She thanked the rescue workers for saving her.
Slippery Singha attempts escape number two
Boonlua Chatree
A prisoner who had in January made the newspaper headlines by escaping
from custody at Pattaya police station and climbing onto the roof attempted
yet another escape when he was being escorted to Pattaya Provincial Court to
face trial, and was found only when a frightened maid found him hiding in a
house.
 Slippery
Singha escaped again, and was caught, again.
Pattaya police station received a call from the police officer on duty at
Pattaya Provincial Court at 8:20 a.m. on April 17 to say that a prisoner had
escaped from custody and was hiding out in the woodland near the court,
which is located on Thappraya Road.
Police volunteers and officers, some of whom no doubt had clear memories of
a certain day in January, went to the court where they found the police
officer in charge flustered and grimy from pursuing the fugitive. He stated
that the prisoner’s name was Singha Suttipratet, age 25, and that he was
facing robbery charges. He had been arrested in January and was being held
at Nongplalai Prison. Singha, along with other prisoners, was being brought
to trial at the court this morning, but had escaped.
Singha, who is short and overweight, and was wearing a brown prison uniform,
managed to loosen his chains without the guard knowing. When the prisoners
were being transferred from the vehicle to the court building he fled,
climbed the wall, and hid in the Sugar Hut Resort which is 50 meters away
from Pattaya Provincial Court. This resort has an area of over 10 rai, so
many officers were needed to surround the hotel. They found the top of the
prisoner’s uniform in the woods. Police assumed that he couldn’t be too far
away, and about 30 minutes later they heard the sound of a woman shouting
for help from Sabaijai Villa, just behind the resort.
The woman’s name was Ms Saijai Samranmon, 27, a Top Care Company cleaning
service employee. She ran out with a frightened face and told the police to
search the house. Officers found the prisoner hiding under the bed. He was
arrested and handcuffed.
Saijai stated that while she was cleaning the bathroom on the ground floor
the prisoner came in, warning her not to shout or tell anybody. However, she
was afraid and ran out shouting for help. The prisoner went to hide on the
upper floor in the bedroom.
This is the second time Singha has attempted to escape. Back in January when
he was first arrested and taken to Pattaya police station for questioning he
had slipped out of his handcuffs and climbed out of a window onto the roof.
Police will be keeping a wary eye on him in future.
Two men charged with pimping 12-year-old boy
Boonlua Chatree
Pattaya Tourist Police following investigations that the sexual services of
a young boy were being sold to a foreign tourist at a room in the NN
Apartment have charged two Thai men with pimping.
Officers entered the premises at 8 p.m. on April 12 where they found Anant
Udtangkhai, 37, a resident of Nan province and a man identified by the
pseudonym of A leading a boy out of the room by the hand. They were taken to
Pattaya Tourist Police headquarters for questioning.
 Anant
and A were charged with selling a boy under 15 years of age for sex.
Wee (a pseudonym), 12, told officers that Anant took him to Room 202 of the
apartment to sell sexual favors to a Norwegian man later identified as
Bjarne Gunnar Ugulen, age 67. The boy performed a sexual service for which
the Norwegian afterwards handed him a 500 baht banknote, and the two men
came to pick him up on their motorcycle. Police arrested them as they were
walking out of the room.
Anant and A denied that they had taken the boy to provide sexual favors and
had only come to pick the lad up, but police did not believe them as the
boy’s statement was clear and there was also the question of the 500 baht.
The two were charged with selling a boy under 15 years of age for sex.
Police will request the courts for an arrest warrant for Ugulen. The boy has
been handed over to the Women and Children’s Foundation.
City hall will investigate
problems facing schools
Vimolrat Singnikorn
Councilor Farooq Wongborisuthi chaired a meeting on April 11 to discuss the
development of the education system and community vocational courses with
Deputy Mayor Wutisak Rermkitkarn and with Pannee Limcharoen, who was acting
on behalf of the director of the Social Welfare Department.
Deputy Mayor Wutisak said for this new education year, city hall officials
would visit all 10 schools under Pattaya City’s jurisdiction. This is to
meet and encourage the teachers, and discover the problems that the schools
are facing. Specifically they will focus on the school environment in the
classrooms, canteens, and public utilities such as restrooms. Toilet
facilities in particular are a cause of concern as there are not enough in
ratio to the number of students, and the facilities do not meet sanitary
health standards.
Regarding community vocational development, Pannee said that apart from
developing education and the school environment, the Social Welfare
Department is planning a number of short occupational training courses.
There will be three courses on offer, namely foot massage, English language,
and Thai desserts. All courses are free and the attendees will receive
certificates, which they can submit to apply for work in many companies.
Pattaya City has organized short occupational training courses before on a
regular basis and the effects are tangible.
Residents kick up a stink about toilet refuse trucks
Narisa Nitikarn
A meeting at Pattaya District Office on April 7 that initially planned
to discuss the problems of general refuse collection switched its focus when
representatives of the private contractors handling the work failed to show
up, and instead concentrated on the collection of liquid waste from the
septic tanks of private residences.
 Worachart
Khongsamut, acting head of waste and refuse disposal explains the problem.
Deputy Mayor Verawat Khakhay chaired the meeting, which director of the
Office of Public Health Pattaya, Mrs Wannaporn Jamjumrus, also attended.
Effluent waste suction vehicles have been a source of complaints for their
erratic collection times. Verawat asked about the performance of operatives
and the number of vehicles out on the streets, and Worachart Khongsamut,
acting head of Waste and Refuse Disposal replied that the city had six
vehicles, which is insufficient to serve the public. 40 households per day
request their toilet waste disposal tanks be cleared out, but the city has
the capacity to serve only five households per vehicle per day, or 30
households. Consequently, 10 households are going on the waiting list until
the following day.
Verawat said that this year an additional two vehicles would be provided,
which should be sufficient. However, councilor Sanit Bunmachai argued that
six vehicles were sufficient and the problem lies with control procedures.
Time records should be kept for each trip to prevent skiving by operatives,
he said.
Verawat said that city operatives should work overtime and be paid for it
and each vehicle should be fitted with two-way radios to report times for
each trip.
Wannaporn added that when the city cannot meet the requirements of the
public, entrepreneurs provide the services and charge significantly more
than the city council charges for the same services. For instance, roving
septic tank suction vehicles not from city hall often charge several
thousand baht for the job which city hall workers do for around 200-300
baht. She said she would not permit the public to be cheated.
Elderly Day helps to promote a more caring attitude towards senior citizens in our changing society
Piyavadee Suvannahong
As part of the Elderly Day celebrations, Pattaya City held a “smart and
pretty” contest, sprinkled water, dispensed and received blessings, and
arrangements are being made for 300 elderly people to visit Thablan for
dharma study as a gift of the city.
Mayor Niran Watthanasartsathorn attended the “Sprinkling of water for the elderly
and received their blessing” ceremony.
Elderly Day celebrations began at 10 a.m. on April 7, with Pattaya Public
Health Service Center working in cooperation with the Pattaya Elderly Club.
This event was previously held annually on April 13, but this year many
members had to travel to other provinces to be with their families, hence
the earlier date.
This year the activities included a “Smart and Pretty with Age Contest” for
which grandmothers and grandfathers were attired in their best. Officers and
members of the public sprinkled water onto the elders and received their
blessings for this Thai New Year occasion.
The men look resplendent in
their “Smart and pretty with age” outfits.
Kanda Nawong, acting on behalf of the Public Health director said that the
Pattaya Elderly Club comes under the Pattaya Public Health and Environmental
Department, and was initiated in 2002. At present this club has 510 members,
and the number is increasing each year. The intention is to provide a
setting in which new friendships can flourish and where people can
participate in new interests and activities.
Mayor Niran Watthanasartsathorn officially opened Elderly Day. He said that
elderly people are important people, and we must pay attention to them.
Society has changed and often there is no time to take care of the elderly
and realize their worth. Elderly Day helps to promote a more caring
environment for them.
Pattaya City approved a budget to arrange accommodation at the Dharma Camp
at Tablan National Park, Prachinburi so the elderly can have a holiday there
in June. The Somdej Phranangchaosirikit Hospital medical team is also
providing free medical check ups.
The female “Smart and pretty
with age” contestants brightened the atmosphere.
Airlines and airports discuss
new routing possibilities
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
A conference designed to discuss new air service opportunities within the
Asia Pacific region was held on April 10 at the Royal Cliff Beach Resort,
hosted by Airports of Thailand Co Ltd and the Department of Civil Aviation.
New Routes for Asia, the fourth annual meeting of its kind, brought together
the region’s airlines and airports to discuss new possibilities in a
structured format.
Last year’s meeting was held in Kuala Lumpur, with Thailand being chosen as
the host this year because of the opening of Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Delegates discussed business developments relating to airline route
networks, and the market potential of airports.
There were also over 20 exhibition booths from the airlines, airports and
suppliers. This included information given by Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Chaisak Angkasuwan (left),
director general of the Department of Civil Aviation and chairman of the New
Routes in Asia organizing committee provides information to the media.
The terminals at Suvarnabhumi
Airport are state of the art.
Suvarnabhumi Airport will be
the largest airport in the region.
Construction at Suvarnabhumi
Airport is nearly complete.
Frogmen survey underwater sites for House of Fish project
Narisa Nitikarn
Underwater sites have now been surveyed to find the most suitable locations
for sinking 60 disused railway carriages that will act as a reef and
encourage the growth of marine life.
 Officials
from the Department of Fisheries and the Department of Mineral Resources
report their findings.
Known as Pattaya Ban Pla, the “House of Fish”, the project is part of the
celebrations surrounding the 60th anniversary of His Majesty the King’s
ascension to the throne, and has been organized by three agencies, namely
Pattaya City Council, the Royal Navy and the Railway Authority of Thailand.
At a recent meeting in at city hall, Captain Surapong Ayasanond, deputy
director general of the Naval Civil Affairs Department described the
progress on the survey for the underwater park.
People at the meeting discussed the locations where the 60 railway carriages
could be sunk. Councilor Sanit Bunmachai proposed they be placed at two
locations, 40 to be sunk off the south of Koh Khrok and 20 off Koh Phai,
near to the point where railway carriages were sunk in 2002. This would give
divers more choice in location. All the attendees agreed with the idea
except that the areas in question would need to be checked first to see
whether the area was suitable and in line with Department of Fisheries
standards.
Kornwit Jantkosol (left), a Department of Fisheries academic and a member of the
Naval Civil Affairs Department intently watch the satellite GPS equipment as
frogmen below survey the location.
Pattaya City Council members led divers from the Department of Mineral
Resources and Royal Navy frogmen to survey the areas, results of which
proved that the areas 1.82 nautical miles from the coast and 16.2 - 25
meters deep are suitable for sinking the railway carriages.
Kornwit Jantkosol, a Department of Fisheries academic said the committee
hopes that the project would increase sea life in the areas and become
Pattaya’s latest tourist attraction. The areas selected are suitable but
additional meetings will be needed to reap the greatest benefit from the
project for tourists.
Divers from the Department of Fisheries and the
Department of Mineral Resources survey the area and record their findings to
the south of Koh Khrok.
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