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Soi Buakao residents petition city over flooding
Pattaya Deputy Mayor Verawat
Khakhay promises to remedy the problem.
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Residents of Soi Buakao have petitioned city hall asking for administrators
to do something about the flooding of one of the sub-sois that occurs each
time after heavy rains.
Representatives met with Deputy Mayor Verawat Khakhay on March 14. They said
the reason the waters do not drain away is that the soi is narrow and closed
off at the far end by the wall of the Caesars Palace hotel.
The sub-soi has more than 50 households. City hall had earlier provided a
budget to lay large drainage pipes in the area to prevent flooding. Verawat
said he would send public works officers to survey the area and also
coordinate with the hotel in order to find a solution.
Three schools awarded for food cleanliness
in Little FDA project
Vimolrat Singnikorn
Certificates were presented to the cafeterias of three schools that have
reached the highest standards of food hygiene, in a ceremony presided over
by Pattaya City Councilor Pisai Panomwan na Ayutthaya at School No 7 on
March 12.
 Pattaya
City Councilor Pisai Panomwan na Ayutthaya pins a Little FDA button on one
of the students that participated in the project.
The volunteer project, known as “Little FDA”, covers the 10 schools under
Pattaya City jurisdiction, and another eight private schools.
Mrs Wannaporn Jamjumrus, director of the Department of Public Health and the
Environment, said that school volunteers had been trained in both the
government-run and the private schools to monitor food safety, and to be
part of an initiative to ensure food hygiene for all the pupils.
Little FDA was so effective, said Wannaporn, that more than 60 percent of
the school food vendors had changed their methods and facilities to meet the
required standards.
The three schools found to be especially outstanding, Pattaya School No 3,
Pattaya School No. 5 and Tantrarak School, were presented with awards.
Little FDA was first established in 2002, and was significantly promoted in
2003 by the Consumer Efficiency Development Unit of the Food and Drug
Administration at the Ministry of Public Health. By allowing students to be
part of the process, the knowledge spreads throughout the school system and
beyond, to the family home and even to the fresh markets.
Residents afraid of flooding petition city hall
City hall has ordered work
stopped on this road until the effects can be determined.
Narisa Nitikarn
Thirty residents of President Village filed a complaint at Pattaya City Hall
on March 9, saying they were afraid their homes would be flooded because the
owner of the village had raised the height of the road on their development.
Homesteaders from the village, which is located on Sukhumvit Soi 53, inside
Soi Nernplabwan, met with Deputy Mayor Verawat Khakhay.
The owner of the village has land behind the development on which he is
building a condominium, and he has installed drainage and raised the surface
of the road. Residents alongside the road, some of who have been there for
20 years, now find their houses are at a lower level than the road surface.
They are therefore concerned that when it rains, the excess water that can’t
drain away will flood their property.
The residents said they were petitioning city hall at this stage so that
they can get a fair deal before the project is completed, after which
nothing could be rectified.
Verawat directed the Public Works Bureau to immediately put a stop to the
construction process, a legitimate step because even though this is private
land, permission is needed from city hall to construct a road or a condo
beforehand. The deputy mayor added that the area would now be surveyed to
see the effects of the construction work and the inconvenience and damage it
might be causing residents.
Sonthi says new constitution will be completed sooner than expected
Jomtien seminar puts forward ideas
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Chairman of the National Security Council General Sonthi Boonyarataglin
presided over the closing session of a seminar for the drafting of a new
constitution at the Ambassador City Jomtien on March 16.
 Chairman
of the National Security Council General Sonthi Boonyarataglin said he
believes that the new constitution will be finished sooner than expected.
The seminar had been held to propose ideas for the constitution from every
sector, including the army, navy, air force and police.
Held over the period March 13 to 16, the seminar was divided into five
groups. Group 1 was for legislative power, Group 2 executive power, Group 3
judicial power, Group 4 was for the organization’s constitution, and Group 5
was for rights, liberties, and the unification of the people.
The groups had earlier drawn up their ideas, which were then summarized and
presented during the seminar by group representatives.
Captain Saksit Changthong of the Air Force General Headquarters,
representing the legislative group, proposed to reduce the number of MPs and
Senators, saying there are currently many other sectors available to help
and advise the people.
The Sub-district Administration Organization and Provincial Administration
Organization, which reduce the roles of MPs and Senators, should be excluded
from the Prime Minister’s party list, said Capt Saksit. This is because most
of the representatives are in a position to receive benefits and obtain
influence for investors. Furthermore, he said, it should not be necessary
for an MP to obtain a bachelor’s degree, because a degree does not impart
morality.
Captain Wanchia Srongmetta of the Naval Operation Department, representing
the executive power group, said that a Prime Minister should come directly
from the elected MPs, and be selected only by the people. The Prime Minister
and Ministers should not be involved in business, to prevent them seeking
business advantages, neither should their spouses and children.
Colonel Nopadol Sangpolasit of the Military Research Work and Development
Center, representing the judiciary group, said the judiciary should audit
the independence organization’s performance. The judiciary is neutral, he
said. This would allow both impartiality and also consistency, in the event
of a new independence organization being formed. He also proposed a system
for examination corruption or instances of unusual wealth.
Colonel Chaiyawit Chayapinan of the Space Development Center at the Ministry
of Defense said that it was necessary to have a strong examination audit
group for the independence organization to create balance and an equilibrium
of power, away from political influences.
Captain Chookrit Bunyatas of the High Level Navy, representing the group for
rights, liberties and the unity of the people, proposed that a method of
protection for the infringement of personal rights be created. This would
include protection against violations and threats to the rights of the mass
media.
Gen Sonthi, in his closing speech, said that all the opinions voiced during
the seminar would be examined and submitted to the National Security
Council, and then further submitted to the Constitution Draft Commission.
The original intention, he said, was for a draft of the new constitution to
be completed in July ready for public examination in August and a public
vote at the beginning of September. It now seems, said Gen Sonthi, that the
new constitution would be completed sooner than expected.
Former jailbird caught
in snatch-and-run attempt
Boonlua Chatree
A man who had formerly served a prison sentence for robbery found himself
out of luck again when he was caught attempting to snatch the bag of a
Russian tour group leader.
 Police
arrest Promlikit Promkaew for snatching the handbag of the leader of a
Russian tour group.
Pattaya Police Station received a report just after midnight on March 14
that a foreign visitor had had her bag snatched outside a beer bar on Soi
Kitti Car Care. Officers arriving at the scene found Ms Natalui
Turzhanskaya, 36-year-old Russian national who was leading a Russian tour
group organized by Dynamic Co Ltd, in a frightened state. She said that as
she was walking in the soi, a motorcycle came up behind her and the driver
snatched her bag, and then rode away out of the soi.
The motorcycle was described by witnesses as a red-and-black 125 Honda Wave,
and the number of the Chonburi license plate was given to the officers, who
radioed police in the vicinity to go in pursuit of the thief.
Police saw the motorcyclist trying to escape round the back of Chernlong
Barbeque on Third Road, and they surrounded the location. Unable to escape,
the thief panicked and crashed into a barbed wire fence. Abandoning his
motorcycle, he fled into woodland behind a branch of the North Pattaya
Government Housing Bank, where the police quickly caught him.
The man was identified as Promlikit Promkaew, age 33, a resident of Naklua.
In his possession was the bag of his victim, containing 36,830 baht, 100
dollars in cash, and two mobile phones.
Promlikit confessed to the robbery. He said he had borrowed the motorcycle
from a friend and had ridden around looking for a victim. He said he needed
money to buy food for his wife, who worked as a sexual service girl on the
beach.
When the police checked Promlikit’s file they discovered that he had
previously spent seven-and-a-half years in jail for being part of a gang
that carried out a robbery in Rayong Province. Upon release he had once
again turned to theft. Police have initially charged him with snatch-and-run
robbery, and have extended their enquiries to see if Promlikit has any other
possible cases against him.
In the bunker for Golf the gay go-go dancer who sold ya ba
Boonlua Chatree
A go-go dancer at a gay bar in South Pattaya had such a successful career
selling sexual services and sending ya ba to his home province of Buriram,
where it was sold by his uncle, that he was able to build a 1 million baht
house for his mother.
His luck ran out when Buriram police, acting on complaints that the uncle
was selling narcotics in Banyang sub-district, mounted an undercover
operation to find out who was sending the drugs into the area.
An officer contacted 33-year-old Nikomsin Muengsantia, a driver working for
an icehouse in Banyang, who had been reported as selling ya ba pills. The
undercover officer said he wanted to buy a pill. A price of 400 baht was
quoted and an appointment made.
Officers staked out Nikomsin’s house, and at the appointed time Nikomsin and
his nephew, 22-year-old Chatchai “Golf” Rattana-Udom, arrived. The police
identified themselves and searched the two men, finding two straws filled
with 20 ya ba pills.
Golf said that he had purchased the ya ba in Pattaya, where he was a dancer
in a go-go bar on Soi Sunee Plaza, and had brought it to Buriram to give to
his uncle, Nikomsin. He said he had been working in the bar for four years,
during which time he also sold ya ba. He bought the narcotics from a man
named Pae, on Soi Sunee Plaza. Nikomsin transferred 20,000 baht each time to
his bank in Pattaya, and Golf bought 100 pills at a time at the price of 200
baht per pill. They were sold for 400 baht each. Nikomsin acted as the
dealer, selling the drugs mainly to young people in Banyang and to
colleagues in the icehouse.
Golf said that he had been so successful he was able to give his mother
nearly a million baht to pay for the building of a new house. Both Golf and
Nikomsin were tested for traces of the drug, and tested positive. They
admitted they had taken ya ba before their arrest.
Police round-up Uzbekistani prostitutes
Boonlua Chatree
Ten Uzbekistani women were arrested in the early hours of March 12 on
prostitution charges.
The women were seen by police soliciting along Walking Street, mixing with
tourists in the bars and offering their services. The 10 women were aged
between 20 and 35. They were taken into custody and had background checks
carried out at Pattaya Immigration.
Police said the women had a history of selling their services in Pattaya and
of being prosecuted. They entered the country as tourists to ply their
trade. Each was fined 500 baht and blacklisted from re-entering Thailand. A
20-year-old whose visa had expired was charged with overstaying her welcome.
Four pedophiles arrested in one day
Boonlua Chatree
Four foreign men have been charged with having sex with children following a
police sweep conducted on a single day, March 19, by Pol Maj Gen Kamronwit
Thupkrajang, commander-in-chief of the Division for the Suppression of
Crimes against Children, Juveniles and Women.
 Repeat
offender Maurice John Praill was one of four alleged pedophiles arrested in
a police sweep on March 19.
Police investigations had revealed the identities of four foreign pedophiles
currently active in Pattaya, and arrest warrants were applied for at Pattaya
Provincial Court. The warrants were granted on March 18.
Officers searched a house in South Pattaya on March 19 and arrested Maurice
John Praill, a 76-year-old British national. He was charged with sexual
activities against children under the age of 15. Praill denied all the
charges, but he was taken to the police station for further questioning.
Police said that prior to this charge, Praill had been arrested for sexually
abusing two girls, aged 13 and 14, in Pattaya in the year 2000, and was
sentenced to 14 years imprisonment. On that occasion he was released on
bail, and the case is still in process. In 1997, Praill was arrested for
sexual offences against a 14-year-old boy when a suspicious police officer
followed and caught him with his pants around his ankles, and in an agitated
state, with the young boy behind a popular shopping mall. He was fined and
released.
Also on March 19, 2007, at around noon, officers from the Suppression of
Crimes against Children, Juveniles and Women Division searched a house near
the Hanumarn Roundabout in Jomtien and arrested Ilkka Antero Ylikojola, age
63, a Finnish national. He was charged with sexual activity against children
under 15 years of age. Police searched the premises and found a video
camera, digital camera, VCDs, and a recording device. They said there were
records of Ylikojola involved in sexual activity with children.
Police said a girl was brought into Ylikojola’s house by a woman known only
as Mon. Mon had met the girl at the Royal Garden Plaza on the second floor
and asked her to come along on a motorcycle to have her photograph taken. At
the house the girl was asked to take a bath. Ylikojola then took photographs
and a video of her, and asked her to dance and perform lewd acts in front of
the camera. He paid her 1,000 baht and another 500 baht to Mon, who sat in
another room waiting for about 30 minutes until Ylikojola had finished.
The third arrest was that of Stephen James Ellison, a British national age
55. Police confiscated a computer, CDs, and digital and video cameras.
Police said the equipment showed pictures of him engaging in sexual activity
with children aged under 15 years.
The fourth arrest took place at the Mark-Land Hotel, on the 24th floor.
Glenn Richard Allen, age 60, an American national, was charged with sexual
activity with children aged under 15 years. Police seized a computer, CDs,
and digital and video cameras as evidence.
Police said that those arrested had paid between 500 and 3,000 baht to
children between the ages of 11 and 15 for sexual activity and for picture
and video recording. A police spokesman said that they now know who the
procurers were and are searching for them.
Two Pakistani men robbed after girl spikes their drinks
Boonlua Chatree
Two Pakistani tourists were found unconscious in a hotel room after a
service girl slipped a sedative into their drinks and robbed them.
Pattaya Police Station received a report at 05.00 hrs on March 11 from staff
at a hotel on Soi 16 saying that two foreign men were unconscious in Room
107. On arrival at the scene with rescue workers from Sawang Boriboon
Foundation, officers found Siabia Halmia, 64, and Long Rasoer, 46, both of
Pakistan, naked on the bed. The pair was rushed to Pattaya Memorial Hospital
where Halmia was taken into ICU, as his condition was cause for concern.
Miss Ployravee Maksap, 46, the owner of the hotel told officers that at
about 02.00 hrs the two had brought a good looking Thai female about 25-30
years old to the hotel. A short time later the woman left in a hurry and
sped off on the back of a motorcycle. Acting out of suspicion Ployravee went
up and knocked on the guests’ door but received no answer. Unlocking the
door she saw the pair unconscious on the bed.
When he recovered, Rasoer told officers that the girl had suggested they
drink beer. He added that US$2,000 was missing. Police are looking for the
woman.
Chonburi rolls out promo campaign for discount card
Vimolrat Singnikorn
A promotional campaign for the Chonburi Tourist Visa Card was launched at
Ban Sukawadee on March 14, organized by the Chonburi Attraction Club in
conjunction with the Pattaya Business and Tourism Association and the
Tourism Authority of Thailand Central Office Region 3.
 Tourism
entrepreneurs gather at Ban Sukawadee for the Chonburi Tourist Visa Card
promotional campaign.
Chief advisor to the mayor Itthipol Khunplome, Banglamung district chief
Pratheep Chongsuebtham, and Wasan Temsiriwong, vice president of the
Chonburi Attraction Club spearheaded the campaign with a presentation that
emphasized the attractions of Pattaya and the province.
Chonburi Tourist Visa Cards cost 100 baht each and are valid for two years.
Chonburi has an enormous range of attractions, said Pratheep. Pattaya is the
focal point, naturally, but there are many other destinations throughout the
province with beautiful scenery, good food, fine entertainment, and plenty
of opportunities to relax.
Itthipol pointed out that the province has many industrial estates and that
a very large number of residents work for the enterprises within these
zones. In their leisure time these workers and their families enjoy visiting
the attractions within Chonburi, and the card would be of great value to
them.
Wasan said the Chonburi Attraction Club was established at the Marine
Science Institute at Burapha University, Saensuk, in February 2003. There
are currently 25 tourist destination members, including hotels and
restaurants, with a total of 50 locations.
He said the Chonburi Tourist Visa Card can be used for discounts while
visiting places such as the Marine Science Institute, Nong Nooch Tropical
Garden, Khao Kheow Open Zoo, Sriracha Tiger Zoo, Chonburi Flying Club, the
Million Years Stone Park and Pattaya Crocodile Farm, Mini Siam, the
Sanctuary of Truth, Samkok Park, Perd Hoo Perd Ta, Tiffany’s Show, Alcazar,
the Jungle Bungee Jump, Underwater World, Alangkarn, Silver Lake Vineyard,
Ban Sukhawadee, Ripley’s Believe It Or Not, World Gems Collection, and the
Mangrove Ecology Study and Preservation Centre.
The card is distributed at the attraction locations and at TAT Central
Office Region 3.
Jumbo-sized crowds turn out
to celebrate Thai Elephant Day
Jumbos feast on a jumbo feast
on Thai Elephant Day at Nong Nooch Tropical Garden.
Patcharapol Panrak
Thai Elephant Day was celebrated on March 13 at Nong Nooch Tropical Garden
by a blessing ceremony for elephants, followed by elephant dancing and a
jumbo-sized elephant buffet.
Sattahip district chief Prakit Rojanadilok opened the event, along with Nong
Nooch general manager Mrs Kwanwan Khantisuk and veterinarian Wirapol
Tiewsuwan.
Officially known as a Hongkwanchang Ceremony, the blessing ceremony featured
an impressive lineup of 40 elephants, nine of them male and 31 female.
Crowds of locals and tourists turned up at Nong Nooch to watch the
festivities, with the pachyderms putting on their usual magnificent display
and charming everyone.
Nong Nooch Tropical Garden is designated an official elephant shelter by the
Department of Livestock Development at the Ministry of Agriculture and
Cooperative, and its elephants are one of the chief attractions for
visitors.
Khao Kheow Open Zoo held a special presentation on Thai Elephant Day in
which director Suriya Saengpong described the importance of the elephant in
Thai history, and why the elephant has become a national symbol of Thailand.
There are eight elephants at Khao Kheow, three male and five female, and the
zoo participates in breeding programs along with undertaking research into
the elephant and its habitat.
Visitors gather to feed the
elephants on Thai Elephant Day at Khao Kheow Open Zoo.
Thai Elephant Day is a big
deal for the elephants at Nong Nooch Tropical Garden.
100 students compete
for tourism ambassador title
More than 100 young ambassador
contestants tested their knowledge in the 1st round of the competition.
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
More than 100 students turned up at Pattaya City Hall on March 13 for the
first heat of the competition to find young tourism ambassadors for the
city.
This program trains young people in Pattaya’s history and tourism
facilities. During the project, youngsters will be trained to study, love,
and understand Pattaya’s history, so they can present it to Pattaya
tourists.
This is the second Youth Ambassador Project to be held, and following on
from last year’s successful program the intention this year is to select 50
youngsters for initial training.
Last year, fourteen-year-old Krisana Kongkarkhet was appointed Pattaya’s
first Youth Tourism Ambassador on July 23 at Pattaya School 8. The Mathayom
2 student from Pattaya School 9 was overjoyed as she spoke to reporters
after being selected over 53 other contestants.
“I am proud and extremely happy that I have been given the opportunity to
represent Pattaya’s youth as tourism ambassador,” said a tearful Krisana. “I
will do my best for Pattaya.” And indeed she has.
This year, the first step was a testing for knowledge, which took place over
a two-day period. March 13 saw a total of 53 people tested, and 57 were
tested on the following day. The students, who were aged from nine to 16,
were asked questions about the administrative system in Pattaya City, the
history of the area, the tourist locations, and current and future events.
Mrs Rungratree Thongsai, who is head of the Young Ambassador Project, said
the results of this first round would determine the names of the 50 students
who would go for training over the period of March 24 to 26 at Air and
Coastal Defense Command. From that number, 20 students would be selected for
the final round on April 5, to be held at the Pattaya Central Festival
Center.
Many students who took part in the test said the questions were harder this
year, but that they were not discouraged because they were well prepared and
it was a challenge of their abilities.
First prize will be a scholarship valued at 12,000 baht, together with a
trophy. Second prize is a scholarship worth 9,000 baht, and third and fourth
prizes are both worth 7,000 baht. There is also a consolation prize of a
3,000 baht scholarship.
The Chonburi Administrative Organization, Tourism Authority of Thailand,
Jesters Care For Kids, and Pattaya Mail Publishing Co Ltd are sponsoring the
project.
Baywatch: Wonder where the water went?
Narisa Nitikarn
The water supply authorities routinely test newly laid pipes for leakages,
and all we can say is that if all the jointing is as poor as this one, there
must be a lot of time-consuming work to be done making sure that the systems
are watertight.
Surely there must be a more effective way than bolting a pipe together,
watching it leak, then unbolting and rebolting it.
We were also puzzled as to why there were no inspectors anywhere near this
pipe, which is near to Khao Thappraya Road, and why it was left to leak
water for quite so long. Water is a precious commodity, after all.
Storm delays work
on Koh Larn pier
Narisa Nitikarn
A tropical storm in the Gulf of Thailand at the turn of the year delayed the
start of construction on the new Na Baan Pier on Koh Larn, an enquiry heard
on March 8.
 Sittiprap
Muangkoom, permanent secretary of Pattaya City.
A representative of contractor August Inter Group Co Ltd told permanent
secretary of Pattaya City, Sittiprap Muangkoom that the company had not been
able to drive piles into the seabed in December and January as scheduled
because of the Turian tropical storm.
The representative presented records from the Thai Meteorological Department
to the meeting in support of the case. Waves created by the wind had been
between 2 and 4 meters in height, and August Inter Group had lost a total of
56 days.
Sittiprap accepted the reason for the delay, saying that it was caused by a
natural phenomenon that could not be avoided and that was beyond anyone’s
control. He said, however, that the company now needs to speed up
construction to try and meet the original completion date.
Disease prevention lessons for
food sellers in the Soi of Grilled Eggs
Narisa Nitikarn
A team of officials from Pattaya Public Health Center visited the Soi Bing
Fun 3 Community on March 6 to instruct residents on the prevention of
communicable diseases during the hot summer months, and to hand out
household medicines.
 Officials
spray to eradicate flies and mosquitoes from the area.
Mrs Na-anya Chantarakaat, head of the Communicable Disease Prevention and
Control Center and who led the mission, said that the community members sell
food but have no knowledge of communicable diseases and don’t know how to
protect themselves from water and food-borne viruses. The diseases need
preventing before they get a chance to spread through Pattaya.
She said the community has about 200 residents who earn a living by selling
grilled foods, especially grilled eggs, known in Thai as “khai ping” and
which has earned the neighborhood the local name of Soi Khai Ping.
The residents, who are all migrants from other provinces, sell their produce
to locals and tourists along major roads throughout Pattaya. It is
imperative that the community members understand about hygiene before
handling the food to prevent the spread of dysentery and other diseases,
said Na-anya. “We found that none of the residents knew anything about
communicable diseases and had no knowledge of prevention or treatment.”
Public health officials provided training at different times to accommodate
the working hours of the community members. The area also received a
spraying to eradicate mosquitoes and residents received health checks
including diabetes and hypertension.
Mrs Na-anya Chantarakaat, head
of the Communicable Disease Prevention and Control Center (standing on the
left holding the board) and her team talk about dysentery with members of
Khai Ping Community.
Thailand, Russia agree
on mutual visa exemptions
Thailand and Russia agreed Wednesday to visas on arrival,
acting Foreign Ministry Spokesman Kiattikhun Chartprasert said.
Kiattikhun, who is also the Ministry’s Information Department deputy
director general, said Thai and Russian governments have signed a visa
exemption agreement to give visa privileges to Thai and Russian passport
holders.
The agreement would take effect on March 24, the spokesman said.
He added that the agreement exempts valid passport holders from Thailand and
Russia from visa requirements for visits of up to 30 days from the date of
entry.
It was expected that the visa exemption agreement would facilitate travel
and boost the tourism sector, people-to-people linkages and bilateral
understanding between the two countries.
During the first nine months of 2006, Kiattikhun said, as many as 100,000
Russians visited Thailand, up 94 percent when compared to the same period in
2005.
Meanwhile, from Jan to May 2006, 4,087 Thais traveled to Russia, the
spokesman said. (TNA)
Former addicts complete
Navy rehab program
Boonlua Chatree
Certificates were presented on March 15 to the 177 former addicts who have
been through the 13th drug rehabilitation conducted by the Royal Thai Navy
at Wiwat Polamuang School, at the Military Training Center, Bansarae.
 Capt.
Thee Upanisakorn, director of the Royal Thai Navy’s Wiwat Polamuang School.
Director of the school Captain Thee Upanisakorn presented the certificates
that marked the completion of the program, which is provided by the
Probation Department at the Ministry of Justice.
Commander Prasit Panniyom, head of the Wiwat Polamuang School Governance
Section at Royal Thai Navy 1, said that new methods of drug rehabilitation
devised by the Thanyarak Institute were used, combined with the Navy’s own
traditional methods.
Under the previous group, the 12th in the current program, 200 people had
completed rehabilitation on December 6. The latest group, the 13th, had seen
177 complete the course.
Capt Thee said that the certificate marked not just the end of the course,
but also the rehabilitation of an individual back into society, where he can
become a valuable and effective member with the same hopes and aspirations
as everyone else.
Former addicts take part in
activities during their drug rehabilitation program to help them re-enter
society.
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