|
Happy Birthday
HRH Princess Soamsawalee
Photo courtesy of the Bureau
of the Royal Household
Friday July 13 marks the 45th Royal Birthday Anniversary
of Her Royal Highness Princess Soamsawalee. Her Royal Highness is well known
for her dedication in helping the poor and is loved by the people of
Thailand.
The Pattaya Mail and the people of Thailand humbly wish Her Royal
Highness Princess Soamsawalee a very happy 45th Royal Birthday Anniversary
on Friday July 13.
HRH Princess Soamsawalee has one daughter, Her Royal Highness Princess
Bajarakitiyabha, who is the first grandchild of Their Majesties the King and
Queen.
Princess Soamsawalee is involved in many charitable organizations and
activities, particularly those dealing with public welfare, and is often
accompanied by her daughter. Her Royal Highness also tirelessly attends
royal functions.
A member of the Foundation Committee, the princess began her work at the
Saijai Thai Foundation in 1975 by visiting and boosting morale of military
and police officers, volunteers and civilians who were injured in the fight
against terrorists and admitted at various hospitals.
Princess Soamsawalee often presides over the annual Thian Song Chai (Candle
in the Mind) Festival. The festival has been held on World AIDS Day,
December 1st since 1991.
The festival’s main function is to promote more understanding in Thai
society toward HIV and AIDS victims. It is a vehicle to show Thais that
HIV-infected people are not dangerous to the public, and in fact members of
this group can make positive contributions to their families and
communities. Princess Soamsawalee was the keynote speaker for the 4th
International Congress on AIDS held in the Philippines in 1980 and
vigorously champions the AIDS prevention movement.
Princess Soamsawalee’s kindness has also been extended to Red Cross projects
such as the “Prevention of Mother-to-Child HIV Infection Project” and the
“Friend Helps Friend While in Difficulties Project” and was instrumental in
setting up the “Home Care Project”.
HRH the Princess performs many other duties include presiding at graduation
ceremonies, to confer degrees or certificates to graduates.
The people of Thailand extend a “Happy Birthday” to Her Royal Highness and
wish her much happiness.
Tropical storm Toraji pounds Pattaya
Meteorology Department warns of more to come
This large tree trunk snapped
under the strain of very strong winds.
The usual scene on Sukhumvit
Road after every thunderstorm.
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Tropical storm Toraji pounded Pattaya and caused heavy flooding on all
Pattaya roads especially Sukhumvit Road during the evening of July 5.
Some roads were flooded to a depth of 30cm, resulting in severe tailbacks,
and trees along Beach Road were knocked down.
Pattaya’s power supply was also affected, as electrical poles snapped or
fell down, cutting off 30 percent of the area. Pattaya City Hall mobilized
more than 100 volunteers and rescue workers, and the situation was brought
under control within three hours.
The Meteorology Department reported that during July southeasterly storms
moving into the Andaman Sea and Thailand would be increasing in force due to
a depression in the Gulf of Tangiers. This will result in heavy rains
throughout Thailand, and severe storms in some areas. Mariners in the
Andaman and the Gulf of Thailand should take greater care and small boats
should not put out to sea.
Predictions for the remainder of this month are that between 20 and 30
percent of the Eastern region will suffer rains, about half of which will be
especially heavy. Highest temperatures will be in the region of 32 to 34
degrees celcius and the lowest between 25 and 27 degrees celcius . Wind
speeds will range from 5 to 28 kilometers per hour.
10-wheel truck struck by train
Accidents at the railway
crossings have almost become a daily event. As our community grows, drastic
precautionary measures are necessary.
Theerarak Suthatiwong
The driver of a 10-wheel truck had a lucky escape during the early evening
of July 8 when a locomotive struck his vehicle as he was crossing the
railway line at Soi Nong Manao, in Ban Nong Sadao.
Witnesses told Banglamung police that the Isuzu truck, which belonged to
Pattaya Chaithip Company and whose driver was later identified as Preecha
Thongkham, age 33, a Banglamung local, had tried to drive across the rail
track before a loud crash was heard.
The truck was knocked onto its side next to the railway line, while the
locomotive came to a stop about 50 meters away, with only minor scratches on
its front grill.
Preecha told police that he didn’t see any gate or a sign warning that the
train was coming. He said he didn’t look on both sides to check and just
drove across the rail track. He said the train appeared out of nowhere and
hit his truck on the rear, causing the vehicle to spin and then topple over.
Preecha and the train driver were both unhurt, and were invited to the
police station for further investigation.
Tree-mendous fruit amazes residents of Sattahip
Patcharapon Panrak
A hunt for a tree, which produced a giant five-kilogram tamarind, has ended
in Sattahip.
Sukhakit Thaworntrakarn 54, an actor in the “Gold 5” blockbuster film
produced by Chalong Pakdeewichit the well-known producer and director that
was shooting on location in Sattahip district found the giant tamarind. He
was puzzled by the size of the fruit and curiosity got the better of him, so
he started to ask around of the whereabouts of the tree.
 Sukhakit
Thaworntrakarn plucks a giant fruit from the tamarind tree.
His investigations bore fruit when he found out that a former Petty Officer
had planted the tree at his home some 30 years ago.
The giant tamarind is not known to be found anywhere else in the Kingdom.
The giant fruit went public on July 1 when Sukhakit, displayed it. He showed
the tamarind to reporters and to volunteers from the Plutaluang Sub-district
at a social gathering. One giant tamarind fruit was also presented to Phra
Theerasak Chanthawangso, Deputy Abbot of Wat Payub
Our reporters asked Phra Theerasak about the bizarre discovery and was told
that the giant tamarind had been at an old house in the Sattahip area on Soi
Weekend. It was presented to him several days ago, but had still not
decomposed. The fruit weighed about 5 kg.
We went to the house in Soi Weekend to look at the tree where we saw another
giant tree of unknown species next to the giant tamarind-bearing tree.
The owner, Kitchai Udomdee, 55, said his late father was a retired naval
officer who had planted the giant tamarind tree 30 years ago. It provided
fruit all year round but he didn’t know the strain or its origin.
He said it was extremely rare to see such a plant. Even Sattahip residents
did not know that such a tree exists and only a few people have seen the
fruit when a visitor took them to give to their friends.
Kitchai said that even though the fruit looks like the normal tamarinds,
they had no taste. So he figures there would be no chance of making a
fortune selling them.
Governor urges citizens
to be security conscious
Narisa Nitikarn
Pattaya has responded to a call from the Chon Buri Governor for more CCTV by
encouraging people to invest in the surveillance cameras.
 Deputy
mayor Verawat Khakhay officiates at the security and safety seminar.
Deputy mayor Verawat Khakhay led a seminar entitled ‘Effectively increasing
security for life and property of residents and tourist’ at city hall early
this month. Nearly 200 entrepreneurs from hotels, apartments, jewelry shops
and gold shops attended. Pattaya Police Station and Samart Telcoms Plc gave
a demonstration of the benefits of installing CCTVs.
Werawat said that in 2006 there were 5.3 million tourists came to Pattaya,
bringing in 50-60 billion baht of income. During the first three months of
2007, the numbers of tourists jumped by 8%, and a 4% increase in income.
Most tourists come from Russia, Korea and China. Because of the large
numbers, security for tourists is crucial so they feel safe during their
time here. Chonburi Governor Pracha Taerat also stressed the need to protect
life and property.
Pattaya City has encouraged businesses to install CCTV to help protect their
properties and fight crime.
With this new thinking Werawat said that Pattaya City has commenced
implementing plans to set up various anti crime measures to ensure the
security and safety of its citizens.
Boy’s prank provokes nasty wasp attack
Woman seriously hurt and hospitalized
Patcharapol Panrak
A swarm of angry wasps, fled their broken nest built on a high voltage pole
after it was hit by what is believed to be a stone, shot from a boy’s
catapult on the afternoon of July 2.
 A
rescue worker holds a piece of the wasps’ nest, which had fallen to the
ground.
A 50-year-old woman passing by was ferociously attacked by the insects
causing her to lose consciousness and was transported to a hospital for
emergency treatment.
On hearing of the incident, civil volunteer Utid Charoensuk, 36, telephoned
Narong Bunbanchoedsri, Mayor of the Sattahip Municipality asking for help.
He told the mayor that the wasp’s nest located on the high pole in front of
the Mitcharoen Bansuan furniture shop had burst open and thousands of wasps
were flying frenetically around and stinging anyone and everyone in their
path.
He also informed the mayor that Mrs. Jang 50, was ferociously attacked by
the wasps and had been taken to the Apakorn Kiatiwong Hospital for
treatment. In addition 4 teenagers passing by on a motorbike were also
attacked but managed to get away with only slight injuries.
Later that day, rescue workers from the Rotchanathammasathan Sattahip
Foundation along with a fire truck were dispatched to the scene of the
insect infested zone to provide assistance and protection to the people.
They found the wasps’ nest perched 15 meters above the ground. Using a long
bamboo pole wrapped with a gasoline-drenched cloth and lit, Somsak
Chompikul, 45, set fire to the offending nest. This caused hundreds of wasps
to drop to the ground while their nest was in flames and eventually
completely destroyed.
Unscrupulous shopkeepers use monks to make profit
Theerarak Suthatiwong
At 4.30 am on July 4, Sgt. Maj. Somchai Inruang led a municipality police
patrol to Wat Chaimongkol Market in South Pattaya to investigate complaints
made by residents in the area that there were monks who come to stand around
between 3 and 6 am receiving alms.
The officials found it odd, because monks are supposed to walk and not stand
at any one spot for a period of time.
The other complaint was that these monks would return the alms received
immediately to shopkeeper who would then resell them to passersby who would
in turn offer the same items to the monks again.
It was discovered that the shopkeeper had hired the monks for 200 baht a day
to take part in the rotation process of receiving alms, return them to the
shop and receive them again from the faithful who made merit.
Some of the monks were also selling “Jatukamramathep” medallions, which are
considered by some to be lucky talismans.
Police politely asked the monks to report to Phra Pisanchariyapiwat, chief
abbot of the Naklua sub district in charge of religious affairs.
Upon questioning, four monks could produce their credentials from their
temples in the northeast, while the other three claimed that they resided at
Jittapawan Buddhist College in Banglamung.
Phra Pisanchariyapiwat spoke to the monks telling them that their actions
put the Buddhist religion in a bad light and that they should desist from
doing such things again. He also warned them that they would be reprimanded
if they stepped out of line again.
He then requested them to go back to their temples and perform their duties
as they had vowed to do upon entering monkhood.
Sailors get English skills
in ship-shape condition
A volunteer teacher in action.
Patcharapon Panrak
On July 2, the Sattahip Naval Base welcomed a group of volunteer English
teachers from the Pattaya City Expats Club who came to give lessons on
practical English to to Thai navy officers. The 16- hour-course will be held
from 13.00-15.00 hrs every Wednesday from July until the end of August.
Vice Admiral Chanchai Charoensuwan said the practical English course is
needed because the base was involved with many international projects from
many countries. Sometimes the visitors come from aboard and so the sailors
need to be able to communicate with them in English.
Some officers can already speak English well, but the Navy is keen that more
officers should study the language so that they are able to communicate and
work with the visitors more efficiently.
Pattaya hopes to be first city to place all power cables underground
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Pattaya hopes to become the first city in Thailand to place all its power
lines underground, although the Provincial Electricity Authority has said
that a thorough study would be needed because the cost would be between 10
to 15 times higher than using above-ground power poles.
 By
the middle of next year, this scene of mangled wires may become extinct.
Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh said the project to remove overhead lines
along Pattaya Beach Road and place them underground is being undertaken to a
92 million baht budget and is more than 90 percent complete. The only thing
that remains to be done is to remove the power poles and test the system,
which according to plan is expected to be completed by the middle of next
year.
With the huge improvement this brings to the appearance of the streets, it
is now planned to place the remainder of the power lines in the whole city
in underground ducts, making Pattaya the first town of any size in Thailand
to do so. Ronakit said the idea has already been primarily discussed with
the Provincial Electricity Authority, and that city hall is ready to support
the budget for operations.
Noranit Rangsiwichitprapa, deputy head of the Provincial Electricity
Authority said that this case is complicated, because there are many factors
involved. However, the test result data for the underground power lines on
Pattaya Beach Road will be collected and compiled to determine if the idea
is worthwhile.
At the moment the the Authority is working on three major new power
distribution projects in Pattaya.
These are the underground lines at Pattaya Beach Road are nearing completion
and as part of the same project a budget has been arranged for a similar
exercise on Jomtien Second Road while Jomtien Beach Road is still under
study. An underwater cable that will connect Koh Larn with the mainland is
due to be laid with a budget of 144 million baht under a package deal bid,
while a 100 MVA cable for Central Pattaya is being designed under a planned
budget of 200 million baht.
Rooftop raiders ransack jewelry shop
Boonlua Chatree
Burglars who broke into a jeweler’s shop through the roof made off with
goods worth more than 2 million baht.
 An
officer points at the spot where the burglars kicked in the ceiling to enter
the shop.
The theft was reported just after midnight on July 4 by Mrs Hataithip
Thamnivache, 32, the owner of Melia Silver on Second Road, in South Pattaya.
Pol Col Sutin Sappuang, superintendent of Pattaya Police Station, led a team
of officers to investigate.
The shop sells silver jewelry with embedded gemstones, such as earrings,
bracelets, watches and Buddha images. The items were kept in seven cabinets,
and the thieves had cleared these out.
Police found that the thieves had climbed onto the roof from a food cabinet
behind the shop and removed part of the roof, which was made from cheap
plywood. They then used their feet to kick in the ceiling. The shop was
ransacked and all the valuables had been taken. A police spokesman said it
would be easy to sell on the popular silver jewelry market.
Burglars had earlier the same evening attempted to break into PA Gems, which
is next-door to Melia Silver, but were unable to get away with anything
because the roof there is constructed of a reinforced steel cage.
Police say they have an idea who carried out the robbery and expect to make
arrests soon. They also ask that jewelers report any attempts to sell large
amounts of silver jewelry.
British petty thief arrested for raping Swedish woman
Theerarak Suthatiwong
A British man accused of raping a Swedish woman on a popular tourist island
has been arrested in Pattaya.
 Benjamin
Gardner back at Pattaya police station again.
Benjamin Gardner, 28, had fled to Pattaya from Koh Pha Ngan where he was
sought by police on a rape charge.
Police burst in to a room at the PR Guesthouse in Soi Buakaow to arrest him
while he slept at 12 pm on July 3.
The operation was carried out by Police Colonel Sutin Sappuang, along with
the foreign affairs control division of the Royal Thai National Police
Bureau.
Gardner denied the charge and claimed he had never been to Koh Pha Ngan
before. He entered Thailand with a tourist visa seven months ago. He said he
worked in a computer shop back in the UK and didn’t have enough money to
travel to Koh Pha Ngan. He denied any involvement and claimed it was a case
of mistaken identity and that the real suspect must look like him or has a
similar name.
Pol. Col. Sutin said Gardner had a criminal background. He didn’t have a
proper job and had threatened business owners for money and committed
several crimes in his hometown. He escaped many charges against him in the
UK by coming to Thailand.
On May 5, Gardner was alleged to have tricked Ratchanee Wansoo, 33, a bar
girl to have sex with him and promised to pay her 500 baht. While Ratchanee
was taking a shower, he stole her money and gold necklace and ran away.
Rachanee ran after him wearing only a towel and shouted for help. Passers-by
grabbed him and called the police. (Pattaya Mail - Friday May 18, 2007).
Gardner was released on bail pending court hearings for his actions in
Pattaya, until his second arrest on rape charges.
Gardner was sent back to Koh Pha Ngan to face the charges.
Second-hand shop
selling stolen goods busted
Governor threatens to revoke license
Patcharapol Panrak
Everyday there are incidents of power lines and water meters being stolen
from both private and public places. These incidents cause a lot of problems
and inconvenience to the general public who are sometimes left without power
and telephone, not to mention private homes that have their water meter
stolen.
 Officials
raided the secondhand shop and found a stash of stolen copper wire.
Investigation by the authorities revealed that the majority of buyers of the
stolen goods were second-hand shops.
At 8.30 am on July 1, district and police officers searched the ‘Ploen’
second-hand shop, owned by Samai Rachai, 45. The shop located in Plutaluang
sub-district in Sattahip is licensed to sell used and old items. On
inspection officers found large amounts of illegally purchased items,
including new and old power cables and copper electric wires. The shopkeeper
did not have purchase receipts for those items.
She claimed that every morning two officials named Boy and Tia, who said
that they worked for the provincial electricity authority would deliver her
a shipment of copper wires and just that morning she had bought 20 kilograms
of the commodity at 220 baht per kilogram.
Samai said she didn’t have any reason to think the goods were stolen, as
officials working at the electricity authority sold them to her. Police
confiscated the contraband as evidence pending further investigation. They
would also try to locate the sellers to verify the source of the power and
copper wires.
Prakit Rotjanadilok, Sattahip District Chief, said the shop owner had been
warned many times about maintaining paperwork for all sales and purchases,
but she always neglected to do so. He added the shop had not cooperated with
officers in their investigations.
The owner was charged with purchasing stolen property, for which there is a
fine of up to 2,000 baht. The officers submitted their report to Pracha
Taerat, Chonburi Governor with a recommendation that the owner’s license be
revoked.
Women warned after go-go dancer almost raped by motorcycle taxi driver
Theerarak Suthatiwong
Police have issued a warning to women who use motorcycle taxis for traveling
in the city after a go-go dancer was robbed and almost raped by a driver who
dragged her into bushes on Soi Roy Lang, on the Pattaya-Naklua Road.
 Shaken
but lucky to have escaped the would-be rapist, Rattanaphorn shows police the
scene of the incident.
Police were called out at 06.00 hrs on 6 July by Miss Rattanaphorn
Ruongprakhone, 24, of Buriram, a dancer at a bar in Pattaya. Her clothes
were soiled and she had suffered bruising to parts of her body. She told
officers that at about 05.30 hrs she had flagged down a motorcycle taxi at
the front of her apartment in Soi Bua Khao. She remembered that the driver
was wearing a Number 5 waistcoat, was about 160-165 cm tall, had a mole on
the end of his nose and was about 25-30 years old.
He took her off the route and into Soi Roy Lang. Rattanaphorn said she
thought about jumping off the motorcycle, but was afraid to do so. He then
dragged her into the bushes and pulled a handgun on her, demanding her gold
bracelet, two rings, her money that amounted to 14,500 baht, and her mobile
phone. He then dragged her further into the bushes, removed her clothes and
attempted to rape her. She managed to wriggle free and ran out of the bushes
screaming for help. The driver sped off.
Pol Col Sutin Sappuang, Superintendent of Pattaya Police Station said that
this wasn’t the first time this had occurred in Pattaya. The attacker
disguises himself as a motorcycle taxi driver and in Pattaya there are about
4,000 of them, which makes it difficult to carry out investigations. He
warned people, especially women to be careful in using motorcycle taxis and
never to flag one down, but to take one from the queues because it is easier
for police to follow up investigations.
The superintendent said he would now request a budget from city hall to have
waistcoats made in four colors according to zones, namely North Pattaya,
Pattaya Klang, South Pattaya and Jomtien to make record keeping easier. The
jackets would also display license plate numbers, which would clearly
identify the driver. Rattanaphorn will be asked to make a photo-fit of the
attacker.
City Scope: Zone 3 councilors meet the people
City Councilors, (l-r)
Rattanachai Sutidechanai, Suwit Nongyai, Thongsuk Thongnak, Pisai Panomwan
Na Ayutthaya, Sanit Boonmachai and Mr. Wittaya Phonlookin.
Narisa Nitikarn
Pattaya City councilors from Zone 3 are to take part in the meet-the-people
program this month, following the successful sessions held earlier with
councilors from Zones 1 and 2.
 The
councilors promise to accelerate work on the water pipe expansion project on
Phratamnak Road, to be completed on schedule.
Councilors Pisai Panomwan na Ayutthaya, Suwit Nongyai, Sanit Boonmachai,
Rattanachai Sutidechanai, Thongsuk Thongnak and Wittaya Phonlookin are
responsible for communities that include Roi Lang in the Naklua zone, Yotsak
on Pattaya Soi 6, Soi Chumsai in the Central zone, and Koh Larn.
Amongst the priorities that city councilors are promoting are local sporting
events and facilities, construction of new school buildings, and the use of
information technology in the educational system.
Mayor Niran Wattanasartsathorn said the role of the councilors could be
greatly enhanced by meet-the-people sessions, as they provide direct
feedback. Another benefit is that the public not only meets their local
councilors on a face-to-face basis, but they gain a closer understanding of
how the city is administered.
Newborn baby abandoned in truck
Bunlua Chatree
A baby boy found abandoned in a pickup truck belonging to the owner of an
ironworks shop has been taken into care.
 Ainarin
shows police officers where she found the abandoned baby.
Officers from Banglamung Police Station along with Sawang Boriboon
Foundation rescue workers were called out in the early hours of June 30 by
Pramai Sriwandee, 32, who lives in a rented room on Soi Pornprapanimit 5,
near the Pattaya City Waste Water Treatment House. Pramai had found the
newborn baby left in the back of his truck, which was parked in front of the
house.
Pramai said he and his 31-year-old wife Ainarin Khunharn had been sleeping
in their room with their two-year-old son when the cries of a baby had woken
them up. They went outside and found the infant wrapped only in a blue
blanket. Inquiries are being made in the neighborhood of whether there were
any reports made regarding new born babies in the immediate area shortly
before the discovery.
Pickups involved in three-way crash
Patcharapol Panrak
Three pickup trucks were involved in an accident on the Pattaya-Sattahip
Road during the early hours of July 4, one of the vehicles rebounding from
the collision and ending up in the premises of a garage with the driver
badly injured.
 Rescue
workers administer first aid on Pongphum who suffered an injury to his neck
and was trapped in his truck.
Another of the vehicles flipped over amongst a collection of flowerpots,
while the third smashed into the door of a house.
Officers from Sattahip Police Station and rescue workers from the Rotchana
Thamasathan Foundation were called out to the scene at Km 174, in front of
the Greetha Service Garage at Sattahip Sub-district.
They found Pongphum Chountrakul, the 31-year-old driver of the truck that
ended up in the garage premises, trapped in the seat of his red Toyota
Mighty-X. His face was covered in blood and he was unconscious. He had
suffered an injury to his neck and cuts from the flying glass. Pongphum was
transferred to the Queen Sirikit Hospital, Naval Medical Department.
Another driver, 34-year-old Pattanawong Kulprayot stated that he was driving
back from his place of work at the Industrial Development Estate in Rayong
when Pongphum’s pickup came through the Thung Prong Village Junction. He
made a U-turn and collided with the right side of Pattanawong’s truck, which
then hit a parked pickup and flipped over.
Pasom Chantarasri, 47, the owner of the stationery truck said the vehicle
was parked in front of his house. The force of the collision drove the truck
into his door, causing some damage.
Road safety training held for students
Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
A campaign to make children aware of the dangers of traffic opened on July 4
at Pattaya School No 8, organized by the Incommunicable Disease Prevention
and Control Section of the Pattaya Department of Public Health and the
Environment.
 Pol.
Capt. Pornpana Chokthai impresses the school children about road safety.
Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh opened the session, which included instruction
from Banglamung Hospital personnel.
Pornpana Chokthai, a nursing officer from the Communicable Disease
Prevention and Control Section said the campaign aimed to instill knowledge
on the rules and regulations to reduce accidents on the road. Pattaya School
8 was selected as the first school because it had an average of one to two
students involved in accidents per month. Ninety percent of the students
come to school by bicycle or motorcycle, and more than 80 percent of the
statistics pertained to students in the secondary school class.
 Buntrika
Poutphan (left) and her classmates are determined to wear crash helmets from
now on.
The training session was held for 367 students from secondary school classes
2 and 3.
Pornpana said the training was conducted as a walk-rally and was divided
into eight stages, each based around a traffic sign or signal. The message,
said Pornpana, was designed to be uncomplicated, and presented in a way that
was enjoyable to the students.
An evaluation program will follow up the training and other schools will
also undergo training.
Miss Buntrika Poutphan, a secondary MS 3 student who attended the course
said the project was enjoyable and also instructive. She said she is a
motorcycle rider who had not previously worn a safety helmet, but that now
she understood the dangers and would wear a helmet in future.
Police attend training for hostage crisis situations
Pol Col Sutin Sappuang chairs
the opening session of the anti crime training course.
Theerarak Suthatiwong
Twenty commissioned and warrant officers attended a training course at the
Rak Vinai Building, at Pattaya Police Station as part of a program to
improve response to crisis situations.
Pol Col Sutin Sappuang, superintendent at Pattaya, presided over the course
with training led by Pol Lt Col Chatree Meerotsom of the Naresuan 261 Air
Support Group, Border Patrol Police, Hua Hin.
Pol Col Sutin said that because the main duties of a police officer are to
maintain social order and the safety of the public and their property, it is
important to train personnel to be on the alert for every eventuality. The
training therefore covered the carrying out of searches, making arrests,
weapons use, and detaining of suspects.
The facilities of the Pattaya Youth Sports Club in Thaeprasit Soi 7 were
used for part of the training. A simulation exercise was set up in which
hostages were held in a room and the trainees had to negotiate with the
suspect kidnappers, and to implement use of force techniques and release the
hostages unharmed.
Pol Col Sutin said the training was held under a policy of Deputy
Commissioner Pol Lt Gen Udol Saengsingkaew, who wanted Pattaya Police
Station to have a rescue division. Pattaya is a city that is visited by a
large number of foreign tourists and it is necessary for police officers to
be prepared at all times, he said. The training was held over two days, and
more courses will be held to increase officer efficiency.
Pol Lt Col Chatree Meerotsom
demonstrates handgun usage techniques.
Illegal timber found
in Plutaluang village
Patcharapol Panrak
Sattahip police are searching for the owner of a quantity of logs that had
been illegally cut from a wooded area within the district.
 Officials
inspect the logs that were allegedly illegally cut.
The village headman of Moo 6 in Plutaluang, Meesak Sawatdiphum, reported on
July that a truck had delivered the logs to a wooded grove on Golf
Plutaluang Road, in the village area, late the previous night.
Sattahip District chief Prakit Rotchanadilok relayed the report to
Plutaluang police and officials at the Department of Forest Resources 13 in
Chonburi. Officers found 10 meters of cut trees and 30 other pieces of
lumber in the wooded grove behind a one-story house in Moo 6. The timber had
been covered with dry leaves in an attempt at concealment. Residents of the
neighboring houses were questioned, but they didn’t know who owned the wood.
An officer found a nearby furniture making business and questioned staff
about the hidden wood. A worker stated that the owner was on official travel
in the South. The officer sequestered the wood and the shop owner will be
called in for further questioning.
|
