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Happy Birthday
HRH Crown Prince
Maha Vajiralongkorn
Peter Cummins,
Photo courtesy Bureau of the Royal Household
Born on 28 July 1952 at the Royal Dusit Palace in Bangkok, HRH Crown Prince
Maha Vajiralongkorn is the second of four children, and the only son of
Their Majesties King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great and Queen Sirikit.
His Majesty the King conferred the title of “Somdech Phra Borama Orasadhiraj
Chao Fah Maha Vajiralongkorn Sayam Makutrajakuman” on December 28, 1972,
designating his son as the Crown Prince and Heir to the throne.
HRH the Crown Prince underwent primary schooling at Udorn Hall of the Dusit
Palace and attended secondary school in Sussex and Summerset, England. In
August 1970, he attended the King’s School, Paramatta, Sydney, Australia. In
1976, he was awarded a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Military Studies at the
University of New South Wales. In 1978, he attended the Royal Thai Army
Command and General Staff College, graduating in 1978 and, later that year,
received a Bachelor of Laws Degree from Sukhothai Thammatirat University in
Bangkok.
Then, in 1990 he attended training at the Royal College of Defense Studies
in the United Kingdom and subsequently military training courses in
Australia and the United States, with observation tours in England, Belgium,
Germany, France and the Netherlands.
HRH the Crown Prince has been schooled in many other military operations,
including aviation in helicopters and high-performance aircraft, special
warfare, demolition and parachute training, as well as courses in small arms
and other weapons used in modern warfare.
Special assignments have included: Commanding Officer of the King’s Own
Bodyguard Regiment and Command, Commanding General of the Royalty Security
Command and Instructor Pilot of the F-5 E/F. He has also engaged in actions
for counter-insurgency purposes in the North and Northeast areas of
Thailand, as well as for protective purposes in areas around Cambodian
refugee camps at Khao Lant, Trat Province.
HRH the Crown Prince has continued the Royal Family’s assistance programs to
underdeveloped areas around the country and visited depressed urban areas
around Bangkok, distributing food and necessity items to people in need. One
such undertaking was participation in a fertilizer preparation project in
Suphan Buri Province, using natural ingredients to enrich the land in
support of the country’s great agricultural pursuits.
As farming is a highly-significant and noble profession in Thailand, the
Royal Family takes an active role in advancing the vital industry of
agriculture and HRH the Crown Prince has contributed considerably in these
and many other projects.
For example, two years ago, HRH the Crown Prince visited people in the
southern provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwas to listen to their
problems and find ways to assist them. To this end, he met and entered
dialogue with Muslim priests, local community leaders, volunteers, the
dedicated mobile medical teams and their doctors and the public in general.
Here, he urged the officials to improve irrigation systems to aid farmers
and foster other agricultural activities.
In July, 2005, he travelled north to mark the opening of Poppy Hall in
Golden Triangle Park, in Chiang Saen district, Chiang Rai, constructed under
the patronage of the Mae Fa Luang Royal Project. In the past, hill tribe
residents grew opium for their living, but after mutual efforts by the Royal
Family, government and local community heads, today the people understand
the bad affects of opium. Consequently they have changed to the farming of
fruit, vegetables and other cash crops, resulting in a vast reduction of the
number of opium growers in the country.
A highlight of HRH the Crown Prince’s recent past - in fact, a blessing for
all the Royal Family and the Kingdom at large - was the birth, on April the
29, 2005, of a son, when HRH the Crown Prince and Mom Srirasmi Mahidol
became the proud parents of a baby boy - their first child.
Thus, on the auspicious occasion of the 55th Birthday of HRH Crown Prince
Maha Vajiralongkorn, we at the Pattaya Mail, Pattaya Blatt, Chiangmai
Mail and the Pattaya Mail on TV join the Kingdom in humbly conveying our
best wishes to his family and a very happy birthday to HRH the Crown Prince.
Island windmill to start
generating power next month
The Wind Turbine Project to
produce electricity on Koh Larn is now 80% complete and scheduled to begin
producing electricity next month.
Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
Koh Larn’s windmill project will be completed by next month, bringing
wind-generated electricity to the island for the first time.
The project, which has passed the 80 percent complete stage, will produce up
to 200 kilowatts of electricity that will be used for the new wastewater
treatment system and the lights along Samae Beach.
Sutham Petchket, director of the Pattaya City Office on Koh Larn said that
the installation of the wind turbine at Nernnomsao is being carried out
because of the rising demand for electricity on the island.
The project is being designed and supervised by Rajamangala University of
Technology. Dr Wichai Rojanarin, representing the team that developed the
concept, said this is an original research project geared specifically for
Koh Larn.
Electrical power produced by the turbine depends on the speed of the wind,
with 13 meters per second of wind for one minute enough to produce 200
kilowatts of electricity.
This project is not able to produce enough electricity to respond to the
entire demand on Koh Larn, he said, because the budget was reduced. The
initial objective was 750 kilowatts of electricity. If the installation of
wind turbines can be increased in the future, then the team hopes to achieve
the original goal.
Mayor hits out at corrupt officials as work halts on Koh Larn pier
Narisa Nitikarn
The mayor of Pattaya has launched an all-out attack on corrupt government
officials who conspire with construction companies to receive a commission
in return for winning contracts, saying that such connivance then allows the
contractor to vanish after receiving part payment before the work has been
completed.
 Mayor
Niran Wattanasartsathorn furiously attacked the construction contracting
company and city officers who are involved in construction auction fraud.
Mayor Niran Wattanasartsathorn cited work on the Naban Harbor Pier on Koh
Larn, which remains uncompleted owing to fraudulent behavior of this kind,
and to other construction work on the island.
The mayor’s criticism came during a meeting of Pattaya City Council on July
17, presided over by council chairman Tavich Chaiswangwong. Councilor Sanit
Boonmachai posed a question about the pier improvement project at Naban
Harbor, which is valued at nearly 65 million baht, and Niran explained the
reason for the delay.
He said the inhabitants of Koh Larn had been experiencing problems with
construction work on the island, such as the pier project and roadworks,
since last year. The pier is still not completed, and in fact work on the
project, which is designed to help improve the economy of the island, has
been suspended.
Naban Harbor Pier was being built under a 64,950,000 baht special affairs
support budget from fiscal year 2006, he said. The contract schedule runs
from June 7 last year to November 28 this year. But city hall has failed in
not forcing the company that won the tender to finish the work to schedule.
The contractor received 15 percent of the contract value but did not do any
of the work, instead hiring another company to do the job.
Niran said charges had been brought against Pattaya City by suppliers that
were suffering because of the delayed project, and that the Department of
Special Investigation was on the trail of those responsible.
“This company has caused chaos for Pattaya City,” said the mayor. “The
company received work as a result of bidding for the project, received 15
percent of the payment, and then tried to sell the job on the market.
“This has been carried out in association with a few officials. We want
those responsible to correct the situation quickly, before matters get
worse.”
City prepares to celebrate
HM the Queen’s birthday
Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
Pattaya City is preparing to celebrate Her Majesty the Queen’s Royal
Birthday Celebration on August 12 with a program of events that will include
a parade, music and dance performances, and a candle lighting ceremony.
 Deputy
Mayor Wattana Chantanawaranon presides over an organizational meeting for HM
the Queen’s anniversary celebrations on August 12.
A meeting of the organizing committee was held on July 16 at Pattaya City
Hall, chaired by Deputy Mayor Wattana Chantanawaranon.
This year marks Her Majesty’s 75th birthday, and Wattana suggested it would
be appropriate for those attending the celebrations to wear the Queen’s
color, blue.
The parade will start on Beach Road in front of the Royal Garden Plaza in
Pattaya at 5 p.m. and proceed to Walking Street, ending at Bali Hai Pier.
There will be a dance performance and a Thai musical performance by a total
of 300 students from Pattaya City schools, and at 7 p.m. there will be
presentations of jasmine floral displays. This will be followed by the
lighting of candles and the offering of blessings to Her Majesty.
Wattana said that parking for all those attending the birthday celebrations
would be available at Pattaya School No 8 and under the Bali Hai Pier
Bridge. To park at the field a U-turn must be made on Pratamnak Hill Road,
as U-turns will not be allowed elsewhere in the interests of keeping the
traffic flowing.
Pattaya-Taksin Lions Club debuts with tree planting for schools
Vimolrat Singnikorn
Members of the newly formed Pattaya-Taksin Lions Club planted a total of 580
tree saplings near to two rural schools on July 16 with the purpose of
creating a woodland environment for the students.
 Banchong
Bunathoonrayuk (second right), president of the Pattaya-Taksin Lions Club,
along with club members, teachers, and students from Ban Tungklom School
participate in a tree planting event.
Banchong Bunathoonrayuk, president of the club, led the visitors first to
Wat Suthawat School, where 80 saplings were planted in an area of one rai of
land near the school building. Two drinking water coolers valued at 20,000
baht were also presented to the school.
Club members then went on to Ban Tungklom School, where they planted 500
saplings, presented school supplies and then provided lunch for the
students. School director Pramote Ngernthong welcomed the members.
Pattaya-Taksin Lions Club initially has 26 members, and held its official
opening on July 21 at A-One The Royal Cruise Hotel.
Chonburi governor urges public to vote on constitution
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Chonburi Governor Pracha Taerat is strongly urging the people of the
province to turn out on August 19 and exercise their right to vote on the
newly drafted constitution, which will form the basis for governing the
country following the general election scheduled for December.
 Chonburi
Governor Pracha Taerat urges people to vote in the upcoming election.
The governor was speaking at a seminar held for representatives of local
administration organizations, business organizations and the media at the
Long Beach Garden Hotel and Spa on July 17.
The seminar, also attended by permanent undersecretary of the Ministry of
Justice Charan Pakdeetanakul, was designed to focus on key elements of the
draft of the new constitution.
An objective of the military coup that took place last year has been to
restructure the constitution of 1997, which the country’s present leadership
has denounced as being too open to abuse by powerful politicians and
monopolies, and lacking in safeguards for the rights and freedoms of the
Thai people.
Governor Pracha said this is the first time in Thai history that people have
been allowed to be a part of the drafting of a constitution. If the opinions
of the majority are for accepting the draft then it could immediately be
announced for use, which would result in a quick national election.
“People with registered addresses upcountry but living and working in
Chonburi must have applied to use their right to vote outside their province
at the District Office under which they reside by July 19,” said Pracha.
“This is according to the 30-day limitation of law before the people’s
voting date, which is scheduled on August 19 and will take place in each
District Office.”
Police must understand witness protection responsibilities says Justice Ministry
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
The Ministry of Justice has said that provincial police need to be more
aware of their responsibilities regarding witness protection.
 Kasem
Yaowaratt, deputy director general of the Rights and Freedom Protection
Department of the Ministry of Justice.
Speaking at a conference at Ambassador City in Jomtien, Kasem Yaowaratt,
deputy director general of the Rights and Freedom Protection Department of
the Ministry of Justice said that officers, especially provincial commanders
and police station superintendents must take responsibility for witness
protection and must be knowledgeable on the implementation of the laws
regarding witnesses.
“A large number of witnesses in criminal cases have submitted protection
requests with the Rights and Freedom Protection Department,” he said. “Due
to the limited budget of National Police Headquarters, which is insufficient
for 2007, the Rights and Freedom Protection Department will provide a budget
for witness protection expenses for witnesses and officers providing the
protection, but only in cases where witnesses actually request protection
through the Rights and Freedom Protection Department.”
Kasem added that expense withdrawals must be undertaken under the Ministry
of Justice regulations. However, because the witness protection laws are
only recent, National Police Headquarters does not understand implementation
clearly enough and implementation is therefore not unified, which results in
many obstacles.
Flood alleviation project causes loss of business on Central Road
Vimolrat Singnikorn
Construction of the new box culvert along Central Pattaya Road is hitting
business owners in the locality hard, with many of them losing around half
of their customers because of the difficulties of access.
 Central
Pattaya Thai massage entrepreneur Wiwat Thongne-On is asking Pattaya City to
hurry up and finish the box culvert construction on Central Pattaya Road.
More than 30 business owners between sois 12 and 14 say their income has
dropped by up to 60 percent over the past four months, as the project, which
is designed to alleviate flooding, has greatly restricted vehicle access to
the area.
Wiwat Thongne-On, who operates a traditional Thai massage business, said
that the construction work is currently directly in front of his shop, and
that both pedestrians and vehicles find access so difficult that customers
are staying away. The number of customers using his business has decreased
by between 50 and 60 percent when compared to the beginning of this year.
Central Pattaya Road has four lanes, but city hall has closed the middle two
lanes between sois 12 and 14, which is causing traffic congestion every day.
Furthermore, baht buses are not able to stop here. There is also the added
nuisance of motorcyclists parking their bikes on the sidewalks, creating yet
another obstacle.
The construction project for the box culvert on Central Pattaya Road is
being carried out to a 240-day schedule. Work began on March 22 and
completion is set for November 17 this year.
Cyber crime law goes into effect
The Information and Communications Technology Minister
Sitthichai Pookaiyaudom said the new cyber crime law, implemented for the
first time last Wednesday to counter cyber crimes, will not affect the
public’s use of computers or Internet services and was only designed to
combat crimes involving national security, lese majeste, medical and
pornography offenses.
The ICT minister said the new law will by no means violate individual
freedom to surf cyberspace or deny normal public access to Internet and
E-mail services, only content considered detrimental to national security
and the monarchy or violating medical ethics and pornography will be scanned
and tracked to those who may have generated it.
Controversial content may be logged in files for future probing by the
authorities during a 90-day timeframe. Penalties for individuals, who may
have committed such offenses, including those who live overseas, will be
severe, according to the ICT minister.
However, he said, under the 2007 Computer-related Crimes Act, the
authorities cannot seize any computer system, personal or corporate, on such
criminal charges without court orders.
The cyber content to be controlled by the law does not only refer to
messages in the computer but also pictures, sounds and files purveyed to an
individual’s websites as well as short-message and multi-media systems
currently available with cellular phones. TNA
Transvestite begging with baby fools tourists into parting with money
Boonlua Chatree
A transvestite who took his female persona one step too far and went begging
with someone else’s baby was arrested in the early hours of July 17.
 Waychay
Phabo was arrested for begging with someone else’s baby.
A member of the public reported to the police that a woman of the second
category was carrying a baby girl around the bars in Soi 8, begging for
money from tourists.
On arrival at the scene officers found Waychay Phabo, 24, of Ban Bung,
Chonburi carrying the one-month old baby near a bar and took him in for
questioning at Pattaya Police Station. He said the child belonged to a Mrs
Som, surname unknown, who he considered an elder sister. He had taken the
baby out for a walk and took advantage of the situation by begging money
from tourists. He made 500 baht per day and gave it to the baby’s mother.
Police took him to meet Som to confirm the story, and then issued a warning
before releasing him.
Police on trail of human trafficking ring after arrest of 2 Uzbekistani women for pimping
Theerarak Suthatiwong
Two Uzbekistani women have been arrested on charges of pimping and police
are investigating a human trafficking ring following a raid on the Nirandon
Condominium during the night of July 10.
 Police
arrested two Uzbekistani women for pimping.
The police team included members of the crimes against children, youth and
women suppression division, and officers were equipped with two arrest
warrants issued by the Criminal Court, numbers 2081/2550 and 2082/2550,
dated July 8.
They arrested Miss Lola Mamadova, 26, and Miss Mayram Yakubova, both of
Uzbekistan, at apartment 521/236 on the 10th floor on Building C at Nirandon
Condominium on charges of pimping and forced prostitution of young women.
Police also searched room 521/327 on the same floor where they found Miss
Nigora Hasanova, 19, and Miss Zuhra Yusupova, 28, of Uzbekistan and room
521/328 where they found Miss Mukadam Olimova, 36, and Miss Zarina Melieva,
30. In the rooms were records of their prostitution activities and names of
customers, which police kept as evidence. All were taken into custody and
transferred to the crimes against children, youth and women suppression
division in Bangkok.
The arrests were made as the result of an incident on July 5 when a local
person accompanied Miss Mohichehra Shodiyarova, 20, to file a complaint with
Pol Gen Vimol Paointr, commander of the crimes against children, youth and
women suppression division. Shodiyarova claimed that she had been beaten and
forced into prostitution, saying she had been made to provide sex services
to foreign nationals in Pattaya by Mamadova and Yakubova.
Shodiyarova told officers that she was invited to come to Pattaya to sell
sex and was charged 200,000 baht for the travel arrangements. On arrival she
was taken to Nirandon Condominium. Her passport was confiscated to prevent
her from leaving. She was then sent work at the front of the VC Hotel in
South Pattaya. Customers were charged 1,500 baht for sex and she was paid
500 baht. The 1,000 baht was deducted to pay back the 200,000 baht fee. On
days that she failed to get customers the two women beat and threatened her.
Eventually she could take no more and asked someone to take her to the
police.
Investigations are now underway to discover who else may be involved in the
human trafficking.
Drunken Irishman
assaults KFC staff
Theerarak Suthatiwong
An intoxicated Irishman angered by having to wait for his meal in a KFC
outlet started a fight with the staff and suffered a bloody nose as a
result.
 Both
parties in this case ended up bloodied and bruised.
Police were called out just after midnight on July 10 to the KFC branch at
Royal Garden Plaza on Beach Road. At the scene they found tables and chairs
scattered everywhere. The deputy general manager, Somchote Bunmee, 27, of
Buriram had suffered a 5 cm gash to his forehead above his right eyebrow and
blood covered his face. Irish citizen John Higoy, 37, was standing at the
front of the shop in a state of drunkenness, and his clothes were spattered
with blood.
Somchote told officers that Higoy had ordered fried chicken, paid for it and
was stood at the counter eating it. He then went into a fit of rage without
apparent reason, and when a staff member asked what was the matter Higoy
assaulted him. Somchote went to mediate, but Higoy grabbed him, spun him
around and sent him flying, causing the injury to his forehead. Somchote got
up in anger and punched Higoy twice on the nose, which started to bleed.
Then he called the police.
Using a foreign interpreter, the police asked Higoy to explain what had
happened. He admitted the assault, saying he was drunk and was annoyed at
having to queue for a long time to be served. He added that he too had been
assaulted and suffered an injury. Under police mediation both parties
reached an agreement. Police recorded the matter and if a similar instance
happens Higoy will be charged and prosecuted.
Police bust live sex show
Boonlua Chatree
Police raided the PP 66 Show in North Pattaya in the early hours of July 17,
after investigations had revealed that the venue was staging sex shows for
tourists.
 The
transvestite actors arrested for performing in sex shows seem to be enjoying
their incarceration.
Officers entered the premises and found naked people in various positions.
Twelve participants were arrested, four of them males, two females and six
of the third sex. Also arrested was the manager, 35-year-old Raek Iamsa-aad
of Bangkhaen, Bangkok.
The venue has been operating for a number of years, and its operating
license is issued in the name of Manit Rungruongyotmathee, 38, of Bangkok.
The 12 performers were each fined 500 baht, while Manit was informed of the
charges against him and advised that criminal proceedings will follow.
Special Forces train with Marines to combat sea piracy
High ranking officers inspect
special forces equipment
to be used on land and sea.
Patcharapol Panrak
The Royal Thai Army’s Special Forces division will be holding a series of
joint exercises with the Royal Thai Marines to improve responsiveness to
crises at sea, such as marine piracy.
Lt Gen Sunai Sampattawanit, commander of the Lopburi Special Forces Regiment
initiated the training when he brought a wreath to lay at the Royal Thai
Marine Monument on Toeyngam Beach at Marine Bay.
Lt Gen Sunai also held discussions with Lt Gen Suwit Thararoop,
commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Marine Corps at Sattahip, regarding the
troubled three provinces in the South.
It was agreed that Special Forces would undergo joint exercises with the
Marines to improve their combat strategies at sea, as well as on land, to
ensure optimum responses of both divisions to guerilla warfare.
Lt Gen Sunai and his accompanying officers also viewed the military hardware
that Special Forces will be using, which includes rubber boats and parachute
equipment. Personnel are required to be able to use all equipment on land,
sea and in the air to acquire complete combat proficiency.
Moslem leaders tour Navy Base
Patcharapol Panrak
Thirty-five Moslem leaders from the three troubled provinces in the South
were guests of the Royal Thai Navy on July 16 when they were brought to
Sattahip Naval Base and taken on a tour of HTMS Phutthayotfa Chulalok, in
Juksamet Harbor.
 Naval
officers take Moslem leaders from the South on a tour of HTMS Phutthayotfa
Chulalok in Juksamet Harbor.
The visit was part of a project by the Royal Thai Marine Corps and the Naval
Civil Affairs Department led by its director general Rear Admiral Ruengrit
Boonsongprasert to encourage mutual trust and understanding and to let the
Southern leaders know that the government has the interests of the people of
the South at the heart of its policy.
One of the Moslem leaders, 41-year-old Suhaimee Magae, secretary of the
Narathiwat Provincial Islamic Committee, said that the South respects His
Majesty the King’s idea of “understanding, attainment and development”.
However, progress so far has only been made on attainment and development,
and there is still a lack of understanding between people. This is because
people still doubt the government’s sincerity.
If people and officers are still suspicious of each other, said Suhaimee,
then that will stop the problem from being solved. Therefore, education is
an important problem in need of urgent correction in Narathiwat, because
it’s the poorest area and has the most non-educated youngsters in Thailand.
Navy and Air Force conduct
joint landing exercises
Soldiers defend the beach
during combined Royal Thai Navy and Royal Thai Air Force military exercises.
Patcharapol Panrak
The Royal Thai Navy and Royal Thai Air Force have held joint landing
exercises along Hadyao Beach in Sattahip as part of a strategy for both
branches of the military to have a greater mutual understanding and to work
more closely together.
Leading the exercises, which started on July 12, was Rear Admiral Thanarat
Ubon, commander of Frigate Squadron 2, at the Royal Thai Fleet in Sattahip.
The maneuvers tested the readiness of troops, warships, support warships and
aircraft, so that personnel at sea and in the air will have confidence in
cooperative operations. The training was for the readiness of sailors for
different areas of the ship, and for aircraft to be ready to monitor the
situation during peace and war times.
The Navy deployed HTMS Chakri Naruebet, HTMS Rattanakosin and HTMS
Naraesuan, along with personnel from the Mixed Air Defense Battalion, one
battalion from Air and Coastal Defense Command, the Royal Thai Marine Corps,
four ASW helicopter squadrons, and one transport helicopter. The Air Force
supplied four F-16s, four F-5s and four L-39s for the exercises.
Exploration vessel is part of development policy for Thai oil and gas sector
High level administrators pose
for a photo with the M.V. Mermaid Sovereign.
Vimolrat Singnikorn
The newly launched MV Mermaid Sovereign has been placed under a three-year
contract by PTT Exploration and Production Plc (PTTEP) to undertake
exploration and production work on the Bongkot oil and gas field in the Gulf
of Thailand.
Speaking at the handover ceremony on July 14, Unithai Shipyard and
Engineering chairman Sutam Chitranukroh said the vessel was the fourth of
its kind built by the company for this type of work in Thai waters.
The Mermaid Sovereign has a length of 60 meters and a cruising speed of
about 12 knots. In addition to exploration work, the ship can be used to
assist in loading other vessels with oil or gas, for maintenance of pipes
around production platforms, and for moving drilling equipment to other
locations on the seabed.
PTTEP is hiring the vessel from Mermaid Offshore Services Ltd, a Thai
company that charters out ships for the petroleum production industry. The
Mermaid Sovereign was built by Unithai Shipyard using specifications laid
down in the PTTEP leasing contract.
Surapong Tamchula, PTTEP deputy manager of project performance support, said
that PTTEP is continually investing in equipment and technology to maintain
its competitiveness and efficiency in the oil and gas production industry.
PTTEP currently is involved in 36 projects, and is working in 11 countries
including Thailand.
Surapong said that previously PTTEP had mainly hired ships from foreign
companies to support its operations. However, there is now a policy to
support the development and growth of the Thai production equipment sector,
and the building of the Mermaid Sovereign is part of this.
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