Plans are in the works to install CCTVs on Larn Island.

Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
City hall is to install 45 CCTV sets on Koh Larn for the safety and security of tourists and the local community.
Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh, speaking at a meeting of city councilors and administrators along with representatives of Pattaya’s 27 communities at the Grand Sole Hotel on August 28, said this was all part of the policy of utilizing CCTV throughout the city to enhance the safety of everyone.
The cameras will be placed at popular tourism spots including Thonglang Beach, Tawaen Beach, Sangwan Beach, Tian Beach, Samae Beach, Nual Beach, Na Ban Pier, View Point Hill, and the Koh Larn Office.
The installation of a CCTV center between Tawaen Beach and Samae Beach is currently being studied.
This project comes under the 2007 budget, and Ronakit said even allowing for the time taken to receive and evaluate contractor tenders, it is still hoped the cameras will be in situ before the end of this year.

Refrigerator causes blaze at room of Uzbekistani tourist

Boonlua Chatree
Five fire engines from the Pattaya firefighting unit and more than 50 firemen took 20 minutes to extinguish a blaze that had broken out at a room rented by an Uzbekistani woman.

Firefighters arrive at Ben Mansion where a fire had broken out in one of the rooms.

The emergency call was sounded at 12:10 a.m. on September 4 by Mrs Arisa Wongkaew, the 52-year-old cashier at Ben Mansion on Soi VC, who reported that room number 301 on the 3rd floor was on fire.
After the blaze had been extinguished investigators examined the premises and discovered that the source was a refrigerator, where a short circuit had sparked a fire that had spread to the bed and other furniture in the room. Damage was estimated at about 300,000 baht.
The room was leased to Ms Roilya Raknmanova, a 28-year-old Uzbekistani national who was out when the fire started.

Stop Press: Police arrest German man on suspicion of murdering Schmolke

Late Tuesday night, armed with an arrest warrant, police apprehended Michael Schmidt, a German national on suspicion of murdering Kurt Schmolke.

Police interrogated Schmidt late Tuesday night.
Police said that during their interrogation of Ms Sirinandha, she related the incidents leading up to the death of Schmolke.
She said that while she was visiting Schmolke on the morning of Monday, September 10, Michael Schmidt came to the house of the deceased and proceeded to look through the drawers in the house as if looking for something. She told police that Schmolke became irritated and offered to drive her back home. Schmidt went with them sitting in the back seat.
During the drive, Schmolke told her that the man had threatened to harm him and that he wanted to report the matter to the police.
A police spokesman said that Schmidt, a professional painter from Germany had moved to Pattaya 6 years ago. During that period he portrayed himself as a hoodlum and preyed on other Germans, extorting money from them. He became acquainted with Scmolke and had been preying on him for quite a while.
Police theorized that after Schmolke had dropped Sirinandha off, the two men drove back to Schmolke’s house where Schmidt hung around drinking beer and attempted to extort more money from Schmolke.
An exasperated Schmolke threatened to report Schmidt to the police, and an argument ensued.
Police speculate that Schmolke walked into the bedroom, followed by Schmidt, with a kitchen knife in hand with which he struck the victim several times in the head. He then put a plastic bag over the victim’s head and tied a towel around it to make sure that Schmolke was dead.
The perpetrator then set the bed on fire to try to cover up as much evidence of his evil deed as possible.
Having gathered enough evidence against Schmidt, and armed with an arrest warrant issued by the Pattaya Court, police proceeded to Schmidt’s house to arrest him. Schmidt tried to flee the police but was stopped by the vigilant force. They found the murder weapon in his car.
At press time Schmidt denied any involvement in the death of Schmolke.

Speeding motorcyclist dies in collision with electrical control box

Boonlua Chatree
A foreign tourist was killed when he lost control of his motorcycle and collided with an electrical control box.

The tourist’s blue motorcycle is a tangled mess after the driver, allegedly showing off, collided violently with the electrical control box at the side of the road.

The accident happened at 4 a.m. on August 31, on Pattaya Beach Road near the Best Friend Beer Bar group. Police and Sawang Boriboon Foundation rescue workers attended the scene, where a crowd of people had gathered, causing a traffic tailback.
The dead man was wearing a blue T-shirt and grey shorts, and was about 40 years of age. He had suffered multiple fractures including a broken skull. A total of 5,150 baht and $100 were found in his pocket, but there was no form of personal identification. Police believe him to be of Middle Eastern origin.
About 30 meters from the body was the wreckage of a blue four-cylinder Yamaha R1 motorcycle.
A bar service girl said that she had seen the deceased showing off by driving his motorcycle at high speed. He had lost control as he passed a vendor selling drinks from a bicycle, and his wheels had clipped the edge of the sidewalk before the motorcycle collided violently with the electrical control box at the side of the road. The rider and the motorbike were thrown in different directions.
Eyewitnesses tried to perform CPR but he passed away before officers arrived. The bicycle drink vendor wasn’t injured. Police have transferred the body to Banglamung Hospital while they try to establish the man’s identity. The motorcycle is believed to be a rented one, and the owner may be able to provide the information they require.

Police investigate murder of German man

Former marine battered and stabbed to death and house set ablaze

Boonlua Chatree
Police are investigating the murder of a former German marine who was found battered and stabbed to death in his own house, which had been set on fire.
Banglamung Police Station was advised at 9 p.m. on September 9 of a house fire at 106/83 Moo Baan Ekmonkol 2/1, Moo 10, Soi Khao-talo, and officers rushed to the scene along with firefighters from Nongprue Fire Department.
The main gate and front door were locked and it took about 10 minutes to gain access. The source of the fire was in the second floor master bedroom, which was also locked. Officials forced their way into the room and made the grisly discovery of the owner, who was lying on his face by the side of the bed, which was on fire.
He was identified as Kurt Schmolke, a 59-year-old German national and former member of the German Marine Corps. He was wearing a black undershirt and black shorts. He had been hit on the head and stabbed in the forehead, cheek and behind his ear. His skull had been severely fractured, and his right ear was torn. His head was covered with a plastic bag and wrapped in a towel. In his right hand was a clear plastic bag containing more than 10,000 baht. Police estimated the man had been dead for less than five hours. Firemen extinguished the blaze in about 20 minutes.
Police searched the area around the house and discovered that the CCTV camera at the front entrance to the housing project, about 100 meters from the house, was covered with an umbrella.
Mrs Tawin Sripaechai, age 40, the security guard of this village who is an employee of Gammar Safety Ltd initially told police that she had placed the umbrella there to shield the camera against the sunlight. Police have voiced their disbelief and have taken the camera away for examination.
Inside the house police found evidence of gambling on foreign football matches. Investigations have revealed that on the previous day, four men had been talking to the deceased regarding payment of gambling moneys. A large quantity of beer bottles was found, indicating that the men had spent a long time talking. The initial police theory is that Schmolke was killed because of gambling debts.
The house, valued at more than 4 million baht, is in the name of Mrs Priwal Jantasaw, age 45, of Paankai Sub-district, Muang Chonburi. She is the wife of the dead man, and at the time of the murder was away in Germany. Upon hearing the news she has returned to Thailand.
Police are meanwhile searching for a girl known as Miss Dao, age about 25 years, who worked at a beer bar in South Pattaya. She has not been seen since the murder.
Kurt Schmolke was born in Lahnstein in Germany and had been a prison guard in his home country before moving to Thailand after his retirement.

Cement plants told to halt pollution

Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
Nine cement factories in the Pattaya City area have agreed with city hall to reduce their dust and noise pollution levels, following complaints from members of the public.

Chatchawan Chimtin, head of the Pattaya Public Health and Environment Department.
Deputy Mayor Verawat Khakhay met with representatives of the factories at Pattaya City Hall on August 29, along with Chatchawan Chimtin, head of the Pattaya Public Health and Environment Department.
Chatchawan said some form of agreement was now essential because of the number of complaints being received regarding noise from the factories operating in the evenings or nighttime, cement dust falling in widespread areas, and dust being carried out on vehicle wheels from the factory compounds and into the neighborhood streets.
The most recent regulations issued in Pattaya governing pollution from industrial enterprises were issued in 2002, said Chatchawan. Not only do these cover dust, smoke, noise and other emissions, they also make it clear that the polluters have to clear up any mess they do make.
Various practical methods of bringing the factories into line were discussed, and a further meeting will take place to see how effective these are proving.

Disaster scenario staged to prepare medical and rescue staff

Hospital personnel train to deal with a major emergency.

Patcharapol Panrak
Queen Sirikit Hospital in collaboration with Sattahip Naval Base and other hospitals and agencies in the Sattahip area carried out a joint exercise on August 30 designed to test responses to a disaster scenario.
Rear Admiral Nikorn Petvirakul, director of Queen Sirikit Hospital, which comes under the Naval Medical Department, was in charge of the operation.
Along with Sirikit Hospital, Apaporn Kiatiwong Hospital, Sattahip Km 10 Hospital, Wat Yansangwararam Hospital, the Royal Thai Marine Corps, Air and Coast Defense Command, Royal Thai Navy Air Division, and Rojana Thamsathan Sattahip Foundation were amongst those taking part.
The exercise was designed to meet a situation of extreme emergency, with many injured. Along with the emergency medical work, the transport and logistics of carrying a large number of injured people to the hospitals were also tested.
Rear Admiral Nikorn said the exercise would help hospitals, medical staff and rescue personnel to be on continual alert, and prepare them for action in the face of any real situation.
He added that as the Eastern Seaboard is an extremely large and diverse industrial zone, the training was designed broadly to cope with any actuality.

Police catch porn movie crew in the act

A Japanese film crew and actresses, along with Thai actors, have been arrested for filming a pornographic movie on a beach in Naklua.

Theerarak Suthatiwong
Banglamung Police have arrested a Japanese pornographic movie crew and three Thai men who were filming at a number of deserted buildings on the beach at Naklua.
Pol Col Sarayut Sa-Nguanpokai, superintendent at Banglamung Police Station, directed a raid on the former Tawanlaeng Restaurant premises after investigations had revealed the movie crew was working there.
Officers arriving at the scene, next to the Jittapawan Temple wall, entered four beach huts. In one hut they found a nude Thai man having sex with a Japanese woman, with the action being filmed.
Police confiscated three video cameras, a pornographic DVD, 119 script sheets, two laptops, a medical certificate, condoms, and background equipment.
The accused were identified as Thakeshi Mutsuo, 58 years old, translator and movie director; Yoshihiko Terada, 55, lighting controller; Shingko Kobori, assistant producer; Masayuki Suwa, 37, cameraman; Ms Ayami Misumoto, 20, actress; Ms Tomoe Kokita, 21, actress; and Nakamura Riewta, 24, makeup stylist. All are Japanese nationals.
Three Thai men were also arrested, namely Od Sangnuch, age 32, of Naklua, Pracha Sawatdee, 17, of Nongprue, and Saen Polraksa, 50, of Khon Kaen.
Thakeshi Mutsuo, who is fluent in Thai, said that he had been staying in Thailand for more than 20 years. He was hired by the owner of Japanese investor SOD Co Ltd to look for a location to shoot a pornographic movie, and to select Thai actors, translate the movie script and supervise the shoot for 9,000 baht per day.
Three days ago, said Mutsuo, he had found the deserted restaurant on Pattaya Beach, near to the Tangkae Restaurant. There were many deserted huts that were suitable for making a movie. He agreed to reserve the location from the Thai owner for 50,000 baht. Then he informed the Japanese actresses and movie crew to fly to Thailand as tourists to make the film. The three Thai men he hired for 2,000 baht each. The movie was 80 percent finished before officers arrested them.
All of the accused have been detained, and all have pleaded guilty to charges relating to the making and distribution of pornography. The court has rejected their pleas for bail and it is expected the case will be turned over to the Immigration Department for deportation. It is also expected that the entire Japanese crew will be blacklisted and prevented from returning to Thailand.

City hall ponders ways to disguise electrical transformer boxes on seafront

Large transformers are not dangerous, but they are an eyesore.

Ariyawat Nuamsawat
The installation of power cables underground to improve the appearance of Pattaya Beach Road is raising a problem, in that 13 large electrical transformer boxes will have to be installed along the seafront, creating an eyesore.
A meeting took place at Pattaya City Hall on September 4 in which representatives of Inter National Outdoor Media Co Ltd proposed a scheme whereby the electrical boxes are disguised by covering them with screens that would be used as advertising media.
The project would involve installing four-sided structures measuring 1.75 x 2.90 x 1.8 meters to cover the boxes. Inter National Outdoor Media would bear the costs, estimated at 300,000 baht per location, and would donate one side of the structure to Pattaya City for use in promoting its own activities.
Several department heads at the meeting disagreed with this concept, saying that the advertising screens would deface the scenery. There was instead a proposal that trees be planted around the electrical boxes, which would add to the attractiveness of the scenery and look more natural.
Mayor Niran Wattanasartsathorn said that normally, large transformers such as this would be sited away from a community, but that the underground cables along Beach Road made the location of the boxes along the seafront a necessity.
The meeting resolved to allow Inter National Outdoor Media the opportunity to prepare up to three locations, in order to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages. After that, the decision would be referred to Pattaya City Council.

Sea turtle release will raise funds for Chai Pattana Foundation

The Royal Thai Navy plans to raise money for the Chai Pattana Foundation by releasing a large number of sea turtles into the ocean.

Patcharapol Panrak
The Royal Thai Navy is to release a large number of sea turtles into the ocean on Sunday September 23 to raise income for the Chai Pattana Foundation.
The event is being carried out in honor of the 80th birthday of His Majesty the King and will take place at 10 a.m. on Toeyngam Beach at Marine Corps Bay.
Rear Admiral Chaiwat Sriakarin, commander-in-chief of the Air and Coastal Defense Command at Sattahip will head the team releasing the turtles into the sea, while Admiral Sathirapan Kaeyanon, commander of the Royal Thai Navy will act as honorary chairman for the fund raising.
It is proposed that government units, private organizations and individuals will donate 500 baht to the Chai Pattana Foundation for the release of one sea turtle. More information can be had by calling the Naval Civil Affairs Department on tel 038 431477, Captain Sanya Hongthong on tel 086 3665667, Captain Bandit Khanthasalee on tel 081 7237833, Captain Suchat Jaru-A-nan on tel 089 9313760 or Lt Suwansak Yanantia on tel 086 3939912.
The Chai Pattana Foundation was established by His Majesty to help provide initial or emergency financial support for development projects under the concept of self-sufficiency.

Big discounts at 14 Pattaya outlets

Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Discounts of between 10 and 70 percent can currently be found in many Pattaya outlets as part of the Amazing Pattaya Sale organized in conjunction with the Tourism Authority of Thailand Central Region 3 Office.

Attracting customers to shop for goods with a Fashion Show.

The official opening of the event took place on September 1 at Central Festival with Chonburi Governor Pracha Taerat presiding, and the sale will continue through to October 31.
Fourteen Pattaya outlets are taking part, with the idea of boosting the number of visitors and enhancing the city’s image as the shopping center for the Eastern Seaboard.
TAT Central Region 3 director Chaiwat Charoensuk said the discounts apply to Thai and foreign buyers.
The 14 Pattaya outlets taking part are Central Festival, Royal Garden Plaza, Mike Shopping Mall, both the Big C North Pattaya and South Pattaya stores, Carrefour, Index Living Mall, Homeworks, Homepro, the World James Collection, the James Gallery, the Pattaya Outlet Mall, Bangkok Hospital Pattaya and Pattaya Bali Hai Plaza.

Support group formed for disabled

Narisa Nitikarn
A support group for handicapped people in Pattaya has been formed for members to meet regularly, exchange experiences and advice, and form new friendships.

Deputy Mayor Wutisak Rermkitkarn (right) talks with physically challenged support group members.

The first meeting of the group took place on September 4 at Pattaya Redemptorist Vocational School, with Deputy Mayor Wutisak Rermkitkarn presiding.
Redemptorist School technical manager Likit Taksin said that many disabled people lack self-confidence because they feel their potential is very limited and that they are a burden on their families and society.
However, opportunities for the disabled are increasing greatly, owing both to national government policy and local authority policies, and a support group in which members can meet and exchange their experiences would help to improve individual self-confidence.
Wutisak said the group would meet formally every two months over the next year, but that he fully expected members would organize activities outside the formal meetings.

Chicken to go for 5-meter python

Patcharapol Panrak
Rescue workers caught a 5-meter long python that had been helping itself to a Sattahip villager’s chickens, and released the snake into the wild far away from human habitation.

Rescue workers remove a 5-meter long python that had been eating villagers’ chickens in Sattahip.

Mrs Prayoon Iamsa-ard, 60, a resident of Moo 8 in Soi Bor 2, Sattahip Sub-district, called the Rotjana Thammasathan Foundation radio center at 2 a.m. on September 6, saying that a snake was eating her chickens. Rescue workers found the reptile crawling through a water drainage pipe beside the chicken coop. They caught it with a noose and put it in a bag.
Prayoon said she breeds domestic fowl to sell at important festivities such as Chinese New Year. She stated that her chickens were regularly lost, and she thought that a human thief was responsible. However, she had never heard any signs of alarm from the coop, and the household dogs had always remained quiet. It was only by chance that she discovered the snake on this particular night, as it helped itself to a chicken takeaway.
Rescue workers took the python to Prince Chumporn Mountain, where it was released into the jungle far from any urban area.

Pet owners urged to register and sterilize their cats and dogs

Narisa Nitikarn
Pattaya City Public Health Center has asked all residents to register their pets and to agree to their dogs and cats being sterilized to reduce the number of strays.
Veterinarian Surapong Wongsuthawat said the number of stray animals has now reached a level where registration of domestic pets had become necessary and that some form of control has to be exercised over breeding.
Many pets are being abandoned, said Surapong, and many more are let loose to breed in the streets. Consequently the number of strays congregating around temple compounds and in the sois is becoming unmanageable, and the risk of rabies is increasing.
The veterinarian division at Pattaya City Public Health Center has recently rounded up over 700 stray dogs and cats and sent them to the stray animal center at Plutaluang. However, with the number of domestic animals registered at the Public Health Center currently being less than 100, clearly city hall has little control over reducing the population of strays unless a concentrated program is carried out.
A campaign to make residents aware of the situation is now underway, with placards and handbills being posted in areas around the city.
People who have pets and wish to register them or who need more information can contact the veterinarian division of the Pattaya City Public Health Center on Soi Buakao at tel 038 420823 ext 113 and 123 during business hours.