Boonlua Chatree
Police have arrested the transvestite leader of a bizarre drugs gang whose members included two women and whose favored method of transporting their goods was to tape the packages to their stomachs to make it look as if they were pregnant.

The leader and two accomplices of the “pregnant transvestite” gang are paraded before the media.

A press briefing was held at Pattaya Police Station on December 28 during which station superintendent Pol Col Nopadol Wongnom and deputy superintendent of crime suppression Pol Lt Col. Supachat Piemmanat presented the three gang members to the media, along with a haul of the drugs they had been carrying.
The leader of the gang was identified as Taweesak Kammul, also known as May, an 18-year-old transvestite from Chiang Rai Province who was arrested at Suanthiwaree Village on the Thappraya Road Detour along with 1,956 pills of ya ba that were hidden in his underwear. Taweesak confessed that he had received the drugs from a dealer in Chiang Rai, and that he had taken ya ba with him on domestic airline flights many times. When he transported the drugs he was dressed in women’s clothes and put the packages into his underwear, or wrapped them in cloth and taped them to his stomach. The drugs were sold in Pattaya City to gang members who then sold the pills to customers.
The other two accused were Miss Muay Chinsri, 39, of Nakornpanom Province, and Miss Wariya Chaikrao, 37, of Ratchaburi Province. A police undercover officer had arrested them in the street next to Pattaya Memorial Hospital. They had 1,200 tabs of ya ba that was placed in a plastic bag that was wrapped with tape, and were in a baht bus ready to deliver the drugs when they were arrested.
Police have extended their investigations to pursue other members of the gang, which they know is a large operator in the North.

Fire breaks out at Korean karaoke bar

Fire caused considerable damage to the interior of a Korean karaoke bar
 in North Pattaya.

Theerarak Suthatiwong
Three fire engines raced to put out a blaze at a Korean karaoke bar opposite Fairtex in North Pattaya during the morning of December 28.
Firefighters found smoke pouring from the one-story building, but it took them only 10 minutes to get the fire under control. Considerable damage was done to the interior of the building, an initial estimate putting the cost at 100,000 baht.
Siripol Tabtim, the 28-year-old security guard at the premises said that he was on duty and sitting out in front. He heard the sound of sparks and fire, and saw smoke coming out of the shop. He immediately telephoned Mr Lee (unknown surname), the owner of the shop, and called police officers for help.
During the primary investigation officers surmised that the fire was caused by a short circuit. A fire investigator will, however, examine the scene once again to produce a report.

Norwegian beaten unconscious by thugs at beer bar

Boonlua Chatree
A Norwegian tourist was beaten and badly injured by a gang of Thai men at a group of beer bars in the early hours of December 30, the attackers stealing the man’s property and leaving him unconscious as they rode away on their motorcycles.
Pattaya Police Station received a report of the incident at 2:30 a.m. from an anonymous caller, and rushed to the Wonderful Beer Bar group of bars alongside Second Road.
There are 15 beer bars located on an area of about 10 rai of land, with a stand of trees to the rear of the bars. The officers found a number of tourists drinking, and more than 200 bargirls who appeared unaware that anything had happened. Amongst the trees at the rear of the bars, however, police found the unconscious figure of a man. He was identified as Geir Andre Sirevag, a 26-year-old Norwegian citizen.
The ground was covered in blood. Sirevag, who was shaven-headed, had traces of blood at the base of his left ear from a wound, and there was a swelling on his head. The area above his left ear had an indentation and his eyebrow was bleeding. His body was bruised. The officers with great difficulty carried him out by his arms and legs, and sent him for treatment to Pattaya Memorial Hospital.
Police attempted to question eyewitnesses at the scene, but no one was willing to speak. Later, however, one witness spoke in secret. A Thai man described as being short and overweight had come to the bars with three associates. Everyone was afraid of them. The gang had a problem with the Norwegian man, and they surrounded him and beat him until he was unconscious before carrying him out and throwing him into the trees 20 meters away. They took all his property, then came back to their motorcycles that were parked in front of the bars and calmly rode away. A woman who officers suspect was a beer bar staff member called the police.
Pol Col Nopadol Wongnom, superintendent at Pattaya Police Station has ordered a full investigation of all the bar staff members.

Two die in Soi Post Office blaze

Boonlua Chatree
Two people died in a fire at a guesthouse on Soi Post Office during the morning of December 29.
Three fire engines from Pattaya City Fire Department rushed to the Annie Bar building at 9:15 a.m. along with rescue workers from the Sawang Boriboon Thammasathan Foundation.

Garg Niks, who narrowly escaped, watches anxiously as firefighters extinguish the fire. His comrade perished in the blaze.

Watched by a large crowd of Thais and foreigners, the firemen sprayed water over the building to prevent the flames spreading along the street. It was 30 minutes before the fire could be extinguished.
Two people were found dead on the third floor. They were named as Ravi Kant Gupta, a 23-year-old Indian national who had collapsed on the floor; and Mrs Jampee Jaitrong, a 33-year-old resident of Nakorn Ratchasima province, who worked at the Annie Bar. She died naked in the bathroom.
Mrs Paijit Wangkamlun, the 33-year-old manager of the bar said that Gupta had arrived the previous evening with an Indian friend, 24-year-old Garg Niks. The deceased was drunk and had taken Jampee upstairs.
Officers discovered that the fire began in the sauna room on the second floor. Gupta had opened the sauna door but had fallen asleep. He and Jampee had died from suffocation, while Niks had been able to escape.
Fire investigation officers will prepare an official report.

Donations pay for hospital transporter

Pipat and Mrs Rasri Rattanaprakarn, the owners of
the Phurimas Beach Hotel and Spa at Payoon Beach, Ban Chang, in Rayong, donate a six seat electric  cart to Rear Admiral Nikorn Petweerakul, representing
the Naval Medical Department at Sattahip..

Patcharapol Panrak, Sattahip District
A six-seat electrical cart has been donated to Somdej Phranangchaosirlkit Hospital as a New Year gift.
The cart, valued at 340,000 baht, was presented on December 28 by Pipat and Mrs Rasri Rattanaprakarn, the owners of the Phurimas Beach Hotel and Spa at Payoon Beach, Ban Chang, in Rayong.
Receiving the donation on behalf of the hospital, which comes under the Naval Medical Department at Sattahip, was Rear Admiral Nikorn Petweerakul.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony held in front of the patients’ registration building, Pipat said the Somdej Phranangchaosirlkit Hospital was a long established one, and as a large military hospital it helps disaster victims throughout the Eastern region. As the region has developed into a large industrial conurbation, so the hospital’s medical services have expanded. However, the number of carts available to transport patients between departments that are as much as 300 meters apart had been insufficient, hence the decision he and Rasri had made to donate a new one.
Donations had been collected to make up the total required sum of 340,000 baht to buy the six-seat electrical cart. This was done as a New Year gift for the hospital and its patients.

Giant image taken to devotees

Patcharapol Panrak
The abbot of Samakkee Banpot Temple in Bangsarae, Prah Khru Kasem Kittisophon, invited devotees to pay homage to the image of Somdej Prabuddhacharn To as it was being paraded through the streets on December 28.

Prah Khru Kasem Kittisophon invites people to pay homage to the image of Somdej Prabuddhacharn To during a parade on December 28.

The image, which stands 9ft 1in high, is the largest in Eastern Thailand and was erected through the efforts of the abbot.
Amongst the senior Buddhist priests attending Samakkee Banpot Temple were Phra Khru Wibunthammabal, ecclesiastical district officer of Sattahip and abbot of Sattahip Temple, Phra Khru Thammasarasophit, Phra Khru Pipitcholatham, abbot of Najomtien Temple, Chao Khun Bowornrangsi, deputy abbot of Rakang Kositaram Temple in Bangkok, and another 10 priests from temples in the Eastern region of Thailand.
Prah Khru Kasem Kittisophon said that many Thai and foreign people came to worship at the temple and at the image of Somdej Prabuddhacharn To, who had been a revered monk and whose image was created by peoples’ faith and donations.

Blessings and bonuses as city hall completes successful year

Administration praised by Chonburi Province committee

Permanent secretary Sittiprap Muangkhum (center) leads officials in bringing New Years blessings to Mayor Niran Wattanasartsathorn.

Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
More than 300 government officials and employees of Pattaya City joined a ceremony at the King Taksin Monument on January 1 to give New Year blessings to the mayor and his deputies.
Permanent secretary Sittiprap Muangkhum represented the city officials as he presented an address blessing the head of the administration and wishing him and his deputies health and success during the year to come.
Mayor Niran Wattanasartsathorn in return gave his blessings to all city officials and workers, urging them to take care of their health and well being so that they may perform their official duties happily and with success. Niran compared the work of city officials to that of a cog in a machine: no matter if the cog is large or small, it has an important purpose and without it the machine cannot work properly.
All employees received a one-month bonus from the mayor, who said that the administration had functioned well during the year and had passed an evaluation undertaken by a Chonburi Province committee headed by the deputy governor.

A fond farewell as Fr Paiboon moves to the North

Vimolrat Singnikorn
Father Paiboon Udomdet has bid a fond farewell to St. Nikolaus Church, where he has been pastor for two years, as he prepared to move to Chiang Mai, where he will work with a Mission that covers the North and neighboring Laos.

Fr Weera Phangrak (right), deputy patriarch from the Mission in Chantaburi, blesses Fr Paiboon (left) with white string as Fr Kritsada Sukapat (center) looks on.

A party was held at St Nikolaus Church on December 28 to wish Fr Paiboon well in his new endeavors, and also to welcome Fr Kritsada Sukapat, who will replace him. Fr Weera Phangrak, deputy patriarch from the Mission in Chantaburi and Ronakit Ekasingh, Pattaya City deputy mayor, presented the farewell and welcome speeches.
Fr Paiboon was born on March 26, 1960. He entered the priesthood on April 7, 1988, and was the 12th pastor at St Nikolaus. He graduated with a doctorate in moral theology from Rome in 2006, and can speak seven languages.
At the farewell party, Fr Paiboon’s wrist was bound with a blessing in accordance with traditional Thai beliefs.

Children’s Day will feature fun and education

City hall is preparing for a good Children’s Day this year.

Vimolrat Singnikorn
A busy day is planned in Pattaya for Children’s Day, January 12, with every department within the educational system being encouraged to prepare activities.
Deputy Mayor Wattana Chantanawaranon held a meeting on December 18 at Pattaya City Hall to prepare the program, along with representatives of the 10 schools under the city’s jurisdiction.
Wattana said that Children’s Day in Pattaya is traditionally a very active one, and has always received good cooperation from the government and private offices. This year every department within the educational system is being requested to devise activities that are both educational and enjoyable.
Pattaya City Hall will itself be open to the children so that they can see how local government is conducted. Escorted groups will be taken around the various departments, ending with a visit to the office of Mayor Niran Wattanasartsathorn.

Rotary Club Eastern Seaboard welcomes guests from Germany

Karl and Stephanie Krafft are surrounded by the group
for a souvenir shot at Garden Cafe.

Elfi Seitz
The Rotary Club Eastern Seaboard had some visitors from Germany over the Christmas period. In absence of president Stefan Ryser, past president Marliese Fritz welcomed the past president of Rotary Club Bergheim-Erft, Karl Krafft, and his spouse Stephanie, who both came to Pattaya for several days.
Dr Claus Rink of RC Eastern Seaboard, who also is a teacher in Germany, had earlier convinced his fellow RC members from his home country on the idea of a producing an English language CD for Thai students. Both clubs set up a matching grant to produce this CD. Several hundred copies have now been distributed throughout the Eastern Seaboard. Last year, several students from Germany traveled to Thailand to teach and promote the CD.
RC Eastern Seaboard invited Karl and Stephanie Krafft to a dinner on December 30 at the Marriott Resort’s Garden Cafe. Earnest conversations about a planned partnership between both Rotary Clubs were held. It is assumed that the talks will end in June with the signing of a co-operation. For this occasion, several members of the RC Bergheim-Erft will travel to Pattaya again.
The Krafft couple has been visiting Thailand and other Asian countries numerous times. A day after the talks, they flew to Cambodia to visit the historic site of Angkor Wat.