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Two-year-old left home alone
is rescued from blazing house
Patcharapol Panrak
A two-year-old girl who was left home alone with the family dog
while her mother was out selling noodles was rescued by a neighbor when the
house went up in flames.
Fire engines from the Sattahip Sub-district Administrative Organization in
Najomtien and Bangsarae rushed to the blaze at 12:30 pm on February 19. The
house was a two-story wood-and-brick structure located alongside the Ban
Amphor Canal, and firefighters had difficulty of access, as there was no
road.
Villagers attempted to douse the flames with buckets of water from the
canal, but they were unsuccessful. The building was destroyed along with its
contents, with damages initially estimated at 500,000 baht.
Mayor of the Najomtien Sub-district Municipality Sompong Sainapa attended
the scene and spoke to the owners of the property, Wirot Cholawanit and Mrs
Tanaporn Taweesinbunyakarn.
They said they had gone to sell squid at the Ban Amphor Market, and that Mrs
Maethinee Seesai, 20, the mother of two-year-old Ton Liew had gone to sell
noodles. The infant was left to sleep in the hall downstairs with the family
dog.
When the fire started, a neighbor identified as Mrs Oy forced open the door
to get Ton Liew away from the flames. The dog was also rescued.
Pol Col Supathee Bunkrong, superintendent at Sattahip Police Station said
that the owners of the house were adamant they had not forgotten to turn off
the gas canister or the electrical equipment. Only the ventilator was left
running for the girl. A short circuit was the most likely cause of the
blaze. Forensic officers from Region 2 will inspect the remains of the
property to determine the cause of the fire.
Family and friends gather
around
to comfort the youngster after her terrible ordeal.
Today is Leap Day
Leap Years and enforced matrimony
Dr. Iain Corness
It is reputedly common knowledge that on February 29, spinsters can
propose to the object of their matrimonial desires, and must be accepted.
For all the men out there who are in hiding, you can come out now. It’s a
furfy. The dangerous day is November 9, especially if you live in Dogpatch,
but more on that later.
Leap years come about because the original astronomers didn’t get the
calculations quite right. It does not take 365 days to go around the sun for
one complete revolution, it actually takes 365 days and around six hours. So
somewhere along the line, we have to put all the six hours into the
equation. This we do by adding the six hours together so that every four
years we have another 24 hour day to slip into the calendar.
The origin of all this has been ascribed to Julius Caesar. When Julius was
in charge of the Roman legions, they had a 355 day calendar, which did mean
that New Year’s Day came around a little quicker, but the 355 day cycle was
well off the mark. The actual new calculations were made by Caesar’s
astronomer, Sosigenes, showing that the correct duration was 365 and a
quarter days per revolution. Julius then decided to simplify things and
added days to different months of the year to create the 365 day calendar,
and every fourth year following the 28th day of Februarius (February) one
day was to be added, making every fourth year a leap year. This was the
Julian calendar. This was done in 45 BC.
Returning to the Leap Year concept, unfortunately the Julian calendar did
not get it quite right either. The revolution around the sun is not quite
the 365 and a quarter, and if you use that number, you have added in three
too many days every four hundred years! For this reason, only one out of
every four ‘century years’ is considered as a leap year. Century years are
only considered as leap years if they are evenly divisible by 400.
Therefore, 1700, 1800, 1900 were not leap years, and 2100 will not be a leap
year, but 1600 and 2000 were leap years, because those year numbers are
evenly divisible by 400. This all came out with the Gregorian calendar put
forward by Pope Gregory in 1582 C.E.
Incidentally, the Gregorian calendar had its own problems with some
Christian faiths proclaiming it to be a Catholic plot. Protestant tract
writers called him the “Roman Antichrist” and claimed that its real purpose
was to keep true Christians from worshiping on the correct days. The
Gregorian calendar was not adopted uniformly across Europe until well into
the 18th century. Science and religion do not make easy bed-fellows.
Returning to the Julian calendar of 45 B.C., the astute folk over the
centuries may have wondered just how did Big Julie know that 45 years later
a prophet was going to be born, and instead of counting downwards, the
calendar was thereafter going to be counted forwards! The simple answer is,
he didn’t. And in fact all the B.C. calculations were done later.
It may be of interest to know that our year reckoning was established by
Dionysius Exiguus in the 6th century. Dionysius let the year C.E. 1
(Christian era) start one week after what he believed to be Jesus’ birthday,
but Dionysius also got it wrong! The Gospel of Matthew tells us that Jesus
was born under the reign of King Herod the Great, who died in what we have
calculated as 4 B.C.E. It is now presumed that Jesus was actually born
around 7 B.C.E. The date of his birth is also unknown; it may or may not be
December 25, but this was a convenient date as it was the celebration of
Mithra’s birthday, a well known public holiday.
Returning to Sadie Hawkins Day, according to American sources, this was a
day long event in Al Capp’s comic strip Li’l Abner observed in the United
States on the Saturday that follows November 9, named after Sadie Hawkins,
“the homeliest gal in all them hills.” Each year on Sadie Hawkins Day the
unmarried women of Dogpatch pursued the single men. If a woman caught a man
and dragged him back to the starting line by sundown, he had to marry her.
Some campuses in America still celebrate Sadie Hawkins Day – but not on
February 29.
Councilor asks why work has
stopped on beach park project
Pramote Channgam
City councilors have raised questions over the Pattaya Beach Public
Park project, which started in 2006 under a 50 million baht budget and which
has since come to a halt, leaving the attempts at landscaping half finished.
 This
withered and dead coconut tree is just an example of how the Pattaya Beach
Public Park project has been left unattended.
The matter was raised during a council meeting on February 12, when Sanit
Bunmachai, a councilor for Zone 3 asked why the work had stopped.
The beach park, which is to extend from the Dusit Thani Resort Curve through
to the site of the former pier in South Pattaya, is currently deserted. The
grass has dried and withered, and the coconut trees are dead or dying.
Public works director Pichet Uthaivatananon said that the contractor is
still within the contracted period, and is being asked to provide an
explanation and to remedy the situation.
The meeting also discussed the construction of the clock tower at Bali Hai
Pier and the project to construct a new building at Pattaya School No 4.
Both of these projects are in the materials procurement stage, and the
council discussed the progress of the budget expenditure.
Police traffic control
box causes obstruction
Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
A police traffic control box that is blocking pedestrian traffic may
have to be demolished, the police admit.
 This
traffic control box is blocking pedestrian traffic and may have to be
demolished.
Currently under construction on Third Road, at the intersection opposite the
Cottage, the control box is a white-colored structure occupying an area
measuring 2 x 2 meters. It is 3 meters in height and has a tiled roof.
Residents have criticized the control box, saying that it is installed on
the sidewalk and almost completely blocks the public way. It will cause
problems particularly for the disabled, who would not be able to maneuver
their wheelchairs around the structure.
Questioned by Pattaya Mail about this obstruction, Deputy Mayor Ronakit
Ekasingh said the control box does not come under the responsibility of city
hall. The structure belongs to the traffic police, and city hall did not
grant any permission for it to be built at this location. It is most likely,
he said, that the control box is the result of an agreement between the
police and an individual in the private sector.
The matter has already been raised during a council meeting, said Ronakit,
and the police have been contacted. It now remains to be seen what action
the police will take.
Pattaya Mail contacted Pol Maj Pitakpong Krongchon, traffic inspector at
Pattaya Police Station who said that that the control box might have to be
demolished if it is an obstruction. The police are in discussions with the
person who has arranged construction, and are ready to move the structure
immediately after a directive is received.
Date set for laying of new hospital foundation stone
Vimolrat Singnikorn
The foundation stone for the new Pattaya City Hospital will be laid
during a ceremony on March 17 at 8:45 a.m.
 Deputy
Mayor Verawat Khakhay
To be constructed at a site adjacent to the Public Health Service Center,
the new hospital will help support the rapidly increasing demand from the
public and from visitors, the numbers growing as the city itself grows.
The decision to build the hospital was taken late last year, with
construction due to be completed by the end of 2010.
Deputy Mayor Verawat Khakhay chaired a meeting on February 20 to decide the
date and time for laying the foundation stone. Monks will begin the ceremony
at 7 a.m. on March 17, with the foundation stone being laid at the
auspicious time of 8:45 a.m.
Pattaya City Hospital will be constructed as a medium sized hospital. A
five-story building with 82 beds, it will provide free service for patients
who have a house registration in Pattaya City, along with inexpensive fees
for visitors.
Total budget for the construction of the hospital is approximately 135
million baht, with 76 million baht being spent on the first phase of
construction.
Military officers back
on the beat with the police
Chonburi Governor Pracha
Taerat (standing on second step) watches as the cooperative police and
military patrols head out into Pattaya and Banglamung.
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Military personnel are back on the beat with the police to help make
the streets safer for residents and visitors after a five-month hiatus due
to internal issues regarding joint patrolling.
Chonburi Governor Pracha Taerat formally inaugurated the renewed cooperation
at a ceremony on February 18 that was also attended by Banglamung District
Chief Mongkol Thammakittikhun, Maj Gen Ekanan Ratanasopha of the 14th Army
Military Circle, and Pol Maj Gen Bandit Khunajak, commander of the Chonburi
Provincial Police.
The original joint patrol scheme had been operated between February 16 and
September 30 last year, and the results had been very satisfactory.
Governor Pracha said that the protection against and suppression of crime
must continue, and the scheme has been reestablished with a support budget
from Pattaya City. This current period will continue through to July 31 this
year.
The joint military and police patrols will operate 24 hours a day and will
cover the small sois in addition to main areas.
Two men arrested for
attack on British citizen
Sompong and Yuthaphum have
been arrested and charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm on a British
tourist.
Theerarak Suthatiwong
Two men have been arrested following an attack on a British man who
was struck repeatedly about the head with a rock.
Warrants were obtained on February 19 from Pattaya Provincial Court for the
arrest of Sompong Kitwongwattana, 35, a resident of Chonburi, and Yuthaphum
Chaiyasoub, 24, of Lampang.
The two men were charged with attacking and injuring Roger Parker, a
50-year-old British man, in front of Siri Games on Soi Buakao on February
13. Parker suffered head wounds during the attack, and was transferred to
Pattaya Memorial Hospital for treatment. Eyewitnesses stated that the
wrongdoers were two men who escaped in a blue Toyota DX, license plate Khor
Wor 2543, Bangkok. Police officers were able to arrest the two at their
places of residence.
Sompong told police he is a glass worker who installs windows in offices and
houses. Yuthaphum is his co-worker. The two of them had gone to have a drink
with four friends at a mobile bar parked in front of the Inter Pole Hotel on
Soi Diana Inn. Parker was also drinking there. Sompong and his friends had
criticized the prominence of the Liverpool football team. Suddenly, Parker
came up to them in a state of drunkenness, and said that Liverpool was not
good at all, and he said something else that made the entire group angry. He
also touched Sompong’s head with a sponge.
Sompong said he tried to keep calm, as he didn’t want to cause trouble at
the bar. But he and Yuthaphum followed Parker in their car when he left the
bar. Sompong first hit Parker one punch at a time, but he was losing the
fight because Parker was larger than him. Yuthaphum then joined in, placing
a fist-sized rock in a sock and striking Parker’s head three times. The two
men then fled the scene.
Pol Col Nopadol said that in addition to eyewitness statements the police
had a CCTV recording of the attack, taken by a camera placed on a nearby
shopfront. This showed clearly the aggressive role played by Sompong and
Yuthaphum, and enabled the police to apply for an arrest warrant and press
charges of inflicting grievous bodily harm.
Chinese pickpockets prey on visitors at transvestite cabarets
Liao Jing Tao (right) was
arrested for pick-pocketing tourists outside
a local transvestite show.
Boonlua Chatree
Two Chinese pickpockets who were relieving people of their valuables
outside entertainment venues on Second Road have been arrested by police,
who are now searching for four more members of the gang.
 Yu
Xiaozhi (seated right) was also arrested for pick-pocketing tourists.
Two victims had filed reports with Pattaya Police Station almost
simultaneously on February 21. Janis Zelce, a 34-year-old Latvian national
stated that he was robbed of money and valuables worth almost 100,000 baht
while he and his girlfriend were having their pictures taken with cast
members outside the Alcazar transvestite cabaret show. Another victim, Leo
Salineen, 44, of Finland reported that he had his pocket picked when he was
taking pictures with the cast of Tiffany’s, just across the road.
Police believed that the thieves belonged to the same gang, and undercover
officers were sent that same evening to mingle with the crowds outside both
the venues. At Alcazar they arrested Liao Jing Tao, a 41-year-old Chinese
national who was found to have in his possession a total of 5,200 baht, 133
US dollars, a 5-baht gold bracelet, two 2-baht gold bracelets, and three
credit cards. The items were hidden in a black bag. Liao admitted to robbing
Janis Zelca.
Police also arrested Yu Xiaozhi, a 39-year-old Chinese national who was
caught red-handed picking the pocket of Chen Chih Pang, 32, a Taiwanese man
who was in the crowd in front of Tiffany’s Theater. Officers searched the
black bag of the accused, and found a Sony Camera, 16,500 baht in cash, a
mobile phone, and a 5-baht gold bracelet that Yu said was his own property
but that police believed to be stolen goods.
During questioning, officers established that the two men knew each other,
as a camera was found with pictures of the two taken together. Pictures were
also found of four other Chinese men, and police believe that they are a
gang of pickpockets preying on tourists at the two entertainment venues.
Investigations are continuing as to the whereabouts of the other four men.
Two British men arrested
for drugs possession
Boonlua Chatree
Two British men have been arrested for possession of marijuana,
after police followed them to a parking lot and searched them.
 Police
confiscated two bags of marijuana off the two British suspects.
The two men were apprehended just after midnight on February 22 outside the
Niran Condo on Soi Arunothai. They were identified as Andrew Roy Anderson,
38, who was found to have 59.4 grams of dried marijuana in his trouser
pocket, and Christopher Walker, 32, who was in possession of 9.7 grams.
They said they had bought a package of dried marijuana for 4,000 baht from a
group of beer bars on Soi 8, and that it was for their own consumption. The
two were charged with possession of a Class 5 narcotic.
Pol Col Nopadol Wongnom, superintendent at Pattaya Police Station said after
the arrests that Pol Maj Gen Bandit Khunjak, commander of the Chonburi
Provincial Police had ordered a crackdown on possession and consumption of
narcotics by both Thais and foreign visitors.
7-Eleven employee electrocuted by faulty rice cooker
Boonlua Chatree
A female employee of a 7-Eleven store on Walking Street died from an
electric shock when she was using a faulty rice cooker.
The store’s assistant manager, 32-year-old Miss Suriporn Chutinawee, called
Pattaya police to the scene at 2:30am on February 20.
The 7-Eleven outlet was Walking Street branch 1215 in South Pattaya,
occupying the ground floor of a three-story commercial building. The
deceased was identified as Miss Surirat Patha, age 24, a resident of
Nakoonyai, in Nakhon Panom Province. Her body was lying on its back wearing
a 7-Eleven uniform, and she was barefoot. Her right hand was clutching a
power cord, which was connected to the rice cooker that had just cooked
rice. Her lips were black and blue. Officers transferred her corpse to the
Forensic Medical Institute for an autopsy.
Suriporn said that she and Surirat were cooking rice to eat in the store.
The deceased, who was barefoot, touched the rice cooker and cried out. She
died immediately.
Pol Lt Col Chaiyaporn Thongnapiang, an inspector at Pattaya Police Station
examined the rice cooker and discovered that it was an old model. The copper
wire within the power cord was exposed. It was placed on an iron plate and
the deceased was also barefoot, the combined effects of which had caused her
death.
Japanese businessmen
tour Pattaya attractions
Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh
(standing, center right) presents a key to the city to members of the
Japan-Thailand Business Forum.
Saksiri Uraiworn
Fifteen people from the Japan Thailand Business Forum (JTBF) arrived
in Pattaya on February 14 as part of a promotional campaign organized by the
Tourism Authority of Thailand Central Region 3 in conjunction with Pattaya
City.
The group was welcomed to Pattaya at the Horseshoe Point Resort and Country
Club by Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh, Mrs Papimol Monthapong, assistant
director of TAT Central Region 3, and Horseshoe Point managing director, Jet
Sopitpongsathorn.
JTBF is a business consultation group for many large companies in Japan, and
is based permanently in Thailand. Most of the members are company directors.
The 15 members of the group were visiting tourist attractions and hotels in
Pattaya, including the Sanctuary of Truth, Nong Nooch Tropical Garden,
Pattaya Sea Sand Sun Hotel, and Fairtex Sports Club and Hotel.
Ronakit presented the key of the city to the group of visitors as a symbol
of friendship. He said that Pattaya is becoming a prime international
destination with a strong top-end market appeal and growing reputation as a
host city for international meetings and events.
Alisa Phanthusak throws her hat
into the ring as mayoral candidate
Tiffany’s director will run on anti-corruption platform
Mayoral candidate Alisa
Phanthusak (standing, center, with garland)
and the Pattaya Fa Sai group announce their intentions to run for local
office.
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Alisa Phanthusak, best known as a director of Tiffany’s and a
well-respected figure in Pattaya’s business community, has become a
candidate in the mayoral election.
Alisa, who is 34, is a Pattaya native and is campaigning as a member of the
Pattaya Fa Sai political group, which is attacking the city’s present
administration on the grounds of inefficiency and corruption.
The mayoral candidates were presented on February 14 at the multiuse area in
the Central Festival Center. One of them will replace the current mayor who
will end his term late in March.
Alisa became involved in local politics last year when she was appointed a
member of the Constitution Draft Council. She subsequently helped form the
Pattaya Fa Sai Party, which invited two well-known Thai academics, Dr
Jermsak Pinthong and Dr Saeree Wongmontha to give a talk on why Pattaya
needs radical administrative change at this present time.
The two speakers said that Pattaya is a beautiful and well-known
international tourist destination that brings in immense income for the
country. However, substantial inefficiency and corruption is found within
the administration.
Alisa said that when she was in the Senate she examined a large number of
complaints relating to corruption in Pattaya City. They included the
computer touch screen project, the underground power line project, the CCTV
project, the sprinkler system project, the traffic light project, and all of
the public utility projects. Some of the projects had been created for
obvious detailed benefits. The complaints were summarized and submitted to
the Office of the National Counter Corruption Commission.
Dr Jermsak said that now is the time for the people of the city to choose
honest leaders who would administrate cleanly and transparently. Pattaya has
a special administrative pattern that many local administrative
organizations can only dream of having. The system therefore needs to be
operated openly and cleanly, and it would then set a standard for other
organizations all over the country.
Dr Saeree said that Pattaya City is currently declining because of the
administrative inefficiency, such as the complicated utility projects, the
continual road resurfacing, and the overlapping budgets for development.
The Pattaya Fa Sai Party is fielding a full number of candidates to fill the
council positions in each zone. At present, 17 have put their names forward.
They are Mrs Rungthip Suksrikarn, Mrs Patchara Wiriyanon, Mrs Araya
Abdulkari, Kamnod Sopanawasu, Tanadol Puthhawong, Wachirawit
Kaew-Atsadangmongkol, Tongberm Prachaubsuk, Prasartporn Deeden, Silapachai
Thongpaiboon, Worapot Pongpalee, Tanarit Wisetsuwan, Pornchai Wongwian, Dr
Wisit Siriworanan, Nissai Maiyawong, Wichain Tanthammasathid, Dr Yongwit
Kiewcharoen, and Chetha Tantraporn.
Most of the candidates are in commerce. Another seven have yet to put their
names forward, but it is anticipated that the list will be complete for the
official presentation very soon.
The present mayor of Pattaya, Niran Wattanasartsathorn, has announced that
he would step down at the end of his term and has endorsed the candidacy of
Itthipol Khunplome, former member of parliament for Chonburi Zone 2.
Itthipol is currently the chief advisor to the mayor, and has already been
presented in the name of the Rao Rak Pattaya Group.
Month-long labor dispute at CUEL has ended
Vimolrat Singnikorn
The one-month dispute between the Laem Chabang-based oilfield construction
specialist CUEL and the Labor Union has come to an end, with the company
compromising by increasing salaries, paying bonuses and agreeing to other
demands from the workforce.
 Officials
from both sides of the dispute meet to work out an agreement.
Amongst the terms being sought by the union were an 8 percent increase in
salaries, payment of bonuses and allowances, and an increase in scholarship
money for the children of workers, from 1,000 baht to 2,000 baht.
Other requests were the lowering of the retirement age from 55 to 50, an
agreement to hire contract workers as salaried employees after two years,
and the allowance for uniforms and other clothing to be increased from three
sets to five sets.
Governor of Chonburi Pracha Taerat directed his deputy Khomsan Ekachai to
adjudicate in the dispute, as CUEL is a major employer and with its
high-profile engineering expertise also plays a significant role in the
national economy.
Matters came to a head on January 18, when the Labor Union issued a
directive for work stoppage. CUEL management met with union leaders at the
Cape Racha Hotel in Sriracha.
CUEL’s manager of construction Pralom Patrapanawan said that the stoppage
affected about 15 percent of the total workforce, amounting to more than
2,000 people. He said that although CUEL has a larger order book than
before, it does not mean the company is enjoying greater profits. The number
of employees has increased, and consequently labor costs have risen.
Financial exchange rates have also hit company profits.
Pralom said that in reality the company offered welfare and bonuses similar
to other companies, and this year CUEL has lower profits compared to last
year. He added that the Labor Union did not believe the data presented to
them, and said the company was exaggerating its position. Consequently, the
negotiations failed.
On February 6, a number of compromises were reached on both sides. The
company agreed to pay bonuses on the 13th of the month (annual bonus or
extra money), and bonus money according to work performance for 2.35 months,
including paying 2,000 baht in assistance money. Furthermore, the company
agreed to increase salaries by 6 percent for this year. The union had asked
for 8 percent.
The workers have now returned to their jobs.
Mobile unit provides health
checkups for Ban Rotfai Community
Pramote Channgam
Pattaya Public Health Department sent its mobile service to the Ban
Rotfai Community on February 19, providing free medical checkups for
residents.
 A
dental technician checks local children’s teeth for possible cavities.
The mobile service set up at the Ban Rotfai School sports field on Soi Siam
Country Club, and was open from 9 am to 4 pm. Consultations and information
were given on health and environmental protection, and herbal medicines were
distributed.
During the afternoon, public health officers provided free medical and oral
checkups, dental extractions, family planning consultations, and
vaccinations. Unused items were also collected for the Suankaew Temple
Foundation.
The Public Health Department provides a regular mobile health service for
the outlying communities.
Campaign launched to protect
children against second-hand smoke
by Kamolthep Malhotra
Dr Mongkol na Songkla, former Minister of Public Health inaugurated
the Smoke-free for Childhood campaign that is being conducted under the
guidance of the World Health Organization, and which started on February 4,
World Cancer Day.
The purpose of the campaign is to encourage no-smoking areas to protect
children from inhaling second-hand tobacco smoke and thereby becoming
vulnerable to lung and respiratory problems, middle ear infections, and
allergies. The campaign targets the home, entertainment establishments,
markets, shops, and all public locations.
Dr Mongkol said that in 2006 Thailand had 66,000 deaths from cancer. Of
these 5,535 men died from lung cancer and liver cancer. Cervical cancer
resulted in the deaths of 1,484 women, lung and breast cancer being
respectively the second and third largest killers of females.
The Ministry of Public Health has tightened the law regarding smoking in
public, starting from February 11. The Non-Smokers Protection Act forbids
smoking in entertainment outlets such as pubs and bars and in fresh-food
markets, and clothes and general goods markets. Any operator failing to
comply with the law is subject to a fine not exceeding 20,000 baht, and any
person who smokes in a non-smoking area will be subject to a fine not
exceeding 2,000 baht. This is being done to protect approximately 53 million
non-smokers from being exposed to second-hand smoke.
Motorcycle dealers present crash helmets to Sattahip police
Patcharapol Panrak
One hundred crash helmets have been presented to Sattahip police by
local motorcycle dealerships for the use of officers and to provide a good
example for all those who ride motorcycles.
Mrs Jintana Bunyadirek made the presentation on behalf of her own company
and four other dealerships, namely Mityon Co Ltd, KCB Motor Co, Ruamyon
Honda Co Ltd, and Thaiyon Co Ltd.
Each company donated 20 helmets, and the total of 100 helmets was presented
to Pol Col Supathee Bunkrong, superintendent at Sattahip Police Station on
February 15.
Jintana said that police officers are in a position where they can set a
good example to the public by using crash helmets when they ride on the main
roads and the sois, in addition to the helmets acting as personal
protection.
Pol Col Supathee thanked Jintana and the Sattahip dealerships, and said he
would take this opportunity to ask all motorcycle riders and their
passengers to wear helmets. Most of the deaths that happen as a result of
motorcycle accidents are because the riders were not wearing helmets, said
the police chief, and wearing a helmet significantly reduces the possibility
of injury.
Mrs Jintana Bunyadirek
presents motorcycle helmets to Pol Col Supathee Bunkrong, superintendent at
Sattahip Police Station.
Panadda takes students to Sea Turtle Conservation Center
Former Miss Thailand Panadda
Wongpudee (4th right)
and her school friends prepare to release sea turtle into the sea.
Patcharapol Panrak
Actress and former Miss Thailand Panadda Wongpudee brought 35
students from Rangsit University in Pathum Thani Province to the Royal Thai
Navy’s Sea Turtle Conservation Center at Sattahip on February 15, where they
released turtles into the ocean.
Captain Chainarong Kaowiset of Air and Coastal Defense Command, the Navy
division that maintains the facility, welcomed the group to the Conservation
Center.
Panadda said that she wanted the students to see the important conservation
work that is done, and to appreciate how important the work is to the Thai
economy, because the United States will import shrimp only from those
countries in Asia that have active policies on the conservation of sea
turtles. Shrimp is one of Thailand’s largest food export categories.
Most of the students had never seen or touched a sea turtle, she said, and
had only seen pictures of them. The students were from the Strategic
Productivity Faculty of Rangsit University.
Changes must be made to law on foreign investment says real estate industry
Real estate entrepreneurs are
still waiting for a clear answer from
the government concerning foreign investment in property.
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Amendments to the laws regarding foreign investment in property must
be made in order to return confidence to the market, which has slumped
following earlier legislation that has placed restrictions on foreign
ownership, delegates at a seminar on real estate heard on February 15.
The seminar was organized by the Property Evaluation Organization and Thai
Real Estate Research Center in cooperation with the Pattaya-Rayong Real
Estate Management School, and held in Jomtien. Chonburi Governor Pracha
Taerat chaired the opening ceremony.
Paisan Bundityanond, an advisor for the Real Estate Planning and Development
Project said that real estate investment data for Pattaya shows that laws
recently passed on foreign possession of property are currently obstructing
the market. Foreigners are now unsure about investing, and this has affected
the higher end of the property market, which slowed down during the second
half of last year.
Real estate developers and marketers understand the segmented nature of the
Eastern region, and they know what their potential customers require, said
Paisan. For example, Sriracha is prominent in industry-related business and
Pattaya is a city of tourism. Therefore the group of customers is different,
and the entrepreneurs can clearly see their customer base and potential.
Changing the target group to Thai customers is not foreseeable, because of
the Thai baht’s value compared to foreign currencies.
Real estate entrepreneurs must deal with the situation, as the unstable
policy is a factor in slowing down Pattaya real estate and the market for
the entire Eastern region. The industry believes the situation will improve
over the next three to six months, as the political situation stabilizes.
However, real estate developers are still waiting for a clear amendment from
the government in order for the confidence of foreign investors to return.
250 former drug abusers complete rehab course
Navy officers present
certificates of graduation to the men who completed
their drug rehabilitation program at Wiwat Polamuang School.
Patcharapol Panrak
The latest drug rehabilitation program at Wiwat Polamuang School in
Royal Thai Navy Region 2 came to an end on February 15, with 250 former
narcotics abusers being released after the 120-day course.
Captain Kosit Jiamsupakit, director of the school, which comes under Air and
Coastal Defense Command, led the closing ceremony that was also attended by
Prapot Yomaha of the Rayong Probation Bureau.
Certificates were presented to the 250 youths who had completed the course
and who were about to re-enter society. They have sworn an oath that they
will stay away from drugs in future, and have nothing to do with either
using or distributing them.
The program offers occupational training to the youths so that they can
support themselves and their families upon returning to society, and use
their free time to benefit themselves and others rather than getting
involved with drugs.
Amari staff learns fire escape drill
Vimolrat Singnikorn
Amari Orchid Resort and Tower held a fire practice for 260 of its
employees, representing 40 percent of the workforce, on February 19.
 Amari
staff members learn how to escape a smoke filled building by feeling their
way along the walls.
Pattaya City firemen showed the staff ways of putting out a blaze, and how
to help people escape fires in high locations.
Amari training officer Ratsamee Meechamna said that fire training was in the
past held every year by the hotel. However, since the recent opening of the
5-star Ocean Tower wing, the intention in future is to hold training
sessions twice a year, because of the extra number of rooms and staff. The
next session would be held late this year.
The training was divided into two parts. The morning was devoted to theory,
with the staff learning how to use a fire extinguisher, the correct way to
extinguish a fire, and verifying that the fire has been extinguished. The
afternoon was given over to practical exercises, including how to escape
from a dark room by feeling the way with hands.
An exercise was also held on escaping from a high location, with firemen
taking staff members to the 8th floor of the Ocean Tower wing and showing
them how to use fire rescue equipment.
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