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Motorists to pay fees
for parking on Beach Road
Fines to be imposed on anyone disregarding the law
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Motorists and motorcycle riders parking their vehicles along Beach
Road will in future have to use designated areas and they will be charged a
parking fee, following complaints from tourists and residents about the
problems of parking along the seafront.
The decision follows a survey undertaken on April 2 by Pattaya City
permanent secretary Sittiprap Muangkoom, acting on behalf of the mayoral
office until the elections for a new mayor have taken place.
Sittiprap, along with administration department heads, police officers, and
officials from the Pattaya Sanitation and Environment Department walked from
the Dusit Thani Hotel to Walking Street to survey at first hand the parking
problems along the seafront.
Many complaints had been received from tourists and from the general public,
mostly through the city’s website and the Pattaya Call Center, regarding the
use by motorists and business owners of Beach Road as their private parking
lot, and the proliferation of car hire vendors.
Such is the volume of cars and car hire vehicles parked along the road,
usually for long periods of time, that tourists have nowhere to park when
they visit the beach.
The survey team saw for themselves how the unruly parking added to the
traffic congestion, and they rebuked vendors who had blocked off what they
considered to be their own private parking places with wooden poles, stools
and other objects.
Sittiprap said that in future, officials would collect parking fees from
anyone parking along Beach Road. Parking areas would be marked with painted
lines, and cars, motorcycles, baht buses and taxis will all have to pay to
use these areas. The fee for the first hour for vehicles will be 10 baht,
rising to 20 baht for each extra hour. For motorcycles the fee would be 10
baht for the first hour and 10 baht for each additional hour.
The police have been asked to strictly enforce the parking regulations and
fines will be imposed for anyone disregarding the law.
Checkpoints set up
at secondary roads and
villages during Songkran
Attempt to reduce holiday death toll
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Chonburi Province has embarked upon a campaign to reduce road
accidents during the Songkran festival, tightly controlling all the primary
and secondary roads with the intention of getting the number of fatalities
down to no more than 10.
 Chonburi
officials meet and set their goal of no more than 10 deaths during the
Songkran period.
A briefing was held on April 2 at Chonburi Town Hall by Deputy Governor
Komsan Aekachai, at which a two-pronged approach was announced.
The period until April 10 was for preparations and practice, including
monitoring the primary and secondary roads and the local roads for traffic
flow, advising residents, and training personnel. During the period April 11
to 17, speed limits will be enforced and checkpoints will be mounted in the
communities and the villages.
Komsan said that close cooperation was going to be needed between many
organizations. An operations center is to be established that will feed
reports electronically back to the provincial center, and the police will
provide officers and volunteers to man the checkpoints. Chonburi Public
Health Department will be on full standby for accident cases and Chonburi
Transportation Office will warn the baht bus cooperative that the drivers
must absolutely not drink alcohol.
Pol Col Jamnong Ratanakul, deputy commander of the Chonburi Provincial
Police said that most of the accidents that occur on the secondary roads and
in the sois happen because of drunkenness. Therefore, more checkpoints need
to be installed, because in the past only the primary roads and Sukhumvit
Road were controlled. Drivers avoided them by using the secondary roads, and
that caused more deaths.
Reducing the number of fatalities over Songkran to 10 seems realistic. Last
year the target had been 11, but in the event there were only seven road
deaths: three in Sriracha, two in Banglamung, one in Banbung, and one in
Muang Chonburi. In total, 67 people were injured.
Water revelers on the highways face prosecution during Songkran
Police focusing on safety
Highway police have already
started setting up checkpoints to control illegal activities and promote
safety during Songkran.
Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
Anyone throwing water on the primary and secondary roads during the
Songkran holiday is likely to find themselves in severe trouble with the
police, as part of the tough campaign to reduce the number of accidents
during the festival period.
Pol Maj Gen Pasin Noksakul, commander of the Highway Police said that the
Highway Act of 1992 would be closely implemented. This states that any
behavior on the public roads that creates a potential danger to road users
is punishable by one month’s imprisonment or a fine of 10,000 baht, or both.
The police chief said that stringent application of the law would be carried
out for the safety of travelers on the roads.
Pol Maj Komsan Kanha, inspector for Highway 2, Operations 2, Chonburi
Province said that the campaign to reduce accidents on the roads this year
has to involve restrictions on where people can throw water, because this
can be a direct cause of accidents and traffic jams.
“We would like to ask people to cooperate and not play with water on the
primary and secondary roads,” he said. “Officers have instructions to stop
this, and to implement the law if necessary.”
He said that this includes controlling the pickup trucks that traditionally
roam the roads of Pattaya during the Songkran period, throwing and shooting
water at pedestrians and vehicles.
During the Songkran period the Highway Police will install checkpoints that
would be on the lookout for drunken drivers. As a courtesy, the officers
will provide drinking water and cold towels, and the Vocational Department
will provide free help on repairing engine trouble for motorists.
City ready for a safer Songkran
City hall announces details of festivities
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Pattaya City has now finalized the plans for the Wanlai-Gongkhao
Pattaya Festival, more usually known as Songkran, which will be held locally
over the period April 18 to 20.
On Friday April 18, Wanlai Naklua will be celebrated at Lanpho Naklua Public
Park. At 7 a.m. rice and dry food will be offered to 99 monks, and water
will be sprinkled onto an image of the Buddha. Water will also be sprinkled
onto elderly people during a blessings ceremony. At 12 noon, a parade will
be held with a Buddha image carried from Lanpho Naklua Public Park and
through Naklua Market.
Saturday April 19 will see Pattaya Wanlai celebrated at Chaimongkol Temple
in South Pattaya. At 9 a.m. water will be sprinkled onto an image of the
Buddha, and there will be a blessings ceremony with elders. At 12 noon a
parade will be held with a Buddha image and monks proceeding from
Chaimongkol Temple through South Pattaya and along Beach Road to the Dolphin
Roundabout, and returning to Chaimongkol Temple.
On Sunday April 20, Gongkhao Pattaya will be celebrated at Lanpho Naklua
Public Park, and from 12 noon there will be games including slingshot, hoop
takraw, sea boxing, greasy pole climbing, and a martial arts display. At
6:30 p.m. there will be food stands set up and performances of country
songs.
Songkran always brings severe traffic congestion, and this year it has been
decided to close Pattaya Beach Road from the Dusit Curve to South Pattaya
Beach on April 19, between the hours of 9 a.m. and 10 p.m. This will allow
residents and tourists to enjoy the water festival without the danger of
traffic, and Pattaya City will provide water tanks for this along Beach
Road.
Any organizations that wish to reserve a stand during the Wanlai traditional
day can obtain information at the Pattaya Education Office tel 038 253220.
Blaze destroys well-known
furniture warehouse
No-one hurt, but 15 million baht in damages
Boonlua Chatree
Firemen fighting a blaze at a well-known lumber shop took two hours
to put out the fire, which has caused damage more than 15 million baht.
Banglamung Police Station received an alert at 3 a.m. on April 3 that the
lumber storehouse of Chokdee Khamai Co Ltd on Sukhumvit Road in North
Pattaya was on fire.
 Firefighters
attempt to contain a raging inferno at the lumber storehouse of Chokdee
Khamai Co Ltd on Sukhumvit Road in North Pattaya.
Five fire engines, Sawang Boriboon Foundation rescue workers, and police led
by station superintendent Pol Col Sarayut Sanguanpokai rushed to the scene.
The premises were large, and stocked with wooden doors, windows and
furniture. There was a two-story building to the front of the 2-rai plot of
land, with a large yard to the rear for storing timber and wood products.
The sawdust was a very good combustible resource for a large fire.
Firefighters sprayed water on the premises for two hours, and a pall of
smoke covered the entire area and the road, with traffic jamming Sukhumvit.
Prasert Laosri, the 33-year-old caretaker of the store told police he was
resting when he heard an explosion in the store that sounded like a short
circuit. He came out and discovered the fire inside the store. He called for
employees to extinguish the fire with fire extinguishers and water, but that
did not help, so he called the emergency services.
The owner of the shop, 57-year-old Mrs Tanapa Thongtanakul stated that she
and her family were asleep in a room at the front of the building. She heard
the caretaker of the store shout that there was a fire. She assumed that it
most likely occurred because of a short circuit. This often occurred during
the day, but the shop was able to keep it under control. However, this time
it was not possible. Most of the damaged property was lumber, doors and
windows, which were valued at more than 15 million baht.
Nobody was hurt during the blaze. Investigators will now examine the scene
and prepare a report on the fire.
Temperatures due to hit 35 degrees
Just in time for Songkran holiday
Inhabitants and tourists are
expected to encounter
temperatures of 34-35 degrees in April.
Vimolrat Singnikorn
Pattaya Meteorological Station is warning residents and tourists
that temperatures could rise to 35 degrees Celsius during April, and that
everyone is advised to take precautions when venturing out into the open.
Temperatures at this time last year average a high of 32 degrees. The
hottest months of the year in Thailand are March and April, reaching a
climax round about the time of Songkran, which with its water sprinkling
tradition is a welcome respite from the heat.
The Met Station recorded a high of 31 degrees at the beginning of April,
with rain in some areas due to a cold front over the Northern and
Northeastern regions of Thailand, blowing Pattaya-wards by southwesterly and
easterly winds.
April temperatures often reach 35 degrees, the highest recorded since 2003
being 35.2 degrees. The Met Station says temperatures in Pattaya are
generally one or two degrees higher than in Bangkok.
Along with the dangers posed by a hot sun, there is the danger that food
might spoil more easily and cause gastrointestinal infections.
Academics meet to discuss future
of endangered gavial
11 released for breeding purposes into conservation area
11 gavials were released for
breeding purposes into
the conservation area at the Anachan Chang Ban Institute in Huay Yai,
as part of the plan to protect the species in Thailand.
Theerarak Suthatiwong
Experts met on March 24 to discuss the conservation of the gavial,
an aquatic reptile related to the crocodile that is in danger of extinction.
During the meeting, 11 gavials were released for breeding purposes into the
conservation area at the Anachan Chang Ban Institute in Huay Yai, as part of
the plan to protect the species in Thailand.
Uthen Yangprapakorn, general manager of the Crocodile Farm and Samutprakarn
Zoo Co., Ltd., Wattana Leelapat, a specialist in the breeding of aquatic
animals at the Department of Fisheries, and Dr Wisit Wichasil, deputy
director of the Zoological Park Organization led the meeting, which was
attended by academics mainly from Asia and the United States.
Before the meeting started, 11 gavials were released at the Anachan Chang
Ban conservation area. One, a 300-kg female, was presented by Dusit Zoo and
is considered the oldest gavial in Thailand. Three were presented by
Singapore in response to the gavial exchange project, and the Crocodile Farm
and Samutprakarn Zoo provided seven.
The Crocodile Farm and Samutprakarn Zoo organized the seminar in cooperation
with the National Parks Department, the Fisheries Department, and the
Zoological Park Organization. Anachan Chang Ban hosted the event.
Academicians from the USA, the Czech Republic, Laos, Malaysia, Indonesia,
Singapore, Cambodia and the Philippines provided data on the breeding and
survival rates of the gavial in their own countries. Thailand presented two
male gavials to Singapore in return for the two females.
The Anachak Chang conservation area extends for about 420 rai, and is used
also for the breeding of crocodiles. The intention is that the gavials would
breed there, and then be released back into the wild.
The gavial is related to the crocodile family, and is distinguishable by its
long, thin snout, a physical characteristic that has prevented it evolving
as a meat-eater. Consequently the gavial is no danger to humans, and feeds
on fish and frogs, the shape of the snout helping it to move quickly through
the water.
Gavials live in rivers and marshes, mainly in freshwater or in slightly
salty water. It is mostly found in India, Australia, Papua New Guinea, and
Southeast Asia. In Thailand, there is an estimated 800, mostly found in the
three Southern provinces of Yala, Naratiwat and Pattani.
The gavial is a Type 1 protected wildlife animal in Appendix 1 of CITES, the
Convention for International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and
Flora.
Man arrested for
stabbing murder of Finn
Killer had long history of drug abuse
Boonlua Chatree
A man has been arrested for stabbing to death a 65-year-old Finnish
man, police having traced him to Nakhon Sawan after arresting his female
accomplice at a short-time hotel in Pattaya.
 Et
Pho-Iam (center, in handcuffs) is brought to the scene of the crime in order
to reenact the murder for police and media.
The murder of Erkki Aal Tonen, who police say was stabbed 30 times, was
carried out at his home, room number 319/130 at the Jomtien Grand Condotel.
The woman, who was having a relationship with the deceased, went into the
bedroom to have sex with him, while her Thai partner remained outside. When
Tonen came out of the bedroom he found the man searching through his
belongings in the living room. The man had attacked Tonen with a knife and
then the couple fled on a motorcycle.
The building’s CCTV camera recorded images of the couple, and police were
quickly on their trail. The case was handled by Pol Lt Gen Jetanakorn
Napeetapat, commander-in-chief of the Provincial Police in Region 2 and his
deputy Pol Maj Gen Kosol Puawet, working with Pol Maj Gen Bandit Khunachak,
commander-in-chief of the Chonburi Provincial Police and Pol Col Noppadon
Wongnom, superintendent at Pattaya Police Station.
The woman was identified as Ms Nipaporn or Ann Phuto, age 26 years, of
Taklee District, Nakhon Sawan Province and the man as Pakphum or Et Pho-Iam,
26, of Srabot District, Lopburi Province.
Police obtained arrest warrants for the two from Pattaya Provincial Court,
and at 6 p.m. on March 27 arrested Nipaporn in room number 205 of the
Privacy Hotel on North Pattaya Road. They discovered that Pakphum was hiding
out at house number 90, located in Moo 11 in Chumtabong Sub-district, Nakhon
Sawan Province. He was arrested there and brought back to Pattaya Police
Station.
Pakphum and Nipaporn confessed to the murder. They said that Nipaporn, who
is six months pregnant, asked Pakphum to take her to Tonen’s residence for a
sexual assignation. She left the door open so that Pakphum could come in
while she was in bed with Tonen. When the Finn, a disabled man with only one
leg discovered Pakphum in the apartment the two of them had fought, and
Nipaporn had restrained Tonen’s hands. Pakphum stabbed him 30 times.
The two fled with 3,000 baht in cash, two wristwatches, and a Nokia mobile
phone.
After questioning Pakphum, police escorted him to the scene to re-enact the
murder. Crowds of Thai people and tourists surrounded the area, shouting and
angrily demanding the death penalty.
The couple have been charged with conspiracy to steal another person’s
property, with causing the death of another person, and with using a vehicle
as a means of escape after committing the crime.
Pol Lt Gen Jetanakorn said that Pakphum has a long criminal history, with at
least 10 charges filed against him. In 1998 he was arrested and taken to
Srabot Police Station on amphetamines charges, where he was fined. The
following year he was again taken to Srabot Police Station for the
possession of ya ba. In 2001 he was arrested for possession of ya ba and
taken to Paniad Police Station in Lopburi province. The following year he
was arrested twice for ya ba possession, and the next year was arrested
again. On the latter occasion he was sentenced to four years in prison. In
March of last year, Chaibadal Provincial Court issued a warrant of arrest
for him on charges of distributing ya ba, and later in the same year he was
named as wanted by Paniad Police Station on charges of theft. Police were
still hunting for him when he killed Erkki Aal Tonen in Pattaya.
Five monks arrested
for food scam with vendors
Police investigate the errant
monks at the monks’ makeshift
residence in the South Pattaya woods.
Theerarak Suthatiwong
Five Buddhist monks who were operating a scam with food vendors,
returning food to the vendors that had been offered to them at dawn by
devotees, have been reprimanded and fined by the police.
During the morning of March 29, Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh received a
complaint from a villager regarding several monks who were living in a hut
in a wooded area behind the Big C department store in South Pattaya.
The villager said that each morning at about 4 a.m., the monks went out to
wait for offerings of food in front of Chaimongkol Temple in South Pattaya.
Vendors of food and flowers hired them to stand in front of their shops to
receive the offerings from followers, after which everything was returned to
the vendors for resale.
Ronakit and a team of police officers went to the area where the huts were
located. The scene was a small wooded area with seven small zinc huts, and
monks and novice monks sitting around there. Two of them were able to run
away when they saw the officers, but five were detained.
They were named as Priest Surat Jaruwanno or Surat Klangsombat, age 70
years, from Pathumthani; Priest Nikorn Chinapututo or Nikorn Wannapong, 54,
from Khon Kaen; Priest Thongmee Khantiko or Thongmee Chanpit, 39; Priest
Nipol Jittakutto or Nipol Phunpol, 47; and Priest Pornmaha Piyathammo or
Pornmaha Sirikhun, 58. The last three were from Kaengkro, Chaiyaphoom.
The officers confiscated all of the food, water, yellow robes and
certificates, and invited Prakhru Pisan Jariyapiwat, lord abbot of Naklua
District and abbot of Chaimongkol Temple in to interview the errant monks.
Surat admitted that he and the others had set up the huts in which to live,
and that they cooperated with the food vendors. He said that sometimes they
went out to collect money from the villagers, and had been arrested before
on several occasions, returning when everything was quiet to live in other
wooded areas of Pattaya.
The monks were fined before being allowed to go free. Police say they don’t
have enough evidence to charge the vendors, but that a warning had been
issued.
Police issue description
of armed bank robber
Boonlua Chatree
The commander-in-chief of Chonburi Provincial Police has distributed
a sketch of the bank robber who held up staff at the Siam Commercial Bank
North Pattaya Branch at gunpoint and stole more than 200,000 baht.
 Police
have released this sketch of a bank robber who held up staff at the Siam
Commercial Bank North Pattaya Branch.
The robbery took place at 1 p.m. on April 1. The bank’s manager, 36-year-old
Nawarat Lertsiri, called Pattaya Police Station immediately after the robber
had made his escape. Police have issued a description of the man, saying he
was of medium size, about 185cm tall, between 28 and 35 years old, wearing a
brown-gray cap, had long curly hair, was wearing a red jacket with the
Mityon Pattaya logo on the back, and wore military trousers with canvas
shoes.
Police asked bank teller Ms Jeeranan Saekhu to provide information for a
sketch. Members of the public are asked to notify the police if they know of
anyone matching the description or likeness. The 24-hour number is 038
424186. A reward of 50,000 baht will immediately be awarded to the person
who provides information that leads to the arrest of the criminal.
Free vaccinations begin
for anti-rabies program
All 26 Pattaya communities to be covered
Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
Veterinarians began a rabies prevention program on March 31 at Nong Yai
Temple Community, vaccinating dogs and cats and sterilizing animals to cut
down on the number of strays.
 If
our owners love us, then they should bring us in to be vaccinated to avoid
rabies, for our safety and theirs.
Ronakorn Julajua, chief veterinarian at the Pattaya City Public Health
Service Center led a team of vets and volunteers for the start of this
campaign, which is offering free vaccinations and sterilization for domestic
animals in all 26 Pattaya communities.
Pattaya currently has no rabies cases, and the program is part of a
prevention campaign for the disease, which can be fatal for humans and is
spread through bites and scratches from infected animals.
Rabies vaccinations are provided once a year in the Pattaya communities, and
sterilizations every six months. The service, which is provided free, takes
13 days to cover the 26 communities. Ronakorn estimates 3,000 domestic pets
will receive treatment.
Two communities are dealt with each day, the vets working in the morning
from 9 a.m. to 12 noon, and in the afternoon from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
If a person is unlucky enough to contract rabies, the symptoms can appear
within seven days or may take as long as two years, depending on the type of
wound and its location. If on the face or the head, the incubation period is
very brief; if on the leg, the disease would probably take longer to
manifest itself.
Guidelines are issued by the Public Health Department for anyone who thinks
they might have been in contact with an infected animal. The bite or scratch
must immediately be washed several times with soap, and scrubbed with an
anti-viral agent. A physician must be consulted immediately, and a vet so
that the type of animal may be identified.
Police rewarded for arrest of power line thief
Incentives and rewards help to prevent crime
Patcharapol Panrak
Sattahip Electricity Authority has rewarded police officers for
arresting a thief who was stealing cables, saying that theft of public
property is a major concern and that incentives and rewards help to prevent
it.
 Rear
Admiral Saknarin Charoensuk (left), manager of Sattahip Electricity
Authority, rewards police officers for arresting a thief who was stealing
cables.
On March 17, Pol Sub Lt Pitichon Terdkiatikorakul, investigator at Sattahip
Police Station received a report that three men had been seen cutting cables
at Soi Thammawittaya. He ordered a police patrol to investigate, and the
three were caught red-handed. Two escaped, but Wisit Sae-Ung, age 22, a
resident of Soi Thammawittaya was arrested along with the evidence, a
3-meter length of line with fastening slings.
Rear Admiral Saknarin Charoensuk, manager of Sattahip Electricity Authority,
which comes under the Royal Thai Navy at the Sattahip Naval Base presided
over a ceremony on April 1 to present an award to the police team. Not only
was the cutting of power lines the theft of public property, said Rear
Admiral Saknarin, it could also lead to costly and inconvenient power cuts.
The police were to be commended for their prompt action in disturbing the
three thieves in this particular case.
Favorite targets for thieves are power lines, fastening slings, and bolts.
This causes a large amount of damage each year. The Royal Thai Navy
commander-in-chief, Admiral Sathirapan Kaeyanong and the Royal Thai Navy
Administrative Committee have announced that rewards would be given to
people who notified officers about these criminals.
Mysterious mayoral candidate number 4 refuses to talk to press
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
A fourth candidate has entered her name for the mayoral election,
although she is so shy about divulging her policies that she has refused to
speak to the press.
 Supawee
Wiriyawattana (right) submits her application to run for mayor.
On April 2, the second day in which applications for the position of mayor
or city councilor could be registered, 31-year-old Miss Supawee
Wiriyawattana, who is not affiliated to any party or group, attended Pattaya
City Hall to lodge her application.
The numbers 1, 2 and 3 having been allocated the previous day, the first day
of registration, Supawee was allocated the number 4. Miss Alisa Phanthusak
was allocated number 1, Itthipol Khunplome number 2, and Surat Mekavarakul
number 3. The election to appoint a new mayor for Pattaya will be held May
4.
After Supawee had submitted her documentation, reporters asked to interview
her. However, she declined. Instead, she hurried to leave the room along
with her two female friends. The press, who represented a large number of
media organizations, were astonished. Usually, candidates are only too
willing to talk.
Reporters who followed Supawee as she walked away persisted in their
questions. All the mysterious candidate would say was that she wanted only
“to live the dreams of my father, who wanted me to experience politics. My
own wish was never to compete with other candidates, but it was only to
compete with myself.”
And with those enigmatic words, Pattaya’s most unlikely candidate left the
building. All that has yet emerged is that Supawee is a graduate with a
bachelor’s degree from Bangkok University.
TAT places emphasis on
tradition for Songkran festival
Minister of Tourism and Sports
Weerasak Kowsurat shows
the traditional way to pour water over the hands of elders.
Vimolrat Singnikorn
The Tourism Authority of Thailand has staged a new campaign to
coincide with the Songkran festival, placing the emphasis on tradition and
generating more tourism for 13 provinces.
Entitled “Being Cool All Over During Songkran”, the campaign covers Bangkok
and the provinces of Ayutthaya, Samut Prakarn, Chonburi, Suphanburi, Chiang
Mai, Sukhothai, Nongkai, Khon Kaen, Nakhon Phanom, Songkla, Phuket, and
Nakhon Si Thammarat.
The campaign was announced on April 1 at Phra Chetuphon Vimolmangklararm
Rajwaramahaviharn Temple in Bangkok by Minister of Tourism and Sport
Weerasak Kowsurat, and will run during the period April 12 to 20.
The main objective, in addition to generating tourism, is to promote the
traditional aspects of Songkran, with the use of traditional Thai attire and
ancient customs such as the pouring of water on the hands of elders and
asking for blessings.
In Bangkok the traditional festivities will be held over the period April 12
to 15 at locations including Wat Arun, Wat Kanlayanamit, Wat Pho, Wat
Suthat, Wat Bowornniwet Viharn, Wat Saket, Wat Chanasonkram, Wat Arun
Rajawararam, Wat Rakhang Khositaram, and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.
Activities will also be staged around Rattanakosin Island, at Banglampu, Pra
Athid Road, Santichaiprakarn Park, Wisutkrasat, and Kaosarn Road.
In Chonburi Province there is a diverse number of activities between April 7
and 21. April 7 to 15, there is worship of the Pra Puttha Sihing, and the
Red Cross Fair. April 16 to 18 sees the Bangpra devil parade. During April
19 to 21 there are the Songkran Srimaharacha and Kong Khao fairs. From April
13 to 19 people can join in the traditions of the Si-Chang islanders. April
17 to 19 sees the tradition of Boon Ban Bueng. From April 17 to 18 people
can join the Kao Jan Sub-district Songkran festivities. On April 15 to 17
there is the Wan Lai festival in Sattahip. From April 16 to 17 people can
join the Ko Phra Sai Wan Lai festival in Bang Saen, and the Wan Lai festival
at the Pattaya Kong Khao Fair. The Wan Lai festival in Naklua is scheduled
for April 18, and Wan Lai Pattaya will be held on April 19 from 9 a.m. to 10
p.m.
Hotel staff trained to prevent
spread of communicable diseases
Focus on health and hygiene in hotels
Saksiri Uraiworn
Health and hygiene in hotels was the subject of a training seminar
held on March 28 at the Thappraya meeting room in the Grand Sole Hotel.
 Pattaya
City deputy permanent secretary Apichart Puetpan chaired the session.
Pattaya City deputy permanent secretary Apichart Puetpan chaired the
session, with Rawiwan Soiraya, assistant director of the Health Center in
Region 3 and Wannaporn Chamchamrat, director of the Pattaya Public Health
and Environment Department jointly presenting certificates to the attendees.
Forty personnel from hotels in Pattaya attended the training session.
Apichart said that with an ever-increasing number of international tourists
visiting Pattaya, it is vital that the city’s hotels provide a safe and
hygienic environment for them, to prevent the outbreaks of illness and the
spread of communicable diseases.
He cited the Ministry of Public Health regulations concerning the monitoring
of Legionnaires Disease, which can be spread through a hotel’s air
conditioning system and which affects the respiratory system, frequently
with fatal consequences. An outbreak of this form of highly communicable
disease would decimate Pattaya’s tourism industry, said Apichart, and
tourism is the lifeblood of the city.
The training seminar dealt with this and other health and hygiene topics,
with instruction provided by specialists from the Public Health Center
Region 3 at the Department of Health, and the Chonburi Medical Sciences
Center.
Two main parties to battle
it out in Chonburi election
Prachatipat vs Rao Rak Chonburi
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
The Prachatipat (Democrat) Party is all set for a showdown with the Rao Rak
(We Love) Chonburi Party, controlled by the Khunplome family, as the first
day opened for applications to stand in the Chonburi Administrative
Organization election.
 Wittaya
Khunplome
Anon Raewattananon, chairman of the Chonburi Election Commission opened the
registration period on March 24 at 8 a.m., at the Chonburi Administrative
Organization Office.
Two well-known leaders of political parties arrived to submit their
applications, namely Araya Wiwatwanit, a former governor of Chainat, who is
backed by the Prachatipat Party, and Wittaya Khunplome, leader of the Rao
Rak Chonburi Party.
Chonburi Province has 11 districts, namely Muang, Banglamung, Panthong,
Sriracha, Koh Sichang, Nongyai, Sattahip, Panatnikom, Kogchan, Banbung and
Borthong. There are 36 election zones, which are appropriately divided
corresponding to the populations in each area.
Rao Rak Chonburi nominated 36 candidates, covering all of the districts for
the election. Prachatipat has not yet fielded candidates for all the
districts, owing to lack of qualified personnel.
Wittaya spoke about Rao Rak Chonburi’s policies, saying that the province
can benefit directly from Bangkok’s expansion and that Suvarnabhumi Airport
has already resulted in a significant growth in Chonburi’s economy.
 Araya
Wiwatwanit
He warned, however, that fast growth brings problems with infrastructure,
with water resources, with the environment, and with society. Therefore, a
management plan has to be laid out that plans for all this growth, and the
necessary systems that have to support it.
Wittaya also spoke on other aspects of the growing province. Traditional
culture must be respected and maintained, public health and social cohesion
must be dealt with in a way that produces tangible results, security of life
and property for residents and visitors must be of paramount concern and
involve the military and civilians in addition to the police, and the
pursuit of happiness and fulfillment should be the right of everyone,
including the disabled.
Our young people must also be given every opportunity to grow up into
fulfilled adults, said Wittaya. Schools throughout the province must all
operate to the same high standards, every student must learn a second
language, and the educational courses must prepare the province’s youngsters
for assuming a responsible role in society when they leave school.
Wittaya said it was important to remember that there are three sectors
within our society, namely the government sector, the private sector, and
the community. They must all work together to create unity for the people of
Chonburi.
Araya said that Prachatipat placed people at the very center of its
policies, and he spoke on specific plans for improving traffic, developing
water resources, and education. In the latter case, he said it was important
for the children to learn other languages.
Governor Pracha cracks down on unruly jet-ski operators
Australian Ambassador complains
to Ministry of Interior
Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
Chonburi Governor Pracha Taerat is leading an initiative to clamp
down on the dangerous activities of jet-ski operators, following pressure
from the Ministry of Interior.
A meeting organized by Governor Pracha on April 4 at Banglamung district
public hall, which included Pattaya City permanent secretary Sittiprap
Muangkoom and Banglamung district chief Mongkol Thamakittikhun, discussed
the zoning proposals with more than 70 jet-ski operators.
 Chonburi
Governor Pracha Taerat
Pracha said that action is being urged by the Ministry of Interior, which
had been approached by the Australian Ambassador in Thailand with complaints
received from tourists regarding the behavior of jet-ski operators and the
dangers the craft pose.
Complaints had been received that jet-ski operators had overcharged tourists
for damages, and had threatened them. Tourists had also been injured in
jet-ski accidents. It was, said the governor, time that tighter rules and
regulations were drawn up and adhered to. The regulations would apply also
to the operators of banana boats.
After the briefing, representatives of the four zones of Jomtien Beach, Wong
Amat Beach, Pattaya Beach and Koh Larn Beach gathered to discuss the
drafting of rules for each zone. The next step is for city hall to issue
regulations.
Pracha said that the Harbor Department would be asked to inform all jet-ski
operators who have not yet registered to do so. Currently, 90 percent of the
operators are registered.
The meeting also proposed collecting funds from each zone to support
tourists involved in accidents.
Draft blueprint released for
development of Eastern region
Looking ahead 50 years
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
A draft of a blueprint for the development of the Eastern Seaboard
for the next 50 years has been released for further discussion.
The Public Works Department in association with specialists presented the
Eastern City Plan of 2057 at a seminar on March 31, presided over by Niran
Chongwuttiwet, deputy permanent secretary at the Ministry of Interior and
Somchai Chumrat, director general of the Public Works Department.
Approximately 250 people attended the seminar, which was held at the Tide
Hotel in Bangsaen.
Niran said the purpose of the seminar was to gather the opinions of those
attending, who included government department heads, and representatives of
state enterprises, local administrative organizations, private development
organizations, and educational institutions.
The plan includes proposals on land use, developing the city and
countryside, and development of the structural standards for communications
and transportation for public utilities and public assistance.
There is a strategy to develop industry to support expansion from Bangkok,
which will internationally link land, water and air transportation. This is
also for the economic structure regarding production bases in agriculture
and tourism.
Somchai said the plan has been divided into eight Eastern provincial groups,
for which there will be three groups of provinces.
Group 1 consists of Chachoengsao, Nakhon Nayok, Prachinburi and Srakaew.
This area will be linked to development of Bangkok, Suvarnabhumi Airport,
and the neighboring countries. Residential, agricultural, tourism
accommodation and the development of clean industry would be the priorities
here.
Group 2 consists of Chonburi and Rayong, which are the main industrial
centers of development. They have resources for producing power, natural
tourism locations, and have international entertainment. Therefore, they
must be developed to be complete industrial zones and seaports, the gateway
for the trading economy, transportation centers, and the logistics for the
regions.
Group 3 consists of Chantaburi and Trad. They are good for agricultural
products consisting of well-known tropical fruit, and are rich in natural
resources and tourism locations, such as islands and beautiful coastlines.
Somchai said that the plan was now open to discussion by specialists, public
and private organizations, and members of the public.
New railway road can be used to avoid Songkran jams
Staff reporters
Those traveling by road to Pattaya for the Songkran festival are
advised to use the new road that runs alongside the railway line, which is
open to traffic although the official opening will not take place until
later this year.
 This
might be a good road to use to avoid traffic jams on Sukhumvit Road during
the Songkran Festival.
Using this road will avoid having to use Sukhumvit Road, which is bad enough
at the best of times but which during public holidays is something of a
nightmare.
Those entering Pattaya via the motorway or by National Route No 7, which
arrives at Pattaya via Bangkok and Chonburi, are recommended to make a turn
about 300 meters before reaching Route No 36, on the left. There is a sign
here for the Pattaya Bypass, with the road providing a shortcut to Sattahip
and ending at Huay Yai District Road.
The bypass travels alongside the railway, and divides traffic into two lanes
going north and south.
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