Theerarak Suthatiwong
A Norwegian man died in his luxury condominium on Jomtien Beach Road on September 2 from a suspected drug overdose.
Rune Arild Molmann, 27, was found dead on his bed by his wife, Ampika Somjit, 32, after the couple earlier went to hospital so that Molmann could receive treatment. Earlier he had collapsed.
Ampika told police that four fellow countrymen of the deceased had visited him late in the night and gave him four small bottles of medicine which they said would “help ease his drug habit.”
Ampika said that after his guests left the deceased drank the content of all four bottles at once and very soon collapsed on the floor with chest pain. With the help of a friend, she took Mollman to the hospital where he recovered and they could return home. But the man died during the night.
Pattaya police said they found no evidence of violence and took four small empty bottles from a rubbish bin for analysis. The Norwegian Embassy was informed.
The Medical Jurisprudence Institute at the Police Hospital will perform an autopsy to ascertain the cause of death.

American hospitalized with stab wounds after quarrel with fellow countryman

Boonlua Chatree
A fight between two American men in a condo room led to one of the men being stabbed and seriously injured.

Police question Paul Joseph Laurettaja.

Pol Col Noppadol Wongnom, superintendent at Pattaya Police Station led a team of officers to a condo near the Asia Hotel at 12:30 a.m. on September 2, following a report by a security guard of a disturbance.
At the scene, the officers discovered Robert George Koenig, 57, a resident of California, USA, sitting on the floor in a pool of blood. He had sustained a stab wound under his chin, two stab wounds to his stomach, and another stab wound to his right arm. He was rushed to hospital for treatment.
The officers examined the scene. There was blood spread over the floor, up the wall, and a long trail of blood outside, leading up to the room. A bloodstained internal phone was hanging off the phone table.
The officers questioned Suggi Puh, a 69-year-old German citizen in a nearby room. He said he had been sitting with his wife watching television when there was a heavy knocking on the door. Opening it, he found Koenig bleeding heavily and asking for assistance. Puh contacted the condo staff, who called the police.
The police learned that Koenig’s attacker was also an American, who was staying in a room next to the injured man’s room. They knocked on the door, which was opened by Paul Joseph Laurettaja, a 61-year-old resident of Massachusetts, USA.
Laurettaja said that he had quarreled with Koenig, who challenged him to a fight outside the room. However, he claimed he did not stab him or use a knife. Police confiscated Laurettaja’s passport and released him. They are now awaiting the recovery of Koenig before deciding on the next course of action.

Service girl drugs British man

Boonlua Chatree
A British man who took a service girl to his room was later found drugged and unconscious, with the woman nowhere in sight.

Rescue workers help the drugged Brit get to hospital.

Pattaya Police Station received a report from a staff member at a hotel on Soi Bongkot during the afternoon of September 3 to say that a foreign man was unconscious in room 138.
Arriving at the scene, officers found an older British man lying unconscious and naked on the bed. They applied a cold pack to his face to bring him round, but he remained drowsy. He was not able to give a description of what had happened, or tell the police if any property was missing. The officers immediately took him to Pattaya Memorial Hospital.
Examining the room, the police noted one empty beer bottle, and one half-full bottle. There was one beer glass almost full, and one used coffee cup with a spoon. A black Isuzu MU-7 was parked outside the building.
Staff members told the police that the victim took a woman about 25-30 years of age and dressed in a black dress to the room, which he had rented for 300 baht, at about midnight. At about 1:00 p.m. the woman left on a motorcycle taxi. The staff waited until about three hours had passed, but the man did not emerge from the room. The door was unlocked, and he was found unconscious.
The police have taken fingerprints from the beer glass, beer bottles, and the coffee cup and sent them to the Forensic Institute. They are also checking the CCTV recording.

Queen Savang Vadhana Memorial Hospital looks for eye donations

Chonburi Deputy Governor Montien Thongnit
and Dr. Jarung Ukpatsakun, director of Queen Savang Vadhana Memorial Hospital, cut the ribbon to open the project.

Pramote Channgam
The Eye Donation Centre at the Queen Savang Vadhana Memorial Hospital aims to attract at least 5,300 donations of eyes to honor the 53rd birthday of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.
Cornea transplants from deceased people help many patients with eye cornea disorder now on waiting lists for donations around the country.
Chonburi Deputy Governor Montien Thongnit launched the project in a ceremony attended by members of the Thai Red Cross Society and others at the hospital on August 28, also to honor HRH the Princess in her capacity as executive director of the Society.
Dr. Jarung Ukpatsakun, director of the hospital, said that currently there is a waiting period of 2-5 years for cornea transplants. Ophthalmologists at the Eye Donation Center in Region 3 have so far performed 8 cornea transplants from donated eyes but many more operations have been completed elsewhere.
More than 1200 people have so far pledged donations in this project to the Red Cross, which is the national centre managing donations of eyes in the country.
Potential donors are kindly invited to call 038-320-200 or visit relevant web sites at www.eyebankthai.com or www.somdej.org.th

Youth attend camp to learn how to save the sea

Eager youngsters learn about saving the marine environment
at the Marine Conservation Youth Camp in Sattahip.

Patcharapol Panrak
A Marine Conservation Youth Camp has been created at Sattahip Bay to promote public awareness to help protect the dwindling natural resources of the bay.
Wittaya Khunplome, chairman of the Chonburi Provincial Administrative Organization, opened the Rejuvenation of Marine Natural Resources Project in the Bang Sarae Sub-district Office on September 5.
Outlining the objectives of the project at the opening, Somboon Chumpalee, from the Bang Sarae Sub-District, said that marine natural resources in Sattahip Bay had decreased drastically through human habitation and exploitation.
He urged that it was time for residents to help conserve these marine natural resources before they completely disappear.
He said that in particular the depletion of sea grass and coral life was affecting the whole ecosystem of the bay.
But conservation forces are mustering to the rescue.
He said that his office was closely involved with the Chonburi Coastal Integration Project which now monitors the quality of the environment of the area.
There is also co-operation between the Recruit Training Center, the Naval Education Department, the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources, the Sriracha Fishery Research Station, Kasetsart University, Underwater World in Pattaya and schools.
The Marine Conservation Youth Camp is another important step in the right direction, according to Somboon.

Welfare disbursements move into sixth year

Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
Pattaya City on August 29 began the disbursement of the official allowance for elderly people, the disabled, and AIDS patients, an allowance that with the 2008 budget year has now been made for six consecutive years.
The meeting to disburse the funds was led by Deputy Mayor Wutisak Rermkitkarn along with city councilor Somchai Chaona.

Deputy Mayor Wutisak Rermkitkarn distributes funds to some of the elderly and disabled.

Wutisak said that the funds had first been made available in 2004, when a portion of the Department of Social Development and Welfare budget was allocated to assist three disabled people and an AIDS patient.
A subsequent survey revealed that there were many elderly people, disabled, and AIDS patients in the Pattaya area who needed assistance from the government. Pattaya City, via the social workers from the Office of Social Welfare, had therefore initiated the project.
In the 2005 budget, the payment became 500 baht per month person, an allowance that the recipients will receive for the rest of their lives.
The evaluation and selection process considers those who live in the Pattaya area. They first have their residences checked by city hall inspectors, who take photographs of their living area. Their files are then presented to a screening process, which draws up a list of people who really are in need of assistance. The list is placed on Pattaya City Hall’s bulletin board for 15 days, and any member of the public who disagrees with any of the names on the list has the right to lodge an objection. If there is no negative feedback, the grants are then made official.
Wutisak said that the AIDS patients do not have to be checked by the officials, because there are no evaluations for considering this. The only thing they must do is send their names to the Pattaya Social Welfare Office, and they will receive assistance right away.
This year sees 273 people receiving assistance. Overall this consists of 81 people selected in 2004, 74 people selected in 2005, 35 people selected in 2006, and 83 people selected in 2007. The last group of 83 people selected will be presented with assistance, which will be the first time for them.
This is the second time the 2007 government allowance ceremony has distributed income to 93 people. They consist of 66 elderly people, 18 disabled people, and nine AIDS patients. Officials from the Krung Thai Bank South Pattaya office also participated in this ceremony, in order to help these people concerning opening bank accounts. They are able to have their money deposited in the bank every month.
Pattaya City is considering increasing the allowance by 500 baht to 1,000 baht per month, to help counter the increase in the cost of living.

Divers and shoreline volunteers needed on International Cleanup Day

September 20, 2008

Pattaya and Bangkok diving community and local residents are being called upon to celebrate International Cleanup Day on Saturday, September 20, 2008.
Mermaids Dive Center needs your help to target underwater and shoreline debris. Project Aware Foundation, a non profit environmental organization spearheads the cleanup events and urges divers and volunteers to jump in their wetsuits, pull on their gloves and make a splash for trash!
Proudly sponsored by Scubapro Uwatec and Aquaventure Whitetip Dive Supply, International Cleanup Day reaches 23 countries throughout Asia Pacific and empowers over 100,000 volunteers to take action. Everyone can have fun and help contribute to healthy, clean underwater environment.
Did you know that every year an estimated seven billion tons of debris enter the world’s oceans? The consequences are devastating as each year nearly one million birds are killed by aquatic litter and an estimated 100,000 marine animals, including dolphins, whales and sea turtles, choke or get tangled in debris.
“Project Aware is pleased to support Mermaids Dive Center. Divers are the guardians of our underwater environments - they often see first hand the effects of marine debris on our delicate ecosystem. This event is the largest single day volunteer event on behalf of our world’s oceans. It’s a fantastic example of how people can work together to take action,” said Henrik Nimb, director of Project Aware Foundation.
“If you’re interested in participating, drop by any Mermaids Dive Centre for more information or give us a call: 038 232 219/20. You don’t have to be a diver to get involved. Bring your friends and family along and help make clean waters a reality.”
Make your difference on the Underwater and Beach Clean Up on Saturday September 20 to support our local environment and to raise funds for the Project Aware Foundation. The clean up will take place on the South Side of Koh Sak in Pattaya. Prices for divers are 2499 baht and passengers 800 baht includes dinner and a t-shirt. Accommodation can also be arranged.
Meet at Mermaids Dive Center, Soi White House, Pattaya at 8.15am and after an exciting fun filled day, join us at the post celebration party. Raffle tickets will be on sale all day and will be drawn in the evening. All profits will be donated to Project Aware to improve our local environment.
Project Aware Foundation is a registered nonprofit organisation working with divers to conserve underwater environments through education, advocacy and action. Project Aware is calling for increased participation in conservation events this year to celebrate International Year of the Reef. Visit www.projectaware.org to make a lasting difference.
For further information, call Sheena Walls, Mermaids general manager on 086 143 5547.

Art comes to Walking Street

Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Fine art is skipping into town as the Walking Street Art Market gets underway from September 12-14.

(L to R) Dr. Wimonlak Chuchart, director of the National Art Gallery, Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh, and Niti Kongkrut, director of the Pattaya Office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand.

More than 100 painters, sculptors, photographers and craftspeople from 24 provinces are ready to show their best work for sale at Walking Street in South Pattaya. The event also features performing artists, musicians and puppeteers, in what is set be a popular festival, to be on each evening of the three days.
The Sema Puppet Group, for example, can show why it won the best puppet creators award at this year’s International Puppet Festival in Prague. Mimes, other performers and musicians will entertain locals, tourists and children.
Organized by the Office of Contemporary Art and Culture of the Ministry of Culture and the Chonburi Cultural Office, the event will be a treat for art-lovers in Pattaya, according to Dr. Wimonlak Chuchart, director of the National Art Gallery.
Dr Wimonlak, Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh, and Niti Kongkrut, director of the Pattaya Office of the Tourism Authority of Thailand briefed the Press on September 1 at Pattaya City Hall.
“Art buyers will be able to meet the artists who made the work. There will be murals, sculptures, prints, photographs, and handicrafts on show,” Dr Wimonlak said.
Tourism director Nitti said that the event will promote cultural exchange between artists and spectators and will educate people about our contemporary art. He also expected that the event would “create a good image for tourism in Pattaya in the future.”

SOS Rice presents scholarships totaling more than half a million baht

This year the SOS Rice charity presented
25 scholarships to deserving underprivileged children.

Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
Twenty-five scholarships were presented to students who have achieved good scholastic results and who come from underprivileged backgrounds, the awards having been made under the SOS Rice 2007 project.
Premruedee Jittiwutthikarn, who is chairwoman of the project, made the presentation on August 28 at Pattaya City Hall.
Mayor Itthipol Khunplome officiated at the proceedings, along with Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh and members of SOS Rice.
Premruedee said that SOS Rice is a charitable project undertaken to assist impoverished children and disabled children in Chonburi Province. It was founded 12 years ago, in 1996, by Didier Frere, a Belgian businessman in Pattaya City.
SOS Rice has been well supported by private organizations and individuals, she said. Support income comes from donations for the distribution of garlands, which this year amounted to 10,000 baht. Tickets that were distributed raised 189,000 baht. A donation box and King Seafood’s customers donated 204,400 baht, and support from the donators netted another 195,000 baht. The total for 2007 was 598,400 baht.
A total of 25 scholarships are being presented to students from schools in Pattaya City and other educational organizations. This will be divided into five scholarships per school and 3,000 baht per scholarship, for a total of 18 schools.
The Educational Organization Foundation consisting of the Fountain of Life raised 50,000 baht. The Garunyawet Center raised 50,000 baht, the Redemptorist Foundation for People with Disabilities raised 50,000 baht, two individuals raised 20,000 baht, the Pattaya City Table Tennis Association raised 20,000 baht, the project of Almshouse for Impoverished People raised 20,000 baht, and the School for Opportunities raised 20,000 baht.

Two volunteers recognized for teaching English at School #2

(from left) Immediate Past President Steve Ryser, Anna and Maria Brokmann, Kasem Chimchiew, Sorraya Wirawan and Wannapa Wannasri in front of the school students after the ceremony.

Two volunteers received certificates of appreciation from Pattaya School number 2 for their dedication in teaching English language to students.
Anna and Maria Brokmann, two young German ladies who volunteered teaching the English Language to Primary and Secondary grades students received their honorary certificates from Kasem Chimchiew, director of the school, in a ceremony on September 3. Wannapa Wannasri, chief educational supervisor, Steve Ryser, past president of the Rotary Club Eastern Seaboard, Pattaya and students were also on hand for the occasion.
For one and a half months, Anna and Maria donated their time to teach writing and pronunciation in English in an effort obviously much appreciated by their students and the school.
In the words of Maria “Teaching methods here are much different from those practiced back home. With plenty of discretion we managed to convince that our training methods will bring better progress in both the written and spoken language”.
“The fundamental difference was that we tried to teach independent skills to be applied to students who work rather as an entire class echoing the words or sentences in Unison”, Anna added.
This project is sponsored by the Rotary Club Eastern Seaboard, Pattaya through Dr Claus Rinck, who had a hand in finding the two Students from Germany together with the Rotary Club Eastern Seaboard. “We would like to wish our two young lady guests all the continued success, fun and wellbeing in the choice of your future vocations and would certainly welcome you back to our shores” said Steve Ryser on behalf of the Club.

Alisa’s Fa Mai Group donates uniforms to children at Ban Prakhun Center

Alisa Phantusak (back row center) and presents school
uniforms to Sukanya Seetan (back row, 2nd right)
for the Ban Prakhun Child Development Center on Soi Kor Pai.

Vimolrat Singnikorn
The Pattaya Fa Mai Group, led by Alisa Phantusak, has distributed 60 uniforms to students at the Ban Prakhun Child Development Center on Soi Kor Pai 1.
The uniforms, which under Fa Mai policy were donated to underprivileged children, were received by director of the center Sukanya Seetan.
Alisa said that the initiative to donate the uniforms came from Sukanya, who is a member of Fa Mai, and who had serious concerns about children who are from impoverished families who have insufficient means to cover the educational requirements of their youngsters.
Pattaya Fa Mai is becoming increasingly involved in charitable works, having instigated lunches for schoolchildren and taken a number of youngsters to the beach. The Ban Jing Jai Foundation has received support from the group several times, and Fa Mai says it welcomes requests from organizations in need.
Sukanya said that the Ban Prakhun Child Development Center was established in 2006 and occupies the building that was originally the Kor Pai Community Office. Children attending the center are from families with insufficient means, most of the parents being laborers, vendors or peddlers from the Soi Kor Pai Community.
The center takes youngsters between the ages of three and six years, starting from 8 a.m. and taking care of them until 5 p.m., when their parents come to take them home.
Teaching is given in the same way as other kindergartens, and the children who regularly attend are presented with a certificate so that they can enter a higher-level school.
Amongst the organizations supporting the center are the Mercy Small Children’s Center, PILC, Pattaya Street Kids, and the Pattaya Mail PC Classic International Regatta.