Patcharapol Panrak
A number of Long Neck Karen people who were arrested on charges of being illegal immigrants have been bailed out by their employer and are now back at work at Kao Cheejan Village in Sattahip.

Long Neck Karen are back at work selling souvenirs in Sattahip.

They had been arrested on September 10 after Pol Maj Gen Auttakrit Thareechat, commander of the Tourist Police Division received a report that a businessman had brought almost 20 members of the Long Neck Karen, Krayor, Porlong, and Mouser tribes to Sattahip from Chiang Mai Province.
There were women, men and children, and huts were built for them to live in while they worked in a silk weaving workshop and souvenir shop, selling goods to tourists. The small settlement, located at Gae Pra Yai Mountain in Sattahip District, had been designed to resemble a hilltribe village.
Pol Maj Gen Auttakrit ordered Pol Lt Col Suwan Oun-anan, investigator at Tourist Police Station 1 (Chonburi) Operations Department to investigate the case and arrest the tribespeople. A total of 11 were arrested. Their address was given as Moo 9, Tatorn Sub-district, Mae-Ai District, Chiang Mai Province.
The businessman, Weerasak Yainak, age 48, of Huafai Sub-district, Kaendong District, Buriram Province was also detained. He was charged with supporting and harboring illegal foreigners who entered the country. All of the accused were sent to Pol Lt Col Padungsak Suekamnod, investigator at Sattahip Police Station to continue the case.
On September 18, the 11 arrested people were bailed by Weerasak at Pattaya Provincial Court for 400,000 baht, and they returned to their compound at Sattahip to resume business. However, on the first day only four Thai tourists turned up to buy goods from them.
Weerasak is now asking for a guarantee that the tribespeople will be allowed to stay and sell produce, in order to raise income for themselves.
Head of the Najomtien Sub-district Administrative Organization, in whose area the village is located, said the little community was a colorful addition to the local tourism scene, and that the tribespeople had been causing no trouble. He said that if they were able to continue living there legally, and earning an income, it would be good for them.

Municipal officials and public undergo training against terrorism

Vimolrat Singnikorn
Pattaya is always exposed to the risk of international terrorism, city officials warned their staff in a training session.

Guest speakers address the training workshop on international terrorism.

Guest speakers at the training workshop on international terrorism, organized jointly by Pattaya City and the Office of the Prime Minister, agreed that as a popular tourist destination with many visitors from around the world each year, the city must always be on alert for the terrorism threat.
Mayor Itthipol Khunplome chaired the opening of the training workshop for municipal officials and members of the public at the Pattaya Discovery Beach Hotel on September 10.
The session detailed precautionary measures that can be adopted to help police, such as checking passports, good observation and spotting suspicious behaviors, abandoned cars and objects.
Background information was also given about the make-up of the international terrorist fighting for his or her political and religious causes.

Cowardly robbery of Iranian man in wheelchair

Boonlua Chatree
A disabled Iranian man in a wheelchair was robbed by a couple who snatched his briefcase containing money and property worth about 100,000 baht and fled into the night.
The robbery, which took place at about 4 a.m. on September 12, was reported to a police patrol led by Pol Maj Wittaya Yuenyong, which was in the area at the time.
The officers went immediately to the scene of the crime, which had taken place in front of the Sun View Place Hotel on Soi Buakao.
In the hotel’s reception area they found a man named as Mr Hamid, a 41-year-old citizen of Iran, who is a paraplegic and was seated in a wheelchair.
Hamid said that he and his male Iranian friend were returning to the hotel. He was sitting in the wheelchair, and his friend was pushing him. Two young people, a male and a female riding a dark colored motorcycle came up behind them. The girl, who was on the back seat, got off the motorbike and grabbed his briefcase containing a mobile phone, a notebook computer, a passport, and some cash, all of it worth about 100,000 baht. Then they rode away, heading out on a soi leading to Central Pattaya Road.
The police sent out a radio report, but the robbers were not found.

Two transvestites rob Turkish visitors of 70,000 baht

Theerarak Suthatiwong
Two transvestites who picked the pockets of two Turkish men outside the Royal Garden Plaza got away with more than 70,000 baht in cash.

Hakki Lkiz and his friend were robbed by transvestite pickpockets on Beach Road late Thursday night.

The incident happened at 4:40 a.m. on September 18, when police were called out to help Hakki Lkiz, a 44-year-old Turkish national, and his fellow countryman. Lkiz said they were on their way back to their hotel from Soi Diamond in South Pattaya. Two transvestites approached them outside Royal Garden Plaza, soliciting sex and rubbing their bodies against the two visitors.
When the Turkish men checked their pockets of their shorts, they found that 1,000 US dollars and 500 euro had disappeared. They saw the two ladies of the second kind riding away on a red Yamaha Mio motorcycle, entering Soi 13/1.
The police set up roadblocks on every route that the two thieves could have taken, but they were not found. The visitors were taken to the police station so they could check the photographs in the criminal records.

Fake police arrested trying to impress beach women

Boonlua Chatree
Police have arrested 3 security guards who dressed as volunteer police officers apparently to show off to the girls on Pattaya Beach.

Arthit Thongmak and Chongrak Tahbia (left) have been arrested for impersonating police.

Police said Arthit Thongmak, 24, Chongrak Tahbia, 18, and Chirayu Prakobkarn, 27, security guards at the Carrefour Shopping Center, were spotted at the start of Soi 9, only 200 meters from the Pattaya Police Station, sitting with women friends.
Police said Arthit and Chongrak were wearing police uniform with caps, black jackets with “police” written on the back and carried police radio, handcuffs and batons.
Chirayu was not in uniform or carrying police gear and was later released.
The arresting officer, Pol. Sen. Sgt. Maj. Songtham Naksawat, was himself leading real police volunteers on beach patrol when they noticed the bogus officers.
The two security men told police that they wanted to join as volunteer police officers but had not been accepted. But that didn’t stop them from buying police uniforms and equipment themselves and joining other police volunteers on beach patrols.
Sergeant Songtham said young men disguised as police officers had been harassing sex workers and robbing tourists.
Real police were on the lookout for them.

Navy honors communities with anti-narcotics record

Patcharapol Panrak
Vice Admiral Chanchai Charoensuwan, deputy commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Fleet at Sattahip on September 4 presided over a ceremony to present flags to the families who have been trained and certified to be anti-narcotics.
The presentation came under the 2008 Strong Army Community Project organized by the Navy in Sattahip.
The ceremony was held in the Command Division Meeting Hall at the Royal Thai Fleet in Sattahip, with high-ranking officers attending to offer their congratulations to the certified families.
The project is focused on the suppression of narcotics for the 2008 budget year and is operated by the Navy Narcotics Prevention and Suppression Department. This covers an extensive community with 2,958 families and 9,512 people, including 6,000 youngsters.
The project has been operated since 2005, and in 25 communities 980 families have been certified. Regarding the 2008 budget year, eight communities were chosen as being outstanding, and it was they who received the flags.
Those honored were the Tan Khoo Pattana Community, Yoo Dee Mee Sook Community, Moo Hao Pattana Community, Sam-See Ruam Chai Pattana Community, Ruam Chai Pattana Community, Chet-Pad Community, Soom Phra Loh Community, and the Chay Khao Pattana Community. There were a total of 340 families.
Vice Admiral Chanchai said that the spread of narcotics into the communities of the province has become a major danger to the cohesiveness of society.
Specifically, youngsters who were taking drugs were endangering the country, as they represent the human resources upon which the future of Thailand depends.

Porn leads to pregnancies says child care expert

Vimolrat Singnikorn
A child expert has declared that pornography is an important cause of youngsters having sex before the proper age, leading to pregnancies and the contracting of sexually transmitted diseases.

Students from Pattaya’s schools are being taught that pornography leads to unwanted pregnancies and STDs.

Parents are being advised to more closely care for and give advice to their children, and youngsters are being encouraged to exercise restraint and wait until they are adults before indulging in sex.
The advice came during a talk organized by Pattaya City and the World Vision Foundation of Thailand, held on September 16 at Pattaya School No 4 and opened by Deputy Mayor Wutisak Rermkitkarn.
The subject revolved around the dangers of school age children having sexual relationships, and each of the 10 schools under Pattaya City jurisdiction, together with Banglamung School, sent students to attend.
Supakorn Noja, director of the Child Welfare Protection and Development Center and Dr Colonel Sumon Nakchalerm were the instructors.
Supakorn said the advice being given was that youngsters and students should exercise restraint and abstain from having sex before an appropriate age. This problem was becoming more serious because of the amount of sexual media now easily available, such as CDs, magazines, and a variety of websites on the internet.
Young and impressionable people seeing this kind of material think that such behavior is normal, and this leads to unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases.
“Pattaya City authorities are concerned too because of the examples shown at the entertainment venues, including the wearing of provocative clothing, which encourages imitation by young people,” said Supakorn.

Prison officers visit sea turtle conservation center

Patcharapol Panrak
Natthee Chitsawang, director general of the Department of Corrections at the Ministry of Justice along with representatives from 134 prisons throughout the country visited the Sea Conservation Center of the Royal Thai Navy at Air and Coastal Defense Command on September 14.

Prison officials enjoy seeing the young turtles.

The purpose of the visit was to see the work that is being done to conserve the sea turtles, and for officers to be able to advise prisoners being released that conserving the environment and making merit has a positive effect on individual redemption.
Captain Ekarat Promlakpak, commander of Air and Coastal Defense Regiment 1 welcomed the visitors to the turtle-shaped building’s conference room to view the video made on the Sea Turtle Conservation Center.
Aticha Kiewsen, director of the Information Bureau at the Department of Corrections said that the aim in bringing the 134 representatives of the prisons under the Department of Corrections to Sattahip was to create awareness of an important community project that was being undertaken for the benefit of conservation of the land and the marine environment.
If inmates leaving the prisons upon completion of their time could be convinced that working for society, for the environment and for the nation was beneficial for everyone including themselves, then rehabilitation into the community would become easier.
Natthee said that most people act from selfish impulses, and that it was only when a project such as conserving an endangered species was seen being undertaken that one could understand that the entire world interlinks in some way and that the selfless helping of gentle creatures such as the sea turtle was an act of great spiritual kindness.

Old disabled couple helped at last

Patcharapol Panrak
After media attention highlighted the plight of an elderly disabled couple living on their own in a makeshift shelter in Sattahip, the world may be at last bringing help to them.
Piroh Timthong, 71, and his wife Sa-ard, 65, live in a shelter built of old plywood and galvanized iron in a grove in Soi Kaomorn on land belonging to a naval officer who had allowed them to be there.

This elderly disabled couple has been existing on the help of two nuns and a monk.

Both can’t walk and have been existing on the help of two nuns and a monk, two of whom are themselves aged 65 and 79, from nearby temple who bring them rice and dried food.
The couple seems to have been abandoned by family members.
Fortunately for the disabled pair, the media recently discovered their struggle and now help is being marshaled by the village chief, the Sattahip District and the Sattahip Lions Club who are providing cash donations and food.
Longer-term assistance is also being organized.
Surachet Kaewkam, deputy chief of Sattahip District, Sirilak Khamsri, village headwoman, Prasert Eiampetch, chairwoman of Sattahip Lions Club, and Rames Ampaipis, director of the Sattahip Hospital, visited the couple and assured them of further support.

Seminar explains our Constitution

Patcharapol Panrak
A seminar at the Sattahip Naval Base explained in detail the Thai Constitution to the public.

Suwat Wannasirikl, president of the Commission for Political Development, Mass Communication and Political Participation.

Suwat Wannasirikl, president of the Commission for Political Development, Mass Communication and Political Participation, opened the seminar held at the naval base at Dongtan Bay on September 9.
He said that it is important for the provisions in our Constitution to be more widely known so that voters understand their rights and roles in the current political process.
Potchanat Kaewpluk, MP for Chonburi and organizer of the seminar, said that the current political instability had adversely affected the economy. But this working of our democracy was made possible by the Constitution of 1997.
We should therefore understand the document better and maintain our faith in its legitimate power, under the leadership of His Majesty the King, so that the country can move forward, he said.

Bangsarae Bay boosts crab numbers with “crab condominium”

Patcharapol Panrak
Bangsarae Bay at Sattahip is using a “crab condominium” to help breed blue-swimmer crabs and boost the dwindling numbers of the popular seafood.

Workers prepare the crab condo to be set into the sea.

The Chantara Saro fishing community has received 250,000 baht from the Chonburi provincial administration to build breeding facilities in the bay for the crabs.
The project is also encouraging local fishers not to eat female crabs carrying eggs but to bring them to sell to the community to be bred.
It is expected that results can be seen within the next 6 months when there should be more young crabs in the bay.
Sattahip District Chief Narong Teerachantarangkul opened the breeding program under the “Yoo Dee Mee Suk” Chonburi Strategic Project on September 9, in a ceremony also attended by Pinsom Nimsuwan, Bangsarae Sub-district chief.
Anan Anantakul of the Chantara Saro community said that the crab condominium is the provincial government’s answer to his community’s request for it to come to the rescue of the crabs.
He said that these crabs were once plentiful in the bay until over-fishing had upset their natural balance.

House spirits stop burglars

Monthira says the statues of gods placed
around her house have warded off burglars.

Patcharapol Panrak
How to stop burglars breaking into your house? Easy: ask the good spirits for help and protection, and put a whole lot of their statues on your fence.
All eyes are on the “Ban Thewa Pithak” as people walk pass the residential house in Soi Yangngam in Sattahip. Many passers-by also “wai” the house with respect and quietly recite a prayer.
The dwelling is surrounded by statues of good spirits: Wetsuwan, Phra Pikanet, Phramae Uma, Phra Siwa, Paya Nakarat and others, standing guard at its fence.
Clever owner, Adisak Tasanamaethee, 60, former postman and his wife Monthira, 54, have found that, as well as being able to live in heaven among the gods, their house had never been burgled.
“Other houses in the neighborhood have been broken into but thieves stop at our fence because they are afraid of the magical powers of the statues,” Adisak said.
Monthira said the name of their house means paradise. And since her husband loves to collect things, she didn’t object to him placing these statues around and inside the house.
The old statues had not been bought but rescued from being thrown away while others were donated to the couple.
She said it was a good feeling to invite deities and good spirits to live with them and the statues even have had good effects on visitors who called in to pay respect and even ask for blessing and special wishes to be granted.

Nongprue Municipality celebrates 2nd anniversary

Pramote Channgam
Nongprue celebrated its second anniversary as a municipality on September 11 with customary making merit.
Nine monks from Khao Thong Temple chanted and sprinkled holy water in a ceremony chaired by Mayor Mai Chaiyanit.

Mayor Mai Chaiyanit lights the ceremonial candles to begin celebrating Nongprue Municipality’s 2nd anniversary.

Nongprue Sub-district is located at the center of Banglamung district covering an area of 46 square kilometers. It is bordered by the administrative areas of Nong Plalai, Huay Yai, Pong and Pattaya City.
There are 14 villages with population of some 60,000 residents and 70,000 non-residents. As the area grew in size and population, its status was upgraded from local administrative organization to municipality on September 11, 2005.
To mark the occasion also, a street number of 111 was obtained for the new municipal offices being constructed.