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Anti-government protesters attack premier’s motorcade in Pattaya, Abhisit unhurt
Police officers try to move
away a motorcycle blocking a van carrying Thailand’s Prime Minister Abhisit
Vejjajiva as anti-government protesters, in red shirts, attempt to attack
him in Pattaya. (AP Photo)
Security guards for
Thailand’s Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, left with raincoats, run after
a van carrying Abhisit after it was attacked by anti-government protesters
in Pattaya. The broken rear window can clearly be seen. (AP Photo)
Pattaya (AP) - Supporters of ousted Prime Minister
Thaksin Shinawatra on Tuesday attacked Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s
motorcade in South Pattaya, but Abhisit was unharmed.
One security guard and a driver were wounded during the melee, officials
said.
Pro-Thaksin activists lunged toward Abhisit’s motorcade after the prime
minister’s motorcade stopped at a traffic light where antigovernment
protesters had gathered. Local television footage shows red-shirted
pro-Thaksin protesters pouring toward Abhisit’s motorcade.
Government spokesman Isara Suntornwat says Abhisit wasn’t hurt. But some of
the vehicle’s windows were smashed.
Isara says the protesters hit, kicked and banged the car with “hard objects”
in a brief confrontation before the motorcade sped away. He says security
officials then transferred Abhisit to another car before taking him back to
the capital.
Abhisit told reporters in Bangkok: “I did not panic. I can still work
normally.”
The incident occurred whilst Abhisit was trying to leave Pattaya after a
Cabinet meeting.
Pattaya is the venue for the ASEAN summit and its dialogue partners to be
held this weekend.
Rescuers prepare for Songkran accidents
Emergency personnel practice
rescuing road accident victims to prepare for the annual Songkran road
carnage.
Staff reporters
Thailand’s New Year festivities, known as Songkran, run from Monday,
April 13 through Wednesday April 15 everywhere in the Kingdom except
Pattaya. The festivities here run from Saturday, April 18 through Monday,
April 20.
Each year the road toll during the 3-day festival reaches tragic
proportions, as drunken revelers and motorcyclists with no helmets disregard
safety in the “spirit of fun”.
This year, as is the case every year, Chonburi officials are preparing as
best they can for the annual road carnage. Last week hospitals, police and
emergency rescue groups staged a large practice session, preparing to help
road accident victims.
On March 31 at the Bangpra railway station, Sriracha Municipality in
collaboration with Samitivej Sriracha Hospital, Sriracha Police, Baan Sri
Maharaja School, Sawang Pratheep Thammasatan Foundation Sriracha, Peaw Piang
Tai Sriracha Foundation, and Thammarasameemaneerat Foundation (Dragon
Rescue) jointly rehearsed rescuing potential victims of road accidents. Mock
accidents were staged, and rescue workers at all areas practiced emergency
treatment.
This preparation was aimed at finding weaknesses in the rescue chain in
order to strengthen the weaknesses to better handle real situations.
Chonburi welcomes
ASEAN leaders
Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
Chonburi Governor Surapon Pongtadsirikun said he is prepared to host
the ASEAN summit April 10 - 12. He also said that cleanliness, convenience
and safety are being emphasized.
 Chonburi
Governor
Surapon Pongtadsirikun
This included dealing with protesters according to the law. Chonburi
residents were urged to join in being good hosts and thinking of the
country’s image.
For the ASEAN leaders’ summit at the Royal Cliff Hotel in Pattaya, Chonburi
administration is cooperating with the Department of Defense and police to
provide security at the conference center, members’ accommodation, and along
the travel routes.
Public health officials’ mobile units will be spread out at a variety of
locations along the leaders’ routes of travel from the meeting place to
their accommodations.
Regarding the traffic, there will be 60-70 vehicles and 2,500 visiting staff
members in leaders’ processions from each country, which may cause traffic
jams at times, the governor said.
Regarding the anti-government protesters, if they gather for peaceful
unarmed protests and do not harm others, they can assemble. But if they
become violent, police will immediately act according to the law.
Governor Surapon said Chonburi can now represent the nation during this
summit and residents are invited to be good hosts and impress the guests
during their visit.
Training provided for new
foreigner reporting system
Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
Immigration Police trained 500 users of the new online system that
records where all foreign visitors and immigrants live in Pattaya.
 Trainers
Tamoor Raza Khan (left) and Jirawat Ngarntanadilok (right).
On March 26 at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya, Pol. Col. Anonnat Kamolrat,
Superintendent of Pattaya Immigration Police, Dr Pichit Kangwolkij, director
of Bangkok Hospital Pattaya, and Nongprue Mayor Mai Chaiyanit headed the
training.
Representatives from hotels, guesthouses and apartments were trained in the
24-hour online reporting system. Pol Col Anonnat said that most
accommodation staff and managers still need to know the details of the new
system.
The Immigration Act of 1978, Sections 38 and 77 states that accommodation
owners or landlords must report to immigration officials within 24 hours
when foreigners take up residence in their premises or risk a fine of 2,000
baht, or up to 10,000 baht if that person is a manager of the accommodation,
he said.
Trainers from the Suwitok Company, Jirawat Ngarntanadilok and Tamoor Raza
Khan, showed the system to users. Pol Maj Reuangchai Reuangpaisarn,
inspector at the Immigration Office, outlined the relevant laws.
www.pattayaimmigration.org
Red shirts protest at city hall
Protesters sing and dance
merrily in front of city hall.
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Over 300 United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD)
protesters in their red shirts converged on city hall to protest against
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on March 30.
The red shirts gathered to block the entrance to city hall as they sang
and danced in very hot weather to music blaring from vehicles with
amplifiers. The protesters confirmed that they came willingly and that
no one had hired them.
Led by Paibun Jiamsatit, vice president of Pattaya UDD, acting on behalf
of the president, the protesters peacefully demanded the resignation of
the prime minister as 50 police looked on and cleared a path for
officials to go through.
Paibun said that this assembly was held according to the tactics
determined by the UDD in Bangkok to try to block access to all
government bureaus.
Pol. Lt-Col. Wittaya Younyong from the Pattaya Police Station said that
primary negotiations were made with the leaders of the protest for a
peaceful assembly that would not obstruct traffic.
Traffic changes announced for ASEAN summit
Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
Extensive traffic and security measures are being put into place
by Pattaya police for the 14th ASEAN summit at the Royal Cliff Beach
Resort on April 9-12.
On April 1 at Pattaya City Hall, Pol. Lt-Gen. Adul Sangsingkaew,
Assistant Commander of the Royal Thai Police, visited the Provincial
Police Region 2 Operations Center to finalize plans.
 Pol.
Lt-Gen. Adul Sangsingkaew, Assistant Commander of the Royal Thai Police,
visits the Provincial Police in Region 2.
Two security procedures were set up for the leaders’ routes from both
Suvarnabhumi and Utapao international airports with alternative routes
specified.
Police asked Pattaya residents to cooperate to help keep traffic flowing
during what could be a busy and disruptive time on the road. Motorists are
asked to not park in some locations at certain times and along one-way
routes.
Traffic announcements prohibiting parking or stopping for all types of
vehicles April 4-12 are as follows:
The left side of Sukhumvit Road from Nongyai Temple-the Pattaya city-limits
sign.
The left side of Sukhumvit Road from the beginning of Soi Najomtien 2 to the
beginning of Soi Phothisarn.
Both sides of North Pattaya Road, Beach Road, Thepprasit Road, Thappraya
Road, Pratamnak Road, Pattaya 2nd Road, Pattaya Central Road from 2nd Road
to Beach Road and South Pattaya Road from Beach Road to the Wat Chaimongkol
Intersection.
One way traffic flow on the same dates are:
From the beginning of Thepprasit Road to the Grand Condotel Junction, from
the Grand Condotel Junction to the grade separation intersection to the
mountain, from the grade separation intersection to the mountain
(Chalermprakiat Road Intersection to Pratamnak Road) through the Tourist
Police Office until the Thappraya Junction, from the Grand Condotel Junction
through the Dongtan Sub-branch Police Station along Jomtien Beach Road
through Wat Bunkanchanaram, Soi Chaiyapruk, turning left to Sukhumvit Road.
Parking on the right side of the road:
Stopping or parking freely along Jomtien Beach Road from the Grand Condotel
Junction to Soi Chaiyapruk by parking closely on the right (beach) side is
acceptable. It is strictly forbidden to stop or park on the left side.
It is forbidden for all gas and chemical transportation vehicles to park
along major routes between the hours of 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. on those dates.
This includes trucks with more than six wheels, all type of vehicles that
transport or deliver any hazardous material.
To show the city in the best light, police ask residents not to hang out
unsightly clothing or objects on tall buildings and for houses and buildings
to present their best faces as befitting a well-known world tourism city.
Any suspicious vehicles, motorcycles or objects should be reported to the
Pattaya Police Station on Tel. 038 424 186 or the Operations Center of the
Provincial Police in Region 2 on Tel. 038 253 270.
Anti government protesters
threaten to disrupt ASEAN
summit with ‘plus’ countries
UDD “red shirts” protest
outside the Royal Cliff Beach Resort on Tuesday, April 7, where PM Abhisit
Vejjajiva and his Cabinet had come to inspect in preparation for this
weekend’s ASEAN summit.
Anti-government protesters Sunday threatened to sabotage
this week’s Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit with the
six extra-regional ‘plus’ countries, the Plus Three and Plus Six nations, if
the government blocks the reception of their community radio stations.
Natthawut Saikuea, a leader of the United Front for Democracy against
Dictatorship (UDD), told a press conference that the government of Prime
Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has tried to prevent UDD supporters upcountry
from joining their colleagues who are now rallying at Government House in
Bangkok.
The UDD demonstrators held a massive rally, trying to bring down the
coalition government on Wednesday.
Natthawut charged that officials had earlier disrupted signals of a taxi
drivers community radio station but the problem has now been fixed.
He said Prime Minister’s Office Minister Satit Wonghnongtaey, who supervises
state related media, needs to assure that no signal disruptions would recur,
otherwise the ASEAN summit would not take place smoothly.
The gathered ASEAN leaders will confer with the six nations from China,
Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand April 10-12 in Pattaya.
PM Abhisit, however, told journalists in Chiang Mai that if the ‘Red Shirt’
UDD demonstrators plan to rally in Pattaya during the ASEAN summit, they
could do so as the authorities will prepare venues so that the summit itself
will not be disrupted. (TNA)
Armed man charged with ya ba dealing
Boonlua Chatree
Acting on information from an undercover policeman, Pattaya
Immigration police ambushed an alleged ya ba dealer.
The man was allegedly selling ya ba to raise funds to fight a previous
charge of dealing in ya ba due to be heard soon in court.
 Pol.
Col. Arnonnun Kamollut (left) talks with drugs suspect Somkid Suksamran
(seated) after the arrest. The drugs and weapon are displayed in front of
him.
At 5 a.m. on March 25, Pol. Col. Arnonnun Kamollut, Superintendent at
Pattaya Immigration, and a team of police officers were in place to pounce
on the alleged drug dealer Somkid Suksamran, 27, as he rode his motorcycle
up to the front of the Sabai Land Apartment on Sukhumvit Soi 75 in
Banglamung.
Police said that the alleged dealer arrived as expected carrying a black
handbag and on the lookout for a customer.
According to police, in the handbag were 66 ya ba pills and 17 bullets and
on the right side of his waist was a holstered black 9 mm Beretta fully
loaded with nine rounds of ammunition.
All were kept as evidence and the man was taken into custody at Pattaya
Immigration.
Police said Somkid said that he had previously been arrested by Banglamung
Police and charged with distributing ya ba. He was currently out on bail
waiting for his case to go to trial.
As he didn’t have enough money to fight his case, he allegedly sold ya ba
for 300 baht a pill to earn enough money to contest his ya ba-dealing case
in court.
Regarding the handgun, he said it was a gun licensed to a policeman who had
pawned it for 25,000 baht.
Police charged him for illegal possession of a class 1 narcotic intended for
distribution and for carrying a deadly weapon in a public place.
Italian wounded in jealous attack
Boonlua Chatree
An Italian tourist drinking at a bar on Jomtien Beach was attacked
by a Thai man wielding a beer bottle as a weapon. The resulting blow badly
cut the Italian’s hand. The fracas was apparently a quarrel over a mutual
woman friend.
 Kamnuan
Butda, behind bars for attacking a tourist.
At 12.45 a.m. on March 24 Pol. Lt-Col. Chalermkiat Sirimak, on duty at
Dongtan Police Sub-station on Jomtien Beach, rushed to the aid of an injured
Italian tourist.
Livio Vittaz, 57, had a deep gash in his right hand after using it to shield
himself from a blow from a beer bottle. He was rushed to Pattaya Memorial
Hospital for treatment. The wound needed 20 stitches.
The next day police arrested Kamnuan Butda, 33, from Chachoengsao, and
charged him with the assault. The man turned out to be the former partner of
the Thai woman friend of the Italian visitor.
Vittaz said he came to look for merchandise in Thailand and was staying on
Pratamnak Road. While he was drinking in a bar a man that he did not know
tried to hit on him on the head with a beer bottle. The man then ran away
after their struggle.
The Italian used his hand to protect himself but the blow was very strong
and the bottle broke, deeply cutting into his palm.
Led by Pol. Lt-Col. Sutham Chaeseethong, deputy superintendent of Crime
Suppression at Pattaya Police Station, police arrested the alleged attacker
on Jomtien Beach Road.
Kamnuan said that had just visited his former partner of more than a year,
Bunchuoy Singmanee, 32, from Nakhon Ratchasima, who was now the foreigner’s
girlfriend.
He said he only intended to tell Bunchoy to hurry to redeem a vow that they
had previously made at a shrine.
Hospitals prepare for Songkran
Medical teams at Bangkok Hospital Pattaya say
they are prepared to treat accidents during the Songkran festival.
Vimolrat Singnikorn
Pattaya area hospitals have geared up for the upcoming Songkran
festival, preparing for the annual influx of injuries.
Bangkok Hospital Pattaya, for instance, came out with a statement saying
they will have doctors, nurses and ambulances at the ready all around the
city.
Doctor Phurin Sutanthavibul, in Emergency Medical Services at BHP, said that
during Wan Lai or Songkran on April 18 and 19, emergency medical services
with specialized doctors will be available 24 hours a day.
Ambulances equipped with life-saving facilities will be observing around the
city, ready to give emergency medical attention to those that need it.
Last year BHP treated 76 accident patients. No deaths were recorded. The
main cause of most road accidents was alcohol consumption, Doctor Phurin
said.
Doctor Phurin also said BHP is equipped with the latest technical equipment
and is honored to serve the 14th ASEAN summit to be held in Pattaya of April
10-12.
The Bangkok Hospital Pattaya accident emergency hotline is 1719 and is
available 24 hours.
Helicopter rescues injured fisherman
A navy medical team attends to
the injured crewman.
Patcharapol Panrak
An oil rig’s helicopter service last week transferred an injured
fisherman to hospital after the navy helped coordinate the sea rescue.
At 9.30 a.m. on March 28, Vice-Admiral Chaiwat Pukkarat, Commander-in-Chief
of the Navy’s 1st Division, received a call for help from Chayawong
Posayanon, a Chevron employee. Chayawong reported that the oil rig in the
gulf had taken on aboard a crewman from a large trawler named Porn
Charoensri, which was registered in Samutprakarn Province.
The trawler had been struggling with high wind and waves when a cast iron
ball counterweight broke the right leg of a crew member. The injured crew
member, Surasak Lakhonram, 25, was transferred to the oil rig platform for
treatment by the rig’s doctor.
Rear-Admiral Taweep Sukpinit, Chief of Staff of the Royal Thai Navy’s 1st
Division, prepared the air rescue flight plan to pick up the injured crew
member. This was done in cooperation with the company’s Thai Aviation
Services used for transporting oil rig employees between Utapao Airport and
the platform.
A mobile rescue team from Apakorn Kiatiwong Hospital with doctors and nurses
took the injured man from the helicopter to the Queen Sirikit Hospital.
Vice-Admiral Chaiwat said that the injured man was lucky as the rig was able
to provide immediate assistance and fly him on the one-hour - 200-km rescue
flight to shore.
PM Abhisit refers Thai-Cambodian dispute to ASEAN
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Sunday that clashes
between Thai and Cambodian military units along the two countries disputed
border last week will be raised at the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) summit with the regional organization’s six partner nations
which opens today (Friday) in Pattaya.
Speaking during his weekly Sunday morning television address, Abhisit said
tensions at the disputed border had existed for some years, but had become
more worrisome since July last year following the granting of United Nations
(UNESCO) world heritage status to the ancient Preah Vihear temple which
straddles the border.
The International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that Preah Vihear temple -
called Khao Prah Viharn by Thais - belongs to Cambodia, but the most
practical entrance is from a mountain in Thailand, and both sides claim some
of the same portions of surrounding territory.
The latest incident broke out last Friday when soldiers of the two countries
clashed twice near the ancient temple. Two Thai soldiers and two Cambodian
soldiers died in the fighting while nine Thai soldiers were wounded.
Expressing his condolences to families of Thai soldiers who were killed and
wounded in the fighting, Abhisit said he had earlier discussed with his
Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen that the border dispute should be settled by
the Thai-Cambodian joint border committee (JBC).
The border committee was scheduled to meet in Phnom Penh on Monday and
Tuesday. The meeting was planned before last week’s clashes took place.
The prime minister said both Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban and
Defense Minister Gen. Prawit Wongsuwan have been in sustained contact with
the concerned Cambodian authorities to settle the “misunderstanding” and he
said he expects that the problem has now eased.
Thailand’s Army Commander-in-Chief Gen. Anupong Paochinda said Saturday that
the latest fighting between Thai and Cambodian military personnel at the
disputed border resulted from ‘misunderstanding’ on both sides.
Soldiers from each country stationed along the disputed border area believed
that the other side intruded into their country’s territory, according Gen.
Anupong, adding that Thailand would not use force to resolve the problem.
(TNA)
Naval troops ready
for southern duties
Patcharapol Panrak
The Navy’s Air and Coastal Defense Command (ACDC) troops have
finished their training and are ready to take up their duties in the south.
 Rear-Admiral
Chakchai Phucharoenyot inspects the troops destined for the south.
On March 25, Rear-Admiral Chakchai Phucharoenyot, Commander-in-Chief of
ACDC, chaired the close of the first review-training program for the 2009
budget year.
Trained troops destined for Narathiwat Airport and Songkla Naval Base formed
ranks in front of the ACDC Training Center in Sattahip for the closing
ceremony.
Capt. Kosit Jiamsupakit, Commander of the Training Center, said the
objective of the training was to prepare the soldiers to take turns manning
Narathiwat Airport and Songkla Naval Base in official shifts, starting in
April.
Training for the two training units began at the center on February 27.
The troops were taught theoretical and practical applications and were ready
to take up their posts in the south in all areas at risk that may be
assigned to them.
Rear-Admiral Chakchai said that all of the soldiers must take on special
duties assigned by the Royal Thai Navy to protect the country.
“It is very honorable for all of these troops to be ready to work in areas
at risk … they must use all of their knowledge, be efficient and not be
careless. We wish all of the brave men to be clear of danger and be ready to
come back safely to the command,” he said.
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