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Transnational Crime Center opens in
Pattaya to hunt down foreign fugitives
Chonburi Immigration Police
Superintendent Col. Athiwit Kamolrat (2nd
left) poses with (from left) Pattaya Mail Media Group Deputy GM Korn
Kitcha-Amon, Pattaya Mail Media MD Pratheep S. Malhotra, and Pattaya Mail TV
presenter Paul Strachan in front of the wall featuring photos of known
criminals.
Phasakorn Channgam
Authorities made it a bit harder for international
fugitives to hide out in Pattaya with the opening of the Transnational Crime
Data Center.
Members of the diplomatic corps, public and private
officials gathered Aug. 5 at the Chonburi Immigration Office in Jomtien
Beach to celebrate the opening of the long-planned center, which is aimed at
stemming the seemingly unending flow of arrests of overseas fugitives and
wanted criminals calling Pattaya home.
Chonburi Immigration Police Superintendent Col. Athiwit
Kamolrat said the new facility is equipped with a multimillion baht computer
system capable of tracking foreigners with dubious backgrounds.
“In the past, Pattaya has been a known haven for foreign
criminals, but now we are seriously working to weed them out and send them
back to be served justice in their home countries,” he said.
The walls of the center on the second floor of the
Immigration Office feature photos of known criminals, courtesy of the U.S.
Federal Bureau of Investigation, Interpol and other agencies, embassies and
foreign missions.
In an exclusive interview with the Pattaya Mail,
Immigration Commissioner Lt. Gen. Wut Lipatapallop said the center is the
first of many that will be opened in Thailand to benefit both Thai and
international law enforcement organizations.
“When we receive arrest warrants from Interpol, the F.B.I.
or other agencies, we coordinate with them through our office in Bangkok and
now Pattaya to track down the fugitives so that they can be brought to
justice, either here or in the country where they committed the crime.
“Foreign fugitives used to think that Pattaya was a safe
haven and that they could hide out without being seen, but not for long
anymore,” Wut added.
It is estimated that there are more than 70,000
expatriate residents in Chonburi Province and will at some point need to
visit the Immigration Office. When they do, police will enter their data
into the computers to keep track of them. Hotels and guesthouses also will
be able to enter information into the system online.
Business and tourism leaders welcomed the opening of the
new center.
“We don’t want to hear any more comments that Pattaya is
a home for foreign criminals and that the Thai authorities turn a blind eye
to it,” said Jamroon Vitsavachaipan, President of the Pattaya Business and
Tourism Association. “Many of these people set up legitimate shops as a
front, while still conducting their dirty businesses. When people get
cheated or hurt they blame Pattaya as a whole and that hurts our image and
sets us back in the eyes of tour operators and people wanting to come to
live in Pattaya. We hope that someday the police will clean out these
criminal elements both Thai and foreign.”
International Fireworks Contest to light up the sky this Saturday
Contest a celebration of HM the Queen’s birthday
Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome, Gen.
Apichat Penkitti, undersecretary for defense, and Francis Wu, president of
the Gloria Group attend a press briefing for the 2nd International Fireworks
Contest.
Phasakorn Channgam
Hold your ears and open your eyes Saturday as 10 nations
light up the Pattaya sky for the 2nd Pattaya International Fireworks
Contest.
For the first time ever, fireworks will be launched from
floating platforms in Pattaya Bay, rather than the conventional spot on Bali
Hai Pier. Teams from Australia, China, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan,
Philippines, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United
States will face off against Thailand to see which country can put on the
most dynamic and colorful exhibition.
China’s Gloria group blasts off first at 8 p.m., whilst
Italy and the U.A.E. will follow. Thailand will close the show at 10 p.m.
Gloria Group President Francis Wu said at an Aug. 9 press
briefing that the fireworks display will be very challenging due to it being
performed on the water, making the judgment of distance and wind more
difficult. However, shooting off fireworks from barges - a common practice
in the west - will allow for a wider viewing area.
“It’s guaranteed to be a grand display and will be
beautiful for all of the spectators,” Wu said.
The show will actually be the second round of a two-year
Ministry of Defense competition organized to honor Their Majesties the King
and Queen. The first round was held in Thongthani Dec. 13 to mark HM the
King’s Dec. 5 birthday last year. This Aug. 14 second round falls just two
days after HM the Queen’s birthday.
The top winners of each round will then take part in the
Dec. 5, 2011 finale in a city yet to be decided.
In addition to the fireworks display, the Pattaya show
will also feature a number of events beginning at 2 p.m., including musical
performances at a stage erected on Beach Road at Soi 4 and shopping along
the beachfront. The evening will see a parade of floating lamps to honor the
royal couple.
Navy marks 37th anniversary of Sattahip port
Navy officials celebrate the 37th anniversary of the
Sattahip Commercial Port.
Patcharapol Panrak
The Royal Thai Navy celebrated the 37th anniversary of
the Sattahip Commercial Port by receiving a flower vase from HRH Princess
Soamsawalee, making merit and distributing scholarships.
Port director Rear Adm. Sanon Plengkham led the July 29
festivities, which saw blessing from 10 monks from Sattahip Temple who were
also given lunch. The merit-making ceremony was done to commemorate the
lives of former port directors and officials.
After the ceremony, Somthawin Yangyoo, assistant
secretary for HRH Princess Soamsawalee, presented a flower vase to Navy
officials to mark the 37th anniversary of the port.
Sanon then distributed 142 scholarships valued at 289,800
baht to Navy personnel’s children who showed both good scholastic
achievement and behavior.
The Sattahip Commercial Port was established under the
Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters by combing the ports of Thungprong,
Juksamed and Laemthian. Construction was conducted with the help of the
United States during the early years of the Vietnam War to enhance military
operations, as well as Thai commerce. The U.S. turned over the harbor to the
Thai government in 1968 and it opened in its current form in 1973.
Khao Kheow Open Zoo takes in Burmese deer, tortoises
Officials visit Khao Kheow Open Zoo’s newest attraction,
brow-antlered deer from Myanmar.
Theerarak Suthathiwong
The Khao Kheow Open Zoo is now home to some Burmese
imports, thanks to an animal-swapping program between zoos in Thailand and
Myanmar.
The Sriracha attraction introduced its two new
brow-antlered deer and 10 Burmese star tortoises at a July 24 ceremony
attended by Gen. Lertrat Ratanawanit, president of the Thai-Myanmar
Friendship Association, and zoo Director Sophon Damnui.
The donations come as a reward to the Thai Zoo
Association giving the Myanmar government penguins for its new Naypyidaw Zoo
in Myanmar’s new capital. Penguins are a rare species in Myanmar and set off
a commotion similar to what Thailand experienced when the Chiang Mai zoo
landed a panda bear from China.
The Myanmar government acknowledged that Thailand has had
good success in breeding deer and tortoises and donated the animals to
contribute to its neighbor’s success.
Tree planting on Koh Larn continues
Vimolrat Singnikorn
For the second year in a row, Pattaya is marking
Mother’s Day with a large-scale tree-planting activity on Koh Larn aimed
at reforesting the popular tourist spot.
Many of the students and friends at last year’s tree
planting plan to take part again this year.
Pattaya will provide more than 5,000 additional
seedlings to plant on 500 rai of land on Koh Larn. Deputy Mayor Wutisak
Rermkitkarn said the 5,480 Neem, Floribund Jacks, Pterocapus, Cassia
fistulas, yellow flame trees would be planted Aug. 26.
On Aug. 6 last year, city workers, residents and
students began the project with the planting the first of 19,500 total
trees to be laid down on the island.
“The forest planting to honor Their Majesties the
King and Queen is the one HM the King’s development policies, along with
preservation of natural resources,” Wutisak said. “Her Majesty the Queen
is concerned about forest destruction. Therefore, Pattaya is performing
this Permanent Forest Planting Project to honor Their Majesties the King
and Queen and restore forest resources.”
16 Eastern Seaboard organizations join to promote environmentally sensitive tourism
Members of 16 State and private units sign an MOU to help
preserve
the environment through “green” tourism practices.
Vimolrat Singnikorn
Government and tourism-promotion officials joined
business groups and the media in launching a partnership focused on
developing environmentally sensitive tourism.
Pattaya Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome joined Tourism Authority
of Thailand Trade and Tourism Deputy Manager Pensuda Prai-Aram at the A-One
Royal Cruise Hotel Aug. 3 for the signing of the “Seven Greens” memorandum
of understanding. The “Brilliant Tourism with Environmental Care” campaign
centers on developing “green” attractions, logistics, communities,
activities and services, as well as “Green Heart” and “Green Plus” programs.
The Seven Greens concept will be applied to sustainable
tourism projects in Pattaya, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Nakhon Ratchasima and
Phuket.
Pensuda said the MOU will be the guideline for member
organizations to follow in developing tourism. Seminars, information
campaigns and other activities will be organized to raise the public’s
consciousness about the damage that can come from runaway tourism and
development, such as that which have taken place in Pattaya and Phuket.
Itthiphol noted that Pattaya has been trying for some
time to repair the damage done in the past and is working with
tourism-related businesses to keep the environment in mind when developing
their projects.
Besides TAT and Pattaya, signing the MOU were Chonburi
city and provincial authorities, Environmental Institute, Pattaya Business &
Tourism Association, Chantaburi Tourism Promotion Organization, Tourism
Business Association of Trat, Sriracha Mass Media Association, Eastern Golf
Administrative Association, Pattaya Spa Association, Chantaburi Tourism
Club, Pattaya Food Sellers Club, Pattaya Guide Club, Pattaya Tourism Boat
Club, and the Eastern Thai Hotels Association.
BAYWATCH: Touch Screen information units don’t work
Phasakorn Channgam
 The
37 million baht Pattaya spent on 74 touch-screen tourist-information kiosks
appears to have been a total boondoggle.
Operated through a joint venture with Sean Intensis JV
Ltd., the devices never actually became fully operational. They were
eventually reprogrammed to become simple Internet-access kiosks where,
presumably, tourists could search for their own Pattaya information.
But, as this kiosk on the second floor of Pattaya City
Hall shows, even that idea was a bust. The kiosks don’t work at all now.
The question now is, what happened to the 37 million baht
that was not only to purchase the machines, but keep them operational as
well?
Russian arrested for illegal import of scorpion-fueled Laotian liquor
Theerarak Suthathiwong
Pattaya and Chonburi police raided a Russian-owned
storefront in Naklua that was selling illegal Laotian-import liquor with
snakes, insects and scorpions preserved inside each bottle.
Russian Andrey Akulov denies he was trading in illegal
alcohol from Laos.
Region 2 Deputy Commander Maj. Gen. Suweera Songmetta and
Pattaya Police Chief Col. Nantawut Suwanla-Ong led the July 31 takedown of
the In Tourist Thai Co. Ltd. business next to the Family Mart off Naklua Soi
16. Owner Andrey Akulov was arrested and 28 bottles of “Swing” brand alcohol
flavored with herbs and poisonous creatures were found. Also recovered was
107,580 baht, $530 and seven mobile phones.
Police also raided Akulov’s branch office at the
Ambassador City Hotel, but found none of the illegally imported liquor.
Suweera said the arrest came after a Russian national
filed a complaint about Akulov selling the Laotian liquor online. His
Russian-language website claims the strange brew will boost sexual potency,
but the complainant said a relative who drank it went into convulsions and
died.
Further investigation showed Akulov was importing Swing
into Thailand and shipping it to customers in Europe. The Russian denied the
charges.
Bogus police rob two
women of cash, confidence
Boonlua Chatree
Two men impersonating police officers robbed two women on
their way home from work in Jomtien Beach.
Police officers found Namfon Bunto, 26, and Amornrat
Ngamsiri, 23, in tears in the middle of Soi Wat Bun in the early hours of
Aug. 1. They told police they’d been stopped by two men they believed to be
patrol officers.
The bogus cops demanded that they search the women for
illegal items and, when doing so, stole 400 baht, a mobile phone and one
woman’s motorbike key. The women had no way to contact police until real
patrol officers came across them.
Police took the victims and their motorbike to the
Dongtan Police Station where they filed their report.
Alert bar staff saves drugged
Danish from bargirl robbery
Boonlua Chatree
Alert employees at a Walking Street beer bar saved a
Danish tourist from being robbed by his for-hire companion.
Parichat Thaisamak holds up the remaining sleeping pills
she used to drug a Danish tourist.
Police and medics were called about 4 a.m. Aug. 4 to care
for 32-year-old Thomas Fyenbo who was unconscious in a chair next to two
beer bottles and empty glasses tinged with a powdery substance. Nearby,
39-year-old Parichat Thaisamak was being detained by bar employees who
became suspicious after the woman left before her date.
Near Fyenbo police found 2 panels of sleeping pills, one
with 6 of the 10 pills gone. Parichat confessed she had drugged her customer
and had planned to steal his belongings. However, she abandoned her plan
because service staff at the bar kept a close eye on customers, leaving her
no chance to steal his valuables.
The Khon Kaen native was charged with illegal possession
of class 4 psychotropic substances and was taken to Pattaya Police Station.
Alleged Korean mobster
arrested with gun, sword
Boonlua Chatree
Banglamung police and provincial transnational crime
investigators arrested an alleged South Korean mobster who allegedly was
intimidating local countrymen.
South Korean Eun Jae Lee has been remanded to custody for
possession of illegal weapons.
Eun Jae Lee was taken into custody Aug. 1 after officers
stormed his luxurious SP Village home on Siam Country Club Road. Police
found he bore a tattoo of a large red dragon, as alleged in the police
complaint. Officers also discovered a loaded .38-caliber Smith & Wesson
pistol, 49 bullets and a 2 foot-long sword. He was charged with illegal
possession of a gun and bullets.
Maj. Gen. Suwira Songmetta, deputy commander of the
Provincial Police in Region 2, said investigators later discovered even more
guns and ammunition. However, the case is being treated delicately as he is
suspected to be wanted on a number of international warrants. Police are
working with the South Korean embassy to determine his fate.
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