More Mab Ta Phut madness

On the 4th of September, Mr. Pakati Kirawanit, the Head of the Department of Pollution Control, told reporters that the pollution in the Mab Ta Phut industrial sector has reached a dangerous point. And even thought the Head of the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Environment issued orders in July for these problems to be solved, at the present time, nothing has been done.
Two (unnamed) factories who ignored the Department of Pollution Control’s orders to immediately solve the pollution problems in Mab Ta Phut were ordered closed, while another, the Hoontex (sic) factory, has reopened after being fined.
The Bayer Premier Dasai is also at the point of being ordered to close due to the factory’s inability or unwillingness to solve the problem of untreated waste water being released into the environment. The factory was told to solve this problem some time ago.
Mr. Sarawuth Chyotham, the Deputy Head of Industrial Projects, asked for an extension of one week and the problem was supposed to be solved on September 6th. When it wasn’t, another extension was requested, citing that a ‘wafer collection system’ is needed to purify waste water, which the company has not yet obtained. The system would eliminate 90% percent of the nauseating odour from the water.
Meanwhile, on the 14th of September, yet another government committee is coming to hear grievances from the people of Mab Ta Phut.

Laem Chabang eviction issue reaches boiling point

 Signs reading ‘Do you think selling Laem Chabang village to foreigners will be that easy?’, ‘We may be fisherfolk, but we’re not stupid.’, ‘You say staying here is dangerous; well, we’re not afraid.’, and ‘You will confiscate no land past these signs.’

by Kittisak Khamthong

On September 14th, over 300 citizens whose ancestors have lived in Laem Chabang for hundreds of years were in the streets, protesting the Laem Chabang Port’s move to confiscate their land.
The Port Authority of Thailand, wishing to enlarge the port, has been trying to evict residents since 1978. Although the government offered compensation to the residents, most of them do not want to leave the area that has been their home for centuries.
Recently, residents managed to obtain blueprints for a five star resort complex, which apparently was drawn up in secret. This resort was to be built on the land when vacated.
Enraged at the duplicity of officials, who have been telling residents that they should vacate their ancestral homes for the ‘good of the country’, the people are now unwilling to believe any official utterances.
Other disturbing developments are that the Ministry of Communications and a government enterprise also contracted a private firm to build the resort which will be listed on the SET.
The people are angry, as the area will not be used for any purpose but to make money for those holding shares in the SET listed company.
After the citizens learned of this, a demonstration was planned, with demonstrators meeting first at Laem Chabang Temple to demonstrate the solidarity of the people in resisting the eviction.
An effigy was made and named Admiral Karn Tantivechakul, which happens to be the name of the present commander of the Laem Chabang port.
The effigy was carried, along with two rubber tires and fuel oil, around the temple and then to a coffin with the admiral’s name on it. After that, citizens carried the effigy to the temple crematorium.
At the crematorium, residents had erected a sign wishing him be damned.
The crowd then took the effigy to an old-style, open-air crematorium and put the coffin on it. Using the rubber tyres in place of wood, the crowd poured the fuel over the coffin and set it afire. At the same time they yelled, ‘Burn him! Bastard spawn of hell!’ (approximate translation - the Thai invective is equally strong if not stronger).
After the burning, the residents announced they would fight in any way to not have the port changed. The people said they would prevent rich exploiters from putting the port on the SET, as the eviction was the most hypocritical and unethical act, clothed in the lie of ‘helping the country.’
After being deceived in this manner, a group of 2,500 announced that the entire populace would set-up a fisherfolk’s Non-Governmental Organisation to protect their livelihood. The people said they would officially register this organisation.
They would then announce that the Laem Chabang area as protected, as the main profession had been fishing for over 400 years.
They also reminded officials that His Majesty the King twice gave Laem Chabang the ‘Model Fishing Community’ award. His Majesty also cited the community as being ‘self-sufficient and beneficial to society.’
After the two-hour protest, during which everyone remained angry yet orderly, the citizens went home.
Admiral Kan Tantivechakul, the Commander of the Laem Chabang Port, pointed out why the land had to be confiscated, saying that the area in front of the village was a sea-way for large cargo ships sailing in to dock at Laem Chabang Pier.
To ensure safety of the sea lanes, a control centre would be built on a mountain-top near the sea to monitor shipping traffic. He said the traffic in large ships would pose dangers for small fishing boats docked in the area. The Admiral said the safety of the smaller ships was of prime concern to him. This was the reason for evicting the residents.
He continued, saying that in the future, the area would be home to many industrial factories and pollution would surely be at crisis levels. He requested the residents of Laem Chabang to accept things which could not be changed. The residents should be willing to make sacrifices for the common good and the good of the country, said Admiral Kan.
Boonlert Nomsil, the Mayor of Laem Chabang Municipality, told the media that as the leader of the area, he wished for the Port Authority to have sympathy with the residents. He reiterated that they had been living in the area for centuries.
The mayor then used the example of the Khlong Toey fire to illustrate his point. He said the government helped the slum dwellers with food, temporary shelter and medical treatment. The mayor also cited the government’s decision to allow the Muslim community to stay at Ban Krua in Bangkok.
He said that with so much resistance, the government should make a special effort to listen to the voice of the people. The people are Thais whose ancestors lived in Laem Chabang before the Rattanakosin era. Why should they be chased off their land now?
The mayor also mentioned that the purchasing of the municipality’s temple and grounds and moving the main Buddha image away was also a shameful act.
The moving of the revered and ancient Buddha did nothing but create bad feelings about the government and caused the people great spiritual anguish. The people now have no place to worship and conduct Buddhist ceremonies.
The mayor said it was ironic that the government provided shelter, jobs and safe havens for Lao and Cambodian refugees and allowed illegal Burmese workers to stay in the country, while at the same time throwing Thai people off their own land.
Mr. Boonlert continued; the Port Authority should allow the people to stay on their land. He said compromises could be made, setting-up borders which demarcated land belonging to the Authority and the people’s land. Rental rights could also be negotiated. He felt that the Port Authority was not willing to engage in constructive dialogue at this time and could not understand why.
The mayor said that the use of power on the government’s part could lead to violent confrontations between the people and the authorities.
The Laem Chabang Municipality consists of approximately 300 households, with 2,500 citizens. Most of the families are engaged in fishing. Some of the citizens have given up fighting the juggernaut government and are willing to leave, although they do not know how they will support themselves. The main body of residents will not budge and have a strong ally in Magsaysay Award winning human rights lawyer Thongbai Thongpao.
The residents say they will not give up their homes in order to provide wealth for a privileged minority.

Thai ’97 boasts Asia’s first ever demonstration obstacle course for armoured fighting vehicles

by Ken Bailey

One of Thai ’97s biggest showcases in October promises to be Asia’s first ‘Defence Equipment Manoeuvre Park’. Visitors will watch as tanks, armoured personnel carriers, trucks and jeeps are put through the most rigorous testing.
Demonstrating manoeuvrability, ruggedness, endurance and firepower, these vehicles will feature in daily shows during Thai ’97. Strutting their stuff in the manoeuvre park will be the latest military vehicles from Russia’s Rosvoorouzheenie Corporation, TFM from South Africa and General Motors of Canada, to name a few.
Live-firing demonstrations of the latest weaponry will also be a big Thai ’97 attraction. Exhibitors plan to demonstrate the awesome firepower available to today’s infantry and armoured vehicle forces.
Over at Sattahip, daily organised inspections of Thailand’s aircraft carrier, HTMS Chakri Nareubet will be a feature of Thai ’97s Maritime Section. Also of interest will be Russia’s project 636 diesel-electric submarine. Armed with 19 torpedoes and 24 mines, this will be the first Russian naval submarine opened to the public.
Organisers say that a feast of aerial stunts will thrill Thai’97 audiences. Bringing the past and present together in an amazing stunt, a helicopter will land on the wings of a 1930s vintage Boeing Stearman in flight. The ancient Boeing’s passenger will then climb from the cockpit and into the helicopter, while the two aircraft fly in unison.
Not simply a display of high-tech equipment, Thai ’97 represents a significant opportunity for Thailand as one of this region’s industrialising nations. While buying and selling exhibited equipment is high on visiting VIP’s agendas, so will be the possibilities for joint ventures and other forms of investment in Thailand as a manufacturing base of maritime, aerospace and military technology.
Putting Pattaya and the seaboard under the spotlight, visiting VIPs will include heads of state and ministers, senior government and military officials, as well as corporate executives from the commercial sectors of Thailand and regional nations.
Reflecting the importance of its visitors, Thai’97s facilities have been described by organisers as the ‘culmination of the best of all air and defence shows around the world.” These facilities will allow aircraft and equipment to be demonstrated under real life conditions.
Visitors to Thai ’97 will be transported between the Utapao and Sattahip exhibition sites by shuttle buses which are scheduled to depart both sites every 15 minutes. Organisers are even planning shuttle transport between Pattaya, Rayong and the exhibition sites.
A full range of catering services will be available at both Thai ’97 sites. International cuisine restaurants, fast food outlets, coffee shops and cafes are planned to be strategically located throughout the exhibition.
Planned to be held every two years, this inaugural Thailand International Aerospace Maritime and Defence Exhibition will be open to VIPs and exhibitors between October 22nd to 24th and to the general public on October 25th and 26th.

Former Ms USA holidays in Pattaya

Ms. Debbie Jean Hamilton, Ms. USA 1994, recently spent a well-deserved holiday at the Ambassador City Jomtien Hotel. This was her second visit to the resort.
Ms. Hamilton explained that she had previously heard many good things about Thailand, including that there are many beautiful temples and beaches that she plans to visit. The internationally beautiful lass said she likes Pattaya because it is inexpensive and convenient, and she especially likes the Thai people who she says are very friendly and helpful.
Debra related that she wishes she could stay longer, but she must go back to work. Presently she is employed at a law office in America.
She also said, “Of course I will come again.”

Sculpture exhibition opens

The opening of the ‘Third Sculpture Exhibition’.

Mayor Pairat Suthithamrongsawat presided over the opening of ‘The Third Sculpture Art Exhibition’ at the Royal Garden Plaza in Pattaya. The exhibition is showing on the second floor, in front of the Benihana Restaurant.
The various pieces were of stone, wood and mixed media. Some of the artistes showing their work were Chiva Komlamalai, Charoon Chaiyachit, Thani Klinkhajorn, Ekajit Panphumeesap, and Panthep Maniratcharatsri.

Police Briefs

by Boonleua Chatri
Burning issues
Pattaya police received a report that a fire was burning at the Thammanivet Law Offices in Banglamung. Police called the Pattaya Fire Department as the conflagration continued. The officer receiving the call from the police then called his commanding officer as the blaze burned merrily.
After everyone got to hear the news, 4 fire trucks rushed to the scene. The swirling flames were extinguished in 20 minutes. No one was in the office and there were no casualties.
The police do not yet know the cause of the fire. But the neighbours, who usually know everything conjecture that the small inferno was caused by a fire lit by a renter next door whose electricity had been cut off by EGAT.
Investigations continue.
For the love of food
Police Captain Thirasak Seesaeng was informed by officers that they had arrested a 17-year-old shoeshine girl, Suphansa Malaithong. The lugubrious lass was charged with robbing Mr. Minus Loon, (sic) a Danish national, while he was sitting at a beer bar on Soi 2.
The canny girl, seeing that the Dane was a bit tipsy, asked if he wanted a shoeshine. As he was wearing leather sandals, Pattaya Mail reporters believe he may have been a bit more than ‘tipsy’. The girl, a prodigy of prestidigitation, pickpocketed the Dane and ran away.
He later identified her in a police line-up, and although she had relieved him of 40,000 baht, officers discovered only 6,000 baht in cash on her person.
The lamenting lass told officers she had spent the rest on personal items and food. She said eating was her favourite thing in life and she was not going to give it up, even if she had to steal to do it.
Not in my house
Two men are in critical condition at the Banglamung Hospital after a senseless, drunken brawl. Apparently, alcohol and mistaken identities were the reason the fight broke out.
Pattaya police were informed that two men were battling with broken bottles and had managed to damage each other so much that both were unconscious from loss of blood. Police rushed to the scene, an apartment building in Banglamung.
From investigations, police learned that one of the men was drunk when he came home. He tried to enter the wrong apartment and was hit on the head with a stick by the resident of the apartment, who was also drunk.
Typical macho posturing ensued with challenges, and bottles were used as weapons.
Both are now charged with assault with a deadly weapon and will be brought to trial after they are released from the hospital in approximately 7 days. When asked by reporters why they fought, both men looked puzzled and said they don’t remember as they were drunk. If found guilty, they could face 10 years in prison.
Concerned mother robbed
A hairdresser was robbed at knifepoint and stabbed while trying to resist.
At the scene, the two women who owned the shop told police that the robbery had been carefully planned. One of the hairdressers said the robbers had phoned the shop first and imitated the voice of one of her sons. He said, ‘Mommy, I have a headache. Please come and take me to the hospital.’
Being worried about her child, she rushed home to find the two knife-wielding robbers standing in front of her house. They put their knives to the woman’s throat and removed her 2 baht gold necklace. They also forced the woman’s husband, who was in the house, to give them his 5 baht weight gold chain and over 10,000 baht in cash.
The police noted this down in the daybook and were a bit non-plussed that the woman could not recognise her own child’s voice on the telephone.

Pattaya gears up for Thai Cultural Fair

By Kittisak Khamthong

The private sector is investing 10,000,000 baht in the 12th annual ‘Thai Cultural Fair’.
Mr. Suphadit Maneeratcharatsri, the President of the Pattaya Business and Tourism Association, told the media that Chonburi would be the host of the event, which is will be held from 5 - 9 November, 1997. A huge turnout is expected and the PBTA is in full readiness.
To ensure that this year’s event will be even better than in preceding years, the provincial government and the private sector are joining together to create a budget of 10 million baht, of which Pattaya City will provide one million baht and the Provincial Council of Chonburi will provide one million baht.
Chonburi Governor Sujarit Pajchimanan made the request to join the private and government sectors to promote the event.
Mr. Somkhaun Nokhong, President of the Chonburi Department of Cultural Affairs, said that there will be a grand dinner for all those involved in the cultural fair. The dinner will be held on Loi Island, Sriracha on November 8th, 1997. This is the time that the Loy Krathong festival is held.
The first nation-wide cultural fair was held in 1986 in Chiang-Mai and has become a traditional annual event. The festival is held in a different province every year, each time presenting traditional types of performing arts, exhibitions, cultural demonstrations and academic discussions.
For many people the most interesting and accessible part is the demonstration of village handicrafts from the various regions.
Sophin Thepjug, a member of the Pattaya City Council, told media that it was a great honour that Pattaya was chosen to be the site of this year’s festival. She said it would give tourism a great boost. Ms. Thepjug said there would be a very active public relations team promoting the event.

Tourist Police aid flood victims

by Boonleua Chatri

Tourist Police Commander for Pattaya, Police Major Jongsak Yeamlamoon is spearheading a campaign to help flood victims throughout the country. Police are now accepting donations of money, non-perishable and perishable foods and personal items for those who have suffered from the floods.
Donations will be taken to the southern provinces hit by floods. So far, the police have taken up a collection, and the people of Larn Island have given boxes of personal items and cash.
If everyone gives a little, it can help our brothers and sisters who are suffering hardships in the south.

Koh Larn residents lobby for improvements

At Pattaya City Hall, Mr. Thaworn Konganan, the Headman of Larn Island, told the media that the people of the island wanted more public telephone boxes at important points on the island. This will make island to shore communication easier for the general public.
The people also called for public training in dealing with natural disasters, especially fire. At this time, many of the island’s citizens are members of the first aid volunteers.
The publicly concerned people of Larn Island also want a committee set-up to keep Samae Beach clean.

Sex with children is a crime

As a state party to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the government of Thailand is working towards eradicating the involvement of children in the commercial sex industry, enlisting the cooperation of many non-government organizations. But the Thai government needs your cooperation, too.
Important facts:
There are a number of children involved in commercial sex in Thailand, but these children are not willing victims.
Giving money to children in exchange for sexual favours is no way to help them. It harms the children both psychologically and physically.
Some claim that children are less likely to be infected with HIV or AIDS. This is a myth. In fact, children can easily become infected and pass the disease on to others.
Penalties for child sexual abuse:
Statutory rape and sexual abuse of children under the age of 15 involve penalties ranging from 4 to 20 years of imprisonment. If the child is under the age of 13, the sentence could be life imprisonment.
Protect our children
You can help protect our children. Should you be approached by touts of any type (taxi drivers, hotel staff, etc.) or should you have evidence of abuse, please report this to the proper authorities and child rights groups. By doing so you may be saving a life.
Your action is needed
In order to help children, if you have information on sexual abuse against them, please call:
Tourist police - Pattaya, 425-937, 429-371.
Crime Suppression Division - Bangkok, 512-0606.
Center for the Protection of Children’s Rights (CPCR) - Bangkok, 412-1196, 412-0739.
Friends of Women Foundation - Bangkok, 279-7158, 270-0928-9.
Task Force to Fight Against Child Exploitation (FACE) - Bangkok, 509-5782, 01-492-644.

Bay Watch

by Kittisak Khamthong

This poor oil palm is not executing a graceful bow, but has expired in the line of duty. Planting palm trees on this traffic island was a good idea, but people not willing to wait for nature to work decided to transplant full grown trees on the island. Suffering from arboreal culture shock, some of the trees bowed out gracefully, as taking root is not possible for such a mature tree. After these useless deaths, the city has had difficulty in removing the trees, as the operation would require the use of a very large crane. The bodies thus stand in state. For how long, who knows?

C’mon Guys. When’s it going to get better? Or are we going to wait until the beginning of ‘Amazing Thailand Year?’
Three hospital blue colored flowerpots adorn the area in front of the “Welcome to Pattaya” sign. From looking at the health of the plants in the pots, the colour is highly suitable. The poor flora is obviously suffering from plant hepatitis. Some occupants have already gone to the big greenhouse in the sky, as their pots are empty. All this shows the lack of responsibility on the part of certain officials. If a poor tree, which thrives unattended in a jungle, dies in a city, what does it say about the people who care for it? We should all remember that if we don’t take care of the city, it won’t take care of us.

History they never teach you

by Jay Patterson
Sir Posthlewaite Cholomondely, former director of British Intelligence or MI 5 covert operations, recently revealed a long kept secret.
He told reporters that although many British women had tried to imitate former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s hairstyle, all attempts had been unsuccessful. Sir Posthlewaite informed media that this was because it was not really hair that was on Mrs. Thatcher’s head.
What looked like a hairdo was actually a high-tech protective helmet, designed to deflect any missiles or projectiles aimed at the former Prime Minister’s head.
The headpiece was made of diorite, a rock composed of feldspar and hornblende. It is one of the hardest substances in the universe and the feldspar component is highly reflective. This is what gave the supposed ‘Maggie do’ its famous lustre. Outside the agency, only the Prime Minister and her hairdresser knew of the ruse.
Mrs. Thatcher and her tonsorial consultant, Miss Prunella Haggis, had to be carefully instructed in donning and wearing the device, which weighed 2 stone (approximately 28 pounds). If Miss Haggis put the ‘hair’ on at a slightly wrong angle or Mrs. Thatcher forgot to keep her neck stiff, whiplash could occur.
This actually did happen once and readers may remember Mrs. Thatcher wearing a neck brace for a brief period during one of her many terms in office.
Miss Haggis told reporters of the incident: ‘Cor! I nearly weed in me pants! Me and ‘erself was gonna ‘ave a cuppa and the kettle boiled over. I ran to the stove and let go of the bloody thing too quick. Ere was me, scalded, and ‘erself was wailing like a banshee, in han haccent like yew’d ‘ear in Picadilly Circus.’
Sir Posthlewaite explained the former Prime Minister’s sudden linguistic shift to reporters with a smile. ‘Pain is the great leveller. It takes us all back to our roots.’