Unusual method of paying bills

Martin Schmid, a 24 year old German national who had been living in Pattaya since last autumn, decided upon an unusual, albeit illegal, way to pay his local bills and gain spending money to support himself.

After a six month stay in the resort, Schmid found himself low on money. Needing to return home to undertake some financial transactions, he purchased an air ticket from a local travel agent, who knew him, promising to pay for it when he picked it up. On the day he came to get it, which was the same day he was to travel, he said he accidentally “forgot” his money, and left his bankbook, along with documentation, for the local agent to withdraw the amount needed to cover the expense of the ticket. He then left for Germany.
When the travel agent went to the bank to get the money, they learned that the account had already been cleaned out. No problem, the ticket was round trip and the agent knew when Schmid was due to return. Besides, he still had a house and girlfriend here, so there was little doubt he would return.
What the travel agent didn’t know was that the “financial transactions” Schmid had returned to Germany to perform were in the form of robbing a bank.
On January 7, 1997, Schmid was picked up by German police at the airport in Frankfurt as he waited to catch his return flight to Thailand. Police found on him the 21,000 D. Marks he had robbed from a bank. The local constabulary was able to track him down by tracing the receipt he had used to rent a car while there. Gaining his description from the car rental company, police tracked him to the airport where he was immediately arrested and now awaits trial.
Further investigations have revealed that Schmid was also responsible for another bank robbery on his last trip to Germany for perform “financial transactions” on December 19, 1996. The previous haul had netted him 15,000 D. Marks.
The local travel agent, well known in the community, was quoted as saying, “if it wasn’t so tragic, it might be funny. We are definitely out the money for the ticket, but we never expected him to go to Germany to rob a bank in order to pay his bills!
“He seemed like such a nice, friendly young man. I wonder how many other helpful locals he took advantage of.”

Swiss arrested for embezzlement

Swiss embezzler Rudolph Hessler taken into custody by local police.

On the 20th of January, Jongsak Yeamlamool, the Commander of the Pattaya Tourist Police, received a request for assistance in arresting a foreign national, Rudolph Hessler, 34, a Swiss national, who had crossed international borders to escape arrest. The request and a copy of the arrest warrant came from the government of Switzerland. Hessler had embezzled approx. 15 Million baht in equivalent Swiss Francs.
The commander called a special meeting of the police and assigned a squad of officers to investigate and one to apprehend Hessler. The same day the investigative unit learned that Hessler had a room at the President Hotel on Soi Bua Khao. They arrested Hessler as he was standing at the hotel’s counter. He was taken to the Tourist Police Station for questioning.
Police did not believe Hessler’s answers to their questions as they were able to catch incongruities in his testimony. Upon examining his passport police found that he had been in Pattaya for five years using the name Hessler and the alias Peter Meuller and Peter Bostadt. He was charged with entering Thailand under assumed names, enabling police to confine him until he is given to Swiss authorities, where he faces charges of embezzlement.

Arrest of Brits leads to investigation into police

Last week’s arrest of Simon and Segal has received attention from higher authorities.

At a meeting of the Joint Committee of the Public and Private Sectors, Pattaya City Councellor Mr. Anusak Rodboonmee, General Manager of the Asia Hotel, told Provincial Governor Sujarit Pujchimnan that he had received complaints from two British nationals who were guests at the Asia Hotel. They had been arrested by Pattaya Police for drunk and disorderly conduct and had been kept in jail for 2 nights and 1 day. (See Pattaya Mail, Vol. V, No. 4, Jan. 24, “Discretion is the better part of valour”, page 3).
Anusak said that this was in excess of the usual penalty for this offence. He added that the two men were released due to the intervention of an unknown Phu-Yai or ‘big-wig’. The police released the men without filing official charges. Anusak went on to say that the problem between the two Englishmen, who were friends, was over a camera and not due to drunkenness as police had said.
He continued, saying that as the police had no case against the men, but kept stalling on their release, it caused suspicions that the police were attempting to realise personal gain from the men. The tourists had told him that the police’s method of work seemed more like mafia techniques.
Upon being informed, the Governor ordered Pol. Lt. Col. Prakarn Prajong, Deputy Commander of the Pattaya Police, who was present at the meeting, to find out the truth behind this matter and report back. If the matter was as Anusak had said, the involved police would be moved immediately.
More on this as we learn of it.

Tourist drugging rears its ugly head, again

The police may have won one battle but the war seems to be long from over.
On January 21, 1997, Sakino Kimoto, a 43 year old Japanese tourist, walked into the Banglamung Police Station and reported that he had become the latest victim of a drugging and robbery by a freelance prostitute.
Sakino told police that while walking along Beach Road he met a young Thai woman of about twenty years old. After a short conversation, the two returned to his room at the Julie Hotel, Pattaya, for extra-curricular activities.
After going into Sakino’s room the couple ordered alcoholic beverages and became quite tipsy. They then had sexual relations and the next thing Sakino remembers was waking up the next evening. The young woman had dis-appeared along with his valu-ables, totalling 300,000 baht.
Police believe this is the work of the nasty girl gangs still left over from their famous clean-up last month. This woman worked in the same manner as the former poisoners except that the medicine used was probably a weaker drug than Upjohn 27, which has been taken off the market after the former druggings.
Police have renewed their investigations.

Villagers protest gas storage

Villagers in Krating Lai Village protest the proposed building of a cooking gas storage facility near their homes. Their protest was to no avail, as the building will go up.

Citing the volatility of propane gas, villagers of Krating Lai Village in Banglamung are protesting against the Thienchai Gas Company over the proximity to their homes of a proposed gas storage facility.
A group of representatives, led by Mrs. Somsri Hormchan and Mr. Somnuk Singsomboon, went to ask for help from MP Sansak Ngarmphiches at the headquarters of the Chart Thai Party. As Mr. Sansak had gone to Bangkok, the responsibility for hearing the citizen’s complaint went to Mr. Rewat Phonlukin, the co-ordinating director of the Chart Thai party.
The residents were asking for help in stopping the building of a warehouse which is to be used to store tanks of cooking gas. The owner of the company planned to situate the warehouse within the village borders. The citizens were quite frightened and told Mr. Rewat that they were very worried about accidents happening with this very volatile gas.
Mrs. Somsri and Mr. Somnuk later told reporters that there were over 14 households that had been in Krating Lai village for generations and all had lived there in peace and safety. When official channels had given the gas company permission to build the warehouse in the village, all villagers were living in constant fear of an explosion and/or fire.
The village representatives had asked the District Chief for help, but to no avail. They were told that the manager of the company, Mr. Thitithep Boonyarataphan, vice-district chief, told them that the company had requested permission in a totally legal manner and nothing could be done to stop the construction. He then quoted many laws and told the villagers, “If you are so afraid why do you have your households here?” Villagers thought this was a totally illogical and inappropriate response and made them even more determined to fight for their rights.
Somnuk told reporters that the man who was to build the factory was Mr. Thira Ritkrienkrai, the owner of The Thienchai Gas Company with its head office in the Naklua area. He had received the land in default of a loan to Mr. Tin Yusabai, who had no money to repay Thira.
Somnuk continued, saying that Thitithep’s words were inappropriate and cavalier, as the village had been there for many generations and the people were not ‘squatters’. Part of the land had been confiscated by the Roads Authority of Thailand and then given back after the road was finished, leaving them only a few rai of land. He said that if this warehouse went up no-one would want to live in Krating Lai because of the gas warehouse and also because the land on the beachside now costs 8 million baht a rai.
Responding to the protest, Sujarit Pajchimnan, Governor of Chonburi province went to meet with residents. The Governor explained to protesters that all safety measures would be taken in the construction of the storage facility. All the rules in the Industrial Safety Building Standards would be followed. He continued to say that the civil engineer who issued the permit had examined the building plans and determined that all was in order.
The Governor took a long time pointing these issues out to the residents as some were suspicious and were still unwilling to have the warehouse built.
Finally, a tentative agreement was reached. The warehouse will only be used for six years with the stipulation that if there was one incidence of gas leakage, the warehouse would be closed immediately.
Owner Thira, Governor Sujarit and Chatpong Chatphoot, the District Chief of Banglamung, agreed to this.
Chatpong, however, stated that the permit had been issued before he began his tenure as District Chief and could not understand why permission had been granted. He said any plans for work involving highly flammable materials should be meticulously examined. He said people living nearby such projects should be consulted beforehand, which was not done in this case.
A news source reported that this problem was caused by procrastination on the part of Pramote Buatone, the Director of Municipal Works, who did not take this issue into meeting as he had to follow the wishes of the Provincial Governor. If he had taken the issue to meeting with the full board of public works our source says the project would not have granted a permit.

U.S. Embassy Consular Officer to visit Eastern Seaboard

Charles Bennett, a Consul from the American Embassy in Bangkok, will visit Rayong on February 3, Pattaya on February 4, and Chonburi on February 5. His visit will provide the opportunity for Americans residing in these areas to have passport, notary and other consular services taken care of.
Charles will be providing services in the lobby of the Star Hotel, 109 Rayong Trade Center, Rayong from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, February 3; in the lobby of the Merlin Hotel, 429 Beach Road, Pattaya City, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, February 4; and in the Board Room of the International School of the Eastern Seaboard in Sriracha from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, February 5.
The Consul has asked for all who read this notice to share the information with other Americans. The goal is to provide services to as many U.S. citizens as possible so that they can possibly avoid a trip to Bangkok. Below is a list of services which can be provided during this visit:
• accept passport appli-cations (be advised, however, that the new passport must be picked up at the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok - it cannot be sent via mail).
• insert extra pages in your passport.
• execute notarials, including affidavits required by the Thai government for driver’s licenses and certain types of visas.
• register you with the U.S. Embassy.
• provide information on application procedures for Thai citizens seeking U.S. visas.
Should you have any questions regarding theses visits or services provided please contact the American Citizen Services office at 02-205-4049.

Stiff penalties under new prostitution law

Ms. Sumontha Thannyaphol, Deputy Governor of Chonburi, in a speech to the public, pointed out that the laws concerning prostitution had been in effect since December, 1996.
The main causes of prosti-tution were low levels of education leading to less opportunities. She continued to say that to protect young people who had been lured into prostitution, clients should be charged with statutory rape.
She also said that the courts should have the right to take children from procurers, parents and guardians of children and young people engaged in prostitution
The penalties in the new prostitution laws are as follows:
1. Those attempting to solicit and/or bother others for the purpose of prostitution in public and other places in an open manner shall be fined no more than 1,000 baht.
2. Whoever is found in a brothel-like place for the purpose of prostituting oneself or others must beware of jail terms of up to one month or a fine of 1,000 baht or both.
3. Anyone advertising prostitution services in print or any manner to the public, should beware of jail terms from 6 months to 2 years and/or fines from 10,000 to 40,000 baht.
4. Anyone performing sexual acts with children over the age of 15 but under 18 (with or without their consent) must beware of prison terms of 1-3 years and fines of 20,000-60,000 baht.
5. Any individual luring others (be they willing or not) into prostitution in or out of the Kingdom is subject to 1-10 years in prison and fines of 20,000-200,000 baht.
6. Anyone luring individuals (of not less than 15 but not more than 18 years) into prostitution is liable to a prison sentence of 5-15 years and fines of 100,000-300,000 baht.
7. Anyone luring individuals under 15 years of age into prostitution is subject to 10-20 years in prison and fines from 100,000-300,000 baht.
There are a great many other types of punishments, but these are the basic laws.

Plans afoot to ease traffic woes

The provincial governor has set up a committee to study the increasing traffic problem in Pattaya and to determine ways to solve it, and has enlisted the Highway Department’s help
Preliminary findings and possible solutions include: blocking off U-turn areas on Sukhumvit Road to alleviate snarls. Adjusting the time intervals at stop lights to accommodate traffic flow. Station traffic police at all intersections on weekends and holidays. Make Second Road a one way thoroughfare from Pattaya Klang junction to the Na Klua roundabout. Change Sois 1, 3 and 5 into one way thoroughfares, with Sois 2, 4 and 6 going in the opposite direction.
A request has been submitted to the provincial government to implement this plan. When permission is granted the committee feels it will alleviate the traffic problem.

Governor lashes out against Pattaya officials

Provincial Governor Sujarit Pajchimnan presided over a meeting of the Joint Committee of the Private and Public Sector and told them that Pattaya’s officials have been sluggish and inefficient since he became governor and assigned jobs to them.
Citing an example, the Governor asked where were the flowering trees that had been promised on Sukhumvit Road? Why had they not sent requests for the foliage to the provincial agricultural authorities? He said other districts had already been receiving praise on their beautiful trees. But Pattaya had barely begun to bud.
The Governor was quite irate and branched out in his criticism, saying as things were now, if any civil servants in Pattaya applied for promotions, he would axe the applications im-mediately.
The most criticised branch of the civil service was the Roads Authority, headed by Mr. Phathorn Inwasa.
Pairat Suthithamrong-sawat, Mayor of Pattaya, said after the meeting that the root of the problem was the fact that he had no power to implant policy and had to give all directives to the City Manager. This could harm efficiency and cause bureaucratic log-jams as it had to pass the city council in a slow lumbering manner. But, he continued, if there were any crucial issues, he would try and rush the city manager to complete the tasks.
The mayor said he was a bit stumped on the tree matter but he would not sit and pine. He promissed to turn over a new leaf and spruce up the city.

Mugged woman has nine lives

Wanphen talks to police after a rough night out.

Ms. Wanphen Nilsukh, 35, a sweets vendor with several other enterprises which have made her quite well-to-do, was found by Banglamung police in a battered condition after being mugged on January 20th.
Ms. Wanphen had been shot and beaten by her attacker, yet not only lived through the ordeal, was able to make an appearance at Pattaya police station after just a short visit to the hospital.
Wanphen told police that her attacker was a Thai man who had followed her on a motorcycle, eventually cutting her off near the Rong Poh market. He then pulled out a 9 millimetre pistol and poked Wanphen in the ribs with it and tried to snatch her gold necklace.
Wanphen resisted and a struggle ensued. The mugger shot Wanphen once causing her to fall to the ground. He then moved in and tried to shoot her again, but the gun jammed, so he began to pistol whip her, raining uncountable blows on her head and face. He got away with approx. 40 grams in gold and 4,000 baht in cash.
Wanphen told police that the mugger was a member of a gang of drug addicts who lived in her very own house. She had been shopping when she saw “Pet” and “Sua”, sons of a minor village chief, walking around. These two lived in her house, but, in her dazed condition, she couldn’t remember for sure whether it was these hooligans or another group who attacked her.
Police arrested the two above mentioned men who are heroin addicts. They had caused many problems in the village, and terrorised the residents. They considered themselves ‘influential’ as they were the sons of the village headman.

Brash burglar thwarted by locals

Anon Sae Lao, 22, was apprehended by police after his attempt to rob a parked bus ended in motorcycle taxi drivers detaining him.
Mr. Udom Fakhom, 54, a tour bus driver, and his wife were asleep aboard their bus which was parked in front of the Day-Night Hotel in South Pattaya when Lao attempted to pack up all valuables on board, including sound equipment, TV’s, VDO’s and everything that he could carry.
During the burglary, husband and wife woke up and attempted to halt the burglary. But Lao produced a pair of handcuffs and told the couple he was an officer with the Crime Suppression Police. He said that he was looking for contraband and had found it. He told Udom he was very sorry but he would have to cuff him to the seat. Udom, not believing him, ran from the bus with his wife and they both shouted for help.
The confident burglar ran to a motorcycle queue with his bag full of stolen goods and left them with one of the drivers while he returned to gather up the rest. It was at this moment that the hotel security guard, informed by Udom, charged into the scene. He chased the thief, who went back to the motorcycle queue. By this time the drivers were wise to the scam and refused to take him anywhere despite his asserting that he was a police officer. Lao was then surrounded by a group of nearby citizens who kept him in check until police arrived.
Lao told police that he needed money to go drinking and carousing and this was a quick way to get it. He said he was unemployed, apparently trying to receive sympathy. He said he didn’t know there was anyone sleeping on the bus. If he had, he would have gone to another bus.
He told police that he had used the handcuffs in his old job as a security guard for a company in Pattaya.

Bang Saen finishes road, holds sculpture contest

Somchai Khunpluem, the mayor of Sean Sukh Municipality, Bang Saen told reporters that the Department of Municipal Works was working efficiently to finish the connecting road between Ban Laem and Bang Saen Beach. This road will make access easier and also offer a roadway with a view of Sam Muk Hill and Bang Saen Beach. There is a viewing point at the end of Thaen Point.
He said that there had been problems in the past as the Government Housing Authority refused to allow the road to pass the beach in front of Government Civil Servants’ residences. Negotiations have gone on for 8 years with both sides stating their reasons. At last permission was given during the Banharn Government.
Mayor Somchai said now that Thaen Point and the Bang Saen Beach Road are open for tourist’s viewing, the city of Bang Saen can take great pride in the accomplishment.
After the road is finished, a public park will be built and different types of objets d’art installed, reflecting the culture of the area. There will be a mermaid representing Songkhla province. There will also be the ‘Sea-lion’ representing the country of Singapore. As the city feels that the people of Bang Saen’s ideas should be represented, they are asking for interested people to send in their thoughts on the appropriate sculptures.
An idea already sent in is the famous love story of the Hero Saen and the Lady Mook, whose faithful love has been an example for all Thais. (see Legend of Bang Saen on page 12).
The reason for emphasising the importance of local culture and legends is that Bang Saen was the first sea resort in Thailand and is one of the most popular at the present time. The history of the area should be illustrated in art for all those who live in and visit the resort, said Mayor Somchai.
The statues will be moulded from metal and be set on plinths Approx. 7.50 metres high.
The rules for submitting ideas are:
1. Anyone may send in an idea.
2. The entries may be in any style representing the area. They may be figures of people, symbols or others. A model must be submitted which is to be 10-12 inches high and made from cardboard. Any sculpting technique may be used. An explanation of the concept must be submitted with the model.
3. Five entries will be chosen as the most appropriate by a panel of judges. A model on a 1:50 scale must be submitted for the judges to view.
4. All entries chosen will become the property of Sean Sukh Municipality. Models not chosen may be collected from the Municipality after the judges’ decision.
5. Entrants must be willing to abide by these rules and all decisions are final.
Interested parties may send their entries up until February 20th, 1997. Entries should be sent to the public relations section of the Saen Sukh Municipality, 4th floor, Sukhumvit Road, Saen Sukh Municipality, Amphoe Muang, Chonburi Province. Tel. (038) 391-005.
Prizes are as follows:
Grand Prize: 50,000 baht in cash. The entrant’s name will be inscribed on the plinth of the sculpture. This will be carved from black granite.
Those entries which are chosen in the preliminary judging but do not win the grand prize will receive a consolation prize of 5,000 baht each.
The winner will be announced on February 28th 1997.
Mayor Somchai said that those who could not make models but had ideas could explain them to municipal architects at no charge. These will be submitted to judges and will be considered for the grand prize.

Phai Island to become protected area

At the last meeting of the Joint Committee of the Public and Private Sectors, Ms. Phanga Wantanakul, a member of the board, presented the proposition of making Phai Island a protected area to encourage tourism.
Her reason was that the quality of the tourists coming to Pattaya was low and they had little purchasing power. This type of tourist could not revive Pattaya’s expiring economy. Pattaya needed high quality tourists with high purchasing power. This type of tourist loved to look at natural beauty, she expounded. The only place they had for such tourists, aside from Larn Island, was Phai Island which is under the supervision of the Royal Thai Navy.
Saying that using this island would revive Pattaya’s economy, Ms. Phanga has asked the Provincial Government to submit a request to the Royal Navy to make the island a tourist area. All proceeds or moneys would belong to the Navy. The only stipulation would be that absolutely no building would be allowed. No vending or selling of food should be allowed as it would create a trash problem. The island should be used as a sightseeing and sunbathing area only. All trips to the island should be days trips only.
The Provincial Governor agreed with her proposal and is sending a letter to the Navy.

Young Russians robbed at knife-point

The young Russian tourists report the harrowing incident to police.

The officer on duty at Pattaya Police Station received a report of a mugging near Attajinda Road.
When officers arrived at the scene they found that a brother and sister, Natalia Lamova and Paul Lamov, Russian nationals, had been robbed. Lamova told police that she and her brother were walking back to the Asia Hotel, when a motorcycle with 2 men on it drove up to them. One descended from the motorcycle and pulled a knife out and held it to Lamova’s throat. He then forced her to give him her bag which contained 1,000 US Dollars and 500 Thai Baht. The muggers then fled on the motorcycle.
Police searched for the muggers for 3 hours but could not find them. They then took Lamova and her brother for questioning. The investigation continues.

Reckless driving leads to road death

A reckless tourist lost his life in a collision with a tour bus.
Rado Haven, 32, a Norwegian national, was driving his motorcycle at high velocity, with his wife riding pillion, when he tried to overtake a large tour bus. Witnesses said that he was swerving back and forth on the road, in a thoughtless joyride, when he collided with the tour bus. He and his wife were thrown off the motorcycle.
Haven, who was not wearing a helmet, was killed instantly. Helpful citizens took his wife to Pattaya memorial Hospital where she is still in the intensive care unit.
A warning to tourists: Thailand’s roads are amongst the most unsafe in the world. Extreme caution is strongly advised whenever travelling, especially on motorcycles. Although not strictly enforced, Thai law states that all motorcyclist must wear a helmet. Helmets save lives.

PILC Annual General Meeting

The A.G.M. of the Pattaya International Ladies club was held recently at the Amari Orchid Resort. It was attended by more than 100 ladies. Everyone enjoyed coffee and a chat before the meeting started at 10.30 am.
The 1996 President, Celia Waters, welcomed all the ladies and read the agenda for the meeting. Clare McKeegan, Member of the Election Committee then commenced the election for Committee positions.
After the candidates were introduced to the members the voting began. Voting closed at 11.07 am and while the votes were being counted the various reports of the 1996 Committee were read and a question and answer time was held.
After a short break for coffee and a trip to the bathroom it was back to business. The changes in the PILC by-laws and constitution were discussed, proposed, seconded and carried.
The General Committee then extended thanks on behalf of all the members to the retiring President, Celia, who had taken over the job of President at short notice, after originally being Treasurer. She had carried out her duties with great dedication and enthusiasm. Committee members were then thanked by Celia for all their support and hard work through out the year.
The 1997 President of the PILC is Jo Hall. She has lived in Pattaya for over 2 years and joined the club soon after she arrived. She would like to extend a warm welcome to any new ladies coming to live in the area and hopes that they will make contact with the PILC so that they can meet new friends and join in all the planned activities of the club.
The 1996 Committee were then asked to stand down and Celia invited Jo to come forward. Celia then handed over the President’s bell, offered her congratulations and stepped down. Well done Celia, you have done a great job for the PILC in 1996.
After a brief speech by Jo and the serious business of the day over it was time to relax and enjoy the wonderful buffet lunch provided by the Amari. A big thank you to the management and staff. You always make the ladies feel so welcome when we visit you.
The monthly charity raffle was then drawn and several lucky ladies went home with some nice prizes.
The next monthly luncheon will be at The Moon River Pub, Thai Garden Resort, on Feb. 4th at 10.30 am. The theme will be the Chinese New Year, so do not forget to make your booking and come along and join in the fun. Any ladies wishing to make a lunch booking contact; Jo Tel 241061; Claudia Tel 232785; or Shirley Tel 424593.
Any newcomers out there reading this article are invited to get in touch with either Jo Tel 241 061, or Sandra Tel 367 288.
The PILC would like to thank all the hotels and businesses in Pattaya who have sponsored or supported the club in any way through out 1996.

Buddha image complete

The magnificent Buddha image which has been carved by laser on Chijan Hill is now finished. It has been thoroughly examined by the planning committee and been pronounced superb.
Dr. Suvich told the media that the next step would be the ceremony to “open the Holy Eye” of the carving and the “insertion of the holy relics”.
His Majesty the King will perform this ceremony and so the ceremony must wait until His Majesty’s very full schedule of work for the people allows Him time to preside at the ceremony.
His Majesty the King has graciously given the name, Phra Buddha Maha Vachira Utata Mokas Sasada, to the carving.
This large concave carving is inlaid with gold mosaic. The statue was conceived to celebrate The Golden Jubilee.