Government solutions to noxious fumes deemed inadequate

Mr. Sukhum Chaleekhreua takes government officials to visit children overcome by the poisonous fumes from the petroleum refinery.

The poisonous fumes from one or more petroleum refineries in Map Ta Phut which have been poisoning students, teachers and residents is now big news and the Department of Environmental Protection was called in to survey the situation.
On June 27th, 1997, Mr. Sukhum Chaleekhreua, the Head of the Environmental Protection Board, and 14 board members visited Map Ta Phut Pitayakhan School to survey conditions. Their conclusion was that there is definitely a problem. However, their suggested solution to the problem was deemed a “cop-out” by local residents and environmental organizations.
The members of the Department were welcomed by Mr. Vinij Prathanrath, the director of the school, who gave the board members a tour of the school and showed them the infirmary which was full of students taken ill by the noxious fumes. Vinij told the board that the problems began as far back as 1993 with noise and dust pollution from the construction of the factory.
Mr. Suvit Rangsitphol, the Head of the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Education, told residents that their problem could be solved by relocating the school’s campus away from the poisonous gases. He said he was very sorry that the fumes had caused students and teachers to lose their ability to concentrate on teaching and studying. He felt that the school should be moved to a piece of government land and could be finished by 1998. He did not state what the public should do in the meantime.
After he announced this, residents of the Map Ta Phut industrial area and Rayong City immediately began circulating flyers (handbills), attacking the government for what they felt was a poor response to their problem. The flyers pointed out that they were not the offenders and did not agree with being uprooted to appease wealthy interest groups who were literally poisoning them. They accused the ministers of not getting rid of the real danger, but making them suffer even more. There were also rumblings that environmental groups in Rayong were not happy with this ‘solution.’ Aside from affecting the human population in the area, the animals and marine environment were also in grave danger.
The flyer requested the government to address the root of the problem, the oil refinery, and concluded by saying that if the problems were not really solved, there would be protest marches and demonstrations by residents of Rayong and environmental activists.
The residents said the main problem was a lot of wealthy, influential people did not care about residents but only the monetary advantages they were receiving from the refinery.

Police raid nets foreign “Mafia”

Pattaya Police and Tourist Police arrested 7 foreign criminals, all Iranian nationals.

Pattaya Police and Tourist Police arrested 7 foreign criminals, all Iranian nationals, officials announced at a news conference on June 26.
As there have been many cases of foreigners engaged in criminal activity in Thailand, police have stepped up their vigilance. This latest investigation netted the Iranian gang, who had come to Thailand and were forging passports of various countries for sale to other foreign criminal elements in the country.
The gang was working out of the Marmusbar (sic) Restaurant, an Iranian restaurant in South Pattaya.
Police had set up a ‘stake out’ at the restaurant to observe whether an inside source of theirs was correct. The officers did not have to wait long, as 5 suspicious looking men entered the restaurant. Not long after, a lone Middle-Eastern man carrying a briefcase entered the restaurant and talked with the 5 men for a moment. Documents and money were exchanged and the police moved in.
Searching the men, police found 16 fake passports and other forged documents. They also found forged rubber stamps of the immigration departments of many countries.
The leader of the gang, Mr. Amiz Mohlari, 23, was also travelling with a forged passport, using the name ‘Ali’. Mohlari confessed to selling forged passports for 50,000-70,000 baht. He said he had been doing this for a long time in many countries.
The men who had been waiting for Amiz or ‘Ali’ told police they were Iranians whose Thai visas had expired. They were planning to work in Korea and Japan, so had paid Amiz to doctor their passports. He charged them US$ 2,000 each.
All were charged with conspiracy to commit forgery, using false documents and visa overstay. They now await trial.
The arresting officers were Police Lieutenant Thanomsak Indhrabutr, Police Lieutenant Kriengkrai, Police Sergeant Major Chaliew Srichong, and Police Sergeant Manoj Phrombutr.

Bag dispute leads to arrest

Police received a report that Japanese and a German tourists were reportedly having a tug of war over a bag which both claimed to be theirs. The incident took place in front of a shopping mall on Beach Road.
Cheiyato Madamo, 65, and a friend were attempting to wrest a bag from a German national, Juvi Miller, 33.
When police arrived and separated the three, the two Japanese told police that while they were walking in front of the mall, Müller appeared out of no-where and grabbed Cheiyato’s bag. Both men put up a fight and called for help.
Searching the bag, police found 321,000 Yen in cash and the Japanese men’s identification.
Police arrested Müller and charged him with ‘theft in the night’. He now awaits trial.

Governor files suit over illegal mining

Illegal miners, destroying the environment on Koh Si Chang, are finally being brought to task.
Sujarit Pajchimanan, Governor of Chonburi, has filed a Baht 654,888,949.69 (over 650 million baht) civil suit in the name of the province for damages caused by the Hongradom Family of Companies.
The province is demanding 654,888,949.69 in damages, due to the company’s use of explosives and blasting rock from Laem Ngoo point on Si Chang Island. The company allegedly used this rock to build a pier at Laem Chabang.
The blasting was done between 1988-1992. In 1993, a committee was appointed to gather evidence to file for damages to the natural environment of the province. The Provincial Prosecutor’s Office garnered the legal information and the National Environmental Protection Board calculated the cost of the damage. The case was filed in the Chonburi Civil Court on May 12, 1997.
The case is being filed against 5 companies and 15 members of the Hongradom family.

Undercover police net heroin bust

Jirasak Amphai was caught dealing heroin.

Jirasak Amphai, 21, was arrested on Saturday, June 28, and charged with possession of heroin with intent to sell. His arrest came as a result of an undercover narcotics operation after Police Major Phasakorn Nilakham, Head of the Narcotics Suppression Division for the East and Pattaya, learned that heroin was being smuggled into and sold in Samae San Municipality.
Police set up a ‘sting’ operation in which officers posed as buyers, then went to the domicile of their main suspect, Jirasak Amphai. Learning that buyers would pay him first and then wait for him to deliver heroin to them, police made initial contact with the suspect. When the police ‘plant’ finished the transaction, concealed officers descended upon Jirasak and found three vials containing the drug and 10 empty vials on Jirasak’s person.
Further investigations revealed that Jirasak had been selling the substance in small glass vials, each of which had a street value of 400 baht.
Jirasak, an addict himself, was charged with possession of heroin with intent to sell. He told police that he had been selling the powdered heroin for six or seven months, mainly to teenagers and fishermen.
Police took Jirasak to the Sattahip police station where he awaits trial.

Threat of death penalty doesn’t seem to deter some speed dealers

Even though under Thai law the penalty for dealing amphetamines is death, the potential of quick money for an indigent society seems to outweigh the risk of being caught and put to death.
Ms. Thongsai Amartmontri, 43, was arrested for possession of amphetamines with intent to sell during a stake-out police had set up after being informed by an undercover colleague that a woman was selling speed near the worker’s quarters at the SCS Landfill Company Ltd. Thongsai had 96 ‘orange speed’ tablets on her person.
At 3:00 p.m. on June 23, police observed a motorcycle drive into the yard of the worker’s living area. Police, who had been observing from about 30 metres away, approached the motorcycle. When the suspicious riders saw police, two of them ran into the house and escaped through the back windows of the dwellings and disappeared into the forest.
Police were able to apprehend Thongsai Amartmontri who was with the two men. During a body search, police found the woman had 96 ‘orange speed’ tablets on her person.
At the police station, Thongsai confessed to selling the drug for 120 baht a tablet. She had been engaged in selling drugs for approximately 6 months.
She told police that she had a large group of regular customers over 18. The buyers who were at the scene when police apprehended her had disappeared too quickly for police to catch them. Ms. Thongsai told police that their first names were ‘Yorn’ and ‘A’.
Police are now looking for the other two suspects.

Body found in suitcase

June 17: An employee of a major hotel in Pattaya found a large, green and white plaid suitcase in the woods on the hotel’s property. The employee told Pattaya police that a smell of decay was coming from the suitcase.
Police found the body of a Chinese man between 35 and 40 years old in the suitcase. The body had been tied in a foetal position with an inner tube from a motorcycle tyre. The corpse was then wrapped in a blanket and put in a plastic bag. The grisly parcel was then shoved into a suitcase.
Police sources said the suitcase had been abandoned in a forested area approximately 10 metres from the side of the road. Entrance to the forest was blocked by a barbed wire fence. The bag was 10 metres beyond the wire.
The man apparently died from wounds to the head inflicted by blows from a sharp heavy object. Forensic experts say the man had been dead for 5-7 days. Aside from the wounds on the head, the man had been struck on the legs and body many times.
Police surmise that the murder was the result of business disagreements that the man had had with ‘dark elements’. A special investigative detail was put on the case immediately.
Police and the Crime Suppression Division have said that several possible suspects are in Bangkok at the moment.

Former boxing champ drinks himself to death

Former boxing champion Choocheep Sophon was found dead inside a row-house after having literally drunk himself to death.
His death was reported to the duty officer of the Pattaya police by Mrs. Waan Sophon, 54, the wife of the deceased.
Mrs. Waan confirmed that Choocheep had been a boxing champion in the Eastern Provinces of Thailand, although he was born in the northern province of Lampang.
Mrs. Waan said that Choocheep, former star athlete, had taken to drinking and become alcoholic. Mrs. Waan said she begged her husband to see a doctor about his drinking, but he refused, saying he was not an alcoholic, he just ‘liked to drink.’ His drinking became so severe that he could not eat and finally developed cirrhosis of the liver. He then developed tuberculosis but still refused to stop drinking.
He was admitted to the hospital, but left after one month, returned home and drank himself to death. Choocheep’s emaciated body was found lying on the couple’s bed.
After his many triumphal bouts, Choocheep retired and had been given a regular job by his promoter which brought him a very good income.
Perhaps through his death, others may realise the dangers of drinking too much alcohol.

Despondent ex-security guard causes tense moments

Despondent security guard Sompong Phiwyamuang caused quite a stir as he rampaged through town on Thursday, June 26.

Citizen’s in front of the Pattaya Park Beach Resort were shocked when they saw what they thought to be an escaped convict running through the streets, yelling incoherently.
When police caught the young man, who was handcuffed, they learned that he was actually an unemployed security guard who suffered from chronic emotional disturbance.
Mr. Sompong Phiwyamuang, 17, had been discharged from his job as a security guard, due to bizarre behaviour. He later became despondent.
Fellow guards said he then began drinking heavily and had become irrational. Not wanting Sompong to hurt himself or others, they had handcuffed him and taken him to the police station.
Police allowed him to leave the station and he began to haunt the streets again. It was at this time that he was mistaken for an escaped criminal.
Police released Sompong in his friend’s custody and told them to not allow him to cause any more public disturbances.

Illegal Cambodian immigrants caught in Pattaya

Escaping the turbulent situation in Cambodia, these illegal immigrants came to Pattaya to try and find a better life.

Pattaya Police, on routine patrol, discovered a covey of illegal Cambodian labourers behind the “Spinach Which Flies in the Sky” Restaurant in Pattaya.
Entering the restaurant, police heard a loud clamour in the Khmer language. Following the sound led them to labourer’s shacks behind the restaurant.
Police found about 30 people with no Thai ID cards. They declined to tell police their nationality, as some could not even speak Thai. As police prepared to take the group to the station for questioning, nearly one third of the group managed to flee. Officers were able to round up 19 persons: 11 women and 8 men.
At the station, the people confessed to being citizens of Cambodia who had entered Thailand through Trat Province’s Haad Lek Village.
They said they were suffering major deprivation in Cambodia, due to the unstable political situation in the western part of the country, which is controlled by the Khmer Rouge. An agent had sneaked them into Thailand, charging each 3,000 baht for safe passage. They then began work as labourers, each receiving 100 baht a day.
Their future fate is unknown at this time.

As elections approach, many new candidates throw hat into the ring

by Kittisak Khamthong

It is now sure that the Ministry of the Interior cannot effect the change in Pattaya’s form of government before the present City Council’s term is over.
The election to choose the 9 members of the new council will now proceed. The present council’s terms end on June 26th. The election of new members is scheduled for August 17th 1997.
The political atmosphere is much more lively than during the last election. This is due to news that Mr. Anupong or ‘Sia Daeng’, the former mayor of Pattaya has separated from the Pattaya Sang Sun party and formed his own team to compete with present mayor Pairat Suthithamrongsawat for the position. There will also be several independent candidates.
One who has declared himself in the running is Mr. Prai Mangkang or ‘Sia Kong’ who lost in the run-off vote in the last election.
There are other possible candidates who are watching the situation and may join the race at the last minute. One of these is Sutham Phantusak. He is the Head of the Thai Hotel Association of the Eastern Seaboard and owner of the Woodland Resort.
Another possible dark horse is Suchai Ruayrin, another former mayor of Pattaya, who is waiting for the go-ahead from his supporters. He does not really hope to jump into the mayor’s seat though.
As for Anupong, he said he is waiting to see what manner of administrator the people of Pattaya are expecting. He is still undecided whether he should join the city council again or not. He believes he is suited for the office in the areas of knowledge, experience, ability and has sufficient personal monetary resources. His is waiting to choose his team from the proper people. He has his eyes on certain people, but is as yet reluctant to reveal their names. It will not be long before they are announced to the public.
Pairat Suthithamrongsawat, current mayor of Pattaya, says he must run again as it is the wish of the people. He also said his former colleagues wanted him to stay and add to the improvements they had made in Pattaya. There are also many projects which are still unfinished and must be overseen to their completion.
Most of the candidates for the city council are the present members of the council, although some have chosen not to run in the coming election. According to the mayor, the new candidates to fill the empty spots are suitable for the job. Pairat said if there were anyone more suitable for the mayoral seat, he would give way.
Somchai Khunpleum, Mayor of Saen Sukh Municipality and advisor to Pattaya City, talking about the coming elections, said that the people filling the council and mayoral seats must have Baramee. (This is a word meaning an ‘aura’. One has Baramee at birth or may require it through wealth, power or connections.) They must be acceptable to civil servants and the general public. He said he did not want to be involved in the elections in any way. He wished to allow the elections to be conducted in a democratic fashion. He felt that the public should be given many options and candidates from which to choose.
He continued saying that in the last elections, his group and the opposition did not have enough Baramee, so the elections were very ‘bland’. During this election, he wants to allow many candidates with solid credentials to be in the election so the people of Pattaya may see how his group compares with them. This will cause nothing but improvement and make Pattaya flourish as it once did.

Dealing with “illegal” labourers

Chonburi City’s Manager, Pricha Kamolbut, presided over a meeting on “The Extension of Work Permits for Illegal Foreign Labour”. This was organised by the Employment Office of Chonburi Province.
This meeting was another in the many meetings held since the government made provision for illegal labour which illegally enter the country from Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar to work in 43 provinces of Thailand.
This meeting was due to provide a logical system for employers, many of whom still lack knowledge on the proper hiring of illegal labour set out in the aliens laws of 1978.
Examples are: employers lack knowledge about what to do when they discharge illegal employees, what to do when illegal employees wish to change employers and obtaining work permits for illegal labour. Other areas are orderly reporting of illegal labour to immigration authorities and avoiding hiring illegal labourers who have diseases which make them persona non grata.
The administrative sector of the government wished to disseminate knowledge to make the hiring of illegal labour more convenient and expeditious.
The head of the Chonburi Employment Office asked that employers follow all rules to the letter. Illegal labour in Thailand must be controlled and kept within the boundaries set out by the government.
They must not cause problems for Thai society. Illegal foreign labourers should not be let out of work camps by themselves. They must be accompanied by a Thai escort at all times. They must carry a permit at all times.
Illegal labourers should be treated as fairly as Thai labour with all benefits such as medical car, sanitary work camps and clean food. This will keep them from causing problems in Thai society.
Chonburi has issued 11,449 work permits for illegal labour; 8,046 to Burmese, 1,315 to Laos and 2,088 to Cambodians.

Mayor’s father celebrates 6th cycle birthday

Mayor Pairat is seen crooning a tune as Mr. Phisal (seated centre) listens.

Mayor Pairat Suthithamrongsawat and his siblings held a birthday celebration for their father’s 6th cycle birthday. Mr. Phisal Suthithamrongsawat, 72, was surrounded by his children, grandchildren, friends, and well wishers on this auspicious birthday.

Rayong creates artificial coral

The Fisheries Department in Rayong province has spent over 1.5 million baht creating ‘artificial coral’ reefs, hoping that the artificial reefs will do the job of the natural coral which has been destroyed by fishing with explosives and poisons. The substance was lain by a 500 ton capacity ship in the areas of Kut and Talu Islands.
The ‘reef’ is one-half square kilometre in area and experts hope that reef dwelling life will return and accept the surrogate coral.
The Fisheries Department aim is to increase the amount of marine life in the area, eventually increasing stocks.
The Department has requested that fisherfolk not use explosive or poisons, which will allow the fish and crustacean population to return to normal levels. The reef is also expected to be a demarcation line and a natural boundary for boats from different areas. This will keep boats in their own zones.
The different areas will also be marked by marine buoys.