Danish government appoints consul

Danish nationals, be they tourists or residents in the Eastern Seaboard, are now being better cared for following the appointment of well-known Scandinavian businessman, Stig Andersen as the Honorary Danish Consul.

Danish Ambassador H.E. Niels Drylund (right) officially pronounced Stig Angersen (left) the new Honorary Danish Consul for Pattaya.

Danish Ambassador H. E. Niels Drylund made the official pronouncement at a star studded function at the Dusit Resort. He referred to the close cooperation that there has been between Denmark and Thailand, with King Mongkut even signing treaties with the Danes as far back as 1858.

The Ambassador said, "With over 85,000 Danish visitors to Pattaya last year, it is inevitable that some problems will arise. I am very happy that Mr. Andersen will be able to attend to them here, on the spot."

The new consulate was also welcomed by the Vice Governor of Chonburi, Supot Laowansri and the Mayor of Pattaya, Pairat Suthithamrongsawat, who conceded that with the increasing numbers of Scandinavians working on the Eastern Seaboard it was only fitting that they have good local access to representatives from their mother country.

Local hotels balking at 3% room charge

Push for postponement

Pattaya hotel owners are displaying their dissatisfaction over the proposed 3% hotel room tax proposed by the Ministry of Interior. The owners are saying they already have a heavy tax burden, and that passing on the 3% room tax to customers would be bad for business during these tourism promotion years.

The Ministry of Interior proposed the room tax in 1997 as a way to help the Kingdom recover from the financial crisis.

Chatchawal Suphachayanon, President of the Thai Hotel Association (Easter Chapter) (center); Anuphong Udomratanakulchai (left); and Sethapan Buddhani, TAT Region 3 Director met at the Grand Jomtien Plaza Hotel.

Pattaya has approximately 40,000 rooms available in over 300 hotels and boarding establishments.

Local government officials met with members of the Thai Hotel Association (Eastern Chapter) on April 29th to discuss the matter. At the meeting, it was decided to attempt to postpone the matter until next year, at which time the rate would be fixed at 2-3 baht per room.

However, the matter is still unclear, as Pattaya officials consider Pattaya to be a special administrative area. Also, since many hotels in Pattaya have not yet responded, officials feel a more suitable time to do this should be looked at rather than the present.

Even the idea of collecting 2-3 baht per room is unpopular, and it is not expected that the charge will be collected in Pattaya this year. Two important factors must be decided beforehand: 1. Officials have not yet issued directives as to how the money collected will be used in improvements in and around Pattaya. This issue is still under consideration. 2. It is unclear as to which office will hold the purse strings, Chonburi Province or Pattaya City. This should be more clearly understood by June 11, 1999.

At their meeting last week, THA members decided to draft a document opposing the idea and submit it to the Prime Minister’s office. THA members are pushing the issues, and it appears that the Prime Minister’s Office understands their concerns.

Dynamic New Road Safety Programme

Five schools in Pattaya are going to benefit from the foresight of two local philanthropic organisations. The Jomtien-Pattaya Rotary Club and the Ge Laurant Foundation have together backed a new Road Safety programme aimed at the education of school children.

Combined Ge Laurant Foundation and Jomtien Pattaya Rotary Club members at presentation to Pol Col Pinit and the Pattaya Police.

To be administered by the Pattaya Police, under Teaching Director Pol. Col. Pinit Satjaroen, the Superintendent of the Pattaya Police Station, this approach uses a proven formula of incorporating important educational elements into the core school syllabus.

The sponsors donated a vehicle, computer and other electronic educational aids and also have underwritten the ongoing costs involved in the programme.

Initially five schools have been enrolled in the programme and the children will have five one hour lessons each semester.

Chairman of the Road Safety Committee, Rotarian Peter Thorand handed over the keys of the car to Pol. Col. Pinit and expressed hopes that this would be a well received item by the children. He went on to say, "Maybe one day this programme will be implemented all over the country. We hope that other organisations pick up this idea and do the same in their area."

This Road Safety Programme is a very positive step in attacking the road toll problem and the Pattaya Mail congratulates those involved with this project. To be effective it will be necessary to continue this educational scheme and if it were indeed to become a National Programme this would be beneficial for the future generations in Thailand.

Japanese tourist arrested for stolen traveler’s cheques

Pretends to be mute

Japanese tourist Sikee Yohsaki, aged, 29, pretending to be dumb went to a Bangkok Bank booth located in South Pattaya and attempted to exchange 8 stolen traveler’s cheques valued at 100 US dollars each.

As standard procedure, the bank clerk checked the list of stolen or lost traveler’s cheques and in this case found out that the checks were reported stolen. The clerk immediately notified the police who in turn rushed to the booth to arrest him.

Still pretending that he was unable to speak and acting puzzled, the tourist was taken to the police station for further interrogation.

Later police found out that he held a Japanese passport but could not establish his date of entry into the kingdom.

During this time the felon’s verbal communication seemed to improve which led the police to believe that he may a member of a gang.

Police are now searching his belongings with the hope to find more evidence.

Belgian arrested with stolen travelers checks

Tries two banks before being caught

Stefan-Yan Leugelmarot, a.k.a. Paul Loundrel, from Brussels, was arrested last week for allegedly attempting to cash stolen travelers checks.

Suppression police received a report from Khun Suphakiti Saadnade, an employee working in the exchange section of the Thai Military Bank on Beach Road in South Pattaya, that a "Danish" national attempted to cash in stolen travelers checks with a forged signature, valued at 50 US dollars a piece totaling 200 US dollars.

Stefan-Yan Leugelmarot, a.k.a. Paul Loundrel, was arrested last week for allegedly attempting to cash stolen travelers checks.

As standard procedure, the bank clerk checked with the bank’s head office, who told him that they were reported stolen.

Police hurried to the bank but the clerk told them that when the suspect realized that they found out, he rushed out from the bank heading towards Second Road.

Police searched for him until they found him trying to exchange yet more travelers checks at another Thai Military Bank on Second Road. There, he attempted to exchange 300 US dollars.

Leugemarot was arrested and taken to the police station, where he denied the accusations.

However, both employees insisted that he was the man.

During a search of his belongings, police found several different passports which he allegedly used for forging the signatures.

Leugemarot was charged for theft and counterfeit. He now awaits trial proceedings.

Drunken Indian tourist grabs breast of police officer’s wife

Arrested for lewd behavior

An Indian tourist, identified only as Mr. Gurmeet, last week grasped a woman’s breast while she was holding her one year old son. The woman, the wife of a Pattaya special operations police officer, is bringing charges of indecency against the man.

The alleged assault occurred in front of a boarding house on Soi 17, located behind the Day-Night business center.

Officers dispatched to the area met with Mrs. Seni Prithawat (age 27) who was standing while holding her one year old son and angrily cursing an Indian man.

Mrs. Seni informed the officers that the young man was often drunk and acted like a mentally disturbed person who liked to expose his private parts to women passing by along the street.

This time he tricked her into allowing him to hold her son. She carelessly handed the child to him, but instead he grasped Mrs. Seni’s breast. Deeply embarrassed, Mrs. Seni made her report to police.

Police were unable to communicate with the man at the time because he was drunk and could not speak Thai.

He was arrested on charges of indecency.

If it moves, salute it. If it doesn’t, paint it!

The above heading used to be one of the creeds of sailors throughout the world and the Canadian crew from the HMCS Calgary were no exception this week in Pattaya.

Following a donation of 25,000 Baht from the Canadian International Development Agency to purchase the materials necessary, crew member volunteers arrived en masse to paint the walls at the Pattaya Orphanage.

H.E. Bernard Giroux, the Canadian Ambassador to Thailand said, "The Canadian Navy is pleased to provide the Pattaya Orphanage with the human resources not normally available to help with this maintenance project."

Last week, a "flotilla" of painters, complete with paintbrushes at the ready and many pots of yellow paint, attacked the walls from 10 a.m. till noon, taking a break to play some games with the children and be "nurse-maid" to some of the tiny ones in the nursery.

Father Michael, standing in for Father Ray Brennan, thanked the Canadians for their generosity, and the freshly painted walls will stand as a memento of their hard work on behalf of the less fortunate children in the Pattaya Orphanage.

Fake fortune teller exposed

Arrested for swindling students

Narit Maidpun, 47, was caught and arrested on Beach Road for posing as a fortune teller and a healer and swindling young students.

Police started searching for him about a month ago after the father of a 16-year-old female student complained that Narit had cheated her out of 40,000 baht.

Until he was caught, Narit Maidpun made his living posing as a fortune teller and swindling wealthy students.

Narit would allegedly go out hunting for rich youngsters, offering his services as fortune teller. He would then tell young girls that if they didn’t perform a spirit cleansing ritual with him, someone would rape them one day.

Upon his arrest, police found an ID card indicating his name and rank as an army lieutenant, claiming to work as an officer for the royal family.

Narit insisted that he had been posted as an officer protecting the Royal Prince. He then took out a photo of himself dressed in an army suit.

Police took the ID card and photo as evidence and escorted him to the police station for further questioning. Later, police found out that the ID card was fake and that he had it made himself.

Police charged him for swindling money from innocent people.

Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Foundation visits Eastern Seaboard

Who will win KALGA this year?

Last year, Saensak Municipality, led by Kamnan Poh, won a silver plaque for earning second place in the competition for the prestigious Konrad Adenauer Local Government Award (KALGA).

This year, the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Foundation is back in the area, observing and assisting local governments.

On 26 April, Chonburi Governor Sujarit Pachimnan chaired a conference concerning the East and Southeast Asia Network for Better Local Government. The Thai Environmental Association and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Foundation organized the conference.

Dr. Chamnian Watasaiphan, chairman of the Thai Environmental Association, and Mr. Wolfgang Meyer, the regional representative from the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Foundation also led discussions at the seminar.

Officials from various organizations from six countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea, and the Philippines) also attended.

Organizations in attendance included the International Union of Local Authorities Asia-Pacific, CITYNET, the Inter-Indonesian Municipal Organization of Indonesia, Korea Local Authorities, the Foundation of International Relation Conference of Municipalities of Malaysia, the Government Committee on Organization and Personnel of Vietnam, and the Thai Environmental Association.

The conference was held at the Garden Beach Resort in Pattaya. Representatives from Chonburi provincial municipalities also attended, including Saensuk, Sriracha, Chonburi, Phanatnikhom, Ban Beung, Laem Chabang Sub-District and Pattaya.

Chonburi Governor Sujarit Pachimnan (left) and Wolfgang Meyer, the regional representative from the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Foundation, during the opening ceremony of the conference.

The stated objectives of the seminar were twofold: 1. Provide assistance and direction in the exchanging of ideas for establishing a local administration organization between countries in the East Asian and Southeast Asian regions; and 2. Create an atmosphere of competition between the various cities in both regions and award the city which the organization finds to have created the best level of local administration. The latter refers to the Konrad Adenauer Local Government Award, or KALGA, which awards the city the foundation finds to have the ideal level of local government.

The first KALGA, a gold plaque, was awarded to Khumi City in South Korea last year and was presented in Manila on April 3, 1998.

Second place, a silver plaque, was awarded to Saensuk Municipality, Thailand.

Other cities awarded last year included Semarang City Indonesia, Khwantan Malaysia, Irosin Phillipines, and Halong City Vietnam.

Country and regional customs and culture are taken into consideration in making the decision on winners.

New PBTA committee meets for first time

New president sets out objectives

Surat Mekhawarakul, president of the Business and Tourism association, called his new committee members together for their first meeting. The meeting took place on the 8th floor of the Mike Shopping Mall.

Surat emphasized several crucial points relating to improving quality management procedures, such as: 1. Creating unity amongst members; 2. Enhancing knowledge and expertise amongst members for better inter-relationship and decision making; 3. Promptly improve the quality of customer services; 4. Jointly adhere to utilizing their personal skills without exploiting those of others; and 5. Creating constructive and prospective business accord.

All of these crucial points should be followed properly and the association should act as the core of business and tourism so that the society can benefit fully.

Surat said that the previous committee may not have fully succeeded in reaching their set goals. However, he said that he will make sure to prevent this newly elected committee from facing any foreseeable or unforeseeable obstacles. In fact he will find ways of encouraging members from other associations to join them, with the objective of building a stronger and more positively orientated association.

Opportunities for physically challenged

Two training programs offered

Mr. Prakid Inhisait, chairman of the Chonburi Handicapped Development Group, announced that the group started its Handicapped Persons Seminar Program in early May at the Redemptorist Center in Pattaya.

The seminar objectives are to inspire handicapped persons who are still waiting for an equal opportunity to participate in society, and to attract other handicapped persons to become members in the group.

Handicapped persons interested can call (038) 716247 for the free opportunity.

In a related development, Chonburi Deputy Governor Suphod Laowanayod announced that in order to increase the opportunities for handicapped persons to participate in society, the Public Welfare Division is accepting applications for its Year 2000 Handicapped Training Program until June 30, 1999.

During this training period the Public Welfare Division is offering subjects in 17 professions. Each subject is either three months, six months, or one year long.

Interested volunteers for absolutely free training must be between the age of 14-40 years old, and must be handicapped in one way or another but able to look after their personal physical requirements.

If interested in volunteering for the training or for further information call the Chonburi Public Welfare Office at (038) 261351.

Children’s AIDS Prevention Evening at Dusit

Gala evening planned

On Sunday night the 9th of May between 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. HRH Princess Soamsawalee will preside over a "Children’s Aids Prevention Evening" at the Dusit Resort Pattaya’s Ballroom.

This gathering is to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Lion’s Club Bangsaen, and will aim to raise funds to sponsor "Aids Birth Transmission Prevention".

A band called "Hot Chili" will play the best of their tunes and popular singer Khun Nanthida Adsawahem will sing her favorite love songs.

A fashion show exhibiting beautifully designed traditional Thai silk costumes will also be held.

Many guests of honor are expected to attend.

Interested persons can gain information and purchase tickets at the following outlets:

1. Bangsaen Villa Hotel, Chonburi, Tel: (038) 383-221, 381772
2. Prachan Bookstore, Chonburi, Tel: (038) 272-842, 278-648
3. Karitta Osale Tailor Shop, Bangkok, Tel: (02) 662-258-9
4. Mary Edge Studio, Chonburi, Tel: (038) 765-534-5, (01) 344-5407

Bang Sarae organizes anti-drug training

Tackling serious problem

At the Choomchon Bang Sarae School in Sattahip, Chonburi Governor Sujarit Pachimnan chaired the opening of the Drug Prevention Training Program. Over 100 people attended, including qualified experts in the drug field.

The purpose of the program is to counsel and acquaint people with the current on-going drug problems. The meeting discussed the various means of tackling and solving these problems and advising on how more joint effort is needed to prevent and to eradicate such problems.

Presently, the drug problem is quickly spreading out of control throughout the country. The Ministry of Interior and the government realize the dangers relating to drugs and the effect they have on society as a whole. Consequently, they have set new policies which will aid in suppressing the problems from spreading, particularly in Bang Sarae where the current drug problem is considered to be serious.

Koh Larn to tackle ongoing problems

Target tourist cheaters and upgrading medical facilities

Members of the Koh Larn community met this month to address some of the ongoing concerns of residents.

Amongst those concerns are beach vendors swindling tourists, and a lack of proper medical facilities on the island.

Khun Suchart Khobjai, Chairman of the extraordinary committee, told residents he has asked for support from both the police and doctors, as presently there is a lack of manpower.

"The need to solve the on going problems of tourists being swindled by boat owners who rent out scooters, jet skis and other sports activities is crucial," Khun Suchart said. He also said police should record personal details of each and every person involved in offering these services in order to more easily track down law breakers.

Khun Suchart continued, saying "On the subject public health centers, there are many tourists and local residents in need of medical attention, but there is a substantial lack of doctors on duty. The Banglamung Hospital will work closely to support us."

A letter covering these matters was drafted and sent to the Chonburi governor, who’s office will in turn pass it on to the responsible government officials.

Finally, Khun Suchart discussed the subject of reorganizing all of the buoys that mark the borders of each area of the island to clear any current confusion.

Copyright 1998 Pattaya Mail Publishing Co.Ltd.
370/7-8 Pattaya Second Road, Pattaya City, Chonburi 20260, Thailand 
Tel.66-38 411 240-1, 413 240-1, Fax:66-38 427 596; e-mail: [email protected]
Created by Andy Gombaz, assisted by Chinnaporn Sangwanlek.