English paedophile caught with three young boys

Police send another message: paedophiles not welcome here

Lionel Peter McCarthy, a 51-year-old British tourist, was arrested at his hotel last week for molesting 3 young boys.

Pattaya Tourist Police had been investigating his activities after receiving information that he was reportedly alluring young boys to his hotel room to perform sexual favors.

On 28 September, police observed McCarthy bring three young boys to his hotel room at approximately 10:00 p.m. Soon after, a group of officers from the Pattaya Tourist Police Department 3 determined which room he was in and knocked on his door. When McCarthy answered, the officers could see that the three young boys were undressed.

Lionel Peter McCarthy, a 51-year-old British tourist, was arrested last week for sexually abusing three boys aged 12-13.

McCarthy was taken into custody for sexually abusing minor boys.

Police confiscated a number of photographs of the boys hugging McCarthy and one used condom.

The three boys, aged 12-13, were taken to the police station where they told police that McCarthy became friendly with them on the street. He invited them to his room, promising to give them toys and video games. But once in the room, they said they were introduced to “other forms of entertainment” to please McCarthy.

McCarthy told police he was employed with Hong Kong Bank. Police had a translator explain to him that he was being turned over to Pattaya Police to stand trial for luring minors under 15 years of age away from their parents or guardians in order to perform lewd and immoral sexual acts.

Both Pattaya’s Police and Tourist Police have indicated that they will continue to give this type of crime top priority. Currently, there are other suspects and arrests are believed to be imminent. Paedophiles never have been, and never will be welcome in Pattaya. The penalty for this crime is severe, and all indications are that all perpetrators of this crime will incur the full wrath of the law. The message is clear: leave our children alone.

Wastewater treatment plant delayed again

Samprasit asks for yet another extension

Pattaya’s 1.8 billion baht wastewater treatment project has reached another setback. The Samprasit Construction Company, contracted to undertake the project two years ago, has asked for another extension to give them until December 2000 to get the plant on line. If granted, the cumulative delays would total 20 months beyond the initial completion date.

The last Samprasit Company update revealed the machinery to power the treatment facility was expected to arrive in February and assembled in March, with the remainder of the year needed to test the operation and train operators in maintaining the facility.

Their latest plea for extra time prompted Pattaya Mayor Pairat Suthithamrongsawat to meet with city council members last week to determine how to press for the completion of the project. Vice-Governor of Chonburi Preecha Kamonbut chaired the meeting, and four Chonburi officials from the Ministry of Science, Environment and Technology also took part. All agreed not to allow the construction progress to be delayed any more than necessary.

The ad hoc committee stressed the importance of getting the 1.8 billion baht project inspection committee to confirm the necessity of extending the project to December 2000. The following objections and stipulations were included:

1. If the extension to December 2000 is approved there will be serious affects on tourism to Pattaya.

2. The Samprasit Construction Company should be pressed to complete the installation of the power machinery by this coming March and if any technical obstacles are encountered they should be corrected within a one month period.

3. The completion of the water treatment facility is crucial to public relation aspects of tourism to Pattaya. No other promotional activity equals the importance of cleaning Pattaya waters so that they are pollution free.

The members at the meeting wish to mandate that the completion date be no later than July-August 2000, including the power machinery set up, testing the operational functions and training maintenance personnel. An added period could be included to adjust the proper mixtures to treat the water and manage any other yet unforeseen obstacles.

The results of the meeting were summarized and forwarded to the National Environmental Committee for consideration. Pattaya City recently sent off a similar request for consideration to the office of the Prime Minister and the Environmental Committee.

“Black Money” gang busted

Once again, truth is stranger than fiction

Emmanuel Arowosegde Oluwatise, 24, from Sierra Leone, and James Teah, also 24, from Liberia were arrested last week for possession of heroin and resisting arrest. They were caught in an unrelated incident after cheating an Australian tourist out of 1.5 million baht.

The Australian tourist, who wished to remain anonymous, told Pattaya Tourist Police that he first met the men on the evening of 6 September at a beer bar in Phuket. He said the two introduced themselves as former American servicemen who claimed they could arrange obtaining a large sum of chemically coated US dollars kept at the U.S. Embassy. He said they discussed further plans to open a business in Thailand using the chemically treated, black colored currency to open the business.

Emmanuel Arowosegde Oluwatise and James Teah were arrested for possession of heroin, deceiving money from a tourist and resisting arrest.

The men explained the black coating could be washed away with a special chemical solution. The original face of the currency would then become exposed.

The two men convinced the tourist to put up 500,000 baht to pay off the embassy official holding the black currency, whereby the two men agreed to split the entire amount with the Australian tourist after he exchanged it into Thai currency.

After receiving the first half-million baht, the conmen perhaps got caught up in the greed aspect of their con and went for the big score. They told the tourist that the procedure to wash the coated U.S. currency required a chemical solution that cost one million baht. The tourist, having already been drawn in for 500,000 baht, agreed to meet with the two men at the Pattaya Woodland Resort Hotel where he handed over a check for one million baht. He was to wait while the conmen acquired the chemical solution. After a few hours passed, he realized he had been duped and reported his unfortunate account to authorities in Pattaya.

A group of police officers caught up with the two conmen at the Nice Hotel on Pratamnak Road. The tourist was able to identify the two men as they walked out of the hotel carrying a suitcase.

The two conmen resisted arrest, pushing the police officers and attempting to run, but were soon brought under control.

The suitcase belonging to the two con artists not only contained the tourist’s check for one million baht, instruction material for washing the chemically coated currency, three facemasks, rubber gloves, and a smaller bag containing black paper cut to the size of U.S. currency, but a number of vials of heroin as well.

Arowosegde and Oluwatise are being charged with possession of an illegal narcotic (heroin), which carries class 1 punishment, as well as for deceiving money from a tourist and resisting arrest.

Restaurant raid frees 5 sex slaves

Girls turned over to the Women and Children Assistance Center

Pattaya Police last week raided the Ban Lao Restaurant on Pattaya 3rd Road, freeing 5 young girls who were being forced into prostitution. The restaurant is located just 200 meters from city hall.

Restaurant owner Jae Phloi from Bangkok, also known as “Miss Jinda”, was arrested along with her strongman, Saichon Phikulwong, age 29, from Lampang. Restaurant employees from Chiang Rai were also taken in for questioning.

The arrests were made after police performed a carefully planned sting operation.

Five girls between the ages 15-17 years old were released from captivity, and after police questioning, all five were turned over to the Women and Children Assistance Center for temporary care until relatives are notified.

The five girls told police that they were contracted in Chiang Rai to work at the Ban Lao restaurant for 3,500 baht a month. Within three days after arriving, however, they were forced to engage in prostitution with tourists coming to the restaurant. This had been going on for the past four months.

They said that Jae Phloi warned them that if they didn’t comply at the restaurant, one of their punishments would be for Saichon to deliver them to various hotels for the purpose of prostitution, then later lock them into a house located behind the Nong Yai Temple in Nong Prue.

Police charges being brought against the owner and restaurant employees stands as forcing minor girls into prostitution against their will and operating an unregistered business in an illegal manner.

Jae Phloi refused to admit to the charges and contacted her notable lawyer from Soi Post Office to bail her out.

Panel set up to address dying fish in Laem Chabang

Hotline also set up to receive pollution info

Answering the ongoing dilemma of fish dying in his area, Laem Chabang Mayor Boonlert Nomsil indicated that the local municipal government will assume the responsibilities of investigating reports of pollution. The local government will test the quality of the water and report their findings to the Chonburi Environmental Office.

The municipal government has formed a panel to oversee all measures are followed accordingly. The panel consists of officials from the municipal council and includes representatives from the environmental control office, residents from the community and members from the Laem Chabang Industrial Estates.

Samples of water will be routinely tested and the results will be included in a semi-annual report, along with information pertaining to local industrial compliance with ISO 14000 environmental standards.

The new panel has established a telephone hotline number to call to report incidents involving water contamination in the Laem Chabang area. The mayor said the panel will immediately follow up on all incoming calls. The number to call is (038) 400-829, 199, or 191.

Detours causing problems on North Pattaya Road

Shop owners call for compensation

Shop owners along North Pattaya Road are calling for compensation after road construction there has closed many parts of the thoroughfare.

The construction has caused some businesses to suffer, while others, perhaps more enterprising, are charging for passage through the detours in the area. A group of shop owners last week brought these complaints to Deputy City Manager Niran Watanasadsathorn.

The shop owner’s main complaint is the on-going construction blocking access to their various shops, which is causing inconvenient detours behind the shops. In one area, people who claim the area is private property are charging 20 baht for each vehicle passing through the detour.

Deputy City Manager Niran ordered officials to investigate the matter and if the property is found to be privately owned as claimed, an agreement will be negotiated with the owner. Additionally, the city will co-ordinate with the construction company to open up one lane to provide access to the shops.

City working to ensure water safety

Seek to enforce watercraft registration

The Pattaya City Council met with a number of watercraft business owners late last month to discuss ways to reduce dangers in ocean waters and insure the safety of visiting tourists.

The administration is still not satisfied with the status and control of motor craft in area waters, especially after the recent speedboat accident where a group of tourists from Hong Kong were injured.

The city administration views the accident as another incident degrading the image of Pattaya. This has prompted the council to look for methods of controlling activities in area waters, including Larn Island.

Solutions are still being considered and the city council is seeking assistance from the Coastal Water Police, Fishing Department, and Port Officials.

During the meeting it was found that many of the watercraft are still not registered properly. The owners of the floats in the water have also yet to register, even though they have been fined 2,000 baht in the past.

Fishing boats are still operating within the 3,000 meter limits. However, starting in December the larger boats will be prohibited from fishing in the area up until February when the spawning season begins.

Further, the Laem Chabang Port Authority is to discontinue issuing permits to restaurant boats to restrict the number of boats in the area.

Pattaya’s waste disposal site reaching capacity

New site found, but with legal problems

Administrators predict that within two years, Pattaya’s current waste disposal site will reach its maximum capacity. The city administration has identified 140 rai of land located in Khao Mai Keo Sub-District for a new site, but there are still legal matters to be settled concerning the purchase of the land.

Pattaya City Manager Niran Watanasadsathorn predicts the new site could be secured by the end of the year, in time before the current location reaches its full capacity. The new location is expected to be able to provide 10-15 years of use before reaching full capacity.

The Environmental Plans and Policy Office from the Ministry of Science and Environmental Technology has authorized over 55 million baht from the Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund to support the purchase.

However, legal problems indicate that the land is selling at a cost way over what it is really worth.

Saensukh Mayor celebrates auspicious day

September 30th is a day circled on the calendar of many people throughout the Eastern Seaboard and beyond, for it is the birthday of Saensukh Municipality Mayor Somchai Khunpluem.

When the coastal giant’s birthday arrived again this year, Somchai Khunpluem, his wife Stil and their three sons opened their house to the many guests who came from all points on the compass to present well wishes to “Kamnan Po”.

Amorn Malhotra, Managing Editor of the Pattaya Mail Newspaper, presents an oil painting to the Mayor of Saensukh Municipality Somchai Khunpluem on his birthday.

The guest list of local dignitaries who came to wish him a happy birthday included Pattaya Mayor Pairat Suthithamrongsawat, Pattaya city council members, Banglamung representatives to the Chonburi Parliament Council, Chairman of Chonburi Parliament Chanyut Hengtrakul, Rewat Phonluk-In, Chalerm Ketjae, Mongkhon Sawaenghasap, Managing Editor of the Pattaya Mail Amorn Malhotra, the news media, and many people from the business community and various private organizations.

People from all over contact Somchai Khunpluem to request his presence to preside over various types of ceremonies, including weddings, birthdays, funerals, and other auspicious occasions. He rarely turns down an invitation unless absolutely unavoidable, in which case he will have one or more of his sons preside in his place. The courtesy shown by Somchai Khunpluem makes any host very proud. This respect is returned on his birthday, and all who were present wish him a long and healthy life.

Planting trees to honor the King

Sukhumvit Road “spruced” up

In true community spirit, Pattaya’s residents have been beautifying the city to honor His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s 72nd birthday in December. On 23 September, area residents were invited to participate by helping plant trees and spruce up areas along Sukhumvit Road.

Banglamung District Chief Prasert Thanasethakorn (back right), Pattaya Mayor Pairat Suthithamrongsawat (front right), Royal Thai Navy Deputy Commander from Sattahip Vice-Admiral Khajornsak Khumplian (center) and other officials plant a tree in front of the Banglamung District Office.

Banglamung District Chief Prasert Thanasethakorn presided over the opening ceremony prior to the planting. Other distinguished guests included Pattaya Mayor Pairat Suthithamrongsawat, Royal Thai Navy Deputy Commander from Sattahip Vice-Admiral Khajornsak Khumplian, President of the Pattaya Business and Tourism Association (PBTA) Surat Mekhawarakul, and many other interested members from over 44 organizations in the community.

Personnel from the Royal Thai Navy assisted area residents in the planting, starting in the area of Jitphawan College at kilometer marker 138. The day’s planting stretched all the way to the Pattaya City limit, kilometer marker 153, all along Sukhumvit Road.

PBTA members said the activity honoring His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s coming birthday is the starting point of consolidated efforts by the government and private sector to make positive improvements in Pattaya.

Banglamung District gets new office

Banglamung’s new district office building was officially declared open on 30 September when Deputy Minister of the Interior, Chamnee Sakadised presided over the opening ceremony.

Chonburi Governor Sujarit Pachimnan announced the proceedings as a large assembly of notable figures took part, including the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Tourism of the House of Representatives Santsak Ngamphiches.

Deputy Minister of the Interior Chamnee Sakadised (center) presses the button lifting the curtain t o expose the sign on the new Banglamung District Office building.

Commemorative gifts were then presented to those who generously provided financial support towards the construction of the building.

The former building was over 45 years old and in poor condition. It was not longer able to accommodate the increased number of personnel now servicing the growing district.

The Ministry of Interior allocated approximately eight million baht from the budget for the construction of the new office building.

To insure efficient administration and new growth, the Pattaya business community and private sector provided an additional eight million baht to build two other, smaller facilities behind the main office building. The money was also earmarked to cover the cost of office equipment for all facilities.

The Banglamung District Office administrates five sub-districts, two municipalities and Pattaya City.

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Updated by Boonsiri Suansuk