Bhichai Rattakul nominated for President of Rotary International, 2002-03

Bhichai Rattakul served as a Member of Parliament of Thailand for nine terms. During his long career in government, he also served his country as leader of the Democratic Party, as foreign minister in 1975-76, as deputy prime minister for 10 years, and as chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. As a cabinet member of the Royal Thai Government, Mr. Rattakul was vice chairman of the National Security Council and chairman of the Counter Corruption Commission and the Narcotics Control Board. Before entering government, he was president of the Thai Pharmaceuticals Manufacturing Association and Director of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Thai Industries.

Mr. Rattakul has received many awards and decorations from the Their Majesties, The King of Thailand and the Emperor of Japan and the presidents of the Philippines, Republic of Korea, Austria, and Nicaragua. He has led many Thai delegations to the United Nations General Assembly.

Since becoming a charter member of the Rotary Club of Dhonburi in 1958, Mr. Rattakul has served RI as district governor, International Assembly discussion leader, committee member and chairman, Foundation trustee, and director and chairman of the Executive Committee of the Board. Currently, he is a member of the 2000-01 Diplomatic Relations Task Force.

Mr. Rattakul has received The Rotary Foundation’s Distinguished Service Award and Citation for Meritorious Service for his support of its international humanitarian and educational programs.

Vacant lot fire in Soi 17 alarms nearby residents

Traffic causes problems for firefighters

Residents in the area of Soi 17 and Pattaya 3rd Road were collecting valuables from their homes preparing to evacuate the area as a raging field fire sent rolling clouds of black smoke into the air.

This blaze on Soi 17 sent neighbors fleeing in every direction.

Streams of vehicles crowded the streets with some people trying to leave the area as others were coming to see the commotion, creating a hectic situation for three fire trucks trying to get to the fire during the noon hour on 12 September 2000.

A crowd of people was gathered near the vacant lot with many people trying to contain the blaze when fire trucks arrived. One hour later the fire diminished and the crowd of onlookers applauded the fire fighters still engaging the smoldering rubble.

The thick rolling black smoke was later found to be from a number of old tires discarded in the vacant lot and how or who ignited the fire is unknown but the initial blaze and amount of smoke alarmed the entire neighborhood sending residents in every direction.

Body missing hand and scalp found in field

Police arrest his friend and rival

The body of Phrai Thitiworn, aged 37, was found in a cassava field in Khao Mai Kaew on September 4th. Phrai had been brutally mutilated with one hand having been dismembered and head scalped.

Bang Lamung police and Sawang Boriboon Rescue Unit personnel soon arrived at the scene near the Forestry Department on Highway 36. The condition of the corpse suggested that the murder had occurred 6-7 days earlier.

Prasop Ramriankij was arrested for allegedly brutally murdering his rival for the affections of a woman.

The body was unrecognizable to local residents until Miss Samran Posuwan arrived and was able positively identify that it was her husband, who had disappeared a week ago.

The investigation continued throughout the day ending in the arrest of Prasop Ramriankij. Witnesses, who had identified a blood stained knife found near the body, said that it had been in Prasop’s possession on the night of 27 August when the two men had been drinking together at a party.

Phrai was observed leaving the party first and Prasop drove off on his motorbike shortly thereafter, with the knife in his possession. Witnesses told police both men were romantically involved with Miss Samran.

Prasop is denying the accusations, claiming that he had been a close friend of Phrai for the past 10 years. He described to police how he was instrumental in getting Phrai to take a one-year stay at a Buddhist temple in Sri Racha. He said that after his recent departure from the monk hood, the two had gotten together with friends at a drinking party on August 27.

Prasop remains in police custody while they continue with their investigation.

12-year-old raped by her uncle

Finally turns him in after enduring 5 years of hell

The parents of a 12-year-old girl from Nong Prue contacted Pattaya police on 5 September reporting their daughter had been continuously raped and threatened by her uncle since she was the age of seven. The 12-year-old girl had just recently alerted her parents to the torture she had endured over the last five years.

Officers from the Children and Women’s Rights Division questioned the 12-year old girl, who described her uncle, Khamjant Sakol, as meeting her at school one day when she was attending first grade and taking her to buy school supplies. He later took her to a vacant lot where he raped her for the first time.

The girl said she lived in constant fear as Khamjant continued to meet her, forcing her to have sex. He constantly threatened to kill both her parents if she told anyone. Finally, she said the torment was too much and she decided to tell her parents.

Khamjant recently arrived at her parent’s home in Soi Suk Sabaai while she was alone, and threatening her in his usual manner, dragged her into the bedroom and raped her.

Soon afterwards Oh’s parents contacted the police to report that the man was at their home in Soi Sukh Sabaai trying to coerce them into an agreeable solution to overlook the matter.

During police questioning, Khamjant told police officers and news reporters that he was unperturbed by the charges brought against him, saying that he could pay off officials before going to court. He had to be restrained by police as he cursed news reporters trying to question him when he was dragged off to his cell.

Illegal Cambodian immigrants and Thai “mangdars” arrested

Thais were selling young girls into prostitution

Police last week raided a Nong Prue apartment and arrested 16 Cambodians that had illegally entered the Kingdom. Four were young girls between the ages of 8 and 12.

Investigating officers were shocked to learn that the young girls were being used for prostitution under the control of two Thai men staying in the same building. The two men were allegedly charging 2,000-2,500 baht for the girls’ services and collecting a 500 baht commission.

Immigration police arrested 16 illegal Cambodian immigrants and 2 Thai drug addicts who were working as pimps, controlling four under-age prostitutes.

When the group of Cambodians pointed out the room where the two men were staying, immigration police burst in and found the two men engaged in using methamphetamines. Five rolled cigarettes containing methamphetamine powder and three methamphetamine pills were confiscated along with associated drug paraphernalia.

Nirand Khemngamdee, aged 17, and Suntorn Phannotayan, aged 23, confessed to the prostitution activities described by the minor girls, telling police they did it to support their drug habit.

The 16 Cambodians remain in custody awaiting eventual deportation procedures.

Nirand and Sunthorn face charges of possession of illegal narcotics carrying a class 1 penalty, harboring foreigners illegally residing in the Kingdom, and sexual exploitation of children under the age of 15.

Two arrested trying to pass stolen travelers checks

Dutchman snared in Thai woman’s scheme

Hendrick Adrian Van Der Zwan, 55, from the Netherlands and Miss Ladda Awnbunthong, 23, from Surin were arrested last week for trying to cash stolen travelers checks.

A foreign exchange employee at Yen Chit Exchange in South Pattaya alerted police when Van Der Zwan tried to cash two US$100 travelers checks that were not issued in his name.

The exchange employee had recently exchanged one of the US$100 checks, only to discover later that the issuing bank would not honor it, as it had been reported stolen. When Van Der Zwan and Ladda entered the exchange shop and tried to cash two more, the employee recognized that they were the same type of check, and that the signatures did not match the signature in Van Der Zwan’s passport.

The employee managed to stall the two until police arrived, who then took both in for questioning.

Van Der Zwan told police he obtained the two American Travelers Checks from Ladda, who had asked him to cash the same type of check for her on 4 September. Using his passport, he was successful in exchanging the first US$100 check for over 4,000 baht. Ladda later gave him two more checks and requested his amiable assistance.

During Ladda’s initial explanation, she tried to convince police she was innocent of any wrongdoing, claiming the checks belonged to her sister and she was totally unaware of the significance of the signatures on the checks. However, police continued the interrogation until Ladda ran out of plausible answers and finally gave in, confessing to purchasing the US$100 checks for 500 baht each.

Both Ladda and Van Der Zwan will stand trial, charged with trying to pass off stolen checks.

Police called to quell disturbance in barricaded room

Man threatens suicide for want of a mobile phone

Miss Pirun Saetan contacted Pattaya police at 4.00 a.m. on September 6 requesting assistance at her 3rd floor apartment in Soi Chaiyapoon where her boyfriend had locked himself inside the room and was creating a disturbance.

It is not yet known why Wachara Srithong went berserk in his apartment and threatened to kill himself for want of a mobile phone.

When police arrived, Wachara Srithong was busily destroying the apartment and had barricaded the door with furniture, refusing to come out. Police attempts to calm the man failed, and Wachara threatened to kill himself if anyone entered.

His behavior led police to believe he was on drugs or was drunk. Wachara ranted and raved, demanding a mobile phone so he could contact his employer. He threatened to kill himself if his demand was not met.

His girlfriend was unable to explain his actions. She told the police that Wachara had come home upset and began arguing and throwing things around causing her to run from the apartment.

After two hours of no progress, a truck with a hoist ladder was positioned below the third floor window with an emergency inflatable safety cushion in place whilst unarmed police officers stormed the front door and back window.

The sudden action caught Wachara by surprise and police were able to halt his frantic attempt to fight back. Wachara was escorted to the police station where he remains in custody.

Thailand has enough natural gas to last decades

Pattaya’s Exhibition and Conference Hall (PEACH) at the Royal Cliff Beach Resort hosted the GASEX 2000 conference last week, which was visited by more than 600 officials and company representatives from 15 countries. The conference is held every two years.

Gas Information Exchange in Asian Pacific Region (GASEX) consists of member countries China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Papa New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Brunei and Thailand.

Amongst the many displays was a Natural Gas Powered Truck

The member countries fall into categories of natural gas producers and exporters, countries with natural gas reserves and production for internal use, and countries importing natural gas.

The “GASEX 2000” conference and exhibition, titled “Energy Dynamics, Economic Prospects and Environmental Challenges for a Brighter Future” had over 60 leading international companies setting up displays.

The conference topics included natural gas industrial developments in each country, publicizing progress on technological developments and presenting research and analysis reports from experts from member countries. Much emphasis was put on promoting natural gas as an alternative energy source, especially given the rising cost of fossil fuels.

The largest producers and exporters of liquefied natural gas are Indonesia, Malaysia and Australia, with Japan, Taiwan and Korea as the main importers.

Natural gas reserves in Thailand and Myanmar are enough to satisfy future requirements for a number of decades, and PTT plans are underway to connect 2,280 kilometers of natural gas pipes.

One of the main topics during the conference concerned the planned pipeline connecting natural gas production areas in Malaysia and Indonesia to other Asian countries, including China and possibly Korea and Japan.

The GASEX 2000 conference was organized by Thai Petroleum Authority Governor Wised Chubhibal and PTT Refinery Business Director Wichit Yaembunruang, with an exhibition opened by the Minister of Industry Suwat Liptapallop.

Calling for rental space price revisions

Vendors from Naklua produce markets have petitioned city hall for a fair reduction in monthly lot rental fees. They are asking for the price revisions due to the current economic situation.

Presently, 100 larger lots at the Naklua public produce market rent out for 1,400-1,500 baht per month. Smaller locations along the perimeter rent out at 500 baht per month. The monthly concession fee for the bathroom facilities at the Naklua market costs the proprietor 3,500 baht.

The petition described the rental space costs as being “inequitable” given the current economic situation, which is causing vendors financial difficulties.

City councilors said they would look into the matter to try and find a suitable solution to accommodate the vendors, but as of yet no decisive action has been formulated. Another meeting is expected to take place with other officials and committee members in the near future.

In a related matter, city councilors discussed the concessions and bathroom facilities located at Dongtan Beach, where vendor space rents out at 3,500 baht per month.

The two recently constructed bathroom facilities at Dongtan Beach are yet to be put to use, as the city is still waiting for someone willing to pay the city’s required fees and annual lease, which may be negotiable. Last quotes included an annual concession fee of 30,000 baht, an annual lease of 100,000 baht and a 3,500 baht monthly rental fee. Meanwhile, public peeing continues.