Pattaya City turns 22

City celebrates anniversary of gaining “special status”

Mayor Pairat Suttithamrongsawat and members of the city council led local officials and leaders of the community in a ceremony in front of city hall commemorating the city’s 22nd anniversary on November 29.

City hall workers and the community gather to offer flowers, joss sticks, candles and other offerings at the monument of King Taksin the Great

Flowers, joss sticks, candles and other offerings were placed at the monument of King Taksin the Great, which was followed by a “tambun” ceremony conducted by nine monks.

Up until 22 years ago, Pattaya’s form of government was unable to answer the needs of the community. Thus, on 29 November 1978, the city was elevated to a special status, using a city management system.

Since then, in keeping with other changes effected by the new constitution, the Ministry of the Interior enacted additional changes in October 1999 to allow the city to have its first elected office bearers.

Police conduct another katoey round up

All fined and released

Pattaya police conducted another late night raid on Beach Road, rounding up a group of “katoeys” (girls of the second category) lurking in the shadows trying to relieve tourists of their money.

Police rounded up another group (or perhaps it was the same group) of rogue katoeys down on Beach Road.

Pol. Cpt. Seri Wajeesadcha led the raid last week, when a group of police officers arrested a gaggle of katoeys along Pattaya Beach Road from North Pattaya to South Pattaya Road. The group was taken into the police station and fined, with charges ranging from vagrancy to causing a public nuisance. Each was released with a warning.

The troublesome activity continues despite police raids, and the imposition of minor fines is not enough to keep the culprits from returning to ply their tricks the next night.

The usual targets are unsuspecting tourists who end up being accosted by the deep voiced katoeys. These meetings often end in robbery or some other type of altercation that just adds to Pattaya’s poor reputation. Some are involved in the sex trade while others are willing to commit assault in order to relieve the unwary of their valuables.

Gold shop gunman tracked to Larn Island

Wanted for armed robbery and murder

Panom Muangmee, age 30, was arrested on Larn Island on November 27 after Ayutthaya police received a tip that he was hiding out there.

Panom was wanted for gunning down 32-year-old motorcycle taxi driver Kitti Amnuaywichai during a gold shop robbery in Ayutthaya. Kitti, who was reportedly shot for refusing to help Panom escape, died from gunshot wounds. The gold shop owner, Vinai Asvapaithoon, was also shot and wounded during the robbery.

A group of armed police officers from Provincial Region 1, led by Pol. Col. Thawee Sodsong, met with Pattaya Municipal Police Superintendent Pol. Lt. Col. Sakraphi Phiawphanich to obtain assistance in apprehending Panom. The Region 1 Police had received a tip that Panom was hiding out among other mobsters operating from Larn Island.

Police from Pattaya and Region 1 acquired three speedboats and cautiously approached the island without alerting suspicion. The group of officers surrounded an unregistered house where they suspected Panom was hiding, and within a short period easily took Panom into custody. Panom was found sound asleep inside and completely unaware that he was traced to the island. Police found a 9mm pistol and an undisclosed amount of gold in his possession at the time of the arrest.

Handcuffed to 40-year-old Pol. Sgt. Sukhum Saeng-On, Panom was escorted to the Larn Island docks where the tide had receded making it difficult to climb down to the waiting boats. During the climb down the ladder, the handcuffed criminal lost his footing and pulled Pol. Sgt. Sukhum down with him, resulting the officer receiving broken ribs.

When the group arrived back in Pattaya the injured officer was transferred to Pattaya Memorial Hospital for treatment.

Panom was quickly ushered off to jail.

German wanted for murder arrested in Pattaya

Allegedly hiding for the past eight years

Helmut Knut Goffringman, wanted for murder and other crimes in Germany, was arrested in Pattaya on November 29.

Goffringman, a 36-year old German national described as an element in the German Mafia, allegedly murdered a weapons dealer in Frankfurt before stealing three AK-47 assault rifles. He is also wanted for attempted murder and drug related charges and has allegedly been avoiding arrest since 1992, moving from place to place whilst hiding out in Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia and lastly in Pattaya.

Helmut Knut Goffringman, wanted for murder and other crimes in Germany, was arrested in Pattaya on November 29.

Goffringman was arrested at a Soi Sakaow hotel during a raid led by Immigration Police Lieutenant-General Hemarach Thareethai after the German Embassy in Thailand coordinated the action with Thai authorities.

Goffringman’s Thai girlfriend, Wanthong Yoiram, age 44, who was present during the arrest, told police that Goffringman was abusive and that he did little other than sit around getting drunk every day, boasting about his criminal past. She said Goffringman often claimed that he murdered someone in his past, but she said she usually ignored his drunken remarks.

Goffringman gave no statements to police. He was charged with illegally residing in the Kingdom and was turned over to the German Embassy for extradition.

Police had also gathered information indicating Goffringman was in the process of organizing an extortion ring targeting foreign owned bars in Pattaya.

In related news, German police officials also coordinated the arrest in Pattaya of German national Jahn Robert, age 37, wanted on two counts of sexually abusing minors in Munich. Robert was arrested at a bar in Soi 7 off of Pattaya Beach Road while he was allegedly trying to entice someone into a similar liaison.

Five hoodlums arrested for terrorizing Pattaya

Young gang mugged and robbed up to 30 people

Pattaya Police arrested five young hoodlums hiding out in an abandoned building in Soi 17 in South Pattaya following a mugging reported by Ms. Saitong Didsapong.

Five young gangsters were arrested for terrorizing the streets of Pattaya.

Ms. Saitong told police two men rode up on a motorbike, assaulted her and took her purse containing a large amount of cash, two hand held phones and her gold bracelet and necklace.

The two men were later identified as Suntorn Phatisana, age 17, and Manod Sukcharern, age 18.

During their arrest, police confiscated an 11-mm pistol and recovered most of Ms. Saitong’s money and other belongings, as well as items stolen from other victims.

Three other members of the gang were also arrested and later identified as Anochao Phanpaiphan, age 17, Narongchai Yankhru, age 18, and Natharat Sriobcheuy, age 18.

The gang members confessed to committing over 30 muggings in Pattaya. They said they would ride up to victims on three motorbikes, one following the other, and if the gang members on the first bike had difficulties with the target the follow up members would assist. After each robbery the gang members said they divided the loot, spending the money on methamphetamine drugs.

Elephant committee reduces number of local establishments

Sets prices, wages and standards for elephant care

As a result of an early November Pattaya Elephant Preservation Committee meeting, the number of elephant businesses in Pattaya has been reduced from 6 to 3. The committee has also set standard prices for tours, as well as for mahout wages and elephant care. The list of changes was forwarded to Chonburi for review and approval.

Governor Sujarit Pachimnan chaired a meeting in Chonburi to review the new procedures and discuss problems resulting from business owners cutting admission prices in an attempt to attract more customers. In the ensuing price war, prices once set at 200 baht for a 30-minute elephant ride were steadily cut down to 40 baht. The price cuts eventually came out of mahouts’ wages, breaching original agreements and jeopardizing their elephants’ welfare. The cuts also caused some elephant businesses to fail.

The price cuts started when tour guides began bargaining with elephant business owners for package tours from China. The situation eventually evolved into a national level problem involving the Tourist Authority of Thailand and the central government.

Meanwhile, representatives from the Chinese National Tour Agency are due to arrive here sometime in mid-December to investigate reports of unfair practices taking advantage of tourists on forced “optional” tours.

Suan Panomwatanakul, chairman of the Pattaya Elephant Preservation Committee, said the committee decided to reduce the number of businesses from the six previous establishments to only three, with the remaining elephants consolidating at Suan Chang, Camp Chang and Thin Chang Thai.

The elephants at the three businesses will operate and be financially controlled under the newly formed Pattaya Elephant Preservation Committee. The committee has established standard prices to charge tourists, and monthly salaries for mahouts have also been set at 7,500 baht, with an average daily wage of 450 baht given to working elephants taking tourists on nature treks. The committee plans to conduct routine inspections to ensure proper care is provided for the elephants.

Governor Sujarit stressed the importance of maintaining tourist safety and said the welfare of the elephants was just as important. He then reiterated that all elephants employed in the province must be registered in order to control their numbers and provide follow-up care.

Currently, there are 214 elephants registered in Chonburi with the majority having migrated from Surin.

Local government helping flood victims in the south

The floods that hit the provinces in Southern Thailand created havoc. Flood levels over three meters deep drowned cars and drove people from their homes. Already 43 deaths have resulted from the disaster. The situation quickly escalated to a national disaster and the central government responded by sending in supplies and mobilizing military personnel and equipment to assist the many victims.

The Pattaya community has shown its benevolence by collecting a horde of goods to send to flood victims in the south.

Pattaya’s city administration joined Banglamung Cable TV Service Company and the Sawang Boriboon Rescue Foundation in organizing donation centers in Jomtien, Wad Phot and Wad Chaiyamongkhon. Food goods, both dried and canned, clothing and medicine were collected, along with monetary donations to assist the flood victims in the south.

The collective effort was supported by members from the Pattaya Rotary Club, the Y.W.C.A. Pattaya Chapter, the Pattaya Southern Thailand Community Association, and many people assisting from the general public.

Others wishing to assist in providing support to the stricken families in Thailand’s southern provinces can donate items at Pattaya City Hall from 8:30 to 4 p.m., or call 038-429407/8 for additional information.

Chatrapai Burudsapad from the National Security Council last week chaired a seminar in Jomtien on international terrorism.

The theme of the seminar was to increase awareness that although Thailand is not considered to be a country targeted by international terrorist groups, Thailand needs to be prepared in case of an emergency.

The seminar was presented to members of different government agencies in the Chonburi area.

“The many foreign businesses operating in Thailand and the various embassies in Bangkok with many visiting dignitaries could invite a terrorist attack at any time,” Chatrapai said. He emphasized the need to be aware of such possibilities and to gain an understanding of the government policies pertaining to international terrorism.