Joins AP family - first in Thailand outside of Bangkok

In our continuing effort to explore new ways to upgrade your newspaper, the Pattaya Mail is proud to announce that on Friday, November 23 we joined the Associated Press family. Thus begins yet another new chapter in Pattaya Mail history. Every week from this week forward we will bring into your home the best, most interesting news, features, science, entertainment and sports the world has to offer, which only the Associated Press can deliver.

Denis D. Gray, Chief of Bureau, Associated Press, Bangkok (left) and Pattaya Mail Managing Director Peter Malhotra sign an agreement, making Pattaya Mail the first newspaper in Thailand outside of Bangkok to join the AP family.

As Denis D. Gray, Chief of Bureau, Associated Press Bangkok said, “The Associated Press has been around since 1848, has enjoyed a very strong presence in Bangkok for decades, but not until we signed a contract last Friday with the Pattaya Mail did the world’s largest news organization enjoy exposure in Thailand’s provincial areas. That day we were proud to offer our news and photo services to this key and expanding news outlet on the Eastern Seaboard.

“To paraphrase the film ‘Casablanca,’ we hope that this is the beginning of a long and beautiful relationship.

“To Pattaya Mail readers who may not be familiar with the AP, here are a few facts about us:

“We serve as a source of news, photos, graphics, audio and video for more than one billion people a day - the smallest Outback newspaper and giants like CNN rely on the AP for some of the 20 million words, 1,000 photos and the steady stream of video feeds we provide every 24 hours, 365 days a year. Pattaya Mail now joins 8,500 international subscribers who receive AP news and photos.

“The AP, which is headquartered in New York City, operates out of 242 bureaus worldwide and serves 121 countries, including of course Thailand where our bureau in Bangkok also supervises coverage of neighboring Cambodia, Myanmar and Laos.

“But more important than all the facts and figures, we pride ourselves on reporting the news without fear or favor, steering rigorously clear of bias and prejudice, and trying to be everywhere news is made. We like to quote the great Indian Mohandas K. Gandhi who on being released from one of his prison terms told our waiting reporter: ‘I suppose when I go to the Hereafter and stand at the Golden Gate, the first person I shall meet will be a correspondent of the Associated Press.’”

Need budget approval

Banlua Kunlawanich, chairman of the city engineers and public utilities committee, announced city plans to develop 800 meters of beach from at the Cholchant Resort to Wat Jitabhawan (Buddhist University) and onto Kratinglai Beach.

The city plans to convert the area into a new beach attraction in Pattaya that coincides with the city’s beach beautification plans, which are supported by B102 million budget received from the Tourist Authority of Thailand. A good portion of the budget, B60 million, is allocated to an in-laid brick walkway similar to that on Larn Island. The remaining funds are directed at improvements on other Pattaya beach areas. The work is expected to begin at the start of 2002.

Additionally, the city has requested B105 million from the government’s economical stimulation committee for other tourist attraction improvements. Some of the plans, if approved, include improvements at Tawaen Beach on Larn Island (B25m), an inspection boat (B7.4m), mobile bathroom facilities (B6.6m), and a garbage incinerator (B30m).

Banlua said the improvements are dependent on approval from the economic stimulation committee, but he expects no problems, and noted in the improvements recently taking place at Jomtien Beach.

Another plan calls for lining Pattaya Beach Road from North to South Pattaya with 1,000 coconut trees. Previous coconut trees planted in the area have had a 95% success rate, unlike other trees which don’t take to the soil and coastal air. The city is leaning more to coconut trees for their exceptional adaptability in absorbing moisture from saltwater shores.

Rewriting local regulations

The city administration hasn’t yet decided on how they will charge customers for use of the new wastewater treatment plant. The plant was finished nearly a year ago.

The sub-committee formed to look into the matter is now considering changing city regulations, adding clauses to reflect wastewater treatment costs and penalties for consumers failing to comply.

Since the 1.8 billion baht wastewater treatment plant became operational almost a year ago, the city’s efforts to find a way to charge for the plant have continually met with resistance from both residents and large business owners. Little cooperation has come forth from anywhere, including the department of water-works, which is rejecting the city’s proposal to include wastewater treatment billing in consumer water bills.

The city is now looking into changing regulations pertaining to wastewater treatment, environmental and local administrative regulations. The revisions are to include costs and mandatory compliance with penalties for consumers failing understand the requirement.

The city says that general users are resisting the added cost more than large businesses. They therefore feel they should create a thorough understanding of the need for good wastewater management, a task they view as “difficult”. So far, a campaign is underway to clarify the need for wastewater management and the responsibilities of individuals in the community to support the goal of preserving the natural environment.

The public relations campaign also includes a message on the legal penalties involved for consumers not complying with required costs for water treatment, and it also alerts those areas that will be connected to the city’s 1.8 billion baht treatment plant sometime down the road.

The city is still pushing for the department of water-works to organize the billing and collection for wastewater treatment costs, although the city is still searching for a way to convince the department of water-works of their vital role in preserving the natural environment.

All may lose due to environmental concerns

Seven companies in Pattaya, each conducting underwater sea tours to coral reefs, were presented legal suits for duplicating a patent registered business on November 21, and all equipment was confiscated.

“The K-Company”, a Japanese owned business in Pattaya, registered the legal suit and the case is scheduled to appear in court in early December. The K-Company registered the patent trade in 1995, one-year following a similar business that opened up in Phuket under the name of “Sea Walker”.

Owners and workers from seven local coral walking tours protested outside city hall after being told to close down due to trademark violations.

Police from the Economic Crime Investigation Division made the arrests. The charges against each business described illegally operating underwater tours, and copying the patent registered business of The K-Company. The seven companies included Sea Family, Sea Blue, Sea Fun, Sea Dream, Sea Land, Sea Voyage and Sea World.

The next day, representatives from the seven companies held a protest in front of Pattaya City Hall demanding justice, claiming their rights to conduct business have been violated. They presented a document describing their plight to the mayor and members of the city council, addressed to the commissioner of the National Police Bureau, Pol. Gen. Sant Sarutanond, and the Department of Patent Designs.

The K-Company first registered the complaint against the seven companies in July 2000, none of which claim to have known the Japanese owned business was legally registered as a patent pending business. In November 2000, the seven companies were served notices ordering them to cease and desist.

Mayor Pairat Suttithamrongsawat disclosed that his administration has researched the legalities involved. He referred to a 1992 environmental law, and said the city is in the process of pursuing action to end all such types of business in order to preserve the natural environment and the coral reefs in area waters.

Preparing for “World AIDS Awareness Day”

Deputy mayor of Pattaya, Wutisak Rermkichakarn chaired a meeting with representatives from Pattaya’s gay community and members from key offices to arrange plans for “World AIDS Awareness Day” on December 1.

The designated day, December 1, was established by the United Nations to recognize the AIDS problem and to increase world awareness about the dangerous disease.

The city of Pattaya also recognizes the need to further promote awareness of the dangerous disease and in coordination with the local gay community, activities are organized with the intent of spreading information on the associated dangers involved with unprotected liaisons. The targeted audience is both local residents and foreign tourists in Pattaya.

Printed material is being prepared for distribution identifying the nature of the disease and preventive measures. Protective devices will be given out free as a reminder of what to use when engaged in casual liaisons.

An opening ceremony is scheduled at 2.30 p.m. on Pattaya Beach Road at Soi 4 with a crowd of supporters expected in the thousands from the local area and from other parts of Thailand and many parts of the world. The campaign includes a march starting off following the ceremony and ending up at Pattaya City School 8.

A spokesman for the city explained that the city wants the campaign to be limited to disseminating useful information. The city is demanding that the campaign remain geared to increasing awareness on the AIDS problem, and will not condone sexually explicit displays.