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City set for 3-day Pattaya Music Festival next week
Beach Road to be closed from noon to midnight March 22-24, from Dolphin Roundabout to Central Road
Officials from the TAT office and organizers of the
upcoming Pattaya Music Festival 2002 announced that they are set to go for
the three-day music fest. Prime minister Taksin Shinawatra has been asked
to officiate at the opening ceremonies.
The spectacular music festival, to be held March 22-24
from 12.00 midday to 12 midnight, is part of the Tourism Authority of
Thailand’s project to promote tourism within Thailand and encourage Thai
nationals to tour the country, thereby boosting local economies.
The festival will cater to all styles of music
including pop, rock, dance, Indy, hip-hop, pop jazz, easy listening and a
DJ show on 3 separate stage areas on Beach Road, with stalls selling
artists’ CDs and merchandise at reduced prices.
 Organizers
say all systems are go for the Pattaya Music Festival 2002 March 22-24.
During the 3-day festival, Beach Road will be closed
off from midday to midnight from the Dolphin Roundabout to Central Pattaya
Road. And in conjunction with the Amazing Thai Wisdom Fair, on Saturday,
March 23, all of Beach Road, from the Dolphin Roundabout straight through
to Bali High Point will be off limits to motorized traffic.
Original plans called for the festival to run for two
days. However, the main contributor to the event, Grammy Entertainment
Col. Ltd, asked to extend the event in order to promote famous Thai
artists billed to attend the festival. Over 80 bands and 200 artists are
slated to perform.
The Pattaya Music Festival will be held in North
Pattaya near the Dolphin Roundabout, plus there will be stages set up on
Beach Road around Sois 4 and 5. Prime Taksin Shinawatra is expected to
officially open the proceedings on March 22 at 7.30 pm.
One of the highlights of the Pattaya Music Festival
will be special guest band, Japan’s “Johnny’s Junior” which will
kick off opening night.
Chonburi governor Chadej Insawang said Pattaya City
will be ensuring the safety of tourists and artists with a strong Pattaya,
Banglamung and provincial police contingent as well as security personnel
from the Sattahip Naval Base and military personnel.
Advisor to the office of the TAT, Amornsak Pimlomnomai
said the TAT had set a budget of 10 million baht for special activities
scheduled this month, which include a Jazz Festival at Hua Hin, Thai
‘Luk Tung’ in Supanburi Province and a windsurfing competition.
Lions Club Pratamnak - Pattaya signs sister club agreement with Lions Club Mai Yang Korea
Lions Club Pratamnak Pattaya president, Lamai Pewthong
signed an agreement with Lions Club of Mai Yang, Korea president, Bae
Jotang, promoting twin club status at a small ceremony held at the Town in
Town Hotel.
Witnessing the document signing ceremony were Lions
district governor, District 310C, Naris Petcharat and Pattaya mayor Pairat
Suttithamrongsawat as well as Lions Club members from Pattaya.
 President
of the Lions Club of Mai Yang, Korea, Bae Jotang (left), and Lions Club
Pratamnak Pattaya president, Lamai Pewthong (right) signed an agreement
promoting twin club status, witnessed by Lions district governor, District
310C, Naris Petcharat (2nd left).
President Lamai said that the signing of the agreement
was a forward step in promoting good relations between the Lion Clubs in
Thailand and Korea where the cultures and traditions from each country can
be exchanged under the Lions’ umbrella.
This year’s meeting of Lions Clubs will be held in
Thailand in the Muang Thongthani facilities in Bangkok.
The sister club (club twinning) is one of the many
projects carried out by Lions Clubs in the Asian region, whereby cross
cultural exchange and relationships are developed under the Lions banner.
The idea of club twinning has been around since the
First World War, offering further economic development through better
relations.
Ministry of Public Health cautions people to watch out for dengue fever
Chakrapong Akkaranant
Dengue (hemorrhagic) fever is still considered a threat
to society, and preventative measures should be taken prior to and during
the rainy season when mosquito larvae multiply in water sources and
increase the spread of the disease. The disease mainly affects children
from the age of 5-14.
 Students
learn about the mosquito and how to avoid it as part of the Public Health
Ministry’s campaign to eradicate hemorrhagic fever.
Dr Vinai Virayakicha, Public Health Ministry’s
permanent secretary, opened a conference at the Jomtien Ambassador City
Hotel to promote community campaigns to control communicable diseases. The
conference focused on a March campaign to encourage communities to take
precautionary measures to reduce dengue hemorrhagic fever. Similar
campaigns take place all over Thailand each year during this period.
The main audience at the conference in Jomtien
consisted of officials from the Rural Administration Organization, which
includes both municipal and sub-district administrators. The RAO is
considered to be the closest level of government to local communities, and
decides how local resources are to be utilized and how to implement
controls to prevent disease.
Precautionary measures mainly include limiting the
habitat where mosquitoes gather and breed by properly disposing waste and
eliminating containers containing stagnant water. Construction sites,
discarded tires or other unnecessary items which collect water are prime
areas where mosquitoes multiply.
Printed material containing information on
precautionary measures and recognizing the initial symptoms of the disease
was made available for officials to disseminate among members of the
community to encourage a combined effort in the annual campaign.
Other areas around Pattaya joined the campaign to
increase awareness in the community and visual displays and skits were
organized with students observing the nature of the disease carried by the
small but dangerous mosquito.
Banglamung reviews candidates for this year’s Outstanding Individual Award
Chakrapong Akkaranant
The Banglamung selection committee, chaired by Chavalit
Saeng-uthai, senior assistant district officer, met recently to review
candidates for this year’s Outstanding Individual Award.
Banglamung candidates will be competing for the
prestigious annual award against candidates submitted by other districts
in Chonburi.
The Outstanding Individual Award in Chonburi first
began in 1984. Each year, individuals are selected who have distinguished
themselves by making positive and unselfish contributions to society,
helping to promote virtuous behavior and setting an example for others to
follow.
Narasingh Chayarat, a member on the selection
committee, said that individuals are selected from various categories and
professions including agriculture, industry, commerce, service, and
leadership.
Nirand Watanasatsatorn, deputy mayor of Pattaya, was
selected to represent Banglamung in the leadership category.
The local entry in the category of agriculture
development is Charern Phiawnoi, a community leader in Moo 5, Khaomaikaew.
The commercial category candidate is Suwat Nongyai, who
operates a private school.
Representing Banglamung in the category of public
service is Naris Phechararat, governor of the International Lions Club
310-C.
No selections were made for the industry category due
to limited qualifying credentials.
The final selections will be announced before the end
of March after considering candidates from 10 districts and one
sub-district in Chonburi.
Asia-Pacific Handicap group leaders visit Pattaya
Receive update on city plans to accommodate the elderly and handicapped
Chakrapong Akkaranant
ESCAP
members met with Pattaya officials at city hall to get an update on the
city’s progress in incorporating conveniences for the elderly and
handicapped into city plans.
Leaders from the Economic and Social Commission for
Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) were in Pattaya on March 2 observing progress
on preparations to provide a full-range of conveniences for persons with
physical disabilities.
The ESCAP group visiting Pattaya included members
representing Bhutan, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia,
Philippines, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Thailand. The information collected on
the city’s progress of integrating conveniences for physically disabled
persons and the elderly will be reported back to member countries and
relayed to respective agencies.
Plans are underway for Pattaya to be a leading example
for Thailand by providing the necessary conveniences and accommodating the
special needs of older people and persons with physical disabilities.
The representatives from ESCAP, which is supported by
the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), met with mayor Pairat
Suttithamrongsawat at City Hall, who presented ESCAP with a description of
the plans in progress and what Pattaya has to offer.
Mayor Pairat disclosed that the city administration
understands the importance of integrating the necessary conveniences to
accommodate persons with physical disabilities and is in the process of
incorporating the needs in all new construction. The city also plans to
increase awareness among the business community in order to comply.
He said the private sector is being encouraged to
follow suit by adding the necessary changes in older buildings, especially
hotels, and city regulations are being updated to reflect the needed
requirements for older people and physically disabled persons in new
construction.
The mayor also reported that the progress being made
regarding the introduction and integration of special conveniences in
Pattaya is approximately 50% complete. Public areas, tourist attractions,
beaches and shopping centers are areas destined to incorporate the
necessary changes and even public pay phones will be designed to
accommodate physically disabled persons.
He also specified once more that Pattaya would one day
be known as a shining example for other cities to follow and will also
lead the way in human rights and the rights of women and children with
equal rights afforded to everyone.
Pattaya schools get involved in ‘One Product One Village’ project
To sell their products at Amazing Thai Wisdom Fair
Boonlua Chatree
The ‘One Product, One Village’ project, part of the
Taksin government’s policy to enable the villages around the country to
become self-supporting was recently introduced to Pattaya School No. 5.
School administrators have taken the policy one step further, and are
assisting children in earning extra cash for their studies outside school
hours.
 Students
at Pattaya School No. 5 are learning how to make artificial flowers to
sell at the Amazing Thai Wisdom Fair every Saturday. They hope to use the
money raised at the fair to offset their educational costs.
Mrs. Malee Burapawopanant, Pattaya School No. 5
director, and several other teachers recently began teaching students at
the school how to make artificial flower arrangements and batik products.
The seminars are part of the school’s extra curricular activities, and
proceeds from the sales of the products will be put towards education
costs for the students.
The project, called ‘One School, One Product’
further aims to teach the students extra skills as well as enabling them
to subsidize their educational costs.
Malee Burapawopanant said that in Pattaya School No. 5
the project is targeted at students in the Mathayom 1 to Mathayom 4 levels
(Years 7 to 10) where interested students can exhibit their creativity by
producing colorful flower arrangements and stylish batik using a variety
of products.
The products will be marketed to local and
international tourists during the weekly ‘Amazing Thai Wisdom Fair’
held each Saturday on Pattaya Beach Road.
City begins fining litterbugs on Beach Road
In an effort to improve the cleanliness of the city,
Pattaya’s mayor has instructed the head of the Department of Public
Health and Environment to inform all municipal officers to begin fining
anyone found littering on Beach Road.
Municipal officers have already fined a number of
business operators, residents and tourists for carelessly discarding their
litter. Under the Cleanliness Protection Act of 2002, litterbugs can be
fined up to a maximum of 2,000 baht.
The head of the Department Public Health and
Environment, Pramote Sapsaeng said that the increased effort is being
directed at improving the cleanliness of Pattaya’s environment. He said
previously the lack of enforcement has caused a great deal of garbage to
accumulate on Beach Road, often discouraging tourists and residents from
using the beach and ultimately damaging the environment.
A public relations program is also planned to inform
residents, business operators, and tourists that the regulations will be
enforced. The regulation in question was set down 10 years ago; however,
the lack of enforcement has created environmental problems. It is most
likely that people will protest the fines but officials say that it is
necessary to curb the amount garbage being discarded carelessly.
The city plans to increase the area where fines will be
incurred in the near future.
Gang members arrested after bike jacking in a quiet soi
Police make quick arrest 3 hours after the incident
Boonlua Chatree
 Brothers
Kwanpracha and Kwankelar Jitthawan (right) point out the gang members who
bike jacked their motorcycle.
Four members of a local gang were arrested last week
for bike jacking and assault with a deadly weapon.
The four were identified as Bunjert Payungsiripol, 18,
from Chiang Mai, Panya Sarmar, 21, from Sattahip, Sakarin
Limtrakulthongchai, 23, from Nonthaburi and Rattathumnun Saengchot, 27,
from Pichit.
The gang assaulted two brothers, Kwanpracha Jitthawan,
21, and Kwankelar Jitthawan, 19, and stole their motorcycle on the evening
of March 7.
The two brothers told Pattaya police that they were on
their way home, riding down Soi Korpai when the gang attacked them with a
one-meter steel bar. Both brothers sustained injuries in the attack.
Using the description the brothers gave them of the
attackers and the stolen motorcycle, which had Ayudahya plates, within 3
hours police were able to find two members of the gang, Bunjert
Payungsiripol and Panya Sarmar, who were riding the stolen motorcycle in
the area where they had earlier committed the crime.
Bunjert and Panya confessed to the crime and
subsequently told police the whereabouts of the other two.
Police quickly found the others sleeping in their
rented room in Soi Korpai.
After the two brothers positively identified the four
perpetrators at the police station, all four admitted to stealing the
motorbike to purchase methamphetamines. They now face charges of assault
with a deadly weapon and theft.
Thai-Cambodian border talks held in Pattaya
Thai government hosts the 3rd General Border Committee Meeting
The Thai government recently hosted the third General
Border Committee Meeting, which was organized to discuss relations along
Thailand’s border with Cambodia.
The meeting, held at the Ambassador City Hotel in
Jomtien, included deputy prime minister and Thailand’s minister for
defense, General Chavalit Yonchaiyudh, H.E. General Tea Banh, senior
minister and H.R.H Prince Sisowath Sirirath, co-minister of National
Defense of Cambodia.
 H.R.H
Prince Sisowath Sirirath (left), co-defense minister of Cambodia, shakes
hands with Gen. Chavalit Yonchaiyudh (right), deputy prime minister and
minister of defense in Thailand, as H.E. General Tea Banh (center),
co-defense minister of Cambodia witnesses the event.
During the discussion, General Chavalit stressed that
the meeting’s objective was to further develop border relations and
exchange ideas on how to improve patrols and cooperation in border towns.
In addition, the committee reviewed the results from previous information
exchanges which included the construction of a school in the Cambodian
province of Gamphongthom which is being built under the patronage of HRH
Princess Sirinthorn.
Construction of the school is due to be completed in
May this of this year and will provide education for Cambodian children in
the border province.
Other issues discussed at the meeting included:
1. The border cooperation agreement, signed on June
14th, 2000 will improve the quality of border patrols along both sides
particularly in border towns. Border definition and marks need to be
upgraded.
2. Observation along the Thai-Cambodia border needs to
be increased and both nations should continue to uphold the use of travel
documents during border crossings. Special privileges need to be extended
to diplomatic passport holders, and these privileges might also apply to
other types of passport holders in the future.
3. Further cooperation must be forthcoming in regard to
the prevention of illegal laborers crossing over into Thailand from
Cambodia.
4. Increased economic and trade promotion and
cooperation along the border will benefit both nations.
5. A resolution to the problems of illegal weapons
trade as well as illegal trading of cultural artifacts, motor vehicles and
fishing disputes.
6. Increased suppression and prevention of the flow of
narcotics and false ID documents via sea and land by imposing tighter
controls.
7. A resolution to social and economic disputes between
residents along the border in both countries.
8. The implementation of programs which improve the
quality of life for low-income boarder residents.
9. Removal of the large number of landmines along the
border.
Now that the guidelines have been set, the meeting was
considered as fruitful in all aspects. Results will again be reviewed at
the 4th General Border Committee meeting held next year in Cambodia. The
date and venue has yet to be set.
French tourist talked out of attempted suicide
Eventually fled into the night wearing nothing but a smile
Vichan Pladplueng
Pattaya police were eventually able to talk French
tourist Patrick Duvae out of jumping off the roof of a guesthouse in Soi
6. But before they did, the large crowd that had gathered in the middle of
the night on March 10 witnessed a tense situation, as well as perhaps more
of Duvae’s anatomy then they might have wanted.
By the time police arrived, the 55-year-old Duvae was
pacing back and forth across the roof of the guesthouse, completely naked.
Upon seeing the police, Duvae appeared to panic and
increased his pacing, threatening to jump from the building. Police tried
to calm the man and placed a net on the ground in case the man made good
on his threats.
After 30 minutes, Duvae began to visibly tire and was
eventually brought down from the roof with the aid of an extended ladder,
prompting a cheer from the crowd.
Police were not able to question Duvae, as he seemed to
be in a state of inebriation, but a girl working at the guesthouse where
he stayed told police that Duvae had not been himself the last few days.
She said he seemed in a daze and even broke his nose when he fell down the
stairs and she had to take him to the hospital. She said she even
contacted his wife in France by e-mail to come and take him home.
As a fitting finale, police were unable to contain the
Frenchman, who ran off into the night wearing nothing but a smile.
Officers did not pursue the matter further as they were more than relieved
to see him safe and let the matter end.
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