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HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn
presides over the grand opening ceremony of the 20th World Scout Jamboree
On December 28, HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn
accompanied by his daughter, HRH Princess Bhajrakitiyabha presided over the
opening of the 20th World Scout Jamboree at the Had Yao Camp, Sattahip
District, Chonburi.
He was welcomed by Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra,
Education Minister Pongphol Adireksarn, who is also head of the organization
committee, and committee members, the cabinet, several ambassadors to
Thailand, and over 30,000 scouts from 154 countries (6,000 Thai scouts and
23,000 international scouts).
Prior to the opening ceremony, all scouts were settled
into different camps. Each camp accommodates 6,000 scouts. Organizers
decorated the Central Arena with different banners, which will be shown
during the opening and closing ceremonies. All scouts were then informed of
the formalities of the Royalty reception procedure.
At 8 p.m., HRH Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn and HRH
Princess Bhajrakitiyabha, arrived at the opening ceremony grand stage and
gave a welcoming speech to all the scouts, scout commanders, and the
Jamboree committee. HRH the Prince then officially declared the 20th World
Scout Jamboree open.
A symphony orchestra played the Royal salutation song
whilst flags of 154 nations and the official 20th World Scout Jamboree flag
were carried onto the stage. A video from UNESCO featuring ‘Share our
World, Share our Cultures’ was shown to the audience, followed by
traditional Thai boxing art performances, a marine scout flag signalling
show, and a Khon or traditional Thai drama. Finally, the international
Scouts Pledge was read in three languages: Thai, English and French.
The world Scout Jamboree continues until January 7.
New Pattaya police chief says its time for a spring clean
Announces policies at a meeting
with local officers
Boonlua Chatree
There’s a new police chief in town, and he says it’s
time to make some changes.
On Monday, December 23, Pattaya’s new police chief, Pol.
Col Kamolchai Tienrungroj met with 400 police officers from the Pattaya
police station at the Alcazar Theater, on Pattaya Second Road.
Pattaya’s
new police chief, Pol. Col Kamolchai Tienrungroj (center) met with 400
police officers from the Pattaya police station to outline changes that will
take place during his administration.
Pol. Col Kamolchai let it be known that he wants to run
an efficient and effective police precinct, and said that in order to do
this and allow his officers to serve properly, “(Pattaya police) need to
do their own spring cleaning and get rid of bad elements before being able
to carry out their duties effectively.”
Pol. Col. Kamolchai started the meeting by stating that
his first major order for the local precinct was to ensure that all police
officers conform to the rules and regulations. He said it was every
officer’s responsibility to ensure that the station was clean and orderly,
all the way to the holding cells, and to ensure that fresh air flows through
to the cells. He said it is also necessary to change the guard on a daily
basis to avoid any complications.
Pol. Col. Kamolchai went on to say his first order is to
begin changing the roster and ensure that patrolling officers change their
beats daily to avoid gaining familiarity with the local residents and
risking a potential alliance with offenders. He said he will also order all
police to cut their hair short and keep it neat.
Traffic police will be ordered to remain at their
stations at the city’s various intersections throughout their shifts and
remain in uniform whilst on duty. The chief said that his prior inspections
before taking over the Pattaya station revealed that Pattaya police were not
conforming to regulations, particularly when monitoring major intersections.
Responsibilities within the various departments will also
be rearranged. Pol. Col Kamolchai announced that the traffic department will
come under the deputy chief in charge of suppression. The criminal
investigation unit will answer directly to the police chief, and the
administration department will come under Pol. Lt. Col Panom Charoenporn,
who will also ensure that the station is cleaned on a daily basis and ensure
efficient service to residents and tourists contacting the station.
Pol. Col Kamolchai Tienrungroj went on to say that there
will be an official press conference after every major arrest to show
residents the results of police work.
“Pattaya City is small enough but what have the 400
plus officers been doing? I will ensure that all officers are carrying out
their duty and those persons found neglecting their work will be
transferred,” said Pol. Col Kamolchai Tienrungroj.
“I want to see people work and not just make reports of work schedules
while they play snooker ... this is unacceptable. After this meeting, there
will be a working relationship with the tourist police and the immigration
police and there will be no such words as ‘which department’. All police
officers will work together efficiently and effectively in this city,”
added the police chief.
Security tight during World Scout Jamboree
All departments join in heightened alert
Although there is no credible threat, given the world
situation the local constabulary is making their presence felt during the
World Scout Jamboree.
Police
Lt. Gen. Chanyut Watcharapuk (center), commander of immigration police
announced that an additional 232 officers have been pressed into service
during the World Scout Jamboree.
On December 25, Police Lt. Gen. Chanyut Watcharapuk,
commander of immigration police, and Chaipak Siriwat, councilor for the
Ministry of Labor, announced that an additional 232 officers have been
pressed into service.
Officers from the tourist police, immigration police,
regional police, drug suppression police, police investigators, district
civil servants, volunteers, business people, and the navy, are on hand to
discourage illegal activities, and to clear out illegal migrants and any
crime suspects of during the visit of World Scouts Jamboree.
Lt. Gen. Chanyut said that the aim of this mission is to increase
security for Thais and tourists during this New Year season to prevent riots
and crimes in Pattaya before they happen, with the cooperation from all
responsible departments.
Pattaya children receive polio vaccination
Suchada Tupchai
On December 18 and 21, over a hundred children less than
5 years old received polio vaccinations from Pattaya Health Care Center
nurses. After the children were vaccinated they were treated with snacks and
games were played.
A
Pattaya health care official puts a drop of polio vaccine into a young
child’s mouth. Over 100 children were vaccinated in this year’s drive.
Mayor Pairat Suttithamrongsawat and administration
officials attended the “Pattaya’s children are safe from polio”
activity held at the public health center at Pattaya City Hall.
The mayor said the cooperation from the parents and charitable clubs made
the campaign a successful one. The project was well supported by Bangkok
Pattaya Hospital, Rotary Clubs of Pattaya and Jomtien-Pattaya, and Taksin-Pattaya.
5,000 Chonburi people rally to support government policies
Give support to social order and the anti-drug campaign
Songklod Kaewvisit
An estimated crowd of over 5,000 people turned up for a
rally to show support for the central government’s social order campaign.
On December 24, Deputy Minister of Interior Pracha Maleenont, who is also
head official of the campaign, presided over the rally at Pattaya Beach.
Government officials including Chonburi governor Sawang Srisakul, Mayor
Pairat Suttithamrongsawat, plus Pattaya police, local business operators,
students, and the general public gathered to show their solidarity.
Local
scouts joined the parade to show support for the government’s social order
campaign.
The parade started from the Nova lodge Hotel on Central
Pattaya Road and wove its way down to South Pattaya, ending at Walking
Street - a distance of 2.5 kilometers.
While he addressed the crowd, Deputy Pracha expressed the
three objectives of the event: first, the government is determined that
Pattaya City and Chonburi Province follow the national policies imposed by
the Ministry of Interior.
The second goal is to educate citizens on the dangers of
drug abuse in conjunction with Thailand’s anti-drugs campaign.
The third objective is to promote safety throughout
Chonburi Province. Officials and residents want the thousands of visitors
who will be attending the World Scout Jamboree between December 28 and
January 7 at Had Yao, Sattahip, to have a trouble free stay while they are
in the region and enjoy their visit.
Pracha said he was impressed by the efforts of the people
of Chonburi and believed that Chonburi people are being good hosts for this
world event.
The deputy also stressed that the drug problem will
eventually come to an end if all people cooperate with the authorities to
solve this scourge.
Pracha acknowledged that Chonburi residents have shown
they want to build up a good image for the city and the country as a whole
to effectively bring in more tourists to boost tourism and improve the
nation’s economy.
The deputy also reminded business operators that there
are some basic rules which they must strictly follow. No underage people are
allowed into establishments which serve alcohol. All drugs and firearms are
prohibited in public places and entertainment establishments are forbidden
to exhibit lewd shows.
Any adult establishment owners which admit juveniles could face a jail
sentence of 30 days. A curfew will be imposed on youngsters to be off the
streets at 10:00 p.m. unless under the supervision of parents or guardians.
Englishman critically injured after falling from his fifth floor apartment
Boonlua Chatree
Police were called to Soi Diana off Pattaya Second Road
when staff from the Bliss Mansion reported that one of the apartment’s
residents had fallen from a fifth floor room and crashed onto the roof of
the next door laundry.
Police and Sawang Boriboon personnel rushed to the scene
to find 42-year-old Englishman Reggie Coates critically injured and
unconscious from the fall. He was rushed to Bangkok Pattaya Hospital for
emergency treatment.
Police questioned Suwit Hunthar, an employee working at
the information desk, who told officers that Coates had checked into his
fifth floor apartment on November 19.
Police officers examined Coates’ room but no items
appeared to be missing. Notably, it appeared that there were signs of a
struggle as there was an overturned table and items strewn around the room.
They suspect that the Englishman was thrown over the balcony rather than
fell.
They are anxious to question Coates when he comes to, so
that they can proceed further with their investigation.
Foreign tourist found dead in hotel
Boonlua Chatree
Fifty-six year old British national Thomas O’Donnell
was found dead in his hotel room in Soi Yamato on December 22. Police and
Sawang Boriboon personnel rushed to the guesthouse after housekeeping staff
discovered the man’s body when they were carrying out their cleaning
duties.
During initial investigations, police examined the
contents of the room and apparently found nothing disturbed and the
tourist’s belongings intact. They did, however; find numerous packets of
condoms and 20 cartons of duty free cigarettes, all of which was taken as
evidence.
The man’s body was taken to the police forensic institute for further
investigation into the cause of death. The initial suspicions are that the
man died of heart failure. Following an autopsy, the man’s relatives were
informed through the embassy to return the body to the UK for funeral rites.
“Snake man” arrested for using endangered animal to make money from tourists
At 11.50 p.m. on Dec. 25, Pol. Captain Wanlop
Kamnuangtong with his team was patrolling night entertainment businesses in
Pattaya when he saw a man, later identified as Tanabodi Rampra, 32, carrying
2.5 meter long python, offering service to tourists to take picture with the
snake for a fee of 100 baht per picture. Police immediately arrested him and
took him to the police station.
Tanabodi
Rampra faces charges for possessing endangered species without license.
After questioning, Tanabodi confessed that he had been
making a living this way for over 10 years, with the knowledge that the
python was an endangered wild animal. He said he was aware that it is
against the law for someone to possess this type of animal, but poverty
forced him to commit the crime.
Tanabodi is now facing charges for possessing endangered species without
license.
Police suspect German tourist drugged and robbed by katoey gang
Boonlua Chatree
Police were called to a karaoke bar on Pattaya Third Road
in the very early hours of Friday, December 27 when restaurant staff
requested officers to investigate a foreigner who had apparently passed out.
Police arrived on the scene to find German national,
48-year-old Peter Klaus Schaefer unconscious on the floor of the karaoke
restaurant. An initial examination of the man’s pockets showed that
apparently he been relieved of all his belongings.
Further questioning of staff revealed that the man had
entered the karaoke restaurant earlier that evening with 4 “women of the
second category” and were seen drinking together. After an hour passed the
staff said that they hadn’t noticed when the four others flitted out the
door, only that the tourist had already passed out.
Pol. Col. Kamolchai Tienrungroj said that the man was
most likely drugged and robbed and ordered subordinates to coordinate the
investigation and detain the four suspects within seven days.
As for Peter Schaefer, he was taken to the Pattaya
Memorial Hospital for observation until he regained consciousness. Police
are interested in obtaining information leading to the arrest of the
tourist’s attackers and want to find out exactly what was stolen.
International crime suppression police arrest foreign resident for operating beer bar without work permit
Caught doing the books when wife was out sick
After receiving a tip off that a foreigner had been
operating a bar beer without license, police went to the Patrick@Marc Bar on
Pattaya Second Road to investigate.
Patrick Raymond Gulien, age 40, was taken to the police
station for questioning, and police confiscated of 2 account books and his
passport.
Gulien allegedly confessed, telling police that he had
been living with his Thai wife, operating the business for more than 4
years. He said his wife normally did all the shop accounting. However, on
the day the police arrived, his wife was not at the premises because she was
not feeling well, so he had to go in and do the accounting himself.
Gulien is now under police custody and was charged with
working in the kingdom without the correct authorization.
Drunk driving blamed for road fatality
One DOA, another seriously injured
Boonlua Chatree
At 1 a.m. on Dec. 24, Pol. Lt. Col. Poonchai Churat
received a report that a young man had crashed his motorcycle into an
electric post and was killed in front of a golf driving range on Pattaya 3rd
Road.
Police officers and rescue personnel went to the scene to
see the dead body of a 31 year old man, later identified as Sarayut
Tiangtrong, lying on his back by the electric pole. He had a broken neck.
Next to him was a half empty bottle of alcohol. Ten meters further away was
a green and black Honda Tena Motorcycle next to the curb.
Another man, unidentified, was found unconscious and
bleeding and was sent to Bangkok-Pattaya Hospital.
After questioning a witness, Mr. Seksan On, who was
driving behind the victim, police learned that Sarayut was using only one
hand to control the motorcycle, with the other holding the bottle of
alcohol. He suddenly lost control and crashed into the electric pole.
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