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Typhoon Imbudo and tropical
storm Coney hammer Pattaya
Create mass chaos around the city
Songklod Kaewvisit
From the very early hours last Saturday morning (July 26)
until daybreak, torrential rains from the tail end of typhoon ‘Imbudo’
pounded Pattaya City, flooding major roads and creating total havoc.
 Perhaps
the driver of the truck traveling in the other direction in this photo of
Pattaya 3rd Road was worried that he might be put out of business, as
Typhoon Imbudo last Saturday created a number of “home pools” (albeit
unwanted) throughout the city, as well as road rivers, garden ponds, and
temporarily turned some previously “dry” homes into “lakeside
resorts”.
The typhoon blew in from Vietnam and swept over the
northeast region of Thailand. Although only the tail end of the storm caught
Pattaya and the Eastern Seaboard, it was still powerful enough to do severe
damage.
 As
the rains began to subside, so did the floodwaters, but they left havoc in
their wake.
The remnants from the previous night’s downpour were
evident as dawn broke over the city. Most major roads and streets were
flooded. In some sections of the city water levels reached almost a meter
deep. Road surfaces were broken up and huge potholes made navigation
dangerous.
South Pattaya and Na Jomtien roads were cut off and
completely impassable for small vehicles. Particularly hard hit were the
areas around Tesco-Lotus, South Pattaya, Pattaya Third Road and Pattaya
Second Road. Traffic snarls and stalled vehicles caused bedlam throughout
the city.
Residents in low lying areas were the worst affected as
flood-waters ravaged their neighborhoods. Pattaya’s drainage system was
once again filled to capacity - unable to cope.
City to once again get tough on elephants inside city limits
Careless mahouts will be penalized
Songklod Kaewvisit
City administrators have decided that once again it is
time to start getting tough on mahouts that bring their elephants inside
city limits. Citing concerns for tourist safety, Deputy Mayor Wutisak
Remkijikarn told a meeting of mahouts at city hall that irresponsible
behavior will no longer be tolerated.
 Even
small elephants can cause big damage, and are potentially dangerous when
teased.
The deputy mayor said that he has informed city officials
to enforce penalties on careless mahouts, although he didn’t elaborate on
what those penalties are.
Wutisak said complaints over pachyderm attacks on people
and damage to private property are flooding into city hall. He also said it
is very dangerous for tourists to tease the jumbos, especially when the
animals are hungry.
 Deputy
Mayor Wutisak Remkijikarn told a meeting of mahouts at city hall that
irresponsible behavior will no longer be tolerated.
Of special concern, he said, are irresponsible mahouts
who neglect their elephants and allow them to roam free without supervision,
or bring the animals into busy city areas to beg for money.
He said that some tourists have been attacked, and some
were even hospitalized. “The city will to start to get tough on mahouts
who let their elephants roam the streets, particularly at night and in
crowded places,” said the deputy mayor.
Wutisak said the SARS health scare has vastly damaged
Pattaya’s tourism during the past 4 months, which in turn put many
elephant shows out of business. This has caused hardship for mahouts and
their elephants, since now they don’t have enough earnings to care for
their animals properly.
Wutisak said some mahouts have decided to take their
elephants back to their hometowns in the rural provinces hoping to give them
a better chance of survival. However, many are not, and instead are taking
their animals out onto public streets amongst residents and tourists to make
some extra cash.
The deputy mayor issued a warning during a meeting with
the elephant show business operators and mahouts that they should take care
of their animals and avoid letting the animals out on the streets. Wutisak
said mahouts must submit pictures and information about the animals in their
care for the city to keep on file. This registration would then be handed
over to the Chonburi Livestock Department.
The deputy mayor stressed that the city would not
tolerate any further negligence and told city officials to enforce penalties
on mahouts who ignore this warning.
Potisarn’s fresh markets breaking building and business regulations
Mayor halts operations and orders compliance with laws
Songklod Kaewvisit
When the mayor took city officials and building
inspectors to survey the new Potisarn fresh market on Soi Potisarn in North
Pattaya last week, they found that the market was operating without a
business license, didn’t have the necessary permits and contained poorly
designed facilities.
The caretaker, identified only as Ouan, told city
officers that he was awaiting the relevant licenses after having applied for
them some time ago. He said the makeshift construction of toilet facilities
and the building that houses the vendors was built out of necessity to
service the vendors and customers.
 With
Mr. Ouan looking fairly glum in the background, the mayor ordered the new
Potisarn fresh market in North Pattaya closed until it complies with proper
safety and construction standards. And by the way, is your tom yum pla as
tasty as it looks?
The mayor ordered the market closed until it complies
with proper safety and construction standards. He also tasked Supakorn
Chusilptong, head of the building and construction department, to see that
the appropriate renovations were carried out and find the business license
paperwork that has not yet reached the mayor’s desk.
The closure of the market has left vendors without a way
to make a living until the market reopens. While sympathetic to their
plight, city officials told the market caretaker to follow regulations and
await the necessary documentation before reopening.
Sinkhole in Pattaya claims house
Torrential rains wash away structure in Soi Khao Noi
Damri Muangkaew
Last Saturday morning’s torrential rains not only
flooded most of the city but also washed away a single family dwelling of
Soi Khao Noi. The ground beneath the house washed away, leaving a two-meter
deep crevice between the roadside and what used to be the floor beside the
railway line.
The owner of the house, Kalaya Uttayar, told rescuers
that she had recently built the house above the road level to avoid
flooding. Her home also doubled a business for sewing clothes and a
mini-mart.
 The
owner and rescuers tried to salvage what they could from the demolished
structure.
Kalaya’s father added that at around 8 a.m. they opened
the mini-mart as per normal, and at around 9 a.m. when the heavy rains began
again torrents of water began flowing under the stilted dwelling. Suspecting
that something was amiss the woman’s father ventured outside to survey the
area and approximately 10 minutes after that the building began to slant and
slide away. As he stood there helplessly watching, the foundation post gave
way and the house collapsed.
 There
used to be a house there - but now all one can see is the tin roof, as the
rest was sucked down into a sinkhole during last Saturday’s torrential
rains.
Nearby residents rushed to help the family remove what
little could be salvaged, but there was not much left to recover.
Kalaya inspected what was left to find that the TV,
fridge, a freezer used for ice cream, another refrigerator for soft drinks,
stereo, sewing machine and other personal items were destroyed, amounting to
almost 100,000 baht.
Kalaya said she and her family would move close by, but
hopefully in an area where incidents such as this wouldn’t happen.
Pattaya Marathon success leaves beaches awash with rubbish
City workers left with lots to do
Suchada Tupchai
If the success of any public event can measured by the
amount of waste left behind, then last weekend’s Pattaya Marathon was a
blockbuster!
Massive crowds turned up to watch the annual spectacle -
and left mountains of trash behind as evidence of how much fun they had. Two
days before, representatives of Thailand’s Tourism and Culture program had
oozed with compliments on how clean and attractive the city’s beaches
were. After the marathon the beaches were littered with plastic bags, cups
and paper.
 The
day after the marathon, Pattaya Beach was a mess. Some of the garbage had
washed up on the shore from boats out in the bay, but a lot of it was
leftovers from the thousands of people who either participated in or watched
the marathon.
A two-kilometer stretch of beach was transformed into a
disgusting dumpsite. One Thai tourist told reporters that he had come to
Pattaya to enjoy clean water and clean beaches but was shocked to find the
state they were in. “I feel ashamed for our country and for the foreign
tourists here,” said the local tourist.
Commenting on the situation, Wutisak Remkijikarn, Pattaya
deputy mayor, responsible for the local environment and sanitation issue for
the city said, “Some of this trash has been washed ashore from elsewhere.
Since the marathon was last Sunday there were no government employees
working on that day. However, cleaners will quickly rectify the situation
once they get back to work.”
Indeed, part of the rubbish may have washed up on shore.
That is because groups of careless people toss their trash overboard during
boat trips in the bay, without the slightest thought of the mess they make
and the damage to the environment. If the city wishes to maintain their
‘clean image’ they will need to improve the standards of pleasure
boating operations. Such selfish habits are not only unhealthy but stir
great concern among residents and turn away the very thing the city is
trying to attract - valuable tourist revenue.
Pattaya Mail and Capital TV to co-produce the Pattaya Mail Plus TV program
An exciting new era of high quality TV programming for the Pattaya audience
Pattaya
Mail and Capital TV are proud to announce that we have pooled our resources
to create a new and contemporary television news, events and entertainment
program of the highest quality called Pattaya Mail Plus.
Les Nyerges, managing director of the Capital TV Group
and Peter Malhotra, managing director of Pattaya Mail Publishing Co. Ltd,
signed a memorandum of understanding to co-produce the Pattaya Mail Plus TV
program.
 Les
Nyerges MD of Capital TV (right) and Peter Malhotra sign an MOU to
co-produce the Pattaya Mail Plus TV program witnessed by (l-r) Tony Malhotra,
Primprao Somsri and Korn Kij-amorn.
Peter Malhotra said, “Pattaya Mail Plus will usher in a
new era of first-rate quality TV programming for the Pattaya audience and
will be instrumental in helping to promote and boost the image of Pattaya as
the premier tourist destination of Thailand.
“The program will create a very positive promotional
arm for Pattaya since Pattaya Mail Plus will commence broadcasting in August
on Sophon Cable TV in Pattaya. Special feature segments from the program
will also appear both nationally on UBC Series and worldwide on various
international channels. Pattaya Mail Plus will cover not only hard news but
also local events, community related stories, report on industrial movements
on the Eastern Seaboard and most important of all - travel features.”
Les Nyerges said. “Pattaya Mail Plus will be an
exciting new era of high quality TV programming for the Pattaya audience.
Together we have a very strong team consisting of a highly experienced group
of Thai and multi-national producers, reporters and production staff.
Capital TV has been producing both national and international programming
out of Thailand for the past 8 years. Its programs such as ‘Travel Asia
& Beyond’ are extremely successful and are viewed regularly in more
than 60 countries around the world on high profile networks such as STAR
World.”
He went on to say, “We invite you to be one of the
first to join this exciting new venture. Sponsorship and promotional
positions within the program will be of the highest quality and only highly
regarded organizations and individuals will be offered the opportunity to be
involved. For more details, please e-mail us at [email protected]”
Statement by the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Bangkok:
The story published in the “Pattaya Mail” No. 29 on
Friday, July 18, 2003 headlined “Beauty Clinic Surgeon refutes defamatory
accusations against him and his work” requires the following remarks:
- The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany does not
recommend the services of beauty-clinics in Thailand which in particular
includes the Pakorn Clinic.
- There are no relations of any kind between the said
clinic, its management or staff and the Embassy.
- The Embassy requested the management of the clinic,
Messrs. Ralf Schubert and Vajarakorn Tongsuk, to refrain from the claims
concerning the Embassy as stated in the above-mentioned article.
Peter Finger
Counsellor
Press Affairs
Shop owner nabs thief red-handed with stolen cigarettes
Frantic for a fag, youth lands in jail
Boonlua Chatree
Some criminals are just a few satang short of a full baht.
At 3 a.m. last Sunday, police received a report from the owner of a shop in
Soi Bua Khao that he had caught a young criminal with a severe nicotine
craving.
 Paiboon
(left) caught Rungroj (center, with handcuffs) trying to pilfer a pocketful
of cigarettes.
Officers arrived at the shop to find shop owner, Paiboon
Tongnapakhun, steadfastly standing guard over a young Thai man. When
questioned, Paiboon told the officers that he had caught the man trying to
steal numerous packets of cigarettes.
Officers searched the young offender’s pocket to find
11 packets of Falling Rain cigarettes and 7 packets of Krongthip. The
incriminating evidence led officers to detain 22-year-old Rungroj
Dontripairaw and charge him with theft.
Rungroj apparently offered no explanation for his actions
but one can only surmise that he was desperate to light up a butt.
Ex-member of Beatle John Lennon’s band commits suicide in his Pattaya apartment
Police find no signs of foul play
Boonlua Chatree
Police were called to Yen Sabai Condotel after an
employee reported a foreigner’s death in a room on the 11th floor. The
deceased was identified as 51-year-old American citizen, Howard Iko.
 Howard
Iko, who once played with the John Lennon Band, allegedly committed suicide
last week.
Iko was found dead on a sofa in the room. An initial
survey of the scene showed no signs of foul play; however, police found a
four-page suicide letter in English on his bed, 5 passports, 2 syringes, a
photo taken with an Asian woman, a bank book with a balance of only 47 baht,
a tube containing a white powder substance and a photo depicting that he had
once played in John Lennon’s band.
After further investigation, police learned that Iko had
no money and hid in the room most of the time. An employee of the apartment
building told officers that on the day of the incident, he noticed Iko’s
door was not locked and when he went in to check, he discovered Iko dead on
the sofa.
Bumbling quartet of foreign gold thieves arrested
Criminal investigation officers track them down through car rental documents
Boonlua Chatree
Officers from the foreign crime suppression unit
apprehended four men in connection with last week’s gold heist from a
vehicle parked in South Pattaya.
Witnesses had described the thieves as foreigners of
Middle Eastern origin. They allegedly used a skeleton key to gain access to
a van owned by Sompong Sunsomkol, owner of a gold shop and factory in
Bangkok.
 Three
Mexicans and a Colombian - if this sounds like the beginning of a bad joke,
well it isn’t far from it, as the bumbling quartet was arrested in
connection with last week’s gold heist in South Pattaya. The inept
foursome stole one bag of gold and ignored 4 others containing 4 times as
much sitting nearby, then returned their rental car on schedule. Perhaps
they didn’t want to seem greedy...
The culprits stole a bag containing 316 grams of gold and
144,000 baht in cash, for a total haul of 1,944,000 baht. But they missed
the real jackpot, since there were 4 other bags in the vehicle that
contained 8 million baht worth of gold.
The four men, originally thought to be Middle Easterners,
were in fact from Colombia and Mexico. Police caught up with the men when
they returned their rented vehicle. Ready and waiting, officers quickly
moved in and detained Sanchez Minorta, 29, from Colombia, and Mexican
passport holders Neira Segura, age 26, Jose Rivero, age 26 and 37-year-old
Jose Cardon.
An inspection of the rented car and a body search turned
up a small amount of gold, four mobile phones and 10,000 baht in cash.
Witnesses to the crime were called in to identify the men, and all were able
to point them out in a line-up.
The four confessed to their crime, telling police that
they had split the gold and cash four ways after the theft. In an attempt to
cover their tracks, they sold most of the gold in Bangkok. They apparently
didn’t, however, make it clear why they decided to return the rental
vehicle - a glitch in their plan that led to their arrest.
All four were charged with breaking and entering and
grand theft.
Motorbike muggers foiled by victim’s quick thinking
Police catch up with thugs in South Pattaya
Boonlua Chatree
A young Thai woman kept her head and didn’t panic when
she was robbed recently by two men who snatched her handbag and sped off on
a motorcycle. Mentally filing an accurate description of her assailants, she
immediately reported the incident to police.
 Tuktoo
says, “These are the two that took my bag.”
Officers arrived at the location on Soi Bua Khao at 3
a.m. Monday after 23-year-old Tuktoo Kantkar reported that two men on a
motorbike had ripped her handbag from her shoulder while she was walking
along the side of the road and sped away in the direction of South Pattaya
Road.
After receiving Tuktoo’s comprehensive description of
the culprits, police caught up with the two men in Soi 17 South Pattaya near
the entrance to a popular disco. Tuktoo identified her attackers and police
detained them for questioning.
The thieves were identified as a 16-year-old and
20-year-old Somkid Panich, both from Banglamung. They confessed and were
charged accordingly.
Police briefs
Boonlua Chatree
Two con men
detained after
card-sharking a woman out
of 80,000 baht
Some people never learn when it comes to gambling and
when they lose, they cry foul. Such was the case of Sompong Manpraphan from
Walking Street. Sompong met two men at a South Pattaya disco. They asked her
to join them in a friendly game of cards but when Sompong lost 40,000 cash
and another 40,000 in gold before being dumped off in Bangsaen, she smelled
a rat and called the cops.
At 1 a.m. last Thursday, Sompong called officers after
spotting the two conmen at a disco in North Pattaya. Police arrived on the
scene and detained the two men, later identified as Paitoon Sardit and
Kriengkrai Suwansiri. All three made a trip to Pattaya police station to
sort out their differences.
The two men confessed to swindling the woman and agreed
to refund and compensate her for her losses. Once an agreement was made,
police wrote down their details before letting them go of their own accord.
Police raid nets 70,000 baht worth
of illegal cigarettes and tobacco
Acting on tip-off, criminal investigation officers set up
a sting operation to snare a dealer of smuggled cigarettes. Using marked
bills police purchased foreign brand cigarettes and rolling tobacco from
Umapar Sukjai in her Banglamung residence. Once the deal was made the young
woman was arrested.
Officers confiscated 199 packs of Golden Virginia
cigarettes and hand rolling tobacco. The goods had been imported into
Thailand without paying the necessary taxes or receiving permission from the
Thailand Tobacco Monopoly.
Twenty-one-year-old Umapar told police that she had
received the tobacco from a Thai man living abroad. She claimed that she was
unaware that what she was doing was illegal. Police explained to her that
the tobacco did not have a government stamp signifying that taxes had been
paid which made them illegal.
The girl’s ignorance was not an adequate excuse and
police escorted her to the provincial tax office where she was made to pay
the necessary stamp duties and fines before being released.
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