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Anna Kournikova visits young patients at Bangkok Pattaya Hospital

Convicted Russians to appeal as Moscow pleads for compassion

Buddhist Image Preservation Society hosts eastern region pageant

Soi Bongkot residents call city for assistance after newly opened restaurant prevents them from sleeping

Ratchaburi man ends his dangerous liaisons after 28 days with over 1,000 centipedes

Tight security slated for of HRH Princess Sirindhorn’s visit to Pattaya

Police raid private zoo for illegally harboring protected species

Man beaten to death in road rage confrontation

Police raid drug party at North Pattaya resort

Police briefs

Missing Person

Art Caf้ celebrates 1st Anniversary with an art exhibition by Chaiyo Patsoda

3rd annual long boat races this weekend

Anna Kournikova visits young patients at Bangkok Pattaya Hospital

Anna Kournikova spared time from her busy schedule to spend some remarkable moments with the young patients during her visit to the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital on the afternoon of Saturday November 8.

Anna made a special request to her personal manager Abigail to arrange her schedule to visit the hospital. While in America she had been working as a volunteer taking care of the children at St. Jude Hospital and on many occasions she helped various organizations to raise funds for the children.

Surrounded by persistent reporters, Anna finds time to exhibit her motherly instincts and caress a baby at Bangkok-Pattaya Hospital. (Photo by Suchada Tupchai)

Arriving at the hospital she was welcomed by Dr. Jakapan Bhongsattern, assistant director, Neera Sirisampan assistant director - international operations and the management of the hospital. She was then flocked by her fans, especially the little ones, who lined up to receive her autograph. Nearly 30 reporters from around the nation were also there to capture her every movement.

She proceeded on to the Pediatric Out-Patient ward to talk to the children and comfort them, then moved to the Pediatric ward where she spend quite a long time with Natalya Zakus, a 10 year-old girl from Russia.

Anna visited two more rooms, and then it was time for her to leave the hospital to get ready for the special ‘Tennis Clinic’ session teaching selected young tennis players with Tamarine Tanasugarn.


Convicted Russians to appeal as Moscow pleads for compassion

By Alisa Tang
Associated Press Writer

Relatives of three Russian men sentenced to death and long jail terms in Thailand for armed robbery will file appeals, a diplomat said Thursday, as Moscow urged Thai authorities to “show humaneness” toward the convicts.

“The relatives of these people are in very close contact with their lawyers and are planning to appeal to the Appeals Court of Thailand,” said Andre Dvornikov, a Russian consul in Thailand.

(L to R) Mapat Mimlikeev, Renat Udarov and Felix Chermnykh shortly after they were caught last year for robbing a bank and killing a cop.

Rinat Koudaiarov, 32, Feliks Seremnykh and Marat Minikeev, both 31, were found guilty of stealing 2.4 million baht (US$57,100) from a bank in Pattaya in August 2002.

Koudaiarov was sentenced to death for shooting dead a police sergeant guarding the bank. Seremnykh was sentenced to life in prison and Minikeev to 37 years and four months.

Dvornikov said the relatives of Koudaiarov and Seremnykh are already in Thailand, and Minikeev’s wife is expected to arrive this week. They have 30 days from the sentencing date to file an appeal.

Meanwhile, the Russian government is hoping Koudaiarov’s sentence would be commuted to life and the three men extradited, Russia’s ITAR-Tass news agency said.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said it hopes “Thai authorities will display humaneness and will examine a possibility of commutation of the death penalty to life imprisonment as well as of extradition of the convicted to serve the sentence in the Russian territory,” ITAR-Tass said.

The Thai foreign ministry’s spokesman, Sihasak Phuangketkeow, said the Russian government has not made a formal plea of compassion.

Details about the men, including their hometowns, were not immediately available. They were arrested last year while trying to escape by boat off the beach resort of Hua Hin, 130 kilometers (80 miles) southwest of Bangkok.

Dvornikov noted that the only other Russian currently in a Thai jail is a woman serving a 3 1/2 year sentence for drug possession. She will be released in 2004, he said.

“There’s always these rumors about Russian crime activity in Pattaya and in Thailand in general: I think it is very overestimated,” he said.

The Russian Embassy estimates that about 40,000 to 50,000 Russian tourists have come to Thailand this year, mostly to Phuket or Pattaya, 110 kilometers (70 miles) southeast of Bangkok.


Buddhist Image Preservation Society hosts eastern region pageant

To promote the ancient art form

Suchada Tupchai

An exhibition of traditional Thai Buddhist art in the form of Buddhist statues was held at Pattaya School No. 7 in Nongpankhae, just south of Pattaya, on November 9. The event was organized by the Pattaya Buddhist Image Preservation Society. Sanga Kijsamrej president of the organizing committee and Namchai Deevee, president of the Eastern Chapter opened the exhibition amongst a large group of interested residents and visitors.

A special pageant was held on the day and the winners were presented with a trophy by Minister for Tourism and Sports Sontaya Khunpluem. Prizes and certificates were also given for participation.

The exhibition was organized to support the Buddha Images Preservation Society and to raise funds for scholarships for students in Pattaya and to fund other educational activities.


Soi Bongkot residents call city for assistance after newly opened restaurant prevents them from sleeping

Owner didn’t think it was that loud

Suchada Tupchai

Soi Bongkot residents sick and tired of a nearby restaurant creating too much noise joined together and contacted city hall to help resolve the issue, prompting Mayor Pairat Sutithamrongsawat and municipal officers to tour the area and inspect the Champ Restaurant. The restaurant evidently offers entertainment and Korean style barbeque food, but the live band that provides entertainment was the main source of complaint.

Mayor Pairat (right) confronts restaurant owner Prasong Thani (left), ordering him to quiet the entertainment in his restaurant. Prasong apparently didn’t think it was such a bad idea to offer loud music running late into the night in the middle of a residential neighborhood.

When city officials questioned the restaurant’s owner, Prasong Thani, he admitted to recently opening the restaurant and that nearby residents had indeed complained, but he was of the opinion that the noise was not that loud and did nothing resolve the issue. Surprised at seeing the mayor and municipal officials, Prasong promised to reduce the noise on his premises within the next 15 days. It was not made clear why this wouldn’t have been done immediately.

Mayor Pairat emphasized that despite operating within the legal boundaries he should reduce the noise level to allow local residents, especially children, the right to sleep, as it is important for their health and well being. The mayor also promised that a follow up inspection would take place to ensure Prasong keeps his word.

Mayor Pairat told members of the press that there are many similar cases in Pattaya and it is just a matter of time before they are told to reduce their noise level or face stiff penalties. Stubborn resisters will have their business licenses revoked.


Ratchaburi man ends his dangerous liaisons after 28 days with over 1,000 centipedes

Guinness World Record set at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum Pattaya

Suchada Tupchai

Despite being bitten 5 times by the nasty creepy crawlies, 26-year-old Boontawee Siengwong from Ratchaburi has broken the Guinness World record by testing his love for the creatures and remaining in isolation for 28 days with more than 1,000 centipedes.

Boontawee said he plans to start a new life with his girlfriend Kanchana Ketkaew, dubbed the Scorpion Queen, who spent 32-days with thousands of live scorpions last year. He and his girlfriend are both performers at a scorpion and insect farm on Samui Island where they perform with the insects for tourists. They plan to begin a new life away from the show.

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Museum, which monitored the session, established that 28 days would be enough to break a record, since no one else had attempted the same feat. Ripley’s will pass on the required documents and other evidence supporting the attempt to the Guinness Book for verification.

During the record attempt Boontawee was permitted to leave the room for 15 minutes every eight hours, while medical officials from the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital were on stand-by to treat bites and monitor his vital signs.

For his efforts, Boontawee, aka ‘Noo’, was presented with 30,000 baht in cash by Ripley’s Museum, a new motorcycle, a luxury watch and all the furniture used in the record attempt from Index Furniture.

“I’m really pleased that I have completed the record attempt and thank everyone for their support and encouragement over the last 28 days,” said Boontawee.

After finally leaving his confinement for the last 4 weeks, Boontawee showed his resilience by bringing some of his friends out to play and his girlfriend, Kanchana also bought along some scorpions one last time for the presentation.

With the combined money, Boontawee intends to open a small retail shop in the southern province of Chumporn with Kanchana, saying that he does not want to endanger his health anymore and would rather live a normal, long and fruitful life.


Tight security slated for of HRH Princess Sirindhorn’s visit to Pattaya

Princess to trace Pattaya history

Suchada Tupchai

A meeting held at city hall last week Monday firmed up plans to welcome HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn to Pattaya today, November 14. The princess will be making a special study trip to the region, bringing with her a group of selected students as part of a research project to study the history of Pattaya’s development as a city over the past 30-40 years.

Mayor Pairat Sutithamrongsawat and Air Vice Marshall Narong Lamayintr, a representative of the Royal Guard, presented the itinerary of events and the required increase in security for the Crown Princess’s visit.

Mayor Pairat Sutithamrongsawat and Air Vice Marshall Narong Lamayintr, a representative of the Royal Guard, study security plans in preparation of a visit to Pattaya today (Nov 14) from HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.

During her trip to Pattaya a presentation of the city’s history and development as well as the problems faced due to rapid growth will given before she moves on to the JUSMAG location where US military personnel used to meet, after which she will travel to Pratamnak Hill and then to Pattaya Park Resort and the naval monuments in Sattahip later in the day.

HRH will then move to the next stop on her tour, using Sukhumvit Road as the main route of transport with police and military personnel cordoning off the road to traffic to allow the princess a clear path of travel.

Mayor Pairat said, “It is an honor for the residents of Pattaya to have HRH visit the city and I would hope that everyone will take care of their businesses and homes as well as the local environment to present a good image to the princess during her brief stay in Pattaya.”


Police raid private zoo for illegally harboring protected species

Owner says all his papers are in order

Boonlua Chatree

Regional, local tourist police and wildlife protection officials discovered about 60 protected animals being kept illegally at the Elephant Kingdom zoo, a branch of the Crocodile Farm and Zoo in Samut Prakan during a well planned raid last week.

Law enforcement agencies obtained a search warrant from the court on Wednesday to search the 200-plus rai zoo in Huay Yai, Banglamung on Wednesday evening.

“Doh! Get me to a safer spot!” Perhaps having found himself a little too close to sharp claws, a worker scrambles up onto a flatbed truck whilst loading what appears to be a snow leopard confiscated during a raid on a local private collection.

A number of protected species were found being illegally kept on the property, including 4 hornbills, 19 cockatoos, 2 tigers, 2 orangutans, and 34 other animals, including leopards, macaques, pythons, open-billed storks and masked palm civets. All are protected species which the zoo was keeping without appropriate licenses.

Authorities also discovered over 1,000 crocodiles in the same compound.

A leopard pants heavily in its tiny cage at a local private zoo police raided last week.

Pol. Maj. Gen. Panya Mamen, tourist police chief, revealed that the business was only legally allowed to hold a tiger, a leopard, a gibbon and two deer on their license application. The license application was posted on August 9 last year by owner of the property, Uthane Youngpraphakorn. Uthane was charged with the illegal possession of wildlife.

Five cars were also found within in the zoo compound and were confiscated by police. The vehicles including a Mercedes Benz S600 and a BMW Series 7; both equipped with left-hand drive and are allegedly to have been illegally brought in to Thailand.

Siriporn Naikhon, a zoo worker, said the Elephant Kingdom has been in business since January 18 this year but could not give any further details, stating that she was employed to take care of the animals.

Uthane, later released on 100,000-baht bail, insisted he had the permits to keep all the confiscated animals, saying the papers were kept at his crocodile farm in Samut Prakan.

The raid comes as national Wildlife officials are getting tough on poaching and cross-country smuggling of wild animals in a bid to wipe out the illegal activities by the end of this year.


Man beaten to death in road rage confrontation

Fender-bender ends in murder

A 25-year-old man was beaten to death outside a karaoke bar on Pattaya Third Road after a minor accident in which he scraped a car.

The car owner and his companion picked up a 1 meter length piece of steel and repeatedly hit the man until he fell unconscious, then both men fled the scene of the murder. The injured man was taken to the Pattaya Memorial hospital by staff of the karaoke bar where he succumbed to his injuries.

One of the two confessed murderers reenacts the crime for police.

Police were called to the hospital to investigate the death of 25-year-old Jantre Jantr, and a team of officers were sent to bar where the crime occurred. Arriving at the scene, police found a number of onlookers and witnesses still in the area. Two female employees of the karaoke relayed the details of the events.

The dead man was apparently drinking in the bar as were the two men who later attacked him. Apparently, Jantre got up and left the bar to go home; he got into his car and accidentally scraped another vehicle.

Two enraged men went out to see the damage and began beating the victim with a piece of stainless steel. When Jantre collapsed, staff took him to the hospital for treatment while the two perpetrators left. The girls gave officers an apt description of the vehicle and the registration number. Police checked registration records and were issued with a warrant for the arrest of the vehicle’s owner shortly thereafter.

Officers stormed the house where 20-year-old Draipob Suntornakul and 25-year-old Saroj Sricharoen lived. The pair admitted to the beating. claiming that their anger hit a flashpoint at seeing their vehicle damaged and they intended to vent their anger by hitting the man.

They revealed that they did not think he would die so they left the bar area. Only when police turned up on their doorstep did they learn that their victim died. Both men were charged with grievous bodily harm causing death and now face trial.


Police raid drug party at North Pattaya resort

“Rich girls” bar fine boys for sex, drugs and rock n roll

Sex and drugs were theme of a party at a North Pattaya resort when police gate crashed the hedonistic activities of five well-to-do women who had apparently ‘bar fined’ 4 younger men from two south Pattaya cafes to take part in the party.

Caught in the act - “well-to-do” women allegedly bar fined some boys for a raucous party in North Pattaya, and everything might have been ok except for the drugs.

Criminal investigation officers raided a bungalow at the Good View Resort in North Pattaya following an investigation. When the team of officers arrived at the bungalow, smoke from marijuana filled the air, and police knew that had arrived at the right place.

Gate-crashing the fun, police arrested five women aged between 28-34 and 4 young men who worked in South Pattaya cafes.

Inside the room, officers found one bag of marijuana, an ecstasy pill and a bottle of male sex stimulant, similar to that of Viagra.

All nine were arrested and taken to Soi 9 for a drug test, each returning positive results. They were subsequently charged with possession and use of illegal drugs and now await court proceedings.


Police briefs

Boonlua Chatree

Burglar robs foreign resident of over 700,000 baht in cash and jewelry

Pattaya police were called to an apartment block in Central Pattaya following a break-in robbery. The apartment, belonging to Stephen Sherwood, had been broken into, and Sherwood and his wife lost a large amount of cash and gold jewelry.

The couple owns a bar in Soi 8 and had just returned from their business to discover that the door was forced open. The thief stole 9,500 pounds sterling, 100,000 baht in cash and gold, an estimated total of well over 700,000 baht.

Investigating police questioned the apartment’s security guard who told them that he did not see anyone suspicious enter or leave the building. Police suspect the thief lives in the apartment block and expect to make an arrest shortly.

More bogus goods confiscated in Beach Road arrest

The crackdown on pirated merchandise continues with the latest arrest being made on the beach in front Mike Shopping Mall as two men were delivering goods to their Pattaya customers.

Criminal investigation officers lay in wait for the delivery people following a tip-off. When the pair pulled up in the pick up officers revealed their identity to the men and ordered them open up the back of their truck. Inside, police found 288 travel bags with ‘The North Face’ brand name stitched on them and eight ‘Oakley’ brand knapsacks.

The pair, both from Chiang Mai, admitted that the goods were not original brands and that they were employed by to make the delivery to Pattaya after driving from Bangkok.

The two were charged with breach of intellectual property and copyright laws of products already registered in the kingdom.

Eleven people arrested for drug possession in South Pattaya raid

Following a tip from residents, Pattaya crime suppression police arrested 11 people in the process of using illegal drugs just off Pratamnak Road in South Pattaya. Officers searched the group of men and women and discovered a total of 21 methamphetamine pills on three out of the eleven individuals. The offenders were taken down to Soi 9 police station and given drug tests which returned positive results. All were charge with use of an illegal substance and three men were charged with possession.


Missing Person

If anyone sees or knows the whereabouts of this person please contact the numbers below. The girl’s mother and father, originally from Vietnam and now living the U.S. have information that their daughter, who has been missing since 1981 when she was 14 years old, was recently spotted in the eastern region of Thailand.

If you know her whereabouts please contact 09 851 4632, 02 754 6410 (Khun Jo) and 01 817 0397 (Nittaya Patimasongkroh, YWCA Bangkok-Pattaya president).


Art Cafe้ celebrates 1st Anniversary with an art exhibition by Chaiyo Patsoda

When Art Cafe้ opened its doors for business on the 3rd of November last year, little did the people of Pattaya realize that this was not going to be just an ordinary restaurant. Jo and Johanna Stetten brought with them a bold and artistic new approach to fine dining in the ambiance of what one would describe as an art gallery.

Jo Stetten and Chaiyo Patsoda unveil a painting to declare the exhibition open.

Art Cafe้ has been the home of many striving and well-established artists. Not a week goes by without art lovers from Pattaya and the Eastern Seaboard heading to this unique house to enjoy good food and absorb the artistic milieu.

Art lovers at the cocktail reception before the official opening.

Last week food connoisseurs and lovers of exquisite art made a special pilgrimage to Art Caf้ not only to celebrate their 1st anniversary but also to welcome and get a first hand glimpse of an art exhibition by Chaiyo Patsoda, a young and talented Thai painter of water colours.

Boonlert Kongboontum ‘Toto’ presents Jo Stetten with a portrait of King Chulalongkorn the Great (Rama V) as a token of goodwill to mark the 1st anniversary of the Art Caf้é.

In his introductory speech, Jo Stetten thanked every one for taking the time to come to this exhibition, saying, “This confirms that Pattaya has come of age. I am so pleased to see so many of you, and feel comforted by the fact that there is a need for art and beauty to fulfill the artistic inspiration and desires of so many. We at Art Caf้ will continue to give budding young Thai artists the opportunity to exhibit their work here on a regular basis.”

(L to R) Jo Stetten, Lindsay Morrison and Margret Kaus thouroughly enjoyed the evening.

Rob Scarr introduced the young artist and gave a short account of the young man’s life. Chaiyo was born in Ubon Ratchatani in 1981. He has been drawing Thai traditional figures and landscapes from a young age. Chaiyo grew up in a small village bordering the mighty Mekong River, where many of his ideas and styles come from. His mother, being a teacher, encouraged Chaiyo to write but he ended up using the paper and pens given to him to draw.

At the age of 13 he was sent, like many young Thai boys, to a Buddhist Monastery where he spent 3 years as a monk – the head monk at Wat Thamsamaki in Baan Kae, Phra Ajan Jalanchai influenced him to draw many figures of the Buddha that is seen in his paintings today. Chaiyo realized that his art was raw but should be developed. He therefore sought to spend time learning his art with various established painters and teachers in Bangkok. In particular, during the last few years, he has spent time with Summet Katsumaso and Wasan Niyumsuaman who are well-established painters in Thailand.

The exhibition at Art Cafe้ continues daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. until November 22. For information call 038 367 652.


3rd annual long boat races this weekend

The 3rd annual long boat races will take place this weekend, November 15-16 at Mabprachan Reservoir. The event draws to Pattaya rowers from around the country in the 30 and 55 rower classes in what has become a nationally broadcasted event.

Rowers from around the country will be competing in Pattaya next weekend, November 15 & 16, in the 3rd annual long boat races at Mabprachan Reservoir.

The event, now a major item on the annual calendar, is now in its third year, with teams of rowers competing for the coveted HRH Princess Sirindhorn Trophy in the 55 rower class and the Princess Soamsawali Trophy in the 30 rower category.

This year Sontaya Khunpluem, minister of tourism and sports, will preside over the opening ceremonies at the Mabprachan area and will fire the starter’s pistol to set the expected 20 teams racing across the water. The races will be broadcast live around the nation on channel 11.

Mai Chaiyanit, Nongprue DAO chief said, “This event not only promotes Thai culture and sporting activities but attract thousands of visitors, both Thai and foreign, to watch the event from the shores of Lake Mabprachan. I expect we will see a greater number of spectators this year than previously.”