NEWS
HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]:

Korean restaurant goes up in smoke – finishes in much better condition

City calls for beach chair and umbrella vendors to stage regular cleanups

PBTA touts Pattaya as a sports city

Three public holidays for Buddhist Lent

Condoms sniffing, barking dogs to promote safe sex

Reforestation project slated for Larn Island

Pattaya cleans up in honor for HM the Queen’s 72nd Birthday

Soi Chaiypruek residents and business fed up with construction delays

Frenchman arrested for shoplifting

Police continue crackdown on lascivious entertainment venues

British national dies in car after night on the town

Tourist seriously injured in motorcycle accident

Songkran shooter arrested

American resident dies - suicide suspected

Englishman found dead in apartment

Korean restaurant goes up in smoke – finishes in much better condition

Thousands of six-legged casualties reported

Boonlua Chatree

Pattaya firefighters and local residents were a bit red faced last week when a “late night fire” at a local Korean eatery turned out to be nothing more than insect extermination in progress.

Ten fire trucks and police units raced to the Korean restaurant on Central Pattaya Road before midnight on July 10 after nearby residents reported smoke coming from the windows of the three storey building.

“Better safe than sorry” – firefighters were quick to the scene of a report of smoke coming from this eatery, which turned out to be insect extermination in progress.

Fireman rushed to the location to find smoke clouding the eatery. Unable to gain immediate access, firefighters broke a small window and entered the building to look for the cause of the blaze.

However, none was found. By this stage, a crowd of almost 100 people had gathered on the road to watch the scene unfold.

Shortly after, the restaurant’s owner turned up to inform red-faced officials that he had hired an extermination contractor to eradicate mosquitoes and insects from the restaurant, and there was no fire at all.

Once the truth was revealed everyone departed from the scene with firefighters putting the experience down to a practice session.

Casualties, however, were believed to be in the thousands – all of which had six legs or more.


City calls for beach chair and umbrella vendors to stage regular cleanups

Tourists favor Jomtien’s beach for fun and sun

Ariyawat Nuamsawat

City administrators would like Jomtien Beach kept clean, and are asking vendors to help. This past week they called a meeting with Jomtien beach-chair and umbrella vendors, calling for their cooperation in maintaining a high standard of cleanliness in their operating areas.

Mayor Niran Wattanasartsathorn and Pattana Boonsawat, deputy mayor, met with the vendors at city hall to hand down the policy and instill understanding.

Settapol Boonsawat, president of the vendors association, also at the meeting said, “A large number of tourists, both Thai and foreign, are using Jomtien Beach as their preferred beach. In the past we have had some vendors who have failed to provide proper service and care for their designated area. The city implemented an action plan and asked for operators to take the last Wednesday of every month off. Since the beach front is a window to the city, I suggest that vendors neatly stack their chairs and umbrellas and carry out a thorough beach clean up, as proposed by the city.”

Following the discussion, the vendors association donated street and parking signs to the Pattaya police department for use along Jomtien Beach Road. Mayor Niran accepted the signs on behalf of the department.


PBTA touts Pattaya as a sports city

Water sports and indoor games most favored

Ariyawat Nuamsawat

A myriad of items were discussed at the Pattaya Business and Tourism Association (PBTA) monthly meeting, held last week at the Green Park Resort. Discussions included the recent Highlight East promotional campaign, the Colorful East exhibition at last weekend’s Pattaya marathon, and road shows to Austria and the Czech Republic.

Thanet Supornsaharungsi, PBTA president said, “Pattaya is a good place for sporting activities, especially water sports.”

However, atop the agenda were plans to portray Pattaya as a center for sporting events. Thanet Supornsaharungsi, PBTA president offered his opinion, “Pattaya is a good place for sporting activities, especially water sports. I suggest that a Pattaya Sports Festival be held encompassing all water sports or indoor sports. We will, however, need to consult with the Pattaya, provincial and district administrations on theses matters due to the majority of budgets coming from these organizations.”

Mai Chaiyanit, chairman of the Nongprue District Administration revealed, “Very recently officials from the Thai Athletics Association visited Pattaya and Chonburi to inspect the region to host the 24th SEA Games in 2006. Since Chonburi is an ideal place to host outdoor and indoor sports and since the indoor stadium will be complete by then, the bid could be quite successful and will benefit Pattaya’s tourism industry greatly.”


Three public holidays for Buddhist Lent

The government has announced that there will be three consecutive public holidays, not four, for this year’s Buddhist Lent.

Deputy government spokeswoman Sansanee Nakpong announced that the cabinet has agreed that the public holidays to observe the Buddhist Lent would be July 31 - August 2.

The three consecutive public holidays are for the Buddhist Lent Eve on July 31, the Buddhist Lent on August 1, which are Saturday and Sunday, and a compensation holiday on August 2.

August 3 will be a working day, not another public holiday. (TNA)


Condoms sniffing, barking dogs to promote safe sex

Best to place condoms in easy sight

A leading Thai politician and personality has proposed using dogs to sniff out people who fail to carry condoms on them.

The idea is to help promote “safe sex”, according to Meechai Viravaidya. He was responsible for an earlier campaign in Thailand’s promoting the use of condoms and family planning.

The condom-sniffing dogs project could be launched without waiting for government support and funding, said Meechai.

It could begin with the selection of a few dogs which could easily be taught to sniff for condoms, and bark when a person does not have a pack of condoms on them. Meechai appealed to anyone who wanted to, to donate dogs to the project.

Meechai made his suggestion at the 15th International AIDS Conference in Muang Thong Thani on the outskirts of Bangkok on Friday. He saw police dogs sniffing for drugs at AIDS conference. This, he said, gave him the idea of using dogs to sniff for condoms.

The idea, he said, struck him as an interesting way to keep people interested in AIDS prevention campaign activities, especially promoting the use of condoms among today’s sexually liberal youths.

Meechai is an internationally renowned AIDS prevention advocate, who is widely known as “Mr. Condom” in Thailand. (TNA)


Reforestation project slated for Larn Island

Part Queen’s Birthday celebrations

Suchada Tupchai

Plans are afoot to re-plant 200 rai of land on Larn Island as part of the Queen’s 6th Cycle Birthday celebrations.

Pattaya administrators, National Electricity Production Authority and Forestry Department representatives met at city hall last week to discuss the plan, which will involve over 1,000 people assisting to plant a variety of trees. The mass planting is scheduled for August 6.

Manat Saendech, assistant project director in charge of the project from the National Electricity Production Authority, explains the aim of the exercise.

Larn Island (Koh Larn) has suffered severe deforestation over the years and despite efforts by Pattaya City and the TAT, natural resources and reserves are declining.

Officials at the meeting agreed there is an urgent need to plant more trees throughout the island to bolster its position as a natural environment destination.

The National Electricity Production Authority will supply the trees, which are to be planted along the Saem Beach area, a popular tourist spot. The target is to plant at least 130 trees per rai.

Species include a native type of mahogany, Indian mahogany, Ormosia and Neem trees, most of which are used as construction materials and grow quite large. Best of all, they require almost no intervention.

Sontaya Khunplome, tourism and sports minister will preside over the ceremonies on August 6 at 10 a.m. in the Saem Beach area.


Pattaya cleans up in honor for HM the Queen’s 72nd Birthday

Pattaya residents join hands to clean the city

Suchada Tupchai

Residents, school children and business owners joined forces with the Pattaya administration on July 14 to clean up Pattaya as part of the celebration for HM the Queen’s upcoming 72nd birthday.

Promptly at 9.20 a.m. on July 14, Pisit Ketphasook, Chonburi governor and Mayor Niran Wattanasartsathorn opened the proceedings at city hall.

Residents, school children and business owners joined forces to clean up Pattaya as part of the celebrations for HM the Queen’s upcoming 72nd birthday.

Before setting the crews off on their activities, Mayor Niran said, “Pattaya is a well known tourist city and as such we must care for the environment and keep our city clean.”

Cleaning crews from all walks of life and age groups began the day cleaning the streets, storefronts, drains and gardens through out the day.

Additionally, visitors to the Queen’s Cup Marathon were welcomed to a cleaner Pattaya because the people’s love and respect for their queen.


Soi Chaiypruek residents and business fed up with construction delays

Months of unfinished road work creates havoc

Suchada Tupchai

As Pattaya grows so does the need to improve infrastructure, especially the roads and drainage systems. However, when these improvements take an inordinate amount of time, frustrations abound and tempers run high.

Such is the case with residents and business operators in Soi Chaiypruek who are fed up with the extended delays during construction of their little piece of town.

Soi Chaiypruek residents say it is high time for the construction on this road to be completed.

The stretch of road being worked on is only 2 kilometers long, but the installation of new wastewater drains is already two months past the due date of completion.

The road has been dug up and left that way for a number of months without action from the contractors. According to the construction notice, the contractor, Bangsaen Mahanakorn Partners Ltd. was to begin construction on February 21 this year, and a completion date of May 16 was set. This has not been the case. Residents reported that they began in earnest in June, already past the deadline for completion.

The extended delays have affected businesses at all levels; one motorcycle taxi rider said he was forced to move to Jomtien Beach Road for business and was fined for operating outside his defined rank.

Whatever the case, the extended construction process has caused a multitude of problems for residents. One can only hope the new Pattaya administration will rectify the situation, and the public works department be held responsible for their actions, or lack thereof.


Frenchman arrested for shoplifting

Jailed for 109 baht worth of cheese

Boonlua Chatree

William Demunter, 71, from France was arrested on July 11 after refusing to pay for a packet of cheese worth 109 baht from a South Pattaya supermarket.

Perhaps it was all a misunderstanding, but William Demunter, 71, from France would rather go to jail than cough up 109 baht for cheese.

Police were called to the Friendship Supermarket at 9.30 p.m. on July 11 after security guards detained the elderly Frenchman for theft. The guards told police that the man had placed the cheese in his pocket and left the supermarket after paying for other groceries.

The store manager said that Demunter was a regular customer, and that he did not want to bring charges of theft against him. The manager told officers that he tried to reason with Demunter after he had bought and paid for other items, but Demunter refused to pay for the cheese stuffed in his pocket. He said he had no choice but to call in local law enforcement.

Demunter was charged with theft and placed in a holding cell pending judicial proceedings.


Police continue crackdown on lascivious entertainment venues

Cops bring the curtain down on sex shows

Boonlua Chatree

Pattaya police had a busy night on July 12 as they raided two entertainment venues in Pattaya, and arrested 5 performers and 14 tour guides.

The first raid took place at the Bluebird Bar in North Pattaya. Officers stormed the bar where a lewd show was in progress and approximately 300 Chinese tourists were receiving an eyeful. Shocked at the sight of police, the tourists fled the bar.

Police detained the ‘performers’, confiscated their stage props and busted the 9 Pattaya-based Thai tour guides. All were charged with their involvement in the show and the guides received extra charges for taking tourists to such venues.

In another raid, officers moved in on the Juno Bar, located on Pattaya Second Road. During the raid a single performer was detained while the bar manager and a further 5 tour guides were arrested.

In both venues, the managers were charged with illegally operating an entertainment venue, the performers were fined for lewd public behavior and the guides were taken into custody, fined, and officials moved to have their guide licenses revoked.


British national dies in car after night on the town

Banglamung police were called to a location in Nongprue on July 12 following the reported death of a foreign resident inside a car.

Officers and Sawang Boriboon personnel arrived on the scene to find Eric Dodd, 67, from Great Britain dead inside a pickup truck.

Dodd’s friend Eddie Hodson, who lived a few doors away, told police that he and his friend had gone out the night before, drinking in a South Pattaya bar. At around 3.30 a.m. the pair were apparently quite inebriated and were driven home by the bar owner, Bunterng Sawangchai, who left them in the vehicle.

Hodson told officers that he managed to get home to sleep, just 10 meters from where the vehicle was parked, leaving his friend in the car to sleep off the night’s activities. He was unaware of his friend’s death until a neighbor told him.

Eric Dodd’s body was sent to the forensic institute for a post mortem examination. Police suspect that a heavy night of drinking and sleeping in a locked vehicle with the windows up might have exhausted Dodd’s oxygen supply, which coupled with his age may have contributed to his death.


Tourist seriously injured in motorcycle accident

Loses lower leg

Boonlua Chatree

Banglamung police and Sawang Boriboon rescue personnel were called to the scene of a horrific accident at 1.30 a.m. on July 13 involving a foreign tourist. The foreigner, later identified as Shawn Outram, 41, from Australia, lost control of the 1900 cc motorcycle he was riding on a sharp corner in Pattaya-Naklua. Outram slid out of control slamming into a power pole. The force of the impact crushed his right lower leg, severing his foot.

Residents who heard the accident rushed the man to the Bangkok Pattaya Hospital. Emergency staff stopped the man’s profuse bleeding as quickly as they could, but Outram was in critical condition due to excessive blood loss. Doctors discovered that they would be unable to re-attach the Outram’s foot due to extensive damage to his leg after it had been crushed by the force of the impact.

A nearby resident who saw the incident told police that the man was traveling at high speed and failed to negotiate the corner. Police recorded the details of the accident. The injured man was last reported to be in a critical but stable condition.


Songkran shooter arrested

Admits to shooting victim for calling him a bad name

Boonlua Chatree

Police have arrested the perpetrator of a murder that occurred on April 19 (Pattaya’s Songkran Day) this year. The shooting that occurred on Second Road in North Pattaya left one man dead and three injured.

The deceased, a musician named Apichart Jaemsawang, was the son of the Imam of the Mapiliyia Mosque.

Anurat Rungsook, aka “Chaiyar ‘S’ New World” re-enacts the crime for police at the Second Road location.

Criminal investigators caught up with Anurat Rungsook, aka “Chaiyar ‘S’ New World”, 19, in Sriracha, where he had been in hiding since the shooting.

Anurat was armed with a loaded 9mm pistol at the time of his arrest, but officers surrounded him in the middle of a pineapple field and convinced him to accompany them to Pattaya police station for questioning.

Anurat confessed to shooting Apichart Jaemsawang out of anger and revenge after Apichart had verbally attacked him, calling him a Mafioso of the garbage class.

Anurat said that after the shooting, he and his accomplice, Manus Saegung, 20, the driver of the motorcycle, split up and fled in different directions.

Following the statement, officers took ‘S’ to the crime scene to re-enact the shooting before returning him to his cell. Manus Saegung is still at large. Officers are continuing their investigation.


American resident dies - suicide suspected

Police treating case as suspicious

Boonlua Chatree

Local photographer Howard Greene, 56, from the USA, died last week, the result of an apparent suicide.

Police were called to the Niran Condominium complex at 2 p.m. on Monday after receiving a report of a foreign resident falling from his 12th floor rented apartment.

Police arrived at the scene to find Greene’s body on the concrete. No blood was found at the impact site, which led police to suspect something was amiss.

An inspection of Greene’s room led to further suspicion, as it was immaculately clean, there was no evidence of a struggle and Greene’s personal belongings, including passport and wallet were missing.

However, a signed suicide note was found on the coffee table.

Police and a doctor from Banglamung inspected the body and suspect that Greene may have died at least one hour prior to his body landing on the concrete.

Greene’s body was sent to the police forensic institute for further examination, which is standard procedure for deaths of foreigners, while officers investigate the case.

Howard Greene was known among the community as a pro photographer and worked on a number of charity and high profile projects during his years in Pattaya.


Englishman found dead in apartment

Suicide over business failure suspected

Boonlua Chatree

Police were summoned to an apartment block in South Pattaya following the report of a death of a foreign national at around 7.30 p.m. on July 11. The dead man, Paul Anthony Savill, 36, from the United Kingdom apparently committed suicide following a string of mishaps and business troubles in the UK.

Offices arrived on the scene to find Savill lying on the floor of the apartment with a curtain chord wrapped around his neck. The curtains from the large window nearby had been pulled from the wall.

Maneeya Savill, 32, the dead man’s wife who reported the tragic find, told police that her husband was due to fly back to the UK to attend to an urgent business matter. However, the chain of events leading up to her husband’s death may have also been a contributing factor.

She revealed that Paul had been drinking the previous night and on his way home crashed into a baht bus and was forced to pay 12,000 baht in compensation to the driver. Enraged, he arrived home to continue his libation, at which time he consumed around 65 Valium tablets, after which he began throwing things around the room and put his fist through a window, causing him to require stitches.

According to Maneeya, they returned from the hospital in the early hours of the morning, after which she left to carry out some personal business. When she returned to the apartment she found her husband dead on the floor. She called for help to resuscitate him, but these proved unsuccessful.

Police transferred the man’s remains to the forensic institute for a post mortem examination and informed embassy officials to notify his next of kin.