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Princess Olufunke Adedoyin of Nigeria visits Pattaya
Intentions of cultivating closer ties in commerce and tourism
Mayor Niran and Princess Olufunke
then signed a Letter of Intent to establish a Sister City relationship between
the City of Abuja and the City of Pattaya.
Mayor Niran and city
administrators welcome the Princess upon her arrival.
Nigerian Princess Olufunke
Adedoyin and her royal entourage visit Nong Nooch Gardens.
Princess Olufunke, former Minister of State for Health of the
Republic of Nigeria, visited Pattaya last week to meet with the mayor, city
officials, and members of the business community to discuss and cultivate
greater ties with Thailand.
On Monday August 29, the Princess arrived at Pattaya City
Hall and placed a wreath at the monument of King Taksin the Great, after which
Mayor Niran Wattanasartsathorn welcomed Princess Olufunke, saying, “Pattaya
is a very important tourist and commercial destination and has become world
renowned, not only for our countless tourist attractions but also for being the
center of trade on the Eastern Seaboard of Thailand.” He went on to say,
“We are also confident that you will be instrumental in strengthening the
cooperation between our two countries in matters of commerce and tourism. This
is an excellent opportunity to promote Pattaya City to the citizens of Nigeria
and for us to learn more about your country.”
He then presented her with the key to Pattaya City.
Princess Olufunke thanked the mayor and the people of
Pattaya for the warm welcome and went on to inform the officials gathered for
the purpose of her visit saying, “Up until a few years ago Nigeria’s
economy was mostly dependant on oil. But we realize that we have to explore
other avenues of commerce and trade and therefore the last few years we have
concentrated on developing the agriculture and industrial areas. Nigeria is
looking for new avenues of cooperation with countries in Asia, especially
Thailand.”
A forty-two-man delegation from Thailand traveled to Nigeria
recently to foster development of better business relationships, friendship and
economic cooperation.
Though the two countries have had trade links for quite some
time, Nigeria does have an embassy in Thailand already and at the same time
Thailand has shown interest in opening one of their own in Nigeria.
Mayor Niran and Princess Olufunke then signed a Letter of
Intent to establish a Sister City relationship between the City of Abuja and
the City of Pattaya. The letter stated that, “Through a most successful and
productive visit of Princess Olufunke Adedoyin with Pattaya Mayor Niran
Wattanasartsathorn on August 28-29, 2005, and discussions held with the
business community, both parties have agreed in principle that in the near
future, the city of Abuja and the city of Pattaya will sign a Sister City
agreement with each other.
“The purpose of this bond will be to create closer ties
and understanding between the peoples of Nigeria and Thailand. This will also
give both parties opportunities to learn about each other’s cultures and
traditions. It will also strengthen the cooperation between our two countries
in matters of commerce and tourism.”
After the visit to Pattaya City Hall, Princess Olufunke and her entourage
visited the Nong Nooch Tropical Gardens where she spent a few relaxing hours
enjoying the scenery and was enchanted by the variety of beautiful orchids and
other flora grown there.
The lady’s not for burning
Curious case of woman who died and was cremated, then returned home alive and well
Boonlua Chatree
A woman who allegedly died six months ago and was
cremated has returned to her home, causing panic amongst her neighbors who
thought she must be a ghost.
The story began on the morning of February 14 this
year, St Valentine’s Day, when Banglamung Police Station received a
report that a woman was lying dead in Nongprue Temple.
 Warunee
Bun-Eurb, presumed dead and cremated back in February, has returned alive.
Officers arriving at the scene found the blood-covered
body of a woman identified as Mrs Warunee Bun-Eurb, aged 35. She was
wearing a red t-shirt and red trousers, and clutching a 12-inch knife.
There were 11 wounds to her stomach and her throat had been slashed,
exposing the Adam’s apple.
The police transferred the corpse to Banglamung
Hospital so the physician could confirm the cause of death and issue a
certificate. Subsequently the body was collected by a relative and
cremated.
On August 29, Banglamung Police Station received
another report concerning the dead woman. She had returned home. Her
husband, Bunrod Bunchoo, 48, wouldn’t allow her to step into the house
because he thought she was a ghost. The frightened villagers couldn’t
understand either. If she was dead and had been cremated six months ago,
how did she come back?
Officers arriving at the house found Warunee Bun-Eurb
in tears, clutching her own death certificate. She said she had been away
working at a construction site for about a year, and hadn’t been in
contact with her home. Now she had come back to see her child.
The investigation switched to the identification
process of the dead body.
Bunrod told police that the day after Warunee was
apparently found dead, a relative, Miss Wanphen Pawandee, had confirmed
the woman’s identity with Banglamung Police Station and received a death
certificate from Banglamung District Office before taking the corpse to
Thuanthong Temple. There it was duly cremated at a total cost of 50,000
baht.
The police checked with the station officer and the
officials who had issued the original documentation, and the death
registration has now been canceled. A new ID card has been issued for
Warunee.
Now, however, police have a new case on their hands.
They are trying to find out who the dead woman was through use of the
fingerprints and photographs they took at the time. The cause of the death
is considered to be suicide.
Arts and cultural officials urged to embrace information technology
Culture Minister Ms Uraiwan Tienthong presided over the
opening of a seminar for regional administrators involved in religious, arts
and cultural work, with approximately 70 officials taking part at the event
in Jomtien.
 Culture
Minister Ms Uraiwan Tienthong
Similar seminars are also being conducted in Chiang Mai,
for officials in the Northern region, in Bangkok, for the Central region,
Pattani for the South and Khon Kaen for the Northeast.
Uraiwan said that one of the areas in which it was
especially important for officials to be up to date was in the use of
information technology, which allows administrative departments to function
more quickly and efficiently. Courtesy is also imperative when dealing with
the public. Today’s new generation of public officials carry a
responsibility for a new quality of service, she said.
Arrak Sanghithakul, director general of the Fine Arts
Department, who was also addressing the gathering, stressed the importance
of consistency of service across the country, hence the initiation of almost
simultaneous regional seminars.
The seminar covered work that is carried out by civil servants from the
Department of Fine Arts, the Department of Religious Affairs, the Commission
of National Culture and the Office of Temporary Culture.
Deputy Mayor Wuttisak awards winning schools and students
in fight against mosquitoes
Narisa
Nitikarn
Deputy Mayor Wuttisak Rermkijakarn presided over a
meeting on August 30 at the Public Health Center on Soi Buakao where he
awarded plaques to the 10 schools in Pattaya City that have been declared
free of the common house mosquitoes that can spread hemorrhagic fever.
 Deputy
Mayor Wuttisak Rermkijakarn presents a plaque and money to winning school
Muang Pattaya 8, which is now free from the common mosquitoes.
Wuttisak said city hall, the Contagious Disease
Protection Bureau and the Sanitation and Environment Department all strive
continuously to prevent contagious diseases and to check the spread of those
that had broken out. With this aim they had a program of mosquito larvae
eradication, sending officers with mosquito chemical eradication spray to
schools and other important places in the community.
The 10 schools under the control of Pattaya City council
also realized the need for hemorrhagic fever protection and control and had
successfully purged their establishments of the disease-carrying mosquitoes.
Teachers had educated their students on the need for hemorrhagic fever
protection, and they in turn had been advised by experts from Burapha
University, the Informal School Center, the Disease Protection and Control
Department Section 3, and the Local Education Department Chonburi Sector 3.
Wuttisak added that Pattaya City Council had a budget to
support disease protection every year. It is not a matter of building a
positive image, but essential for the quality of life of the general public
and visitors alike that all areas should be protected from contagious
diseases.
The winning school for eradicating common mosquitoes was Muang Pattaya 8.
Slogan winner of the hemorrhagic fever protection and control campaign was
Master Bodin Phorchomphoo of Muang Pattaya 2 School. Composition winner was
Miss Wipawadee Noi Muang from Muang Pattaya 5 School.
Route is ready for the October 2 Vegetarian Festival parade
Ariyawat
Nuamsawat
Giant dragons, a huge vegetable soup pot, and what is
somewhat mysteriously described as “supernatural fried rice” will lead
the parade to signal the beginning of Pattaya’s Vegetarian Festival on
October 2.
A scene
from last year’s parade.
A meeting conducted at city hall by Mayor Niran
Wattanasartsathorn has laid down the management plan and the promotional
campaign for the festival, and decided on a route for the parade.
The Vegetarian Festival, which is being held in
cooperation with the Sawang Boriboon Foundation, will be held from October
2-12. City hall predictions are that the event will be the biggest yet, with
about 5,000 participants.
The October 2 parade will start from Bali Hai pier and
wend its way along Walking Street, then turn onto Second Road until it
reaches the traffic light on Second Road Central Pattaya. The parade will
end here at the Telephone Communication Department, but the participants
will board transport that will take them to the traffic light at Third Road
South Pattaya. Here the parade will pass through Wat Chaimongkol and end at
the crossroads, where the participants will once again board transportation.
Pattaya School No 3 is the third starting point, the parade passing along
Sawangfa Road to Naklua New Market, reaching the traffic light at the fork
in the road and finally ending at Lan Poh Public Park, where the
festival’s opening ceremony will be held.
Security and traffic circulation will be coordinated by two police
stations, with officers and volunteers expected to number more than 500.
Pattaya cleaning for Queen
Suchada Tupchai
Pattaya City in cooperation with the Marines and private
organizations held a clean-up campaign as part of the activities surrounding
the birthday celebrations of Her Majesty the Queen.
Sailors
and city workers clean up Pattaya to honor the Queen.
The inauguration of the project on August 24 was presided
over by Mayor Niran Wattanasartsathorn and attended by Pattaya councilors and
administrators, Royal Thai Naval officers, community chiefs, and
representatives of private organizations.
Mayor Niran said that keeping the city clean is part of the ongoing
environmental development policy. He said that the Navy also has a policy to
support tourism and sea environmental protection, so cooperation between the
Navy and city hall is very much in the interests of Pattaya in general.
Pol Maj Gen Wut gives pep talk on law enforcement
Narisa
Nitikarn
Police headquarters deputy chief, Police Major General
Wut Lipatapallop chaired a meeting of local police, tourist police, highway
police and water police on August 31 to sharpen up law enforcement policy.
 Police
Major General Wut Lipatapallop, headquarters deputy chief called a meeting
of local police to outline government policy.
Police Major General Wut said that highway police should
pay more attention to the road safety aspects of traffic control,
especially at areas such as the Mae Kim Buay crossroads where there has
been a lot of accidents.
Also of concern was soccer gambling, where police were having problems
as it usually takes place during the nighttime. On the vexed subject of
entertainment venues throughout Pattaya, they needed to discuss and fix the
permitted opening hours. All those infringing permitted opening hours or
providing lewd shows will be arrested without exception, he said.
While politicians procrastinate, the heavens respond to prayer
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
If all else fails, pray. Nongprue District Chief Mai
Chaiyanit and Pong Sub-district Chief Pranerm Siriroop on August 29 led a
ceremony of prayer at Mabprachan Reservoir in the hope of bringing rain to the
parched region.
Monks
chant during the ceremony of prayer at Mabprachan Reservoir in the hope of
bringing rain to the parched region.
Amongst those attending in the attempt to propitiate the
gods were Santsak Ngamphiches, advisor to the deputy minister of interior,
Chonburi MP Chanyuth Hengtrakul, and Banglamung District Chief Worawit
Saisupatapol.
About 100 members of the public also attended the ceremony,
which included putting in a good word for those inhabitants of Banglamung who
were suffering from other problems relating to nature.
Mai said that although heavy rainfall should be occurring
by now, the levels were not what they should be, and the reservoir is
dangerously low. Therefore, he had discussed with Pranerm the idea of reviving
the old tradition at the reservoir.
It did indeed rain that evening, for two hours, and heavily. It wasn’t
enough to raise the level in the reservoir, but it did raise people’s
spirits. That in itself is something for which to give praise.
Pattaya City PR is not good enough, says Deputy Mayor Weerawat
Narisa Nitikarn
Deputy Mayor Weerawat Khakai has criticized the Pattaya City
public relations campaign, saying that it is not good enough to support all the
activities scheduled and suggesting that if necessary the 20 million baht budget
should be increased.
Deputy Mayor
Weerawat Khakai says Pattaya’s PR campaign is inadequate.
Weerawat was chairing a meeting on August 25 at city hall,
also attended by Chattan Kunjara na Ayudhya, director of the Tourism Authority
of Thailand Region 3 office, Thanet Supornsahasrungsi, president of the Pattaya
Business & Tourism Association, and Darunee Duangkaew, business director of
ProAct Associate Co Ltd.
The deputy mayor pointed out that this year still has several
major events scheduled, including the Chinese Vegetarian Festival, Pattaya
Carnival, Count Down, and many conferences. Therefore, city hall should be
prepared well in advance.
It has already been agreed that the activities held so far
this year have all suffered from inferior PR, said Weerawat. Now is the time for
improvement.
City hall has prepared a PR budget of 20 million baht.
However, this budget seems to be not enough when looking back to previous
activities of the TAT, where large budgets have been used, he said.
Now is the time to examine the budget usage plan and if the
funding is inadequate, to consider a new budget.
Chattan said that not only did the promotional activities
have to be good this year, but the results will have to be taken into account
for next year which will feature many special activities related to His Majesty
the King’s 60th anniversary of accession to the throne.
Thanet added that Pattaya had a lot of activities but not all were prominent
because of the lack of PR. Continuous promotion is needed, not just promotion
for one event at a time.
Suspected drugs intake the cause of Norwegian’s death at Tony’s Gym
Boonlua Chatree
Drugs are being mooted as the cause of death of a young
Norwegian who collapsed while exercising at Tony’s Gym on Pattaya Third
Road on August 30.
Police
found a stash of drugs amongst Stein’s possessions.
At the scene police found the body of John Stein, age 29.
There were no injuries other than a bitten tongue sustained during what
appeared to have been a heart attack. Stein’s body was transferred to the
medical authorities for a full autopsy.
Police interviewed Prasert Panomsri, the gym employee who had informed
them of the death. He stated that he was overseeing the gym when Stein fell
to the floor with spasms. Police have found illegal substances amongst the
dead man’s possessions.
Goat Kid Gang members arrested along with 42 illegal immigrants
Human trafficking gang broken
Boonlua Chatree
Following an intelligence tip-off that a gang of human
traffickers was holed up at Wanna Apartments on Soi Sophon Cable TV in
Pattaya Klang, police headquarters deputy investigator Police Major General
Wut Lipatapanlop on August 31 led a raid of more than 50 officers on the
building.
Police had already checked apartments all over Pattaya
and arrested members of what has become known as the Goat Kid Gang at Cycle
Court, Classic Inn Hotel and Central House.
On the 3rd floor of the 100-room Wanna Apartments
building the police found 42 illegal immigrants and several gang members,
amongst the latter being a 42-year-old Norwegian national named Emanuel
Legnord and a man identified as Dammica Bandara, age 35. They stated that
their role was to collect Sri Lankans and Indians in Thailand and secrete
them in apartments throughout Pattaya City. When they had gathered a total
of 100, they would contact fishery boats to arrange a pick-up from Bali Hai
Pier in South Pattaya, where they would be transferred to ships that would
take them into international waters for entry into another country.
Legnord and Bandara were charged with illegally bringing
foreigners into Thailand while the 42 illegal entrants were transferred to
Pattaya immigration police for deportation.
German dies after a sexual liaison
Unknown lady involved steals all his valuables –
has the nipple gang returned?
Boonlua Chatree
A German tourist who died during a sexual liaison lay
undiscovered in his hotel room for at least two days before a hotel employee
complained to police of a bad smell emanating from the room.
Responding to a call on August 30 from Miss Mai
Pohthaisong, a receptionist at a hotel on Soi Buakao, police entered the 4th
floor room where they found the dead body of Ulf Markus Wagner, a
37-year-old German national, laying on his back and in a state of
putrefaction. They estimated that he had been dead for at least two days.
There was no trace of any injuries, but there was blood
on his mouth and nose and his tongue was blocking his air passage. His penis
was swollen and covered in semen. Police sent the corpse to medical
authorities for an autopsy.
Checking the room, the officers found a woman’s slip
beside the bed, two KY tubes, one of which had been used, and a lot of
condoms on the table beside the bed and on the dressing table. One foreign
witness made a statement to the police that before his death, Wagner was
often seen in the company of different Thai ladies and was visited in his
room every night, when he made a lot of noise. The witness had complained
about it often. He said that three days ago at about 2 a.m. he saw a lady
came out of the dead man’s room and hurry away.
Mai, the receptionist, said that Wagner had checked in on
August 3 and deposited his properties in a safety deposit box. She didn’t
have the key and the police could not find it in the room. However, the box
was found to be unlocked and empty.
Police surmise that the cause of death was choking
following a sexual liaison and that the female involved had panicked, taking
his property with her before locking the door and going away.
Dutchman found dead
in Jomtien bedroom
Boonlua Chatree
Dongtan Police Station received a call in the early hours
of September 2 from Mrs Nittaya Sawangjai, saying that her Dutch husband was
lying dead at their lodging in Jomtien Palace Village, Najomtien Beach.
Officers went to the scene with Thamasathan Foundation
officers, where in a room on the 2nd floor they found the dead body of
Reinier Lambertus, a 49-year-old Dutch national, lying on his back on a
thick blanket beside the bed. He was clad in a blue t-shirt but had no pants
on. Both his hands had curled and the tip of his penis was wet with semen.
The body was already stiff and it was assumed he had been dead for five or
six hours.
There was no trace of either bodily injury or of fighting
in the room. Police took his fingerprints before transferring the body to
medical authorities for an autopsy.
Nittaya, 32, told police that she left the house at about
18.00 to buy food and came back home around 23.45 hrs, when she found her
husband dead. She didn’t know the cause of death, only that he suffered
from kidney disease and took medication regularly.
Police first assumed that he had taken some sleeping
pills and had had a heart attack. Regarding the semen on his penis it had
probably come from contact and pressing.
Police briefs
Boonlua Chatree
Woman fights off rape
attempt by man in car
A man has been arrested for the attempted rape of a woman
who he had enticed into his car and then threatened with a pair of scissors.
The woman, alias Dang and aged 21, told police she had
been waiting for a friend at Pattaya Beach Soi 10 when a man drove up in a
gold-bronze Toyota Camry. She said the man called her across and offered her
500 baht if she would act as a guide to show him around Pattaya. The man was
good looking and smartly dressed, so she agreed and got into his car.
The man then drove them to Pratamnak Hill in South
Pattaya, where he turned into a secluded area near a 24-hour convenience
store. He stopped the car and produced a pair of scissors, warning her not
to attempt to leave. The man then attempted to rape her, but Dang managed to
prevent him from doing so. She screamed out for help but nobody heard her.
During the scuffle her hand was cut with the scissors.
She decided to feign cooperation and said she would need to buy some
sticking plasters for her cut hand first. The man agreed to let her out of
the car so she could go to the store, and she was able to hail a motorcycle
taxi that took her to Pattaya police station. The man drove away in his car.
Police immediately set up road checkpoints to prevent the
assailant from fleeing the area. He was stopped and arrested at Soi 11 on
Beach Road, Pattaya Klang. Police identified him as Akrawut Chaleewan, a
34-year-old resident of Ladphrao district in Bangkok. Blood stained scissors
were found in the car.
Akrawut denied that he threatened or tried to rape Dang,
saying that he was only joking around with her. He admitted that he had
asked her to accompany him around when he saw her sitting near the beach.
Dang was transferred to Banglamung Hospital for treatment
and an internal examination. Akrawut has been charged with rape, lewd
conduct, using threatening behavior, and illegal imprisonment.
Shocking discovery in
townhouse bedroom
A landlord calling upon his tenant to collect overdue
rent found that she had been murdered in her bed three months’ previously.
Pattaya police station had received a call on the evening
of August 25 from Chanwit Jiaranaipong, 54, saying that there was a dead
lessee in the bedroom of his townhouse.
Officers went to the premises, a two-floor house in
Nongprue sub-district, where they found a corpse lying in the bed. The body
was identified as that of Miss Pathumma Sopanyahari, 32, of Makhamkoo in
Rayong province. She was dressed in a gray nightgown and had been strangled
with a 1-meter length of chord. The officers estimated she had been dead for
about three months because her corpse was dried.
The police transferred the body to the medical
jurisprudence institute for autopsy, and examined the scene.
There was no trace of fighting, but her photographs and
clothes were scattered. The dead woman’s passport and ID card were found
in a bag.
Chanwit told police that Pathumma was his long-term
lessee. She had always paid her rent until three months ago, when she ceased
to clear her bills. He had gone to speak to her and found that the door was
unlocked. Nobody seemed to be inside so he proceeded into the bedroom and
found the corpse.
Police surmise that at least two intruders strangled her
for her assets. Investigations continue.
Police bust fake goods
vendors
Following complaints from an owner of a
Thailand-registered copyright, police in the evening of August 25 descended
upon Sois 7 and 8 in Pattaya Klang where they found several vendors selling
counterfeit goods.
Five vendors were arrested. Amporn Mahakolakul, 34, had
four fake Louis Vuitton cigarette boxes and 12 Louis Vuitton lighters,
Precha Sansathan, 30, had 56 assorted copy watches, Rachel Jainae, 27, had
30 watches, and Rorhum Mahnhuey, 38, had 49 watches. They were charged with
distributing counterfeit goods.
Also arrested was Miss Suwan Wongkanha, 22, with pirated VCD foreign
movies. She was charged with copyright transgressions of recorded materials.
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