5 projects now mooted for Jomtien Beach Fair

 Ariyawat Nuamsawat

Five activities have now been proposed for Jomtien Beach Fair 2006, down from the 13 initially suggested which was deemed to be too large and unwieldy a number to be managed.

The Beautiful Thailand Bureau announced their latest ideas at a meeting chaired by Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh and attended by representatives of TAT Central Region Section 3 and other organizations.

Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh.

The five projects presented are the International Fair, Beauty and Fashion Fair, Vineyards Fair, Pattaya Horticulture Fair and Goods & Tourism Fair.

These organized activities would be part of the celebrations to mark His Majesty the King’s 80th birthday, and to raise income for the construction of a Pattaya Music and Convention Center.

Ronakit said it is good that the Beautiful Thailand Bureau has eliminated the other projects and whittled the number down to five because the fair will be easier to organize, but the matter still needs to be discussed with the Pattaya tourism subcommittee. It would then be submitted to a Pattaya council meeting for a final decision.

Beach rejuvenation project could cause damage to environment, say councilors

Ariyawat Nuamsawat

An idea to beautify Pattaya Beach by sucking sand up from the ocean floor further out and depositing it at eroded areas on the beach has caused some concern amongst city councilors.

Some areas of Pattaya Beach are severely eroded

At the meeting in city hall, chaired by Tawit Chaisawangwong, Councilor Banlue Kulawanit said that sea currents have eroded part of the coastline, making the beach less attractive. He said that one idea would be to fill in the eroded areas by bringing in sand from somewhere else. He suggested the Harbor Department hire a suction dredger that can take sand from the ocean floor for use on the beach.

Not all the councilors present at the meeting agreed with the idea. Dissenting voices said they were afraid of the environmental changes that might result. The present situation had arisen from natural causes. Sucking sand up from the seabed might create a large channel that could change the size and direction of the currents, which could cause significant loss of marine life.

There has been no study carried out on this possibility, and maybe the sand should be taken from elsewhere, it was suggested. The meeting resolved to study the idea and investigate the possible effects of such a project.

Pichet Uthaiwattananon, director of the Engineering Department, said that city hall is currently working with the Harbor Department on a program to beautify Jomtien Beach.

Consumers grumble at rising prices but vendors say they have no option

Orawan Kiewphom Burapha University

Rising petrol prices are having the inevitable effect of influencing the cost of consumer goods, with the pinch being felt particularly in the fresh markets where vendors have no option but to pass on their higher overheads to customers.

Prices of consumer goods are increasing drastically.

Particularly dramatic has been the rising cost of pork and chicken, affecting almost every consumer. When gasoline was being sold at a mere 17 baht per liter, chicken and pork were available for 40 to 50 baht per kilogram. Currently, with gasoline having shot up to 27 baht per liter, the meat prices have immediately followed to a whopping 100 baht per kilogram.

Ms Bunchim Chimbunnak, a vendor at a pork and chicken stall in one of Pattaya’s markets, knows that the prices of consumer goods are bound to the costs of gasoline. She has no choice but to increase her prices, because selling meat is her livelihood. She says she can understand the complaints of her customers but to keep her prices down would force her out of business.

Ms Somjay Jindaphan, a maid, complains: “Right now prices of so many goods have risen, especially of pork. Before, seafood used to be more expensive than pork and chicken, now it is the opposite. I will have to adjust my consuming behavior.”

The Internal Trade Department has instructed its officers to exercise great responsibility in watching the unstable prices and to strictly control stocks in all different provinces and prevent shopkeepers from taking advantage of the situation by hoarding. Reports will have to be submitted weekly for ensuring effectiveness.

Computer network with Pattaya Immigration Police

Suchada Tupchai

Pattaya Immigration Police held a presentation at the Asia Hotel to update operators of all types of accommodations housing foreign visitors of the pilot project that allows them to send the necessary documentation via the Internet.

Pol Maj Gen Suwat Thamrongsrisakul (right) and Pol Col Itthipol Ittisarnronachai (2nd left) inspect the new IT equipment.

More than 500 hotel and guesthouse representatives attended the presentation, which was opened by Pol Maj Gen Suwat Thamrongsrisakul, acting commissioner of the Immigration Bureau at Pattaya City Mayor Niran Wattanasartsathorn and Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhaya, director of Tourism Authority of Thailand Central Region 3 also attended.

Pol Maj Gen Suwat said that Pattaya is growing very fast both socially and economically with a record number of 2.9 million foreign tourists in one year.

Consequently, the use of modern technology to keep track of all visitors has become very important because of the sheer number of people and lodgings involved. The computer network project links hotels and guesthouses with a central Immigration Bureau checkpoint so that documentation can be sent by email. This is in accordance with the Immigration Statute of 1979, which requires all hotels, guesthouses, and heads of households who provide accommodation to foreign visitors to register them with the Immigration department within 24 hours. It helps to provide information to overseas agencies.

The project is proving to be more than a convenience as it is also a great time-saver and keeps operating costs down. Further, it allows a full 24-hour service and gives fast support when matters of security are concerned.

Teenagers go on motorcycle theft spree

Boonlua Chatree

Receiving an urgent report that a gang of eight youths had stolen a number of motorcycles from outside Carrefour in Pattaya Klang and had fled along Sukhumvit Road in the direction of Sattahip, officers from Pattaya police station immediately set out in pursuit.

Like a scene in a cop movie, the thieves are apprehended.

There were eight motorcycles traveling at high speed along the highway. Police managed to stop two of them and escorted the riders to the police station. Both were in their teens and identified only by the aliases of Lor and Chai. They said they had stolen the motorcycles from a work camp beside Carrefour. Police are now tracing the rest of the gang.

Ride-by thieves captured by noodle vendor’s customers

Boonlua Chatree

Two youths attempting a ride-by theft in North Pattaya were stopped by members of the public and detained until police arrived.

Duangduen points at the two perps who robbed her.

Duangduen Sawaetanan, 19 a noodle vendor working near the Central Festival Center, had her 1 baht gold chain snatched by two young men on a motorcycle at around 1 a.m. on Friday morning. Customers and tourists nearby came to the aid of Duangduen as the two thieves attempted a high-speed getaway.

Manatchai Songwinsin, 20 and Boonsaen Khetprayoon, 20 were prevented from fleeing until officers arrived and escorted them to the police station. It was subsequently discovered that the two were responsible for a string of ride-by thefts, the most recent being on September 12. Both were charged accordingly.