Kingdom celebrates Chulalongkorn Day
Many activities planned for October 23
His Majesty
King Chulalongkorn
the Great
Chulalongkorn Day, October 23, is a national holiday and
ceremonies will be performed throughout Thailand to mark the day that the great
King passed away in the year 1910.
This year, since the holiday falls on a Sunday, banks,
government offices and many businesses will be closed on Monday, October 24.
King Chulalongkorn was instrumental in modernizing the
Kingdom of Thailand and is credited with many visionary accomplishments,
including the establishment of the Council of State, setting up 12 different
ministries which reorganized the government administrative system and the
abolition of slavery.
King Chulalongkorn’s other ambitious achievements included
establishing trade and diplomatic contact with foreign governments, and
introducing revolutionary changes throughout the kingdom regarding police
security, a postal system, hospitals, and railroads.
The great King also was instrumental in maintaining the
nation’s sovereignty during a critical period in history when powerful
nations were expanding their influence and colonizing neighboring countries.
Local ceremonies will be held at the Chulalongkorn monument in front of the
Banglamung district offices. Hundreds of community representatives, business
owners, students and press will be present to pay their respects to a great
king.
Deluge turns city into a water-world
Narisa Nitikarn
Forty minutes of heavy rains turned Pattaya into a
water world on Monday, with floodwaters knee-deep in places and cars
breaking down in the waterlogged roads, causing traffic chaos.
Vehicles backed up along Sukhumvit Road during the
afternoon with the Naklua to North Pattaya stretch coming to a standstill.
The
ground floor of many homes in the area were filled with water and mud.
Areas around Pacific Village and Phechtrakul Road,
behind Big C in North Pattaya, Soi Buakao and many of Pattaya’s main
roads such as Pattaya Klang crossing Route 3 and Beach Road flooded.
Pattaya Mail reporters drove around the city and
found cars and motorcycles abandoned everywhere, adding to the traffic
congestion. We also found drainage manhole covers raised to drain off the
waters.
Pattaya City has continued to implement measures to
solve the recurring flood situation. Huge stretches of existing drainage
pipes have been raised and wider ones laid to replace them along shallow
roads and Pattaya Klang Route 3. Nowadays the area does an efficient job
of draining water, but a deluge can still cause temporary chaos.
The floods soon drained away and traffic and the city quickly returned
to normal. But with a water shortage crisis still being the main topic of
conversation in Pattaya, the irony of Monday’s floods did not pass
unnoticed.
PBTA calls for urgent action on water shortage
Tourism season on the horizon
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Pattaya Business and Tourism Association called an urgent
meeting at Green Park Resort Hotel on October 12 to try and get a clear
picture of the water supply situation in Pattaya, now becoming more critical
than ever with the tourism high season about to begin.
PBTA chairman Thanet Supornsahatrangsee chaired the
meeting, with Somsak Yonokpan, deputy chief executive of Chonburi and
representatives of the Department of Irrigation, the Provincial Waterworks
Authority Banglamung District, and East Water Co Ltd also in attendance.
The lack of tap water in the city has affected residents
and tourists alike and those involved in the tourism business need to
address the matter so as to minimize the effect in the up-coming high season
for tourism, said Thanet.
The government is also trying to help solve this problem
and has asked East Water Co, a private company that sells raw water to the
Department of Irrigation, to lay a pipe from Bangpra Reservoir to the water
filter house. This has now been done. They are also carrying out a project
to lay a water pipe from Bangpakong River to provide at least 50 million
cubic meters of water. The budget for this is 2.5 billion baht and the
project is expected to be completed in November.
However, there is still an ongoing water shortage problem
and therefore the PBTA in association with city hall and the Thai Hotel
Association Eastern Chapter, held the meeting to gather as much information
as possible in order to combat the problem.
Thanet said that statistics coming from official sources
are unclear and often incorrect. When asking the government he said that he
was told that water usage in Pattaya is 1.2 cubic meters per person per day
but in reality the figure is higher, especially for businesses.
Many business people in Pattaya are worried because they
have had many meetings but the problem is still not solved. Each time they
have been told that there is enough water for people’s needs. The purpose
of this meeting was to get a clear answer on what will happen, said Thanet.
Would the water pipe being currently laid solve all the problems when it
becomes operational in November? Will this be the final solution? If the
shortage continues it will affect the local population and businesses and
have a knock-on effect on tourism.
Thanee Thongprachum, director of the Provincial
Waterworks Authority in Pattaya City, said the problem had been partially
resolved as a result of recent heavy rains that had helped to replenish
local reservoirs, though the total volume of water held is still relatively
low.
Currently Mabprachan Reservoir is holding 3.2 million
cubic meters of water, Saknok Reservoir has 790,000 cubic meters and the
three other reservoirs in the area, Huay Khunchit, Huaysaphan and
Nongklangdong have a combined total of 3.5 million cubic meters.
East Water has supplied 85,000 cubic meters of water and
a further 10,000 cubic meters have been bought from Sattahip. The Provincial
Waterworks Authority distributes 120,000 cubic meters of water to Pattaya
City each day, which is sufficient for public needs.
However, there is a problem with the water being brought
from Sattahip because of the Provincial Waterworks Authority system.
Normally it should be able to transfer 12,000 cubic meters a day but because
of some technical problems it can only currently transfer 2,000 cubic meters
per day, which is causing water shortages in some areas. This problem is
being addressed and would be resolved in a matter of days.
East Water is working quickly to install a pipe from
Bangpakong River to Bangpra Reservoir. It is expected to be finished in mid
November and the total amount of water supplied to the city will increase to
200,000 cubic meters per day. If everything runs as planned the city will
have sufficient water even though reservoir levels are still low.
The Department of Irrigation is also working on a project
to a lay a pipe in tandem to the one from Bangpakong which will divert water
from Chayanuchit canal, which in turn takes water from Pasak Cholasit Dam
and the Chao Phraya River. This will result in an extra 70 million cubic
meters per year to make up for the shortfall in Bangpra Reservoir. This
project is currently in the planning stage.
The road to Pattaya
begins in Kazakhstan
Narisa
Nitikarn
Kazakhstan’s ambassador to Thailand paid a visit to
Pattaya and asked city hall for permission to name a road in Kazakhstan
after the resort city.
Bakhitbek
Shabarbayev, charge d’affaires of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the
Kingdom of Thailand (left) visited Niran Wattanasartsathorn, Pattaya City
Mayor (right) regarding the naming of a road “Pattaya Road” in
Kazakhstan.
Mayor Niran Wattanasartsathorn welcomed Bakhitbek
Shabarbayev, charge d’affaires of the Republic of Kazakhstan, at a city
hall ceremony on October 14.
In the south of Kazakhstan there is a town called Chimden
and it is intended to name a road in the town “Pattaya Road” as a
gesture of friendship between the two cities.
Ambassador Bakhitbek also invited Mayor Niran to participate in the
Kazakhstan independence celebrations on December 16.
Police hold a meet-the-public day
Boonlua Chatree
Pattaya police held a meet-the-public day on October 10
so that people could state their problems and concerns and find ways in
which the police could help them.
Pol.
Col. Somnuk Changate.
Residents calling into Pattaya police station met with
commander Pol. Col. Somnuk Changate, deputy commander of the crime
suppression division Pol. Lt. Col. Nettasit Bunnuam, Pol. Lt. Col. Somchai
Phongsai of the traffic police, Pol. Maj Sutham Chawseethong, crime
suppression officer, and investigator Pol. Lt. Col. Preecha Satrut.
The occasion was part of the “Open the Police Stations to the Public”
project, part of the Royal Thai Police Headquarters’ strategy for devising
administration frameworks to fight crime, making the public, the
communities, local politicians, private enterprises, government officials
and the press all part of the process of auditing and administering police
performance.
36 years later, adoring fans still remember famous Thai film star Mitr Chaibancha
Crowds gather at Jomtien Beach shrine to pay respects
Suchada
Tupchai
Thirty-five years to the day, adoring fans still pay
tribute to Mitr Chaibancha at the spot where he lost his life. Mitr died
after falling from a helicopter during a film shoot on Jomtien Beach on
October 8, 1970. Locals regard the memorial site, located in a quiet area on
the little soi that runs parallel to, but inland from Jomtien Beach Road, as
a shrine of good luck and those who adore the film star remember with great
love the boxer-turned-actor.
Fans
came to worship the memorial of Mitr Chaibancha at the shrine built in his
honor.
For 35 years fans have come and prayed to his memory. He
was a very well known movie star, and was idolized by his millions of fans.
It was during the filming of Insee Thong (Golden Eagle) on October 8, 1970,
in the then small village of Pattaya that Mitr was to make his last
appearance. The stunt shot required him to cling onto the rope ladder of a
helicopter, which was to get airborne and fly off into the sunset as the
final scene in the movie. As the helicopter gained height Mitr lost his grip
and fell to his death on Dongtan (Sugar Palm) Beach.
A shrine was built at the spot where Mitr died and is a
place of pilgrimage for many of his devoted fans. They come from all walks of
life and from different parts of Thailand.
Our reporter spoke to a flower, incense and candle
salesman at the revered spirit house, who said many people from all walks of
life come to pay their respects. “They think this will bring them good
luck, especially with the lottery numbers,” he said.
The venerated wooden spirit house was built by Thanet
Munprasitchai and is situated in a soi off Jomtien Road in front of the
Banglamung District Revenue Department, at the back Jomtien Palm Beach Hotel.
Inside the spirit house is a life-size statue of Mitr Chaibancha. He is
holding a gun in his hand reminiscent of his numerous roles as an action
movie star. The walls are lined with rare photographs of him together with
other action stars.
Mitr’s life is a rags to riches story. Pichet Pumhem was
born into poverty in Petchaburi Province on January 28, 1934. At the tender
age of 8 his mother moved to Bangkok where he was introduced to and studied
Thai boxing. In 1952 he became a lightweight boxing champion for his school,
and eventually went on to win 2 Lightweight division titles, which gained him
his first feel of fame. After finishing secondary school (M.6) he studied at
Pranakhon College. A year later he was accepted into the Royal Thai Air Force
aviation school where he trained to as a pilot. After graduation, he worked
at Don Muang Military Airbase, teaching pilots how to fly and
‘dog-fight’.
In 1957 close friends showed his photograph to journalist
Kingkaew Kaewprasert, who introduced him to Surat Pukkawet, the editor of a
movie magazine. Before long he starred in his very first film titled Chart
Sua. It was then that he decided to change his name from Pichet Pumhem to
Mitr Chaibancha. He caught the attention of Thai movie fans after starring in
“Chao Nakleng” using the character name Rom Ritthikrai from Insee Daeng
series.
In 1959 he married Jaruwan in a private ceremony. In 1961
a son, Yuthana (Ton) was born. The marriage didn’t last long and ended in a
divorce.
In 1961 he starred in his first film with Petchara
Chaowarat titled Banthuk Rak Pimchawee. This was to be the beginning of one
of the most celebrated hero-heroine partnerships. The Mitr-Petchara team made
more than 200 films together.
In 1970, he started to produce his own films, in which he
also starred as the leading actor. His first production Insee Thong, featured
the return of Insee Daeng, or detective Rom Rittikrai.
On the morning of that fateful day, which was the last day
of shooting, the script called for Mitr, having vanquished the bad guys at
their hideout on Dongtan Beach in Pattaya to fly off in a helicopter. As the
camera rolled, Mitr leapt from the ground to grab the rope ladder. The
helicopter flew higher and higher. Within moments Mitr lost his grip and fell
to the ground. The horror was all caught on film and was actually left in the
final theatrical release for all to see.
Early investigations thought that the ladder had broken, but it proved to
be intact. Mitr’s death was ruled as an accident. Other theories allege
that there should have been two takes for that final scene. The first would
be of Mitr grabbing the ladder and flying at low altitude and a stunt man
would have preformed the second shot at higher altitude. Unfortunately the
crew was running out of film and therefore kept the cameras rolling unbeknown
to the hapless star who could not hold on much longer.
Man turned on by 11-year-old schoolgirl’s uniform is accused of rape
Boonlua
Chatree
A man trusted by a family to take care of their
11-year-old daughter raped the girl because he became sexually excited by
her school uniform.
The mother of the 11-year-old named as Som (an alias) on
October 11 filed a complaint with police saying that Termchai Intharakhom,
age 36 years, had deceived the child into having sexual intercourse,
causing her physical harm and mental distress.
Police arrested Termchai and brought him back to Pattaya
police station for questioning. He told officers that he was paid to
collect Som from her school in Soi Arunothai, Pattaya Klang. He said that
his sexual desires were aroused when he saw her in her school uniform.
On October 10, the last day of the school term, he
collected the girl as usual but tricked her into going to the short time 99
Hotel at Soi Naklua, which rents out rooms by the hour. There he raped her
before taking her back home, and warned her not to tell anybody. He
accepted that he deserved to be punished.
Som was taken for a physical check-up at Banglamung
Hospital to confirm the rape, and then she and her mother were taken for an
interview with the Chonburi prosecutor, an attorney, and a social welfare
officer.
Som said that Termchai had picked her up in front of her
school as usual but then took her to the 99 Hotel, manhandled her onto the
bed when in the room, forced her to roll up her skirt and then raped her.
He then threatened her that if she told anybody he would kill her. At first
she stayed silent but told her mother after she had asked her what was the
matter.
Lovestruck DJ has finger bitten in attempt to rape woman of his desire
Boonlua Chatree
Unrequited love drove an unemployed DJ to climb to the
seventh floor of a building and force his way into an apartment where he
attempted to rape the object of his affections, who bit his finger and shouted
for help.
Pattaya police station received a radio call at 4.30 in the
morning of October 12, that a man had broken into a room at the Seethong
Rungruang hostel in Soi Yensabai, South Pattaya, and attacked a woman sleeping
there.
At the scene police found that the room was locked, but
heard someone inside shouting for help. The woman opened the door and told
them that the man had already fled. Police searched the area and found him
hiding under a car.
The woman was Miss Jintana Sakulthong, a 28-year-old native
of Buriram. She works as a Thai traditional masseur in South Pattaya. Before
giving a statement to the police she slapped the arrested man in the face and
had to be restrained by the officers.
She told them she had been sleeping in the room when her
assailant forced an entry, grabbed her from behind and put his finger into her
mouth telling her not to shout or he would stab her.
Seeing that he had no knife, Jintana bit his finger hard
and shouted for help. However, nobody could come to her aid as the room was
locked.
The arrested man was identified as Somchring Poolrodkaew,
age 26, from Sukhothai. He was an unemployed DJ. He said he had fallen in love
with the woman and wanted to marry her. He wanted to take her to his meet his
parents and said that he did not intend to harm her.
Somchring suffered some injuries whilst attempting to
escape from the 7th floor of the building. Police charged him with forced
entry and with attacking the woman.
Two thieves break into
woman’s room and rape her before stealing cash and gold
Boonlua Chatree
Two assailants broke into the room of a boat tour
operator’s assistant and raped her before fleeing with cash, a mobile phone
and a gold necklace.
Banglamung police rushed to Chiam Charoen Apartments in
Naklua in the early hours of October 8 where on the second floor of the
two-story building they found a 24-year-old woman, given the alias of Miss Nim.
She was wearing a white and pink striped nightdress and was clutching her lower
abdomen in pain.
On questioning Nim told officers that she was sleeping when
two assailants aged between 20 and 25 years broke into her room. They grabbed
her while she was still asleep and when she screamed they punched her in the
abdomen.
One intruder proceeded to rape her while the second ransacked
the room. The other assailant then raped her before both left. She ran after
them and saw them get into a pickup truck but could not remember the license
plate number or the color. Another man was waiting for the assailants in the
pickup and they sped off. She then knocked on her neighbors’ doors and asked
them to call the police.
After questioning police asked Nim to check her property. The
wardrobe, desk and shelves had been ransacked. The assailants took a mobile
phone, 8,000 baht in cash and a 1-baht gold necklace. Officers took her to
Banglamung Hospital for treatment and to take samples for DNA testing.
Later a team of forensic officers inspected the room and
found evidence that could be used against the assailants.
Police questioned the neighbors who all reported that they
had not heard cries for help until Nim came knocking on their doors. They found
they were unable to open the doors of their rooms as the assailants had tied all
11 rooms shut before breaking into Nim’s room.
Police are now wondering why the assailants picked on Nim and
why they tied shut all the doors on the 2nd floor before breaking into her room,
raping her and stealing her property. Police have questioned relatives and close
friends as they are sure that the assailants are known to her.
Mayor makes a clean sweep
by removing service girls from beach
‘Prostitutes are destroying Pattaya’s image’ says mayor
Narisa Nitikarn
A campaign to keep Pattaya’s beaches clean in a
different way to the usual clearing away of bottles and tree branches began
on October 10, when Mayor Niran Wattanasartsathorn directed a team of over
40 tourist police, police volunteers and municipal officials to sweep the
beach of prostitutes, all the way from South Pattaya pier to the Dusit
Resort at North Pattaya.
Mayor
Niran Wattanasartsathorn (left) and officials inspect Pattaya beaches,
asking service girls to leave.
In case any further moral support was needed for this
onerous task, which took place during the night after 10 p.m., Deputy Mayor
Ronakit Ekasingh and councilor Sanit Boonmachai were also on hand.
In his pep talk to the team before sending them out on
duty, Mayor Niran explained his policy saying that prostitutes were using
Pattaya’s beaches to offer their services, thus damaging Pattaya’s
image.
He said that this has an affect on tourism, especially on
female tourists who may also be looked on as prostitutes.
The team was advised to speak kindly and gently to the
ladies of the night before sending them packing, and only to use stricter
measures if they refused to cooperate.
In a separate instance of banishing conspicuous but friendly creatures
from the view of sensitive tourists, the nine elephants arrested for begging
a week ago have now been sent back to their home province.
Man poisons child and then hangs himself
Boonlua Chatree
A man poisoned the two-year-old girl his wife had by
another man, and then hanged himself.
Officers from Banglamung police station were called out
on October 2 to an area behind the National Housing Laem Chabang village
where they found the body of Waree Panupab, 42, an employee of the Okayama
spare parts production company, hanging by shoelaces from a tree.
Lying under the tree was the dead body of a two-year-old
girl. Police estimated they had been dead for about two hours.
Investigations revealed that Waree lived with a woman
named Prayoon and the girl at Building No 20 of the Laem Chabang Industrial
Estate Authority.
Waree had argued with his wife after she had fallen
pregnant by another man and left him to take care of the girl. At the
beginning Waree did not know the girl was not his daughter but he found out
later. He pleaded with his wife to end her extra-marital affair but she
would not do so.
Late at night on October 1 the couple argued and Waree
attacked his wife. Believing that he had killed her, he took the girl from
the room and poisoned her before killing himself. Prayoon is currently in
Chonburi Hospital receiving treatment.
Immigration police hold ceremony for National Police Day
Suchada Tupchai
Pol. Col. Ittipol Ittisarnronnachai, superintendent of
Pattaya immigration police, led a ceremony of immigration police officers in
making merit and putting food in the bowls of nine Buddhist monks on
National Police Day, October 13.
Pol.
Col. Ittipol Ittisarnronnachai, superintendent of Pattaya immigration
police, led immigration police officers in making merit and putting food in
the bowls of nine Buddhist monks.
The occasion was also used to promote three sergeants to
the rank of senior sergeant.
October 13 is the anniversary of the founding of the Thai
Royal Police and has been celebrated as such since the reign of King Rama
VI. At that time Full General Luangchattrakarnkosol was director of the
police department, and Field Marshal Por Pibunsongkram was prime minister.
They initiated a ceremonial parade that was later replaced by a religious
ceremony.
Pol.
Col. Ittipol Ittisarnronnachai promotes Pol. Sen. Sgt. Maj Prasert Kawmukda.
Later the force came under the control of the Ministry of Interior, and
was organized into divisions led by an officer with the rank of major
general, along the lines of police forces in Europe. October 13, 1949, was
the founding date of the Patrol Police and Provincial Police, and this date
was therefore designated National Police Day. Police forces around the
country make merit by offering food to priests and holding a promotion
ceremony.
Immigration
officers solemnly take part in the declaration ceremony.
Pattaya Police celebrate National Police Day with ceremony and promotions
Boonlua Chatree
At 10 a.m. on October 13, National Police Day, Pol Col
Somnuk Changate, commander of Pattaya Municipal Police, organized a merit
making ceremony, presenting food to nine monks in memory of police officers
who have passed away. Plaques where also presented to those who have helped
and supported police activities and are worthy of praise, esteem and
admiration.
Amrik
Singh Kalra, president of the Sikh community in Pattaya, receives a plaque
from Pol Col Somnuk Changate, commander of Pattaya Municipal Police.
After the ceremony at the front of the police station Pol
Col Somnuk awarded plaques to Pattaya’s volunteer police officers and
municipal police officers who had carried out their duties with perseverance
and discipline over the past year.
The occasion was also used to promote 34 police officers to a higher
rank, a tradition on National Police Day.
Police briefs
Boonlua Chatree
Out one toilet and down
another - Surin man’s scam goes down the pan
A man who stole entry fees from a restaurant toilet and
then hid out in another toilet was flushed out by police and then claimed
that he had no idea how the stolen money had arrived in his pockets.
Police received a report on October 9 that a thief had
taken the money from the restroom at the Tropicana Hotel on Beach Road and
that he had run off towards Pattaya Second Road with the attendant in
pursuit. He was holed up in a public toilet on Soi 7.
At the scene officers were met by victim of the crime
Suwatt Thanborisut, 23, who said that the culprit was lurking inside. Police
ordered the man to open the door.
Piam Kaewphoem, a 39-year-old native of Surin, duly
emerged. In his pockets the officers found about 300 baht in 1, 5 and 10
baht coins. They arrested him on a charge of theft. Piam denied the charge,
saying he had no idea how the money got into his pockets.
4 ya ba dealers seized
during one evening of police
operations
Four people were arrested for dealing in ya ba in three
separate cases during the night of October 12.
Police investigations had discovered that the class 1
drug was being sold from a room at the Bird Inn Hotel on Soi Bongkot. An
undercover policeman went to the scene and made a purchase of ya ba,
resulting in the arrest of A-Nan or Tia Rittidetpaisan, 27, who was found to
be in possession of 100 pills.
Further investigations by police revealed that A-Nan had
previously been convicted of ya ba dealing and had been jailed for three
years in August 2002 for distribution of 113 ya ba pills. After being
released from prison he returned to dealing in the illicit drug and this
time would be facing up to 10 years imprisonment.
In another case police arrested Somkiat Udsai, 32, a
guard at Niran Condo on Soi Arunothai. Undercover police again offered to
buy ya ba, at a price of 500 baht a pill, and then seized 20 pills as
evidence. Somkiat admitted that he had been selling to the inhabitants of
Niran Condo for some time.
In a third case police arrested two women in a bronze
Toyota Tiger pickup parked in front of Foodland Supermarket. They were
identified as Suthanya Insawat, 45, and Ladda Naksua, 24. Both were
inhabitants of Thawung, Lopburi. They were found in possession of 200 ya ba
pills.
Cafe owner booked for
illegal gun possession says he bought it from a policeman
A cafe owner found illegally carrying a gun and
ammunition claimed he had bought the weapon from a police sergeant for
self-protection.
In the early hours of October 12 the police received
information that a man at the Look Kaew Cafe on Pattaya Third Road had a
gun. At the scene they found Somchai Klinbuakaew, the owner of Khun Ying
Cafe, also situated on Third Road. He was carrying a loaded 11mm caliber gun
and seven rounds of ammunition.
The arms were not registered, and Somchai told police he knew that
carrying the gun was against the law. He said he bought it from a police
sergeant, who he named, and that he was only carrying the weapon to protect
himself. He was granted conditional bail after paying a surety of 100,000
baht.
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