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Pattaya Carnival begins today
Event will be televised around the world
Vimolrat Singnikorn
Three days of fun in the sun begin today as Pattaya Carnival 2006 gets
underway with a grand parade this afternoon that will wend its way from the
Dolphin Roundabout to Bali Hai Pier.
The event covers three days, February 24-26, and centers on Bali Hai Pier.
Full media coverage of the event has been arranged throughout Thailand, and an
estimated 158 countries will receive television transmissions.
Today, February 24, sees the grand opening parade begin at 4.30 p.m. from the
Dolphin Roundabout, ending at Bali Hai Pier. Along the route the parade will
stop off at four points and present performances. The four points are the
Center Road intersection, the front of Mike Shopping Mall, Royal Garden
Department Store and the entrance to Walking Street.
Amongst the private organizations taking part are Alcazar, Tiffany, Alangkarn,
Nong Nooch Tropical Gardens, Pattaya Marriot Resort and Spa, and Bangkok
Pattaya Hospital. About 1,000 residents of communities throughout Pattaya are
also playing an active role.
Events include a Vespa parade, Thai art and culture parades, and fancy dress
parades. Contests include a transvestite fancy dress competition, a body
painting contest, and Miss Pattaya Carnival 2006.
Once the parade arrives at Bali Hai Pier, 260 fireworks will be set off, the
showpiece including 20-meter long fireworks. After this the Colorful Pattaya
stage will commence, led by the presenter of the Good Luck Game. Performances
will be given by Peace Maker, Edora, Fahrenheit, Dao Mayuree, Apaporn Nakhorn
Sawan and many others.
On the first day prizes will be awarded to the winners of the fancy dress
parade, in which the top prize is 100,000 baht, while the best float will
receive 50,000 baht, and best body paint will receive 10,000 baht.
February 25 will see a sand castle competition in which the winner will receive
prize money of 10,000 baht, the judging taking place on Sunday the 26th, the
final day of the event. The same day sees the final round of Miss Pattaya
Carnival 2006.
Army Channel 5 and TGN will televise Pattaya Carnival live, and 158 countries
around the world will be able to watch the event.
Mayor shuffles deputy portfolios
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Mayor Niran Watthanasartsathorn has announced a strategic reshuffle of his
deputy mayors’ duties in order to give them a greater experience of local
government and consequently raise the level of expertise within the
administration.
 Mayor
Niran Watthanasartsathorn explains the reasoning behind the changes.
The new assignments are posted in Pattaya City Council Order 247/2549,
dated February 10. The changes became effective on February 15.
Wattana Jantanawaranon has been transferred from overseeing the education
office to finance and social welfare; Wutisak Rermkitkarn has moved from
public health, the environment and social welfare to education and public
works; and Verawat Khakhay leaves finance to take on public health, the
environment, education and planning.
Ronakit Ekasingh will remain with Koh Larn and the administrative office
for ID cards and registration, as he has not been in the post very long.
Disaster prevention and relief, public order, security and sea rescue
remains unchanged with all deputy mayors assisting the mayor manage and
control city employees, hired labor and full-time labor.
Mayor Niran said that the transfers of the three deputy mayors has not
arisen through any disputes or inefficiency but that he wants all deputy
mayors to learn new duties after doing a good job over the past two years.
This, he said, will enable them to learn all kinds of jobs with each being
able to stand in for another or as an incentive to other administrators.
“As for myself, I am trying to assign as many of my duties as possible in
order that I can spend more time on policy making and planning,” said the
mayor.
“I will probably concentrate on overseeing maintenance and tourist
promotions which is important for a tourist city. However, if any
administrator shows special aptitude for the work then it could be
assigned to him.”
Niran added that he carefully considered the transfers based on
suitability and ability. Wattana was transferred to finance as he is a
senior and he is also a legal expert, which will benefit tax and other
legal matters.
Verawat was transferred to public health, the environment and planning
because he carried out these duties in his time as deputy district chief
so he understands all the problems. Wutisak is suitable for his new
postings and Ronakit will remain where he is because he has only recently
taken over the post.
Niran also said that he had spoken to all deputy mayors over the New Year
about the changes and all agreed to the idea. The changes will benefit
future development and the mayor hopes the public will monitor the
efficiency of the changes.
Naked and unashamed, spurned lady demands return of her lover
Boonlua Chatree
A woman infatuated with a German man who had promised to love her
forever, but who had then dumped her, climbed naked to the top of the
Dolphin Fountain and refused to come down until her lover returned.
 Police
managed to get Ms Toi down from the Dolphin Roundabout statue, which she had
climbed nude.
He didn’t. Police instead climbed the fountain to where Ms Toi (an alias)
was clinging to the golden mermaid. She said that the German had told her on
Valentines Day how he would always love her, but then two days later had
broken off their two-year relationship for no reason.
Ms Toi told the officers that she was naked and unashamed to prove that her
figure was an appealing one. As traffic backed up, the policemen brought her
down and took her to Pattaya police station to calm her. Intoxication is
strongly suspected.
Police arrest robber on three and a half year old warrant
Boonlua Chatree
A man has been arrested in Bangkok on charges of tying up and robbing
two women in the Day and Night Hotel three and a half years ago, and robbing
them of their belongings.
 Police
arrested Thian Khanithanon (center) on a three and a half year old robbery
charge.
Pattaya Tourist Police had been following the case of four robbers who had
entered room 348 of the hotel during the early hours of September 20, 2002,
and robbed Ms Chantima Bunchuang, 21, and Ms Naree Petchumsaeng, 24.
Their investigations led them to 32-year-old Thian Khanithanon, of
Banglamphoo Lang, Bangkok. Obtaining an arrest warrant from Pattaya
Provincial Court, police seized Thian, who is best known by his nickname
A-foo, and transferred to him Pattaya police station, where he has been
charged with armed robbery. Police are still in pursuit of the other gang
members.
Thian denied knowledge of the robbery, but both Chanthima and Naree
confirmed he was the one who gagged their mouths and tied their hands. Both
ladies have already filed a report with the police and will be witnesses in
both the investigation and in court.
First suspect arrested
in stabbing death of US tourist
Boonlua Chatree
Police have arrested the first suspect in last week’s stabbing death of
44-year-old Tony Lindsey of Honolulu Hawaii.
Ms. Kritsana Chumkokkraud, 32, from Surat Thani was remanded to custody on
February 15, four days after she allegedly murdered the American tourist for
refusing her sexual services on Beach Road.
 Ms.
Kritsana Chumkokkraud from Surat Thani was arrested in connection with the
stabbing death of Tony Lindsey on February 11.
Lindsey was beaten and stabbed in the early hours of February 11 by a
prostitute and her pimp at the entrance to Soi 7, only 50 meters away from
the police station. Lindsey was taken to Pattaya Memorial Hospital where he
succumbed to his injuries.
Witnesses told police that they saw two suspects, a Thai man and a Thai
women, approach Lindsey on a pink Yamaha Mio motorcycle, license plate No.
052, and begin talking to him. Lindsey subsequently ran across the road to
the entrance of Soi 7, where the Thai man allegedly caught up with him and
began kicking and punching him, knocking him to the ground. The woman then
allegedly walked over and stabbed him before the pair made their getaway.
Four days later, on February 15, Pol. Cap. Sompob Khoohawan, deputy
investigator at the Pattaya Police Station, was able to track down Ms.
Kritsana Chumkokkraud, who is believed to be the woman who stabbed Lindsey.
Police are still searching for the Thai male involved.
City to get tough on owners
who alter buildings without permission
Narisa Nitikarn
Regulations on the unauthorized additions to buildings will be tightened in
the wake of Pattaya’s deteriorating image for allowing jerry building and
illegal structures.
 Deputy
Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh presides over a meeting on preventing building
collapses.
Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh chaired a meeting on February 15 that reviewed
the existing regulations, and which included disaster relief officers amongst
its attendants.
The meeting was ordered as a matter of urgency by the Chonburi Local
Administration Support Department for Pattaya City Council to provide a
summary report on disaster prevention in public and private buildings, and in
high-rise structures.
Ronakit said at present Pattaya City Council’s reputation has been severely
damaged by allowing building owners to add extensions and alterations to
buildings freely and when accidents happen or buildings collapse it backfires
on the authorizing officer and the image of the city.
Apichart Phoechphan, deputy district chief of Pattaya added that emphasis is
being placed on officers who have received training in disaster prevention
carrying out inspections of buildings with the construction department and
relevant officers. Rather than use large-scale equipment the focus will be on
small smoke detector vehicles that will be able to access areas rapidly and
control the situation once smoke has been detected. Large vehicles cannot
access some of the narrow areas in Pattaya, he pointed out.
Chanutpong Juabmee, Pattaya deputy district chief, said that it is important
that larger buildings be inspected first, as some had added extensions and
carried out alterations that were incorrectly designed and some of the
buildings are being used for the wrong purpose. As a result, there had been
building collapses and other accidents. The Public Works Department has a lot
of buildings to inspect and will take some time to complete. All types of
large buildings will have to be inspected.
The head of Pattaya Public Works, Chaiyot Amprasert said that buildings
classified as high-rise had to be 23 meters high or higher, and large
buildings were in the range of 2,000 square meters. The inspection order
emphasized large buildings, but some extra large buildings in the range of
10,000 sq meters were also very worrisome and were in need of urgent
inspection because if anything happens it will further damage the city’s
reputation.
Ronakit agreed with everyone’s opinion but wanted people at the meeting to
give their opinions as to why the city had allowed a free reign on
modifications to buildings over many years and what can be done to rectify
the situation. Legal issues also need to be considered and documentation will
have to be submitted to the owners of buildings that are to be inspected. The
Public Works Department said that they had already allocated inspection zones
and requested that officials of the disaster relief sub-committee accompany
the inspectors.
US Embassy trains Pattaya Tourist Police on terrorism prevention techniques
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
The United States Embassy in Bangkok conducted a training session on
terrorism prevention techniques for officers from Pattaya Tourist Police at
city hall on February 17, with the focus on increasing police performance
efficiency in the handling of incendiary objects.
 David
L. Turner, chief of forceful protection, a detachment from the U.S.
Department of Defense, leads the lecturing team.
David L Turner, chief of forceful protection, which comes under the US
Department of Defense, led the training along with his team.
Greater risk from acts of terrorism using improvised explosive devices
(IEDs) carried on the person or in vehicles, along with the use of mines,
was the reason for the US Embassy to offer the training program.
The US Embassy is also training the provincial constabulary of Chonburi,
Banglamung, Pattaya, Sattahip, Laem Chabang, U-Tapao, along with officers
of the Royal Thai Marine Corps, Sattahip Naval Base, and the Phuket Securer
Department.
Pol. Lt. Col. Wuttichat Luansukhan (right),
investigator at the Pattaya Tourist Police participates in the
presentation.
Bay Watch
Boonlua Chatree
Gasoline truck crashes with tourist bus on
bypass
A gasoline truck suddenly cut off a tour bus full of international tourists
on the Bangkok-Pattaya bypass road, causing many to be injured. Normally a truck
would not use the right-hand lane. The truck driver claimed that he was in the
right because the bus rear-ended him. However, the tourists nearly lost their
lives.
The highway police didn’t show up until over one hour later to take the bus
away.
The tourist police are being asked to examine this case because visitors
deserve better treatment than to be subjected to near-death experiences on the
highway caused by drivers of heavy vehicles who should be exercising a sense
of responsibility, rather than macho posturing. Trucks far too often drive in
lanes that are forbidden to them, and greater control over them should be
exercised.
The event occurred at Km 13 in the direction of Pattaya City. Villagers and
tourists told the highway police that if someone had died in this accident, it
would have been yet another negative story in the overseas media about the
dangers facing tourists in Thailand, and this time it is them, the highway
police, who would have taken the rap.
Police briefs
Boonlua Chatree
Thief breaks into house and attacks 16-year-old girl with knife
A 16-year-old girl was attacked in her own home by an intruder armed
with a knife in what police believe was a bungled robbery attempt.
The incident happened in the early evening of February 3, when Banglamung
police station received a report that a student had been stabbed at a row
house opposite Nongket Yai Health Center.
At the scene officers found a 20 cm knife with traces of blood, and evidence
of a struggle. A neighbor had already taken the injured student to
Banglamung Hospital. She was named as Ms Nittaya Srinamuang, age 16, a
first-year student of marketing at Banglamung Vocational College. She had
been wounded on her left cheek, through the mouth, and to her left hand. Her
father, Chokchai Srinamuang, had joined her at the hospital.
Nittaya told investigators that she had come home from school and was
soaking her clothes in a bowl behind the house. Her parents were at work.
Suddenly a Thai man about 20 years old, 175cm tall and dressed in jeans,
with his face partly obscured by a cap, approached and jumped across the
back wall. He held a sharp knife to her neck and said that he would kill her
if she resisted. The man pressed her face to the floor and cut her with the
knife. She struggled and received a cut to the hand. Neighbors heard the
struggle and shouted to ask if anything was wrong. The man locked her in the
bathroom and ran away.
Nittaya said she could think of no reason for the attack as she had no
problems with anybody. Her parents also forbade her to have contact with
men. Jealousy does not appear to be a motive. Police surmise that the thief
wanted to rob the house. He didn’t expect to meet anybody, but when he saw
the girl he changed his plan and intended to rape her. She was lucky that
the neighbor heard the sounds of a struggle. Police are now investigating.
Police believe gangland rivalry was reason for motorcycle shooting
A man pursued by two youths on a motorcycle who shot him dead was believed
to be the victim of gangland drug dealers.
Officers at Dongtan sub-branch police station received a report on the
afternoon of February 15 that a man had been shot and injured in front of
the Plant Protection and Pest Suppression Department, in Nongprue.
Arriving at the scene, police and officers from the Sawang Boriboon
Foundation found Rung-Arun Phoprasert, 32, lying injured beside a black-red
Honda motorcycle. He had been shot four times by a 9mm weapon, and the
bullets were still in his body. Police found 12 ya ba pills in his right
trousers pocket, and a sharp knife tucked behind his belt. He was
transferred to Bangkok Pattaya Hospital, but later died.
Investigations have established that the deceased rode the motorcycle from
the residence of Ms Sukanya Pasuk, 22, in Huay Yai, to Pattaya City. When he
arrived at the red traffic light in front of Bunkanchanaram Temple, two men
aged about 20-25 years came and stopped behind him on a red Honda Wave. The
pillion rider shot the man in the back. He tried to escape, but the two
followed and shot at him again. He fell off his motorcycle and was shot
another three times before the two men fled.
Police have initially assumed the reason for the shooting was a rivalry or
betrayal in illegal business, because they found the ya ba in Rung-Arun’s
possession.
Progress on regional access to HIV prevention reviewed at Pattaya meet
(From left to right) Michael Sidibe, Ms. Akhter
Habiba, Prof. Dr. Arun Pausawasdi, Epeli Nailatikau and Veravit
Vivatthanavinich, Chonburi deputy governor.
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
The Ministry of Public Health hosted a meeting of the Asia-Pacific
Regional Consultation on Scaling up Universal Access to HIV Prevention,
Treatment, Care and Support program from February 14 to 16 at Long Beach
Resort Hotel.
Delegates from 22 Asia-Pacific countries attended, with Prof Dr Arun
Pausawasdi, assistant to the minister of public health, as the meeting’s
opening presenter.
In September of last year, the General Assembly Committee of the United
Nations emphasized developing an AIDS national plan towards universal access
to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support by 2010. It has steps and is
open for all opinions in all regions and countries. This UN-planned meeting
was held to review progress.
“A lot has happened over the past two years, but the pace of progress needs to
be accelerated. UNGASS was a turning point for us including advocacy as a
major part of our interventions, but there is still a major gap in moving from
advocacy to action,” said Micheal Sidebe, UNAIDS director of the Country and
Regional Support, and co-president of the world committee process.
Prasada Rao, UNAIDS regional support director for the Asia-Pacific region said
it is necessary to change behavior through interventions, particularly for
groups at high risk of contracting and spreading HIV, decentralizing of
services delivered up to the district level, and protecting human rights by
encouraging voluntary counseling and testing.
“We cannot let society keep some groups away from AIDS prevention that is
urgently needed for them,” said Rao.
Three stages will feature stars during Music Festival in March
Vimolrat Singnikorn
Pattaya Music Festival will have a new name to reflect the increased
size of the event this year, and there will be three stages set up to allow
Thailand’s three leading music camps, RS Promotions, Grammy and MTV, to
showcase their performers.
The festival takes place March 17 - 19, with the acts taking to the stage
from 7 p.m. - 2 a.m.
Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh chaired a progress meeting on February 10 at
which he announced the name of the event would now become the Grand Pattaya
International Music Festival 2006.
The three stages will be erected on Soi 6 Beach Road, Soi 9 Beach Road and
Bali Hai Pier. Each stage will see performances from Thailand’s leading
stars with the likes of Marsha Wattanaphanich, Kathaleeya English, Lanna
Cummins, Kala, Palaphol, Endophine, Big Ass, Black Head, Mike Piromporn,
“Tai” Orathai and other national and international performers.
The meeting also discussed a more orderly layout of stalls selling wares to
visitors. Stalls will not be permitted to be set up near the stages, in
order to reduce overcrowding.
American Citizen Services to visit Pattaya March 10
The Consular Section of the American Embassy in Bangkok announced there will
be an upcoming Embassy consular visit in Pattaya. Consular staff will be
available to provide consular services on Friday, March 10, from 8:00 a.m.
to 12:00 p.m. at the Sheraton Pattaya Resort (437 Pratamnak Road, Pattaya).
Please watch for signs at the entrance directing you to the Consular
services area.
The following consular services will be available:
* Passport renewal applications (US $67.00 or 2,680 baht for adult
passports)
* Additional passport pages (no charge)
* Notarial services (US $30 or 1,200 baht for the first notarial; US $20 or
800 baht for each additional notarial)
* Embassy registration and/or address change
* Absentee ballot application and voting abroad information
* Social security, VA or other federal benefits questions
Note: Due to the large amount of time and paperwork involved, no
applications for Consular Reports of Birth will be accepted during consular
outreach trips.
Please bring correct change.
If you have any questions, please e-mail: acsbkk@ state.gov or call the
American Citizen Services Unit at: 02-205-4049.
30 children at Sai Yai Rak Camp
are proving to be “a handful”
3-month duration of camp and military
discipline cause unease and aggression
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Behavioral problems are emerging at the second Sai Yai Rak Camp, organized
for the rehabilitation of vagrant children, due to the enforced confinement on
the Navy premises for three months and the attempts to impose military
discipline onto the 30 youngsters taking part.
Commander Sataporn Vacharat, assistant director of
the camp, talks about training practices.
The camp commenced on January 9 and will run through to April 9, a total of 90
days. It is being held at the Naval Coastal Defense Headquarters at Sattahip
Naval Base.
On worries that the trainers will use excessive force in training the
children, Commander Sataporn Vacharat, assistant director of the camp, said,
“We are trying to control the situation and no violence is used, only
psychological practices are used. But some of the children are withdrawn
because of the life that they used to live.”
The difficulties were examined at a February 16 meeting held to review
progress, and chaired by Deputy Mayor Wattana Jantanawaranon.
Commander Sataporn, talking about the behavior of the 30 children said that he
was very worried because most of the children attending were forced to do so
and want to spend their lives in freedom as before. Instead, they are living
within a framework of regulations.
This year’s camp is also longer than the previous camp, which was of one-month
duration, and this has resulted in some of the children being depressed,
aggressive and violent in the initial stages.
As the camp has progressed some have begun to accept the regulations and
discipline of the camp and have started to develop. However, some are still
trying to escape from the camp to live as they used to and will if they get
the chance. This is resulting in staff having to use stricter control
measures, but it is anticipated that the behavior will improve during the
second month.
Religion is being implemented and during the third month the children will be
taken on study trips outside the camp to give them a better understanding of
life away from the classroom and reduce tension. It is expected that the
children will begin to relax and their behavior will improve.
The children are being given occupational training and once they leave the
care of the camp they will have an occupation in order to earn an honest
living, such as motorcycle mechanics or computer repairs.
Commander Sataporn added that all stages of the training could be inspected at
any time. “The training isn’t only provided by Navy trainers but also by
psychologists. Chonburi social workers and the YWCA also participate in the
training. Everything is carried out according to plan. We are not blocking any
charities or individuals from offering help. We need their help.”
City Scope: City administrators look to promote Naklua as tourist spot
with Mayor Niran
Mayor Niran Watthanasartsathorn (center, with mic),
Pattaya administrators and members of Pattaya City Council, District 1
participate in the “Administrators and Members of Pattaya City Council Meet
the Public” program.
City administrators plan to promote Naklua as a tourist attraction, with
delicious seafood as the main draw.
Mayor Niran Watthanasartsathorn, speaking during a television program called
“Administrators and Members of Pattaya City Council Meet the Public”, said
“We have plans to turn Lan Phote Market in Naklua into a seafood center. In
the past, people from Bangkok and other provinces have come here to buy
seafood, so we will use this as the selling point and develop tourist
attractions. The resources exist. In the future we will also improve and
repair Jitbhawan Wittayalai as a religion tourism attraction.”
Mayor Niran added that the city also plans to improve and develop different
aspects of management to handle the increasing development of Pattaya, as
the number of tourists visiting the town are definitely increasing. He added
that the city must increase the number of tourist attractions in the area.
Banlue Kullavanijaya, member of Pattaya City Council for District 1, which
Naklua comes under, added that members of Pattaya City Council are
coordinating between the public and city administrators to listen to
problems and apply remedies. He said that both sides need to participate,
and such participation has been good in the past and benefited the public to
a certain extent.
“Naklua should be developed into a local tourist destination, as a floating
market on the canal from Naklua canal to Nok Yang canal. This is in line
with the administration’s policies to promote local customs, but more study
needs to be undertaken,” Banlue said.
The “1st Administrators and Members of Pattaya City Council Meet the Public”
television program was organized by Pattaya City Council as a way to get
close to the public at the grassroots level, to listen closely to the
people’s problems. The program was first held at the city hall conference
room.
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