|
Chanyuth Hengtrakul wins Pattaya despite almost 50% abstentions
Confusion over ballot papers delays start of count
Chanyuth Hengtrakul (right) looks on as the
votes are counted.
Staff Reporters
Chanyuth Hengtrakul as sole parliamentary candidate for Chonburi District 7
has been narrowly elected despite abstentions of almost 50 percent in the
general election held last Sunday, April 2.
District 7 covers Pattaya (Nongprue, Naklua and Nong Pla Lai in Banglamung),
but as the main opposition parties have boycotted the election on a national
level there was only one candidate on the voting list, candidate number 2,
Chanyuth Hengtrakul of Thai Rak Thai (Thai Love Thai) party who had won the
Chonburi parliamentary seat in the last general election.
Two different ballots were held on the same day, and this caused some
confusion amongst voters. One was to elect a candidate for Pattaya, in which
Chanyuth ran unopposed, while the other was to vote for a party. Although in
the latter case the main opposition parties had declined to put their names
forward, a number of fringe parties were represented.
Many voters had difficulty with the two different types of ballot paper that
in appearance were very similar. Election officials at District 7 said that
they did not understand why the Central Committee sent down two similar
colored ballots while in other provinces they were distinctive, being green
and red.
Also causing confusion was the use of rubber stamps rather than a pen to
mark the ballot papers, following a government move in which rubber stamps
were issued to try and avoid cheating. Voters wetted their rubber stamps on
an ink blotter then stamped whatever box they wanted to vote for.
Even though officials explained voting procedures to voters there was
another problem in that some ballot papers were placed in the wrong ballot
boxes. Officers recorded the errors and the papers were put in the correct
ballot boxes prior to counting.
The vote counting at Pattaya Second School Multi Purpose Building was
delayed due to confusion resulting from election committee members mixing up
ballots due to their similar color. The vote counting finally got under way
at 21.00 hrs.
Candidate number 2, Chanyuth Hengtrakul of Thai Rak Thai required 20 percent
of the vote to be elected.
In District 7, 102,627 people were eligible to vote, and 60,177 voters, or
58.64 percent, actually turned out to vote. Of these, 27,436 voters, 26.71
percent of those eligible, chose to vote, while 27,408, 26.71 percent of
eligible voters, abstained. The remaining 5,333 ballots, 5.20 percent, were
damaged.
Chanyuth Hengtrakul said he was shocked by the number of abstentions. In the
unofficial results, he managed to scrape through with 27,436 votes, which
needs verifying.
Thai Rak Thai won 30,445 votes in the party election, while Kasaetakorn Thai
gained 688 votes and Prachakorn Thai gained 501 votes.
Unofficial election results for Chonburi as of 6 p.m. April 3
Constituency 1: Total legitimate voters 104,045; voter turnout 64,915; Sanga
Tanasngunwong receives 23,859 votes or about 36.75% with 36,564 no-vote
ballots or about 56.33% and 4,492 invalid ballots.
Constituency 2: Total legitimate voters 105,281; voter turnout 70,076; Amrin
Tangprakob receives 24,554 votes or about 35.04% with 38,941 no-vote ballots
or about 55.57% and 6,581 invalid ballots.
Constituency 3: Total legitimate voters 110,437; voter turnout 76,237;
Wittaya Khunplome receives 29,819 votes or about 39.11% with 34,587 no-vote
ballots or about 45.37% and 11,831 invalid ballots.
Constituency 4: Total legitimate voters 99,092; voter turnout 59,925;
Surasit Nitiwutthiworraluck receives 24,216 votes or about 40.41% with
25,820 no-vote ballots or about 43.09% and 9,889 invalid ballots.
Constituency 5: Total legitimate voters 112,699; voter turnout 71,432;
Ittipol Khunplome receives 33,966 votes or about 47.55% with 31,708 no-vote
ballots or about 44.39% and 5,758 invalid ballots.
Constituency 6: Total legitimate voters 101,512; voter turnout 65,592; Uthai
Maneeratrot receives 28,750 votes or about 43.83% with 28,836 no-vote
ballots or about 43.96% and 8,006 invalid ballots.
Constituency 7: Total legitimate voters 101,627; voter turnout 60,177;
Chanyuth Hengtrakul receives 27,436 votes or about 45.59% with 27,408
no-vote ballots or about 45.55% and 5,333 invalid ballots.
Constituency 8: Total legitimate voters 111,436; voter turnout 64,682;
Poramet Ngamphiches receives 35,313 votes or about 54.59% with 24,278
no-vote ballots or about 37.53% and 5,091 invalid ballots.
Rethink may be needed on Rung Ruang
drainage as flooding continues
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Deputy Mayor Wattana Jantanawaranon and council members from District 2
led a fact finding team to the Rung Ruang Community on Sukhumvit Soi 43
after complaints were received that drainage pipes were not working to their
full capacity.
Deputy Mayor Wattana
Jantanawaranon and members of Pattaya City Council District 2 went to the
Rung Ruang Community to see what was happening with the drainage there.
Residents said the pipes were failing to drain off water
at the end of the soi, causing flooding during rainfall and leaving a bad
smell as well as turning the area into a breeding ground for mosquitoes. The
road had just been re-laid under a city budget and had only been open a few
months.
Surasak Charoenpibulwong, a resident living at the end of the soi said that
he had lived in the area for 10 years and had always experienced the same
problems. He said the area was lowland and when it rained the floods entered
his house damaging items of property. The city provided a budget to build a
concrete road in the soi along a 500-meter stretch and this was opened in
January, but the project has failed to solve the problem of the blocked
drainpipes.
Wattana said that he had ordered the Public Works Department to bring in
equipment that would suck out any blockages. This would discover if the
problem is actually caused by blocked pipes or design faults. The land
around the Sukhumvit area is low lying, especially in this soi. If it is a
design fault then the contractor agreement will need to be looked at and the
road will have to be dug up and re-laid to specifications.
Community chairman Chumsak Unsuwan said that there are 121 houses in the
community, being mostly residential townhouses and all had suffered from the
problem.
High turnout at the advance polling station
Narisa Nitikarn
Considerable confusion surrounded the advance voting on March 25 and 26,
at Pattaya Second School Unit 4 Polling Station, although by the end of the
two-day period a substantial number of people had cast their vote.
 Many
people turned up to cast their votes during advance voting on March 25 and
26 at Pattaya Second School Unit 4 Polling Station.
Pattaya District Office held advance vote casting to enable voters who would
be too busy on the April 2 general election date to cast their votes, and
many of them did. Some voters wanted to cast their votes from other
districts but had failed to notify their intent in advance and were thus
unable to. Much of this was due to the misunderstanding of television
broadcasts. Others turned up to check their eligibility to vote.
Theerasak Jutapong, director of Polling Station District 7 said that people
turned up to vote throughout the 25th and 26th. On the first day 744 voters
turned up to cast their advance votes and 1,731 arrived on the second day.
Compared to other polling stations, Theerasak said the turnout at District 7
was pretty high.
The advance vote casting was held under two methods. Those eligible to vote
were to vote at their normal polling stations, while those wishing to vote
from other districts had to notify their intent 20 days in advance,
specifying to the election committee which province they would like to cast
their vote. They were only allowed to vote at that province’s provincial
office as ballot boxes were located there, and would be counted on April 2.
Many misunderstood the instructions and turned up at the polling stations to
cast their votes and the procedures were thus explained to them again. Most
of these voters were construction workers from around the country who were
working in Pattaya.
Furthermore, many turned up to check their eligibility but held back from
voting due to the present political confusion, while others were afraid that
there wouldn’t be any elections on April 2 anyway.
New road to be built alongside rail track
“Mystery Road” by Regents School being solved
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
If you have ever wondered where the “mystery road” leads, the road that
starts at the end of the highway from Bangkok to Pattaya, which forks with
one fork leading to Rayong and the other to a roundabout that leads to
Pattaya past the Regents School, then read on.
 Mayor
Niran Watthanasartsathorn heads the survey team that went out to inspect the
area where the “mystery road” will eventually be solved.
The road will have two lanes and will run parallel with the railway tracks,
starting from Kratinglai Intersection and running to Soi Chaipruk 2 at the
southern end of Jomtien.
On March 30, Deputy Mayor Verawat Khakhay chaired a meeting with
representatives of the army and other relevant groups to discuss the
project. Verawat said that the road is to be constructed under a subsidized
budget for the period 2006-2007.
The project will be completed over three phases. Phase one, construction of
the western road from Kratinglai Intersection to Soi Chaipruk 2 will cost
160 million baht, while phase two, construction of the eastern road from
Kratinglai Intersection to Huay Yai sub-district will cost 170 million baht.
The third phase will see the construction of the western road from Soi
Chaipruk 2 to Huay Yai sub-district. It is anticipated that the project will
be completed in March 2008.
Two private companies will construct the western side, namely Bangkok
Concrete and Bang Saen Mahanakhorn. Army civil engineers will build the
eastern side.
After the meeting the working committee went out to view the site around
Pattaya Railway Station. Mayor Niran Watthanasartsathorn headed the survey
of the area from Kratinglai to Soi Chaipruk 2 at the city limit, being a
stretch of 16 kilometers. The survey was carried out on a railway wagon.
Mayor Niran said that after the road is completed it should greatly reduce
traffic congestion on Pattaya’s main thoroughfares, like Sukhumvit Road, as
residents of the western sector would use this road. The committee did
notice some problems though, such as soi and road crossings, gradients and
residences located on railway property.
Insulted transvestite stabs Swedish tourist
Boonlua Chatree
A transvestite stabbed a Swedish man during the evening of March 30.
Police received a report at 8 p.m. that a foreign national had been stabbed
in the back with a knife at the entrance to Soi Yamato on Beach Road, and
was in serious condition. Officers arriving at the scene found Hans Robach,
a 45-year-old Swedish national, with a large wound in his back. He was
bleeding profusely. Police rushed him to hospital.
 Police
question the victim as he receives medical treatment for his wounds.
Witnesses told investigating officers that the attacker was a transvestite
named Nong, who sold sexual favors to foreigners around the area of the soi
entrance. Nong had offered his services as the Swedish visitor walked past.
Robach had declined, and apparently said something to the effect that Nong
was a man and should be working for a living instead of selling sex.
Whereupon Nong went after the man and stabbed him.
Police are now searching for Mr Nong.
Two youths rob 7-Eleven girl of her motorcycle
Patcharapol Panrak
Two youths forced a girl to stop at Sukhumvit Km 3 in Sattahip just
after midnight on March 29 and stole her motorcycle.
Sattahip police station received a report from a radio officer with the
Rotchanathamasathan Foundation in Sattahip saying that a woman had come
to ask for help from the villagers because two youths on a motorcycle
had robbed her.
At the scene police found Ms Nawarat Ruamsuk, a 20-year-old employee of
a 7-Eleven branch in Naklua. She said she had been riding a green Honda
Wave motorcycle from her residence to work at Naklua on the nightshift.
She was traveling along the Sattahip-Pattaya road and in a dark area she
saw two youths on a motorcycle. Both were wearing crash helmets. They
came close and forced her to stop beside the road. Then the passenger
stole her motorbike and rode it away.
An officer from the Rotchanathamasathan Foundation in Sattahip followed
the robbers, but they crossed the highway and fled along Huayyai Road.
9-year-old boy imitating computer game shoots friend dead with his father’s gun
Patcharapol Panrak
A nine-year-old boy who tried to imitate a computer game, in which
police fight with bandits using a handgun, shot his friend dead using a real
gun found in his father’s wardrobe.
The tragedy happened on March 29. An emergency officer at the Naval Medical
Department in Sattahip reported to the duty officer at Plutaluang police
station that a woman identified as Mrs Jirawan Maknuan had brought
Pongpichit Maknuan, a nine-year-old pupil at Navigayothin Burana School, to
the emergency ward. The boy had been shot in the right side of his face and
the medical team was attempting to save his life.
Police went first to the hospital and then to the scene of the shooting, a
one-floor cement house in Moo 8, Plutaluang, where they found a lot of blood
in front of the computer table. They also found a plastic weapon. Mrs
Jirawan, 29, said that her son Pongpichit had gone at around 10 a.m. to play
a computer game at a neighbor’s house. His friend there was also nine years
old.
In the early afternoon she heard the sound of a single shot in the house.
She rushed to see and found her son lying alone and bleeding in front of the
computer desk. The other boy was not there and it was discovered he had been
frightened and run away. She immediately took her son to the hospital.
Jirawan said that the two boys often played computer games together. This
day was a school holiday and they usually played the computer in his
friend’s house, while the house owner, his friend’s father Padet wasn’t in.
On this occasion Pongpichit had a plastic gun. The boy picked up his
father’s .38 caliber gun from its box and pointed it at his friend’s head so
his friend would surrender the same as in the computer game. He pulled the
trigger without knowing the gun was loaded.
Belgian fugitive arrested on fraud case charges
Boonlua Chatree
Pattaya Immigration police have arrested a Belgian man wanted in his own
country in connection with a fraud case involving the equivalent of 100
million baht.
Officials led by Pol Col Ittipol Ittisarnronnachai, commander of Pattaya
Immigration Police, and his deputy Pol Col Montol Ngoenwattana seized Ortwin
Waignein, age 51, at 10 p.m. on March 31. They were acting under a request
from the Belgian authorities who had earlier issued an arrest warrant for
Waignein.
Ortwin Waignein was arrested on fraud charges.
The fugitive was living with a Thai woman at Pinewood Residence. Police
charged him with entering the country on a cancelled passport and arranged
for him to be deported.
There is currently a campaign by the Immigration Department to clean up
illegals. So far 548 people have been arrested, including 73 Cambodians for
working illegally in the country, 22 foreign nationals for overstaying their
visas, and 15 foreign nationals for working illegally. Two people have been
arrested under international arrest warrants, and 11 Thais have been
arrested for assisting illegals. Twenty-two Uzbekistan nationals have been
arrested including a woman, Mrs Irina Pedenko, 23, who was on a blacklist
for annoying tourists by offering sexual services around Walking Street.
Pattaya Immigration Bureau has also received a letter of thanks from the
Belgian authorities for providing them with information that led to the
arrest of pedophile Michel Rosoor, 56, who was wanted for committing lewd
acts with young boys.
Mystery man falls
to his death from hotel
Boonlua Chatree
Police received a report at 10 p.m. on March 31 that a Middle Eastern man
had jumped from the eighth floor of a hotel on Second Road, and was now
lying dead in the street next to the hotel.
Officers found the body of a man aged approximately 28 years and of Middle
Eastern appearance. He was lying face down, wearing white shorts and a white
flowered short-sleeved shirt. The body was sent to the Department of
Forensic Medicine.
Police questioned general manager of the hotel Nikorn Srihamat, duty manager
Miss Ladda Photekaew, head of maintenance Ampol Khlaysuban, and receptionist
Songpol Chompoonuch, but all of them said they did not know who the deceased
was. He was not a guest of the hotel.
Checking the roof of the building, police found that a metal door had been
opened by someone smashing the padlock with a brick. The officers also found
a pair of sandals on the eighth floor ledge from which the deceased had
fallen.
Locals told officers that the deceased had been seen walking in the area of
the hotel over the past two or three days. He had no money to buy food and
had no personal belongings, and other Middle Eastern tourists had given him
food. Police have yet to identify the man.
Hospital forgot to remove gauze pads after birth of 16-year-old girl’s baby
Boonlua Chatree
Staff at Banglamung Hospital allegedly left gauze pads inside a 16-year-old
girl who gave birth in the hospital in the early hours of March 22.
Ms Kittiya Chountim complained of stomach pains and inflammation on March
25, the day after she returned to her Naklua home. She was puzzled by the
lack of any vaginal discharge, asking why unlike other new mothers she
didn’t need to use sanitary towels.
Then she received a call from the hospital, saying there was a possibility
nurses had forgotten to remove the gauze pads used during the birth. The
hospital officer suggested that Kittiya remove them herself, but she wasn’t
able to do so because of the pain. The hospital offered to send an ambulance
for her, but then said it hadn’t been possible to arrange the vehicle.
Kittiya went to the hospital by herself.
A medical team removed the pads, and the young mother soon felt well enough
to return home. Kittiya’s father Somnuk, however, felt angry enough about
the hospital’s carelessness to contact the press. Banglamung Hospital should
pay more attention and be more careful with their patients, he said.
City draws up evidence against Koh Larn encroachers
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Pol Maj Gen Rapeepat Palawong, deputy commander of Region 2 has directed
five teams of investigators to prepare evidence against seven of the land
encroachers at Koh Larn who are facing legal action brought against them by
city hall.
 Police
Major General Rapeepat Palawong, deputy commander Region 2 Police led five
teams of investigators to summarize the case of seven encroachers.
Rapeepat said that because of the number of people facing charges it was
necessary to put a large number of investigators on the case to prepare all
the necessary documentation. This is also an important landmark case, he
said. Mayor Niran Watthanasartsathorn sat in on the meeting held to assign
tasks to the investigating teams.
Chonburi Provincial Administration transferred the right to lease land at
Samae Beach on Koh Larn to Pattaya City Council under document Chonburi
29/471 dated 19 February 1978, with the rights to lease effective from
November 29 the same year. The city took control of the benefits of the land
under order of the Ministry of the Interior and is committed to protecting
public property and the property of the nation.
Presently people are encroaching on the property, claiming the right to
control but having no documentary proof. Between 1983 and 1985, 14 people
submitted survey applications with the intent of being issued title deeds
over 23 plots of land. It has also been found that some have been destroying
the environment by digging for stones and minerals.
Pattaya City Council has attempted to chase them off the land, making
arrests and bringing cases against the encroachers. The city says it has
proof of the invasion of property from aerial photographs and the officers
requested copies to add to the evidence.
The seven encroachers charged by the city are Chom Tangthamsatit, Liam
Wisetsakorn, Lung Khwanmuong, Vichien Changruong, Chamlong Thongdee, Vira
Taechawat and Sitthiporn Phaetkratoke.
Immigration police round up illegals before election
Boonlua Chatree
Pol Maj Gen Somdach Khawkham, deputy commander of Region 2, sent
immigration officers and volunteers onto the streets on March 31 to round up
illegal foreign workers before the general election.
Speaking in front of the Pattaya Immigration Bureau, Somdach said that he
had been instructed by Pol Gen Kowit Wattana, commander of the National
Police Bureau that covers all regions to carry out a clean up before the
election, especially of those posing as tourists who might stir up trouble.
Somdach said the immigration police were targeting Pattaya, Sriracha,
Mabtaput and Samutprakarn.
International observers hope that the political situation will improve
Narisa Nitikarn
Observers from Kuwait, the Philippines, Cambodia and Lao PDR, as part of the
Election Committee and who were mostly ambassadors of those countries,
observed the elections in Chonburi, and in Sonhkla and Chiang Mai.
 Im
Sousdey (right), chairman of the National Election Committee, and Em
Sophath, director of the operations department, national election committee
talk with reporters.
Im Sousdey, chairman of the National Election Committee (NEC), one of the
observers at Chonburi said that he had previously observed elections in
Australia and Indonesia and that he and his group were invited by Thailand
to witness the April 2 poll.
He added that the events in Bangkok led to an unnecessary dissolution of
parliament, in his opinion. “There were better ways to resolve matters other
than the dissolution of parliament. In other democratic countries the
government would have talked to the demonstrators with the intent of peace
and public order as the highest priority. But after the elections it is
hoped that the unrest in Bangkok will improve.
Residents of Khao Mai Kaew
sub-district don’t want dam
Narisa Nitikarn
A group of 200 residents from Khao Mai Kaew sub-district gathered in front
of the Banglamung District Office on March 31 to deliver a petition
outlining the problems they would suffer if construction of the Mab Wai Some
Dam at Khao Mai Kaew goes ahead.
District chief Supakit Thamsatitman received the petition and the
demonstrators then continued to Chonburi District Office to deliver a
similar letter.
A group of 200 residents from Khao Mai Kaew sub-district deliver a letter of
complaint to Banglamung District Chief Supakit Thamsatitman.
Representatives of the demonstrators told Pattaya Mail that they have not
been advised of details of the project and as they are not affected by water
shortages they cannot see the reason for a dam to be built in the area.
If the project goes ahead, they said, then 50 households in the area would
be unable to make a living.
Thongtavee Phimsaen, deputy governor of Chonburi accepted the petition from
the group at Chonburi District Office and allowed in 10 representatives for
discussions.
Thongtavee told the group that the dam project was only in the survey stages
and the idea is to enlarge Huay Kha Nao Dam. The Irrigation Department,
Kasetsart University and Burapha University were studying satellite pictures
of the area and questioning locals on their opinions, which had initially
spurred the residents into action.
Luxury villas and lofts being built at Jomtien Beach
Narisa Nitikarn
A new luxury beachfront residential project was unveiled to the public on
the evening of March 25 at a reception held at the sales office of La Royale
Beach.
Developers Wise Power Land were the hosts, with chairman and CEO Eric Lai
and his team introducing the project, Beachfront Villas and Villa Lofts.
 (From
left) Narumon Tan, marketing director of Wise Power Land Co Ltd, Wise Power
Land chairman and CEO Eric Lai, and Sombat Chancharoensin, managing director
of Wise Power Land Co Ltd attend the official revealing of the Beachfront
Villas and Villa Lofts.
Beachfront Villas comprises six luxury villas on Jomtien Beach, curved to a
design inspired by ocean waves. Villa Lofts comprises eight buildings
divided into units, with distinctively high and curved roofs.
A buffet and drinks were provided for guests and a stage was set up for
performances, adding to the enjoyment.
Narumon Tan, marketing director commented, “Tonight we have successfully
received positive attention from the clients where following meetings have
been made with the interested buyers. You can visit our show unit on Jomtien
to gain more information about Beachfront Villas and Villa Lofts.”
Motorcycle taxi drivers help promote new crash helmet campaign
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
City hall has launched a new safety campaign designed to encourage
motorcycle riders to wear crash helmets, with the city’s motorcycle taxi
drivers brought in to help publicize the promotion during a parade held on
April 4. Mayor Niran Watthanasartsathorn presided over the opening at city
hall.
The parade included more than 100 motorcycle taxi-drivers and Harley Club
members who were on hand to help promote this campaign. Pattaya Municipal
Police, Pattaya Tourist Police, the Sawangbpriboonthamsathan Foundation and
Mit Yon Pattaya Co Ltd assisted city hall.
Pattaya Deputy Mayor Verawat Khakhay, who also took part in the campaign,
said that according to the Public Health Ministry, in 2005 there were 725
road deaths. Data revealed that Chonburi had an especially high death rate.
The main causes of the traffic deaths were driving motorcycles while drunk,
cutting in front of other vehicles, ignoring traffic lights, and speeding.
This year’s crash helmet campaign was the second to be held. The concept is
to encourage the public to wear crash helmets and instill in them a sense of
awareness of the laws that are designed to protect life and property. Most
accidents are caused by motorcycles and 80 to 90 percent of all motorcycle
accidents result in death, said Verawat.
The parade started from Pattaya City Hall and ran down Beach Road and
Pattaya Second Road. All along the route, they were cheered on by many
people and tourists interested in this event.
Foundation offers to help smokers kick the habit within six days
Narisa Nitikarn
A foundation to help people quit smoking and the use of other
habit-forming substances was officially opened on March 24.
The Quit Smoking and Addictive Substance Assistance Campaign Foundation was
inaugurated with privy councilor Pol Gen Khamthon Sindhawaranont presiding,
along with foundation chairman Waraporn Iamongard. Chukit Apakaat, owner of
Bua Hima Ginseng Tea, Raveevan Chaengchenkit, last year’s president of the
Lions Club of Bangkok (Host) District 310-A1, and parliamentary candidate
for Chonburi District 7 Chanyuth Hengtrakul were also amongst the guests
present.
(Front row from left) Pol Gen
Khamthon Sindhawaranont, privy councilor, who presided over the opening
ceremony with Waraporn Iamongard. (Back row from left) Veerayut
Puwonchjaroen, Chanyuth Hengtrakul and Ronakit Ekasingh.
Waraporn said that this was the third foundation, the first having opened in
Bangkok three years ago and the second being in Kanchanaburi. The intent of
the setting up of the foundations is to give back to the country by helping
substance addicts who wish to quit, for example, tobacco, heroin,
amphetamines and alcohol.
Addicts are given information on how to quit smoking under the “Clean Lungs
Free From Smoke, Stop Permanently Within Six Days” project, designed to help
them stop fast – and permanently. All methods are based on natural treatment
with no side effects.
The medication is provided by Bua Hima Ginseng Tea International Company
Limited, which is covering all costs. The treatment involves drinking tea,
the leaves of which are grown in Thailand. Drinking the tea cleanses the
body of poisons. Ninety-five percent of patients manage to quit permanently
with the five percent failures having either been forced to take the
treatment or do not have a real intention to quit their addiction, it was
said during the opening ceremony.
Pattaya Immigration Bureau works with private sector on long stay visas for tourists
Vimolrat Singnikorn
Representatives of Thai Longstay Management Co Ltd have met with Pol Col
Ittipol Ittisanronachai, superintendent of Pattaya Immigration, to consult
him on government policy regarding long stay tourists and their needs, along
with the requirements of the Immigration Department regulations.
Thai Longstay Management Co.,
Ltd. visited Pol. Col. Ittipol Ittisanronachai, Pattaya Immigration
Superintendent, to consult him about the long stay project.
At the meeting, which took place at Pattaya Immigration Bureau, Sirikamol
Laksanakoses, assistant marketing director at Thai Longstay Management said
that the company was established under a Cabinet resolution with the Tourism
Authority of Thailand as the major shareholder. The company serves long stay
tourists who wish to remain in the country on a long-term basis by obtaining
visas prior to entering the country.
This is a one-stop service providing the relevant entry stamps, bank savings
accounts, health insurance, airport transfer, mobile phone and other
services. The company offers packages for tourists to choose from, namely
the Blue Diamond TLM Privilege, Diamond TLM Privilege, Platinum TLM
Privilege, Gold TLM Privilege and Silver TLM Privilege, focusing on
convenience, safety and tourism activities.
Pol Col Ittipol said that Pattaya Immigration had been supporting the long
stay project since its inception. The project focuses on tourists from 22
target countries and Immigration will cooperate with Thai Longstay
Management Co concerning facilitation of immigration documentation
procedures. Under government policy the services will be provided at major
cities including Pattaya, Phuket, Chiang Mai and Koh Samui.
Pattaya Immigration will facilitate tourists by setting up a booth for them
to contact Thai Longstay Management Co at the Pattaya Immigration office.
The Immigration Department also accepts application forms over the internet.
|
