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HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]:

Itthipol Khunplome elected mayor in landslide victory

Crowds gather to send final telegram

Ceremony held to dedicate Coast Guard vessels

Mayor of Pong investigates attempted land-grab

Hotel association complains number of new rooms is driving down prices

Greenpeace exhibition raises awareness of Eastern water crisis

Pattaya welcomes Cobra Gold 2008 participants

Pharmacy busted for selling sexual aid drugs

Italian faces child sex charges

Police investigate apparent suicide of Belgian physician

German man dies in fall

No back Chat as escaped convict shoots his way out of beer shop

Mobile clinic visits Nong Pangkae Community

Navy sends ship to Cambodia on friendship exercise

Alisa and Surat congratulate Itthipol

Fines begin for drivers using cell phones

Royal Ploughing Ceremony today, May 9

Redemptorist School shows disabled the advantages of skills training

USS Blue Ridge docks at Laem Chabang

Ships’ paint donated by local group

Star cast takes disabled children for visit to the ocean


Itthipol Khunplome elected mayor in landslide victory

Rao Rak Pattaya Party sweeps all 24 city council seats

Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Itthipol Khunplome has been elected the 8th mayor of Pattaya City in a victory that has seen him beating his nearest rival by almost 10,000 votes.
Consolidating his achievement, members of Itthipol’s Rao Rak Pattaya Party achieved a clean sweep in all four election zones for Pattaya City Council.
The ballot boxes opened early in the morning of May 4, and despite the rain that persisted all morning there was a good turnout amongst the electorate and a lively atmosphere at the polling stations.
Apichat Sukakananon, head of the Election Commission went with his team to Pattaya School No 2, where the mayoral votes were being counted in the school gymnasium, and where the election results were announced.
There were 85 election units in Pattaya City, with 64,735 people having the right to vote. Five candidates were standing for the position of mayor. Number 1 on the ballot slip was Miss Alisa Phantusak of the Pattaya Fah Mai Party, No 2 was Itthipol Khunplome of the Rao Rak Pattaya Party, and No 3 was Surat Mekavarakul of the Surat Party. Candidates No 4 and No 5, who were independents, were Ms Supawee Wiriyawattana and Tanawat Kaewphuthong.
Itthipol won the election with a total of 17,743 votes. In second place was Surat with 7,818 votes, and in third place was Alisa with 6,111 votes. The independents came in a distant last. Supawee received 74 votes and Tanawat 22 votes.
Votes for the Pattaya City Council were counted in the four zones. Zone 1 votes were counted at Pattaya School No 2, Zone 2 at Nongyai Temple School, Zone 3 at Pattaya School No 5, and Zone 4 votes were tallied at Pattaya School No 7.
A total of 33,035 people voted, giving a turnout of 51.03 percent of those eligible.
There were a total of 24 council seats available, with candidates from Rao Rak Pattaya taking all 24 seats.
Candidates elected to Zone 1 were Banlue Kulawanit, Thatchai Supapornsupat, Mrs Jidapa Suwathaporn, Isarin Boriboonakom, Urit Nantasurasak, and Anupong Puthanawarat.
In Zone 2, those elected were Manot Nongyai, Adisorn Phonlookin, Somchai Chaona, Panote Kanawattanakul, Mrs Chanatsa Suthithamrongsawat, and Faruk Wongborisut.
Zone 3 winners were Wichai Rodpia, Rattanachai Suthidechanai, Wittaya Phonlookin, Wisan Petrakul, Amnaj Tiengtam, and Sanit Boonmachai.
Zone 4 winners were Tavich Chaisawangwong, Pansak Saengchan, Praiwan Aromchoun, Amnuay Sompongtham, Choosak Sriwatchanapong, and Thongchai Artsrong.
Mayor Itthipol addressed the gathering at Pattaya School No 2, thanking all his supporters and saying that there would be no delay in implementing his ambitious program for Pattaya.
He does, however, have a little longer to wait, as the Election Commission still has to examine any complaints of wrongdoing, and then approve the vote. The approval period is 45 days.


Crowds gather to send final telegram

Service closes after 133 years

Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
Nostalgic Pattaya residents crowded into Banglamung Post Office on April 30 to send a final telegram before the Thai telegram service closed forever.

The end of an era - final telegrams were sent out on April 30.
After 133 years the telegram has given up the struggle against mobile phones, texting and emails, and CAT Telecom Public Co Ltd had announced that the loss-making service would cease on May 1.
Manager of the Banglamung Post Office Rungruang Rattanapon said that customers began arriving at 8 a.m. to send a final telegram that they could keep as a souvenir of a vanished form of communications.
He said that the post office was offering two options for this last day. One was the regular telegram, in which the message could contain no more than 50 words, and where the fee was 33 baht. The other was an official closure message from CAT, which would become a collectors’ item and was charged at 30 baht.
So brisk was business throughout the day that the telegram service time was extended beyond its usual closing hour of 4 p.m., the counter closing for the last time at 5 p.m.
The Thai telegram service was initiated in 1875, during the reign of King Rama V, and was for many years the favored form of communication in Thailand. At the peak of popularity, 40,000 telegrams were being sent every day. This had dwindled to 4,000 per year by the time the service closed. CAT had said it was unrealistic to spend 25 million baht per month maintaining the service, when the income was only 5,000 baht per month.

Nostalgic Pattaya residents crowd into Banglamung
Post Office to send a final telegram.


Ceremony held to dedicate Coast Guard vessels

Patcharapol Panrak
The Royal Thai Navy held a religious ceremony to dedicate Coast Guard patrol vessel 991 on April 30, one year after HM the King, HM the Queen and HRH Princess Sirindhorn visited the pier at Thonburi Navy Shipyard to launch the vessel.

Coast Guard patrol vessel 991 during sea trials.

The Coast Guard Fleet Department arranged the ceremony at Sattahip Naval Base, with Buddhist monks to pray for the good fortune of the ship, and Navy officers, government officials and representatives of the private sector attending.
The launch ceremony had been held at 2 p.m. on April 30 last year. General Surayud Chulanont, at that time prime minister had visited Sattahip Naval Base by helicopter, where he was welcomed by Admiral Sathiraphand Kae-yanon. The prime minister and his entourage were advised on the detailed specifications and capabilities of No 991, and then watched as the vessel was tested in the water.
The demonstration included a co-coordinated communications exercise involving Coast Guard vessel 216 and a Sea Hawk helicopter controlled by Capt Weerayut Tularachana, the Naval planning director. The dignitaries were informed that No 991 would be able to perform duties for up to seven days consecutively in high seas.
Following the launch and presentation, General Surayud, Admiral Sathiraphand and other senior officials visited Laem Tien Seaport Naval Base, where No 991 was to be anchored. Here, the prime minister and senior officials were invited on board to observe tests on the engine and communication equipment.
Also at Laem Tien Navy Base were two other Coast Guard ships in the same fleet, 992 and 993, which were anchored nearby. His Majesty the King had appointed Her Majesty the Queen to launch both ships from the Mason Company Ltd Shipyard at Tai-Baan District, Samutprakarn, on September 6, 2007. Both of these vessels were included in the religious dedication ceremony.


Mayor of Pong investigates attempted land-grab

100 rai of public forest razed by unknown hand

Officials inspect an area on Kao Pai that they suspect
has been illegally encroached upon.

Theerarak Suthatiwong
The mayor of Pong Municipality and a team of officials have been to inspect an area of more than 100 rai (1,600 square meters) of public land that local residents say is being illegally encroached upon.
Pong Mayor Pannawat Jaiyangyuen received a petition from residents at 10 in the morning of April 26, complaining that a group of people had cut down and burned a forested area at Kao Pai, and that buildings were being erected there.
Pannawat organized a team of officials that included his deputy Yuan Tongloy, permanent secretary of Pong Municipality Kachasith Moonsaku, and officials from the Forestry Department Region 2, which covers Chonburi Province, and went to the scene on April 28.
Using a fleet of all-terrain vehicles, the group took the road behind the Pattaya Polo Club Race Course and then traveled on a dirt road for 5 kilometers through the hilly terrain of Kao Pai. Along the way they discovered that trees had been cut down and burned, including many of economic value such as rubber and eucalyptus trees, which had been growing there in the hundreds.
In the midst of the destroyed forest area was a partly constructed house, a single-story two-room building made of brick, standing on an area of 5 x 10 meters. The structure was more than 50 percent complete. An address board identified it as 113/3, Moo 9, Huay-yai Sub-district.
A number of poles had been used to stake out more ground around the house, and building materials were heaped nearby.
The owner was not at home, but when officials checked the title deed they identified him as Prapan Kampeewichien, age 56.
Permanent secretary Kachasith said that there is an area of approximately 1,000 square meters on Kao Pai that comes under the responsibility of the Forestry Department Region 2. This extends into both the Pong Sub-district and the Huay-yai Sub-district areas. Within this area, no title deeds can be issued and no building work undertaken.
Officials have now investigated and verified the area of encroachment, and suspect that a local businessman is behind the attempted land-grab. A report has been filed with Banglamung Police Station, under whose jurisdiction the area falls, and investigators are now making enquiries.


Hotel association complains number of new rooms is driving down prices

Urges government to study control of rooms in Malaysia and Vietnam

The Thai Hotel Association is urging the government
to control the increasing number of rooms in the country.

Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Members of the Thai Hotels Association Eastern Chapter have complained that the government has not controlled the number of hotel rooms in the country, and that the proliferation of new hotels has driven room rates below what they should be.
Chatchawan Supachayanont, president of the Thai Hotels Association Eastern Chapter has urged the government to study the number of hotel rooms throughout the country, after the association had assessed the situation and discovered that the number of rooms does not correspond to the number of visitors.
This has resulted in room rates running behind those of neighboring countries such as Malaysia and Vietnam.
The government must regulate the number of rooms in future, so that realistic standard rates could be set, and that quality tourism should be the target of the government and the Tourism Authority of Thailand, rather than quantity.
Chatchawan said that although Thailand’s hotels are international in their standards, the sheer number of hotel rooms available is holding down room rates.
Hotel owners and operators would like to increase the rates to be on a par with those of neighboring countries, but are afraid they would lose business to their competitors if they did. This applies equally to the five-star properties as to the smaller hotels, and Thailand is in danger of lagging behind the price standards of other countries such as Vietnam and Malaysia.
“The government should study the number of five-star and other levels of hotels in the country to see if they have rooms corresponding to the number of tourists,” said Chatchawan. “They should not only support new investments. They should study the control of rooms in Malaysia and Vietnam. Their governments achieved this, and it resulted in their room rates being different when compared with Thai entrepreneurs.”
Chatchawan added that much of the competition is coming from serviced apartments, condominiums, and guesthouses. They offer similar accommodation to that of the hotels, but at much lower rates. Currently, supply outstrips demand, which causes more competition with the rates.


Greenpeace exhibition raises awareness of Eastern water crisis

Pollution on the increase

Pramote Channgam
Greenpeace opened an exhibition on the water crisis in the Eastern region on April 26, as part of its program held around the time of Earth Day to raise awareness of water resources problems worldwide.

Deputy Governor Monthian Thongnit tours the “Water crisis-life crisis” photo exhibition.
The photo exhibition was staged at Pacific Park in Sriracha, on the 3rd floor, and was opened by Deputy Governor Monthian Thongnit.
Greenpeace, a global campaign organization that operates to change attitudes and behaviors and thereby help protect and conserve the environment, has national and regional offices in 28 countries, and a presence in 42 countries.
Thailand faces a water crisis, with limited freshwater resources that are decreasing. Further, due to the release of pollutants into the water resources, Thailand has less freshwater per person than any other country in Southeast Asia. Demand is continuously increasing. The entire world including Thailand faces climate changes, which have directly affected the volume of water.
The main purpose of the photo exhibition was to urge people in the Eastern region to be aware of what Greenpeace is calling a current crucial drought problem in the area.
Declining water resources, a growing population, and the continuous expansion of industry in Chonburi Province all help to make this a particularly problematical region.
The exhibition highlighted the fact that water flowing through the industrial area is of worsening quality, and that the quantity of toxic metal contamination has increased.


Pattaya welcomes Cobra Gold 2008 participants

Humanitarian assistance a big part of yearly event

Pattaya has rolled out the welcome mat for military personnel and advisors from the United States, Thailand, Singapore, Japan, and Indonesia for this year’s Cobra Gold exercise.
Cobra Gold 2008 began yesterday, May 8 and continues until May 21. This year marks the 27th anniversary of this regionally significant training event.
Cobra Gold is a regularly scheduled joint and combined multi-national exercise hosted annually by the Kingdom of Thailand. Cobra Gold 2008 (CG08) is the latest in a continuing series of exercises designed to promote regional peace and security.
Training will consist of a computer-simulated command post exercise, field training exercises, and humanitarian/civic assistance projects. Every year, many of the participants choose to spend their “leisure time” assisting the local community, which sometimes involves building and / or painting classrooms, donating much needed supplies to schools and the less fortunate, and sometimes just brightening the day for the less fortunate, both young and old.
In addition to the five main participating countries, the Royal Thai Government has invited several other nations to participate in various roles during the exercise. The following countries have been invited: Australia, Brunei, France, Italy, United Kingdom, Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Philippines and Mongolia.


Pharmacy busted for selling sexual aid drugs

Boonlua Chatree
A pharmaceuticals shop in North Pattaya has been charged with illegally stocking and selling erectile dysfunction drugs.

Somwang Thamapatpong was arrested for possession of a large quantity of prescription drugs.

Following investigations, officers from Pattaya Police Station went to the Ozone Pharmacy on Second Road during the evening of April 30, where they found the owner, 57-year-old Somwang Thamapatpong in possession of a large quantity of prescription drugs.
Amongst the drugs seized by police were 208 packs of Kamagra jelly, 70 Kamagra pills, and 13 packs of Caverta. Somwang was taken to Pattaya Police Station and charged with illegally distributing drugs.
Somwang said that because his shop is located near the beer bars, foreigners often asked to buy the drugs before going out with bar girls, which brought him a very good income.


Italian faces child sex charges

Theerarak Suthatiwong
An Italian man is facing charges relating to having sex with children, following a complaint lodged with police by the parents of a nine-year-old boy.
On April 30, Pol Col Kanisorn Yuwawittaya, deputy chief of special operations at the Children, Youth and Women’s Protection Center, Police Provincial Region 2 obtained warrant number 65/2551 from Pattaya Provincial Court for the arrest of Ruggero Costa, age 59.

Ruggero Costa (center) is taken in to answer questions related to his alleged sexual abuse of children.

Costa was arrested at an apartment in Moo 10, Nongprue, and charged with sexually abusing a child of less than 13 years of age. Costa denied the charges during preliminary questioning, and says he will defend himself in court.
Pol Col Kanisorn Yuwawittaya, superintendent of the Child Protection Center said that the parents of Master Lek (an alias for the nine-year-old boy) filed a complaint stating that Costa had lured the boy into his living room to sexually abuse him.
The team of investigators had been monitoring and observing Costa’s behavior for more than two months, and knew that Costa had often brought children, both male and female and aged between eight and 13 years, into his home. He paid these children 500 to 1,000 baht each time. Most of them were homeless children in Pattaya.
Costa is said to be a bellboy at a hotel in Italy, and has visited Thailand regularly as a tourist for 10 years. Even though the accused denied the charges, police say they have enough evidence to prosecute him.


Police investigate apparent suicide of Belgian physician

Boonlua Chatree
A Belgian physician has been found dead from a gunshot wound to the head, apparently self-inflicted during severe depression that followed an incident in which his former wife and a Thai man had allegedly attacked him in his own house and stole 3 million baht from the safe.
Gerard Kaufen, 55, had telephoned a friend, named by police as Mr Robert, 60, in the early evening of May 1 to say how depressed he was over the betrayal and the robbery, which had taken place three days previously.
A few hours later, at 1:30 a.m. on May 2, Banglamung Police Station received a report that a foreign man had committed suicide in house number 3/136 in Atthaporn Village on Soi 9.
Officers led by Banglamung Superintendent Pol Col Sarayut Sanguanpokai, together with Sawang Boriboon Foundation rescue workers and a physician on duty at Banglamung Hospital went to the scene, a single house on an area of approximately 100 square wah.
The body of Gerard Kaufen was found on the patio. The cause of death was a shot to the head, the bullet entering behind the right ear and exiting behind the left ear. The body was lying on its back, wearing a blue T-shirt and green shorts.
Beside the deceased was a .38-caliber pistol with five bullets in the chamber. Two rounds had been fired.
Pol Sen Sgt Maj Weera Palktoo, 42, who is head of the traffic police at Banglamung Police Station and is also a neighbor of the deceased, said that he heard two shots while he was in his own house. He ran outside, but could see nothing unusual. Then, looking over into his neighbor’s house he saw the body in a pool of blood, with the pistol lying nearby.
Mr Robert, a Belgian national, arrived at the scene and told police that Kaufen had been a physician in Belgium. He had moved to Thailand 15 years ago. He was married to Mrs Yuan Kaufen, 38, but the couple had recently divorced.
Kaufen had become very depressed, and started drinking heavily. He became reclusive, staying in the house alone. Mr Robert said that his friend told him his former wife had come to the house with a Thai man, and that the man had beat him up before opening the safe and taking 3 million baht along with a quantity of jewelry and other property.
Police are now tracing Kaufen’s former wife. The body was removed to the Forensic Institute for autopsy.


German man dies in fall

Theerarak Suthatiwong
A German man died when he fell from the third floor of a hotel in South Pattaya early in the evening of April 26.
Police were called out at 5:30 p.m. by a report that a foreign man had been seriously injured in a fall at a hotel on Third Road. Arriving at the four-story hotel, the officers found blood on the ground beside the swimming pool, where the man had been found. He had been taken to Pattaya Memorial Hospital for treatment, and he died later.
The deceased was identified as Michael Schrofl, a 46-year-old German citizen. The officers searched his room, number 324 on the third floor, but found no signs of a struggle.
A hotel staff member stated that Schrofl had rented a room on a daily basis with three friends for four days. On the day of his death, he had gone to see a doctor. His friends had gone out. Schrofl came back and went alone to his room. The employee next heard screams from the swimming pool area, and it was discovered that Schrofl had fallen to the ground. He was rushed to hospital.
The body has been sent to the Institute of Forensic Medicine at the Police General Hospital in order to establish the cause of death.


No back Chat as escaped convict shoots his way out of beer shop

Boonlua Chatree
Police and prison officers are currently searching for a convict who escaped from Pattaya Prison and who, when discovered sitting in a beer shop just 1 kilometer away, fired a gun at the officers and disappeared.
Chat Saengngam, age 25, had originally made his escape during the afternoon of April 10, when he was placed on a work party undertaking a job outside the prison.
Investigations revealed Chat was still in the area, and just after midnight on April 16 he was known to be drinking beer at the Wun Beer Shop in Nongplalai. The Pattaya Prison governor led a team of prison officers in surrounding the shop, which is only 1 kilometer from the prison walls, but Chat had a gun and fired at them three times.
No one was injured during the shooting. The prison officers believed their man to be still inside the premises, as they had the place surrounded. However, they had no search warrant and were unable to get inside.
An employee of the shop told them that Chat had got away into the night, and eventually Nongplalai village chief Kreok Prabra was called in as a witness, along with a member of the press that had gathered outside the besieged shop, and the premises were searched. The search was in vain, and the disgruntled prison officers returned to their jail empty-handed.
Chat Saengngam had originally been arrested by officers of Banglamung Police Station and was serving 10 years and four months for robbery. He had already spent nine of those years behind bars, and was nearing the time of his release.
On April 10, the prison officers had taken 15 prisoners, including Chat, to work in front of the prison. All were classified as trusted prisoners, as they only had a short time remaining of their sentences. Chat managed to escape during work. He is believed to be in hiding with his family or friends in the area, and the search continues.


Mobile clinic visits Nong Pangkae Community

Pattaya’s mobile health service provides free health checkups.

Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
Pattaya City’s mobile health clinic visited Nong Pangkae Community on May 1, providing free medical checkups and other services for residents.

Pattaya’s mobile health service provides free blood pressure checks.
Organized by the Pattaya Public Health and Environment Department, the mobile service travels to all the communities in Pattaya in turn, and is manned by physicians, nurses and public health officials.
During the morning of May 1, the clinic provided an information and consultation service, while the afternoon saw medical checkups for conditions such as high or low blood pressure, diabetes and oral disease, along with the distribution of free medication and family planning advice.
Advice was also given on animal vaccinations and eradication of mosquitoes using pesticide.


Navy sends ship to Cambodia on friendship exercise

Commander-in-chief of the First Fleet of the Royal Thai Fleet,
Rear Admiral Nopadol Suthammasapa gives an official send-off
to the HTMS Sukhothai’s captain and crew.

Patcharapol Panrak
The Royal Thai Navy has sent the HTMS Sukhothai to the Cambodian port of Sihanoukville as part of the cordial military relations that exist between the two countries, and to support stability on the Thai-Cambodian border.
Under the direction of Vice Admiral Chaiwat Pukkarat, commander-in-chief of the First Fleet of the Royal Thai Fleet, Rear Admiral Nopadol Suthammasapa gave an official send-off to the vessel and its crew on April 28 at Laem Thian Port at Sattahip Naval Base.
Rear Admiral Chumpol Wongwaekin, chief of staff at the First Fleet was commander of the ship heading for Sihanoukville.
Rear Admiral Nopadol said that more than 100 military personnel are on board the ship, which will anchor at the Cambodian commercial port to undergo training and a familiarization program.
Rear Admiral Chumpol said that the responsibility of the First Fleet is to protect Thailand’s interests from Trat to Chumporn. The mission to Cambodia is to help cement friendly relations between the two countries, and to undergo training for such possibilities as a disaster at sea, and for cross-border issues.


Alisa and Surat congratulate Itthipol

Staff reporters
The two main losing candidates in the mayoral election have congratulated the winning candidate, Itthipol Khunplome, and wished him success with his plans for Pattaya.
Itthipol won by a landslide victory on May 4, and will become mayor once the Election Commission ratifies the election.

Surat Mekavarakul (right) congratulates Itthipol Khunplome for his victory in the mayoral race.

Surat Mekhawarakul was almost 10,000 votes behind Itthipol, despite finishing second in the race.
“I and my team will definitely continue doing helpful works for society in every aspect we can, but I have to see what will happen in the future and will decide later if I will run for the post again at the end of the new four-year term,” said Surat.
Surat added that his final total of votes had been well below his expectations, and was lower than it had been in the previous election.
Alisa Phantusak said that the voice of the people was to be respected, and thanked everyone who had helped with her campaign during the past three months.
“I truly congratulate Khun Itthipol for his achievement,” said Alisa.
She added that she had been disappointed to receive such a low number of votes. She also stated that she had been disturbed by subversive leaflets distributed by a group of unknown affiliation, which were intended to destroy her reputation during the campaign and which had led to a great deal of misunderstanding about her.
Alisa said that she and her party would carry on doing works to benefit society, and that they would be monitoring those who were taking up their new positions to ensure that the promises made during the election campaign were adhered to.

Alisa Phantusak (center) says thank you
to everyone who had helped with her campaign.


Fines begin for drivers using cell phones

Theerarak Suthatiwong
Starting from May 10, a hefty fine faces anyone caught using a cell phone while driving.
Following a three-month period of publicizing the new traffic regulation, which had been enacted by the national government on February 8, police have now been instructed to prosecute anyone found using a cell phone while driving a vehicle.
Pattaya Police Station superintendent Pol Col Nopadol Wongnom briefed officers this week that tickets must be handed out to anyone breaking the law, starting from May 10. Fines would range from 400 baht to 1,000 baht.
The police chief said that anyone having to use a phone while driving should use hands-free equipment such as Small Talk or Bluetooth, in the interests of their own safety and the safety of other road users.


Royal Ploughing Ceremony today, May 9

The annual Royal Ploughing Ceremony at Sanam Luang near the Grand Palace in Bangkok, and the accompanying Cultivation Ceremony held at the Temple of the Emerald Buddha the day before, are of great significance in Thailand. This year the events are taking place today, May 9.
During the ceremonies, appropriate strains of different grains for cultivating are selected just prior to the planting season, and rituals are performed to interpret the year’s harvest. Grain selection is an important consideration when planting crops, as the crops rely on soil, ample rainfall and other natural factors.
The Cultivation Ceremony is also performed to help keep the different grains free from disease, producing a bountiful harvest.
His Majesty the King, accompanied by Her Majesty the Queen, always preside over the Cultivation Ceremony held at the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.
The Royal Ploughing Ceremony signals the beginning of the planting season in Thailand. Two well cared for oxen of the same color pull an ancient plough, breaking the ground so that sacred seeds may be planted. Two other oxen wait in reserve.
Two Brahman priests sprinkling sacred water along the path lead the royal procession, with its nine-tiered royal umbrella.
Two pairs of female guardians carry grain in one gold and one silver container following behind the plough, seeding the tilled ground.
Three circuits tilling the earth around Sanam Luang are completed and at the end the oxen are offered seven types of foods to select from: rice grain, corn, peas, sesame, liqueur, water and grass. Brahman priests then interpret their selection.
Following the ceremony, many people collect the seeds from the ground to keep as sacred objects promising a prosperous year, while others sow the ceremonial seeds mixed in with other seeds to sanctify the season’s crop.


Redemptorist School shows disabled the advantages of skills training

Pattaya International Ladies Club, Bangkok Hospital Pattaya
and local government officials are banding together to help improve
the lives of the disabled in Pattaya.

Vimolrat Singnikorn and Elaine Poole
Redemptorist School held an open day on April 23 to show members of the disabled community how they can acquire education and skills that can be used to gain income and enhance their quality of life through job satisfaction and financial independence.
Banglamung District Chief Mongkol Thamakittikhun opened the event, along with Father Lawrence Patin, who heads the Redemptorist Foundation, and representatives of Bangkok Hospital Pattaya and the Pattaya International Ladies Club.
Mongkol said that the aim was to encourage all disabled people in Chonburi Province to take advantage of the opportunities that exist for education, and skills and vocational training. He said that support and cooperation from many organizations was needed. For this event, said Mongkol, there had been good cooperation from the Pattaya International Ladies Club and Bangkok Hospital Pattaya, which had presented medical supplies to the disabled.
Apart from disabled people registering for various training opportunities, the day was used for building a self-help network amongst the disabled in Chonburi Province, through the representatives of the various communities of disabled who attended.
Somchai Sirorat of the Social Development and Human Stability Department in Chonburi, Suporntham Mongkonsawat, director of the Redemptorist Foundation for the Disabled, and Manop Iamsa-Ard, representing the Chonburi disabled community, all addressed the gathering.
During her address, Rosanne Diamente from the Pattaya International Ladies Club Team told the gathering how she is working with the governor of Chonburi currently on 60 cases involving people with disabilities that have been identified by the governor’s office as in “special need”. PILC have been busy raising money to fund this project as well as receiving generous donations from the Pattaya Mail PC Classic, Royal Cliff Beach Resort International Regatta in conjunction with the Rotary Club of Jomtien Pattaya, and other anonymous donors.
To date, 29 cases have been reviewed, and of them 22 have been completed. Many cases involve urgent repair or alteration to homes, and others involve urgent medical requirements.
Bangkok Hospital Pattaya was approached by Rosanne and generously offered to donate a large quantity of urgently needed medical supplies. Representatives from the hospital came to hand-over 30 medical kits, 200 pieces blue pads, 200 adult diapers, disposable dressings 60 sets, urine catheters 100 pieces, and one special hospital bed.
Neera Sirisampan, international affairs director, who officially handed over the equipment to Rosanne said, “On behalf of Bangkok Hospital Pattaya, we are very pleased to have been invited by Pattaya International Ladies Club (PILC) to take a part in this significant event. We have always admired PILC for their continuous contributions to the less fortunate citizens of Pattaya. We will continue to work hand in hand with PILC to improve the life of underprivileged people to raise their standard of living.”
Other members of the Bangkok Hospital, Pattaya representatives were: Neil Maniquiz, Pattaravadee Wangviriyaphan, Janya Rattanaliam, and Kemawan Chusuwan.
Neera Sirisampan presented medical equipment to four people that the PILC have helped:
Sombat, who is paralyzed and in a wheelchair. Essential repairs have been made to his home, including toilet facilities and a ramp added so now he can leave the house.
Sing, who is paralyzed due to a work-related accident. Essential repairs have been completed to his home. Sing has recently started a re-training program at the Redemptorist Centre.
Surmee has lost one leg, but still manages to look after her two grandchildren and do some simply daily work as a cleaner and Tawee, who lost her right arm.
Sing gave a very touching thank you speech saying how grateful he was to all who had helped him. Because of the work of PILC and the medical equipment donated by Bangkok Hospital Pattaya his quality of life will further improve.
This is a great example where teamwork within the community can make a difference to the lives of PWD. If you would like further information about the Chonburi Handicap Project being co-ordinated by PILC for the governor of Chonburi, please contact Rosanne Diamente ([email protected]).
Finally, before the participants of the seminar had to rush off to start the various organized workshops, ladies of Garunyawet Handicapped Home entertained everyone with a dance display.
The afternoon was devoted to support groups and consultation, with advice being given on subjects that included providing aid for independent occupations, education for disabled children, occupational training, rejuvenating medicine, physical equipment, rights to facilities and welfare for disabled people, and discussion on problems and complaints.
Chang Kornchanarat, social welfare officer at the Redemptorist Center for the Independent Occupations of Disabled People said that 80 percent of the disabled people in Chonburi Province became disabled because of accidents, with most of the accidents involving vehicles and motorbikes.
Industrial machinery was another major cause of disability, and there was a concentration of disabled people in Panatnikom, an intensively industrialized area, who had been incapacitated through accidents with machinery.
Chang said that one of the problems was that many people who are disabled are ashamed of their physical disabilities, and don’t accept themselves. This is a one of the reasons so many commit suicide, he said.
There were 10,700 people registered as disabled as of March 31, 2008 in accordance with the Disabled Peoples’ Revival Act of BE 2543, according to data from the Chonburi Social Development and Welfare Bureau.


USS Blue Ridge docks at Laem Chabang

Sue Kukarja
The USS Blue Ridge, which has arrived at Laem Chabang Port for a routine visit, held an onboard reception on May 1, hosted by Vice Admiral William Douglas Crowder, commander of the US Seventh Fleet, at which the guest of honor was Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej.

Vice Adm. Doug Crowder, commander, U.S. 7th Fleet, welcomes the media aboard USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19).
In their speeches, Vice Admiral Crowder and Prime Minister Samak both emphasized the long-term friendship of the two countries, saying that Thailand and the United States share similar values and ideologies, among which are peace, liberty, democracy and free enterprise.
On the following morning, a press tour was provided that allowed the Thai and foreign media an opportunity to learn more about the ship and the duties of the sailors.
The Marines, officers and crew on board the Blue Ridge also had the opportunity to experience the hospitality and culture of Thailand, with community projects arranged that included a beach clean-up at the Banglamung Home for the Aged and a visit to the Camillian Center, which takes care of HIV/AIDS infected children.
Additionally, talks were held between Royal Thai Navy personnel and the Seventh Fleet staff.

(L to R) Thai PM Samak Sundarave j, US Ambassador Eric John and Vice Admiral William Douglas engage in friendly chat during the visit.
USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19) is the lead ship of the Blue Ridge-class of command ships of the United States Navy. She is the third Navy ship named after the Blue Ridge Mountains, a series of ranges in the Appalachian Mountains of the eastern US.
The ship was commissioned on November 14, 1970, at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard as a command and control platform for the Navy. With accommodations for more than 200 officers and 1,200 enlisted, the ship provides all the services of a small town.

(L to R) Thai PM Samak Sundaravej, Vice Admiral William Douglas and US Ambassador Eric John cut the friendship cake.
From 1971 until 1979, the Blue Ridge operated from San Diego, California, where she deployed to the Western Pacific, earning the Meritorious Unit Commendation and Navy Unit Commendation for the evacuation of Saigon in 1975.
Since October 1979, the Blue Ridge has been forward-deployed at Yokosuka Naval Base in Yokosuka, Japan as the flagship of the commander of the Seventh Fleet. The Blue Ridge participates routinely in US and allied training exercise each year with countries throughout the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean.
As a command-and-control ship, the Blue Ridge has a technologically advanced communications suite, allowing the Seventh Fleet commander and his embarked staff to direct US naval forces in the region.

Guests from Pattaya with Bobby Brooks (2nd right),
president of the U.S. Navy League Thailand.


Ships’ paint donated by local group

Navy plays a vital role in Eastern region

Members of the European and Scandinavian business communities
in Pattaya donate paint to Rear Admiral Nopadol Suthammasapa.

Patcharapol Panrak
A group of Thai and foreign businessmen have declared themselves as the Navy Lovers Group, and presented paint for renovating a warship of the First Fleet at Sattahip Naval Base.
Komkrit Kiwanitchee, a 45-year-old Pattaya businessman and leader of the Thai Navy Lovers Group on April 21 together with group members visited the commander of the First Fleet at Sattahip to present exterior and interior ship painting materials.
Vice Admiral Chaiwat Pukarat, commander-in-chief of the First Fleet of the Royal Thai Fleet appointed his deputy, Rear Admiral Nopadol Suthammasapa, to welcome the visitors, and to receive the ship paint in front of the command center.
Komkrit said that the Navy plays a vital role in the Eastern region community, and that the Navy Lovers Group would be donating more materials for other ships in the future.
The group includes members from the European and Scandinavian business communities in Pattaya.


Star cast takes disabled children for visit to the ocean

For many, it was their first time seeing the ocean

Patcharapol Panrak
Singer Mos Patipan and the female lead from the movie Phukong Chao Sanaeh, Sumonrat Wattanasaelarat, led a group of disabled children from Bangkok to Toey Ngam Bay on April 28, the first opportunity that many of the children had to see the ocean.

Grammy singer Mos Patipan, star of Phukong Chao Sanaeh led the group of 33 disabled youngsters to Toey Ngam Bay. For many it was their first time tour to the beach.
Well-known comedian Ter Cheonyim and the film crew accompanied the group.
Patipan Pattaweekan, better known as Grammy singer Mos Patipan, star of Phukong Chao Sanaeh led the group of 33 disabled youngsters to Toey Ngam Bay, which comes under the Royal Thai Marine Corps Command Unit at Prince Chumporn Camp.
Rear Admiral Suwit Thararoop, commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Marine Corps directed his officers and men to take care of the children, and provided a vehicle to take them sightseeing around the beach and the bay.

Leading stars of Phukong Chao Sanaeh movie share their love and care with one of the children before taking them to the beach.
Mos said that this was the first time the children had been brought out of their urban homes to experience the ocean and the natural environment. The crew of Phukong Chao Sanaeh was eager to help the youngsters in every way they could, and to make sure the kids knew they were loved and valued.
Sumonrat charmed the kids and acted as big sister, while Ter Cheonyim had them, and the film crew, roaring with laughter with his sense of humor.