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Monday February 9 is Makha Bucha Day
Banks, offices will be closed
This year, Makha Bucha Day (Buddhist All Saints Day) falls on Monday,
February 9. Government offices, banks and many businesses will be closed.
This holy day commemorates the miraculous event when 1,250 disciples of the
Buddha, Gautama Sakayamuni, traveled to meet with the Buddha with no
prearranged agreement, at Weluwan Mahawiharn Temple in the area of
Rachakhryha, India.
Devout Buddhists are expected to turn out in the thousands at local temples
to conduct religious ceremonies.
Scorpion Queen
breaks her own record
Vimolrat Singnikorn
The Scorpion Queen has done it again. Kanchana Ketkaew has broken
her own Guinness World Record, this time by living with 5,000 black
scorpions for 33 days.
The Scorpion Queen beat her own record set six years ago, but not before
having to endure 13 stings from her none-too-friendly insect roommates
during the very long month. In 2002 she spent 32 days with 3,400 scorpions.
 Kanchana
Ketkaew, the Scorpion Queen, holds up her prize money of 100,000 baht for
setting a new record in the Guinness Book of World Records.
On January 24 at Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum, the Tourism Authority of
Thailand Pattaya, along with Mayor Itthipol Khunplome and hundreds of
curious onlookers and well-wishers welcomed Kanchana out of the glass room
after she set her record.
As she stepped out she was congratulated by her husband, Boontawee
Siangwong, himself known as the Centipede King.
The Scorpion Queen is also in the Guinness Book of World Records for keeping
a scorpion in her mouth for 2 minutes and 3 seconds.
The glass room where she was living with the 5,000 scorpions at the Royal
Garden Pattaya was 2x4 meters in size. The rules said she could not leave
the room for more than 15 minutes every 8 hours.
“I am very proud of my accomplishment in setting this new record. I am also
thankful to all the visitors from all over the world who gave me confidence
to carry on,” said Kanchana.
“The scorpions were sent from Koh Samui and all of them are extremely
poisonous. I was stung 13 times by them but I had to endure the pain. With
over 10 years of experience with scorpions, my body had become tolerant to
scorpion poison.
“Concentration is the key when living with scorpions so as not to disappoint
myself and the fans. Not only am I doing this for myself but also for the
popularity of the nation so that more tourists would come and visit Pattaya.
“If anyone beats this record, I will be here again to take it back,” vowed
the Scorpion Queen.
And you better believe it.
Sattahip temple celebrates Chinese New Year
Residents pay respects to a
shrine of Luang Por Ie
as part of their Chinese New Year celebrations.
Patcharapol Panrak
Sattahip Temple celebrated Chinese New Year whilst remembering Luang
Por Ie, their legendary former abbot who passed away in 1946, for seven days
and nights beginning January 25.
Sattahip District Chief Chaichan Iamcharoen opened of the annual Chinese New
Year festival at Sattahip Temple, or Wat Luang Po, on January 25.
Monk Prarat Pawanamongkol, or Luang Por Dong, from Petrasukharom Temple in
Rayong and 10 other monks were invited to pray at the festival, to join
Prakhru Wibunthammaban (Achan Leng), the current abbot.
Royal Thai Navy representatives, local government administrators, village
headsmen and residents all came to enjoy the festivities.
Temple-goers were busy making merit and gilding the image of Pra Khru
Worawetmni (Luang Por Ie). Traditional folk performances such as likae, Thai
classical dance to redeem a vow to god, and Khon, were danced gracefully on
the stage for audiences young and old.
And it would not be a temple festival without the stalls, more than 200 this
time, selling goods from all over the country.
Luang Por Ie, or Phra Khru Worawetmunee, who died at the age of 81, was a
well-known teacher of Buddha’s wise words and meditation techniques.
But local residents also still enjoy passing on to younger generations
stories of the former abbot’s supernatural feats.
One local legend is that when the Sattahip naval base was heavily attacked
during World War II, people fleeing the temple were astonished to see Luang
Por Ie standing in the middle of the temple courtyard praying.
The bombs from the planes then fell harmlessly into the sea and people also
saw Luang Por Ie’s “Palad Kik”, a sacred small wooden penis image, chase the
planes and the bombs, somewhat like a modern-day guided missile.
People swore that Luang Por was seen receiving food offerings in Chonburi
before they took a bus back to Sattahip. But the monk was already at the
temple when they arrived in Sattahip without taking the same bus back.
The abbot was sick from an abscess in his neck in 1946 but didn’t want to be
treated, recalling that in his previous life that he had killed a deer by
shooting it in the neck. It was then the right retribution with which to end
in this life.
He passed away at the age of 81 on September 20, 1946, which corresponded to
the waning moon during the 10th day of lunar month 10 at 8.35pm.
New traffic lights to reduce accidents
Officials pose at the site of
the new traffic lights in front of Soi Pornprapanimit.
Saksiri Uraiworn
A new set of traffic lights at the Siam Country Club intersection
and the closing of the ones at Soi Nernplabwan in Central Pattaya, which was
the site of many road accidents, should improve traffic problems there.
On January 22 on location on Sukhumvit Road at the Pak Soi Area of
Pornprapanimit, Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh with members of the city
council and Banglamung police were there to switch on the new traffic
lights.
Tackling the accident problem there, Mayor Itthipol Khunplome ordered the
installation of the automatic traffic control system at Siam Country Club
intersection operated from the control room inside Pattaya City Hall. The
U-turn at Soi Nernplabwan was closed.
Ronakit said police will be very strict on motorcycle riders in particular
who usually ride in the opposite direction causing many accidents. These new
traffic lights will help make the area safer and the U-turn is being
relocated to a safer spot.
Sriracha erects Chinese deity image
Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
Sriracha Municipality has erected what is believed to be the
world’s largest white jade image of Chinese deity Guan-Yu.
 Mayor
Chatchai Thimkrachang chairs the erecting of the world’s largest white
jade Guan-Yu statue at Koh Loy Public Park.
On January 29 at Koh Loy Public Park, Sriracha Mayor Chatchai
Thimkrachang chaired the installation of the large image.
The mayor said that Guan-Yu would inspire the residents to pray for good
fortune, success in business, avoidance of obstacles, victory over
rivals and good life.
January 31 at 9 a.m. was the “eye-opening ceremony” for the white jade
statue. He invited all who have faith in the god Guan-Yu to participate.
The new statue is two meters high with a half-meter base, weighs 3 ½
tons and is valued at more than 10 million baht.
It was sculpted in Beijing out of Myanmar white jade and was donated to
the White Jade Guan-Im Foundation by Utid and Prapaosri Chailuekit, a
Bangkok business of Chinese heritage, for the benefit of the Sriracha
public.
Red shirts head for Sanam Luang
Police check luggage aboard
the two buses for weapons.
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
The red-shirted National United Front for Democracy Against
Dictatorship (UDD) took some 300 people from Pattaya to Sanam Luang in
Bangkok on January 31 to demonstrate against the government.
The red shirts first gathered on Petchtrakul Road in Central Pattaya before
being bused to Bangkok to air their protest over two days.
The two buses carrying the group were stopped at police checkpoints along
they way, as police attempted to prevent weapons being taken to the capital.
A leader of the group said the protest was being held to demand the
prosecution of the yellow-shirted pro-government People’s Alliance for
Democracy (PAD) for their involvement in the closure of Government House and
the international airports.
UDD aims to oust Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Minister of Foreign
Affairs Kasit Pirom, to bring the 1997 constitution back into use instead of
the current one and to “tell the public how corrupted this government is.”
By 9 p.m., the red shirts had surrounded Government House, the scene of a
series of political protests that have tested the strength of our fledgling
democracy.
Over 300 red shirts gather to
protest against the current government.
Public has say in
Immigration committee
Vimolrat Singnikorn
Pattaya Immigration has set up a committee made up of government
officials and members of the public to monitor the performance of its
service to the public.
This follows the “J2S” administrative development strategy aiming at stable
security, international standard of service and impartiality to achieve the
highest level of efficiency.
 Pol.
Col. Anon Kamolrat, Superintendent of the Pattaya Immigration Police.
On January 22 at the Pattaya Immigration Office, Pol. Col. Anon Kamolrat,
superintendent of the Pattaya Immigration Police, chaired a meeting to
appoint the committee members selected from officials and the public.
The move was to conform to the new Immigration policy to increase the
participation of members of the public in accordance with an administrative
order dated January 7.
Official representatives attended the meeting including Nongprue
Municipality Mayor Mai Chaiyanit, Pattaya City Manager Sittiprap Muangkoom
and representatives selected from the public, namely Chanyuth Hengtrakul,
Jamroon Wisawachaipan and Makhu Taechasopon who will work on the committee.
Col. Anon said good cooperation from the public is needed as Pattaya
Immigration is the first office of control for foreigners coming into the
city. It is also legally responsible for the protection of children and
women from being abused in Chonburi.
This committee will provide the main guidelines for the different
Immigration offices to operate efficiently in the same direction, he said.
City reviews parking fees because of non-payment
Vimolrat Singnikorn
Parking fees will still continue to be charged in public areas in
the city for two more months before consideration will be made by Pattaya
City whether it is economical to continue collecting the fees.
 Sanit
Bunmachai discusses the city’s position regarding the collection of parking
fees.
The administrative costs of collecting the fee and chasing non-payment of
the hourly fees of five baht for motorcycles and 10 baht for a car are being
weighed against revenue collected.
On January 28 at Pattaya City Hall, the Administrative and Police Committee
and the city council discussed the problem of the non-payments of fees and
the cost involved in chasing these.
At present the parking fees apply to Pattaya Beach Road from Dusit Hotel to
Walking Street, Dongtan Beach, and Lanpho Market in Naklua. But many drivers
ignore paying the fee, including 40 entrepreneurs of rental motorcycles and
cars, many of whom have not paid for more than 10 years.
Councilor Sanit Bunmachai said the current problem stems from the fact that
only 10% of the parking fees were collected from 44 rental vehicle
companies’ service stands, each stand having more than 10 vehicles parked.
Councilor Manoch Nongyai proposed two solutions: to install more
clearly-worded signs regarding the rates for parking fees and calculate
income to see if it covers the expenses for management and abolish the fees
if the numbers do not add up.
Sanit expects that the primary solution would be for the city to provide
better signs about parking fees and to counter objections from vehicle
rental entrepreneurs. There will be a trial period of 2-3 months before a
meeting is held again for a resolution which will be submitted to a council
meeting.
Korean arrested with fake credit cards
Police put out for display
Choi and his cache of credit cards.
Boonlua Chatree
Pattaya Tourist Police arrested a Korean man for using a fake credit
card at a Top Charoen Optical Shop.
At 8.30 p.m. on January 23 Pol. Lt. Col. Suwan Un-Anan of Pattaya Tourist
Police announced the arrest of Choi Seok-Hyun who was charged with using a
fake credit card.
Police said they also found 13 fake bank electronic cards and some cash in a
black canvas bag belonging to the man.
Earlier police he received an alert from a Top Charoen shop employee at the
South Pattaya Branch in Nongprue that there were two foreigners paying with
a fake credit card.
Police immediately went to the scene and arrested Choi but his accomplice
was able to escape.
The suspect denied all charges and said that all of the credit cards
belonged to his friend who fled.
Police believe the two had been working together trying to use the fake
cards.
Sri Lankan migration conmen deported
Boonlua Chatree
Pattaya Immigration Police arrested four Sri Lankan men and deported
them in connection with an alleged scam in which fellow countrymen were
cheated out of money in return for the agents telling them about arranging
work in Romania. The work never materialized, and the money never returned.
 The
four Sri Lankan conmen are taken into custody.
Saththiy Anadansenthil Kumar, 24, told police that he and six fellow
countrymen were the victims of the con by the agents, who he said were
residing at the Jomtien Complex Condotel in Banglamung.
He said the agents had deceived them in Sri Lanka to pay US$1,500 (50,000
baht) for arranging permits for them go to work in Romania. All had paid the
agent’s fees as sought but had received nothing in return.
At 7 p.m. on January 22 Pol. Col. Anon Kamolrat, superintendent of Pattaya
Immigration Police, led a team of officers to arrest the gang’s alleged
leader Welgamage Gamini Werasinghe, 45.
Also detained were Panagodaarachghilage Dhanush Avantha Karunarathna, 30,
Marappulige Dinesh Suranga, 21, and Pahalagedara Samanthalalith
Thilakarathna, 27, who were all sleeping when police arrived.
Police said the victims of the gang paid money at Suvarnabhumi Airport,
leaving their passports with the bogus agents, who would then provide
minimal accommodation. Then the agents allegedly ratted on the Sri Lankans
so police would deport them for being illegal immigrants.
Victim Saththiy Kumar said that he and seven others had been conned in this
way. They had paid the agents on arrival and were taken to stay in rooms
more than a month ago, being left on their own to find food and other
necessities.
The agents told their victims to wait each time they were asked when they
were going to work in Romania and refused to give the money back.
The other six victims realized that they had been cheated and returned to
Sri Lanka to report the scam to Sri Lankan police. Saththiy said he didn’t
have money to go back so asked Thai police for help.
Col. Anon said that the four accused men were being deported and their names
placed on the blacklist to forbid re-entry into the Kingdom.
Handbag vendor snatches … what else, a handbag
Boonlua Chatree
A handbag vendor who allegedly snatched a waitress’s handbag and
rode away on a motorcycle was caught by onlookers.
 The
victim (left) and thief (right) meet at the police station.
While on patrol at 5 a.m. on January 22, Pol. Lt-Col. Sutham Chaoseethong,
deputy superintendent of Crime Suppression at the Pattaya Police Station,
had to deal with a young man being detained on Soi DD Furniture in South
Pattaya.
At the scene residents were detaining Sakrit Wichitkachee, 18, from Roi-Et
Province, caught with a black handbag belonging to Juli Sasing, 33, from
Udon Thani, containing 200 baht in cash and a mobile phone.
Victim Juli said that she was sitting at her place of work in a beer bar on
Soi Post Office and 2nd Road in South Pattaya, leaving her handbag on a
table.
She said the accused and two other men arrived on motorbike, one of them
entering the bar and suddenly took her handbag and tried to escape on
motorbike.
She shouted for help and people in the surrounding area gathered to detain
Sakrit but two accomplices, known as Mos and Ton, escaped.
Police raid fake brand-
name warehouse
Boonlua Chatree
Chonburi Provincial Police raided a four-story warehouse in Nongprue
and confiscated a treasure trove of imitation brand-name goods worth more
than 10 million baht.
This was done in response to the government’s policy agreed at an ASEAN
summit to crack down on the production and sale of imitation brand-name
goods.
 Police
raid a warehouse on Soi Buakao filled to the brim with knock-off
merchandise.
At 5 p.m. on January 28, Pol. Maj. Gen. Bandit Khunachak, commander of the
Chonburi Provincial Police, led a large squad of ranking police from the
Chonburi and Pattaya forces to swoop on a four-story commercial building in
Soi Buakao.
Alleged caretaker Natthaporn Chomphuak, 20, was arrested there but the owner
escaped before the police arrived.
A travel office offering visa services was on the ground floor but other
floors were stacked with clothes, handbags and shoes proudly displaying the
brands of Polo, Versace, Adidas, Nike, Lacoste and Vuitton.
The basement was filled with stores of cigarettes, Nike and Puma shoes. The
second floor was filled with clothing and eyeglasses and the third floor was
brimful with cotton textiles for making clothing, with more than 30,000
articles on hand.
Pol. Col. Chamnong Ratanakul, deputy commander of the Chonburi Provincial
Police, said this raid was made after police arrested vendors of imitation
merchandise at the market fair in Pattaya. It is where supplies for these
retail outlets were stockpiled, he said.
Police arrest oil smugglers
Boonlua Chatree
Thai Marine Police arrested three alleged oil smugglers in
Banglamung with 30,000 liters of untaxed oil worth about 500,000 baht.
 Police
arrest oil smugglers and intercept an illegal shipment.
At 1 p.m. on January 29, Pol. Maj-Gen. Misakwan Buala, commander of the Thai
Marine Police, and Pol. Col. Pinit Sirichai, commander of the Thai Marine
Police in Region 5, expected smuggled oil to be delivered to a dealer at
Coastal Fishery Development Project Pier at Klong Banglamung.
Pol. Lt. Col. Chayapol Yaiying, a marine police investigator went to make
the arrest and found a large ship named Suvarnabhumi transferring fuel for
industrial use to an 18-wheeled truck.
Police arrested Satid Wongsarot, 42, ship captain Direk Kaewsrai, 40, of
Sukhothai, and crewmember Yongyut Phuchong, 22, of Chantaburi. Fuel, ship
and truck were all seized.
Police said ship navigator Satid had been hired by an employer to load the
illegal fuel behind Koh Loy in Sriracha. It was to be transferred to trucks
before being delivered to a large customer.
The men were charged with dealing in untaxed fuel.
Ride for peace rumbling in next weekend
Bikers, friends, and city and
tourism officials gather at city hall to promote the huge bikers weekend
beginning February 13 at the Eastern Sports Stadium.
Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
It’s peaceful rumbling time again as motorcyclists from 40 countries
will ride for peace on February 13 in Pattaya.
Whether the city is ready or not, some 200,000 motorcyclists are roaring
into town from all around the world for the sixth Ride For Peace at the
Eastern Region Sports Stadium.
The Burapa Motorcycle Club held a press conference on the ride on January 29
at Pattaya City Hall with Deputy Mayor Verawat Khakhay presiding. Niti
Kongkrut, director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Pattaya,
Prasarn Nijarnji, president of Burapa Motorcycle Club, and club members also
attended.
Club president Prasarn said that this campaign is a collaboration between
Pattaya and TAT to boost tourism and attract motorcyclists from here and
overseas. The campaign is also to support safe riding, and riders on show
must wear helmets and have their headlights on.
The event will start with a parade from the PTT gas station opposite Lotus
to the stadium. Cowboys and musical performances from Tom Dundee, Poi Ramun
and a stunt show will add to the excitement.
Tourism promoter Niti said that the two-day event will boost tourism and
contribute millions of baht into the economy. It will attract bike
enthusiasts from far and wide, he concluded.
Mobile office issues ID cards in Sattahip
Patcharapol Panrak
Sattahip residents are happy with the new mobile service that issues
national ID cards right in the community without them having to return to
their local district offices, often in other provinces.
 Sattahip
residents take advantage of the mobile ID card issuing service.
Chonburi Governor Surapon Pongtadsirikun brought in the new policy for
district officials to provide more convenient services to the public.
Chief District Officer Charnchai Iamjaroen said that it was the first time
Sattahip residents could make ID cards outside their local districts which
often were located in other provinces.
“This excellent service is provided by the authorities to residents,
especially those with low income and suffering from illnesses and
disabilities,” he said.
He said many citizens did not have national ID cards simply because they
could not travel, so many of them can now enjoy the convenience that the
mobile office provides.
Many, especially those working in agriculture and construction, haven’t
renewed the card for many years and this move has brought many citizens out
to use the service, he said.
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