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Navy search for
stranded man proves futile; ghosts suspected
A Navy rescue team searches
for a swimmer in trouble locals thought they saw signaling for help. They
turned up nothing.
Patcharapol Panrak
It doesn’t take much for Thai boat captains to report seeing ghosts,
so when the Royal Thai Navy couldn’t find a man seen by one skipper waving
for help on a Samae San Bay Island near where numerous scuba divers have
died, the natural conclusion was it had been a visitor from beyond the
spectral plane.
A Navy search team was dispatched to Rong Kohn Rong Nang Island Aug. 11
after Somyot Thabjui, captain of the boat owned by Maptaput New City’s Ray
Divers, reported seeing a man in shorts and a t-shirt signaling for help
with a white foam plate. Somyot told Navy officials he was unable to rescue
the man due to strong winds and waves that prevented a large boat from
getting near the rocky isle.
A patrol boat under the command of Lt. Warawut Leelarak surveyed the island
along with nearby islets and the waters near the Hardeep shipwreck but found
no one. Warawut checked again with the boat captain who confirmed that not
only he and his Thai crew, but foreign divers as well, had seen the man.
Further checks, however, turned up no one in distress.
Somyat and other Thai seamen in the area concluded what they’d seen was a
ghost, possibly of 35-year-old Wiwat Tiranakornkul, a dive instructor with
Bangkok’s Evolution Divers who perished along with a student near Rong Kohn
Rong Nang May 10. The body of student Pote Sawangwongsaree was recovered but
Wiwat’s body has not been found.
It wouldn’t be the first ghost story associated with that patch of ocean.
The Hardeep has seen a number of diving fatalities since it was sunk during
World War II. Locals swear that on the 8th and 15th of every month a Thai
orchestra of wooden and percussion instruments can be heard. Local boat
captains consider the Hardeep area a cemetery and expect to see visions on a
regular basis.
100 clean Dongtan Beach
for Mother’s Day
Students from Pattaya School
#7 help in the beach cleanup.
Pramote Channgam
More than 100 people marked HM the Queen’s 77th birthday by cleaning
up Jomtien’s Dongtan Beach.
Deputy Mayor Verawat Khakhay led the Aug. 11 cleanup organized by the Beach
Chair Association and Pattaya City Counselors with students from Pattaya
School #7.
Jomtien is a beach that attracts a lot of tourists, both Thai and foreign,
because of its spectacular seascape which stretches more than six kilometers
with parts being very quiet and peaceful. But increased numbers of sun
worshippers have brought increased numbers of shops, bars and street
vendors, which adversely affect the area’s cleanliness.
As a way of doing a good deed to honor HM the Queen, the various groups
combined to restore Dongtan Beach to a more pristine condition. They hope it
will also set an example and encourage others to keep the beachfront
cleaner.
Conservation Center
wants more male turtles
With a little help from their
friends, the Royal Thai Navy’s Sea Turtle Conservation Center released 779
turtles into the sea near Sattahip.
Patcharapol Panrak
Hoping to bring some balance back to a turtle population that, due
to global warming, is becoming dangerously low on males, the Royal Thai
Navy’s Sea Turtle Conservation Center released 779 turtles into the sea near
Sattahip.
Temperature plays a major role in determining the sex of unborn turtles.
Eggs incubated at 32 degrees Celsius or higher will generally produce female
turtles while male hatchlings are predominantly produced when eggs mature at
under 28 degrees. With Thailand’s warm temperatures and seas, the area’s
population is now 5-to-1 female.
Speaking at the July 13 turtle release, Vice Adm. Jakchai Phujaroenyod,
Commander of Air and Coastal Defense Command, said something needs to be
done before male turtles become extinct.
Turtles generally return home to nest between 16 and 20 years old. The top
local nesting area is Koh Khram where waters can often reach 34 degrees and
the sun further heats the beach. Thus, the area’s population has turned
largely female as global warming continues to raise temperatures.
Another worrying trend, Jakchai said, is the fertility rate. Only about 40
percent of the eggs found on Koh Khram were fertilized, down from 60 percent
a decade ago. “We have to do something before this problem is unsolvable and
the species of sea turtle becomes extinct.”
City forms community leaders network to improve services for disabled
Vimolrat Singnikorn
While Pattaya has already won accolades for its number of services
for disabled residents, Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome believes the city can do
more.
 Mayor
Itthiphol Kunplome opens the first meeting of the disabled community leaders
network.
Meeting August 10 with deputy mayors Wutisak Rermkitkarn, who oversees the
city’s social welfare offices, and Verawat Khakhay, responsible for public
health, Itthiphol launched a new network of disabled community leaders whom,
it’s hoped, will lead Pattaya’s efforts to improve the quality of life for
disabled residents and direct projects to make the city’s infrastructure
more disabled-friendly.
The mayor noted that the city last year won a bronze honorary plate from the
Friendly Official Location for Disabled People competition run by the
Ministry of Social Development and Human Security. By the end of the city’s
three-year development plan for the disabled in 2011, Itthiphol wants the
city to be first.
“The disabled community leaders network will help to improve the quality of
life of disabled residents and provide an opportunity for those residents to
learn, share experiences and problems,” Itthiphol said.
The development plan is intended to increase access to basic services and
aid from public and private sources. The project also looks at basic
infrastructure, such as adding more wheelchair ramps to sidewalks and making
public restrooms disabled-friendly.
Laem Chabang Port greets largest containership to enter Thai waters
It may not be the biggest
containership in the world,
but standing on the pier as the ZIM Djibouti pulled
into Laem Chabang Port, there’s no doubt it is one big ship.
Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
It may not be the biggest containership in the world, but
standing on the pier as the ZIM Djibouti pulled into Laem Chabang Port,
there’s no doubt it is one big ship.
The new “mega carrier” from Israel’s ZIM Integrated Shipping Services
became the largest vessel ever to call Thailand’s main seaport when it
pulled into Laem Chabang Aug. 7. Celebrating its maiden voyage, the ship
was greeted with a welcoming ceremony staged by the Port Authority of
Thailand.
Built by South Korea’s Hyundai SAMHO Shipyards, the Djibouti can carry
the equivalent of 10,062 containers - more than twice the amount of
cargo than ships operating just a decade ago. Nearly 38,000 tons of
steel went into construction of the ship, which weighs in at 116,440
deadweight tons. Docking it at Laem Chabang required two piers.
Port Authority Director General Sunida Skulratana said the arrival of
the Djibouti marks the start of a new phase of maritime-infrastructure
development.
“This demonstrates the growth of international trade and shows the
belief and confidence foreign operators have in the potential of the
Thai maritime industry,” she said.
The ZIM Djibouti will make monthly calls at Laem Chabang as part of its
Asia-U.S. Pacific Northwest route.
The mega carrier is important for both Thailand and the Israeli shipping
line. Port Authority Chairman Chalor Kotcharat said shipments through
the harbor declined 15-20 percent year-on-year during the November 2008
to June 2009 period. Overall, the country’s exports and imports both
declined 25 percent in June.
However, he said, officials believe that as the economy recovers, so
will container movements. For the year, the port is expecting throughput
of 5 million containers, down only about 200,000 units from the year
before.
“A decrease this year is certain,” said Laem Chabang Port Managing
Director Chalermkiat Salakkum. “But the ZIM Djibouti calling Laem
Chabang is a good sign for Thai transportation.”
ZIM officials acknowledged the world economy will need to recover before
it can fill vessels like the Djibouti.
“The world economy is changing,” ZIM Chairman Idan Ofer said in a press
release. “And when the economic crisis is over we must be ready with the
appropriate fleet to meet the world demand.”
The company, represented in Thailand by Thai Star Shipping Co., Ltd., is
certainly taking a big bet on that. The struggling carrier had to borrow
$350 million from its main shareholder just to pay for the July delivery
of the Djibouti and the ZIM Los Angeles. According to maritime industry
authority Lloyd’s List, ZIM will have negative cash flow of $1 billion
through 2013 and has deferred delivery of 14 new ships, including eight
larger than the Djibouti.
Big investments in big ships is necessary these days, however. The more
containers a vessel can carry, the more efficient it is. The Djibouti is
twice the size of any previous ZIM ship and company executives are
hoping the economies of scale it delivers can sail the company out of
the red.
Media blitz offering free rooms, big discounts backfires
(From left) Deputy Mayors
Ronakit Ekasingh and Verawat Khakhay, Tourism Authority of Thailand Pattaya
Office Director Niti Kongkrut, Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome, and Deputy Mayor
Wattana Chantanawaranon meet to discuss the second phase of the project to
restore Pattaya’s tourism image.
Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
A 17 million baht advertising campaign aimed at luring tourists back
to Pattaya by offering big discounts and free hotel rooms instead has
incited a backlash with angry visitors calling the promotion a scam and
complaining no discounts or freebies were actually available.
City officials called an emergency damage-control meeting with local
tourist-oriented businesses Aug. 8 where they said the fine print of the
promotion had not been properly explained and that the advertising and
offers advertised on TV, radio and on the internet since early June was
merely the first phase in a three-part campaign.
Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome rejected criticism that the “Pattaya Be Our Guest”
media blitz was a waste of money and a scam. The multimedia advertising
campaign that ran on Thai television, radio, billboards, websites and in
major newspapers and magazines was only a promotional first phase intended
to run through the end of July, he explained. The discounts and free rooms
would be offered in Phase 2, starting Aug. 1.
Nonetheless, the mayor acknowledged the phased approach and the details on
how free rooms would be award were not explained properly and confused
tourists showed up in Pattaya expecting free rooms and other discounts and
then voiced complaints to the city and the media when they weren’t.
“It was never our intention to give any free rooms to all Pattaya tourists,”
Itthiphol said. “They were only intended to be granted as gifts for the
winners of TV and radio show trivia games. So that might be cause for
misunderstanding among tourists.”
To offset the damage from the city’s missteps, the mayor asked the tourist
businesses attending last week’s meeting to offer new discounts of 5-70
percent to support the ongoing “Pattaya Grand Sale” promotion and the “All
City Grand Sale” campaign that started Aug. 1.
Pattaya Permanent Secretary Sittiprap Muangkoom urged officials to plan
their promotions carefully noting that during the first phase tourists not
only couldn’t obtain the discounts they saw on TV, but could not get any
information from the Pattaya Call Center or other sources about the
discounts or where they were offered.
PEA, city studying
construction of waste-to-energy plant
Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
As the Pattaya area grows, energy demands and garbage levels grow
with it. Hoping to alleviate both problems, the Provincial Electricity
Authority is looking at building its first waste-to-energy plant.
 Passorn
Wiengket, deputy governor for the Provincial Electricity Authority discusses
plans for a waste-to-energy plant.
At an Aug. 6 meeting at Pattaya City Hall, PEA Deputy Governor Passorn
Wiengket said up to 300 mw of power could be generated by burning
non-recyclable portions of the 40,000 tons of garbage produced daily in
Thailand. Passorn said the agency has set up a committee to study the
feasibility of building a plant looking at location, land-ownership issues,
oversight and public opposition.
Waste-to-energy plants have become a popular choice for renewable energy
production worldwide as burning trash reduces the need for landfills and
imported fuel and recovers energy from non-recyclable sources. But such
projects almost always generate opposition from the public and environmental
groups who claim WTE plants increase local air pollution, produce
cancer-causing smoke and are less cost efficient than other forms of
renewable energy.
Passorn said PEA will cooperate with city hall to study and evaluate whether
a waste-to-energy plant is suitable for Pattaya and how it might impact the
local community.
Fuel-stealing cabbie
finally runs out of gas
Patcharapol Panrak
After stealing fuel from more than 30 petrol stations between
Sriracha and Sattahip, “Ton Full Tank” has finally run out of gas.
Sarathun “Ton” Detra-ngab, a taxi driver infamous for filling up his illegal
taxi cab and driving off without paying, was arrested by Sattahip Police
Aug. 10 in Najomtien after pulling his latest job on a 15-year-old station
attendant in Sattahip. Police seized four empty, 30-liter plastic petrol
containers, five ya ba tablets, a fake gun and an unidentified object
resembling dynamite.
 Victims
positively identify the dastardly fuel-stealing cabbie.
Sarathun, who operates his “black cab” out of a stand on Pratamnak Road in
Pattaya, admitted he’d successfully stolen gasoline and diesel fuel about 30
times. Each time the Rayong man would have the attendant fill up the tank
and, occasionally, the plastic containers. Then he’d ask for a receipt. When
the attendant went inside to get it, Sarathun would drive off.
The 31-year-old cabbie said he’d managed to evade capture for so long by
using different license plates and altering numbers on them with black tape.
He also told police he’d often sell the fuel or exchange it for drugs.
In his latest theft, Sarathun duped 15-year-old Sapkawee Saetang who’d heard
of “Ton Full Tank,” as local service station employees called him, but never
expected to actually fall victim to him. Once the man drove off, the teen
knew who it was and alerted police.
Pol. Lt. Col. Krit Siriprasertchok, superintendent at the Najomtien Police
Station, said he was on patrol at the time and noticed Sarathun’s car had
different license plate numbers on the front and back. He pulled over the
car and found Sarathun was using black tape to modify the last number on the
plate from a 3 to an 8 and arrested him.
The cabbie is now being held at Najomtien Police Station. Any other victims
can file complaints there.
Soi dogs take bite out of crime
Boonlua Chatree
Two stray dogs helped take a bite out of crime when they sunk their
teeth into a suspected gold thief on the run from police.
 Police
arrested Thanaphong Phromchan for theft after two stray dogs took a bite out
of crime, and the thief.
Thanaphong Phromchan, 18, was found bleeding from dog bites to his right leg
and a 1-baht gold chain earlier reported stolen around his neck. Police said
he was one of a trio of motorbike-driving gold snatchers that have been
yanking chains from the necks of Jomtien Beach residents for some time.
After their latest theft Aug. 4, police arrested Suwan Inaphai, 29, and
Siriphong Phongpinit, 18, and seized their two motorbikes. They reportedly
helped steal the necklace from 46-year-old Jran Suansamai in front of the
Jomtien Nivate building on Pratamnak Road.
Police at first could not locate the third man, but were called back to a
house only 10 meters away from where Phongpinit was caught upon receiving a
report a man had been attacked by two dogs and found the canine volunteers
had caught their man.
Noisy dogs call owner
to save them from snake
Rescue workers display the snake after
they managed to capture it from inside a dog cage.
Patcharapol Panrak
Chirdchai Duangsawad wasn’t thrilled to be awakened after midnight
by his dogs, but the Sattahip navy officer is glad he checked what all
racket was when he found a 3 meter-long python trying to eat them.
Duangsawad, 54, called animal control authorities about 1:30 a.m. July 28 to
report that a huge snake had slithered into the cage of his two Golden
Retrievers, intent on a midnight snack. Officers from Sawang Boriboon
Rojjanatham Sattahip arrived to find the two dogs safe and barking
incessantly at the reptile in a corner of the yard.
The warrant officer told rescuers he’d found the snake inside the dogs’
cage, but let them out before the python could give them the big squeeze.
The snake rustlers eventually got their target by climbing into a tree above
it and scooping up the snake to take away and release away from people and
dogs.
Police Briefs
Staff reporters
2 karaoke bars raided
Two South Pattaya karaoke bars operating were closed Aug. 8 by
Banglamung District authorities for operating after hours and allowing
underage crooners.
The raid led by District Deputy Chief Pongtasit Pitchanan swooped down on JJ
Karaoke on Soi Day-Night and VA Karaoke on Second Road near South Road. Both
were packed with wannabe singers and staff who were all promptly tested for
drugs. Nine total employees and patrons tested positive.
They and the bars’ owners were handed over to Pattaya Police for
prosecution.
Washing machine thieves make
clean getaway
Police are searching for two men who broke into coin-operated
washing machines in a Banglamung District apartment house and stole the
coins inside.
Wiroj Rattanayanont, owner of the Fueang Fu Mansion in Banglamung, reported
the theft Aug. 9 after noticing the broken second-floor machines and
checking security footage. The camera caught two men pulling up on a
motorbike with one getting off and breaking into the washers.
Banglamung police collected evidence and are scrubbing the area for the
thieves.
Police seize 600 pornography items
Police turned a routine bust of a small-time Walking Street DVD
seller into a haul of 600 pornographic movies.
Only 29 CDs and DVDs were confiscated in the Aug. 11 arrest of 39-year-old
Yuttasak Sakorn, who ran an unregistered stall in the nightlife district.
But during the investigation officers learned Yuttasak had more at home.
They then raided his residence where they found the 600 blue movies. He was
charged with selling pornography.
Accomplice to Naklua security guard’s killing arrested
Police have arrested a woman they say is an accomplice in the
Aug. 10 beating death of a security guard at a Naklua construction site.
Tawan Petchsiri, 55, was found face down floating face down in a swampy area
behind the Lan Po Market. His body showed the effects of a severe beating to
the head, abdomen and legs.
The next day Pattaya police arrested 31-year-old Jongrak Temprom at her
Banglamung home. She confessed to police that her new lover “Noo,” a
38-year-old fisherman, had killed the guard after he found the couple
drinking with three other men in the construction site.
Jongrak said Noo was angry at being told impolitely to leave, took a beam of
wood and beat the guard until he fell into the murky water. She said the
attackers didn’t believe the man was dead, so they fled the scene, leaving
him there.
She has been booked on murder charges and the hunt for the others continues.
Elderly Sattahip
fisherman dies in own net
Patcharapol Panrak
An elderly Sattahip fisherman drowned after getting tangled in a
fishing net he was trying to pull in during heavy seas.
The body of Pung Samaknarong, 60, was discovered Aug. 7 by his 14-year-old
granddaughter floating about 100 meters off the shore behind the Rimpha
Restaurant in Najomtien. Two divers from the Sawang Rojanathamasathan
Sattahip Foundation braved 2-meter seas to bring the body back to land.
The girl, Areerat Kalaya, said her grandfather went out daily at 6 a.m. to
set fishing nets which he retrieved at sunset each day. She became
concerned, however, when he didn’t return at the normal time and went to
find him. She found Pung’s shirt and sandals on the beach and then saw his
body floating in the net.
Divers who recovered the body said the man’s leg had been tangled in a line
that affixed the net to a buoy and are assuming he drowned before he could
free himself.
Pattaya to host festival
to honor Hindu God Shiva
Supakrit Ratachapim, Deputy
Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh,
Chaiwat Detnathi, president of the Thailand Shaivites Club,
and Achan Grace meet to plan Shiva festival.
Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
Shiva the Destroyer is coming to Pattaya. Well, maybe not literally,
but Shaivites, worshippers of one of the three main Hindu deities, will
stage the first-ever celebration of the god of transformation and
auspiciousness at Bali Hai Pier Aug. 19-24. It will be the first such
ceremony in Thailand and city officials see it as yet another way to stoke
the city’s tourism industry.
Shiva, a five-headed being viewed as both a destroyer and benefactor, is
considered Hinduism’s supreme god. He is also an ambiguous figure, often
portrayed having shapes and attributes that are usually exclusive or
opposing in Hindu society.
Although the Shivaratri, the “great night of Shiva” festival, is celebrated
in February, the Thailand Shaivites Club worked with Pattaya City Hall to
stage this festival during the Indian holiday season. It will, however,
coincide with Vinayaka Chaturthi, the Aug. 19 festival honoring Ganesha, the
elephant-headed son of Shiva. The celebration will run 10:30 a.m. until
11:30 p.m. daily.
Chaiwat Detnathi, president of the Thailand Shaivites Club, said the
centerpiece of the festival will be ritual bathing and ceremonies
symbolizing sacrifices made by followers.
Following traditions observed during Shivaratri, attendees can take a ritual
bath and offer prayers to the Sun God as part of a purification ceremony
observed in all Hindu festivals. After, they can participate in bathing of
Shivalinga, or symbols of Shiva, in special bath of milk, yoghurt, honey,
sandalwood paste and rose water. Puja, meditation and chanting accompany the
ritual bath.
The festival will also offer lessons and educational teachings, as well as a
parade along Beach Road.
Military prep school alumni
honor former classmates
Patcharapol Panrak
More than 400 alumni from Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School
Class 11 paid respects to 63 former classmates who’ve died since graduation
by releasing sea turtles and planning coral.
 A
crowd gathers around one of the big turtles about to be set free in honor of
fallen soldiers.
The Aug. 6 ceremony at Pattaya’s Wat Yanasangwararam brought together the
435 surviving members of the 498-cadet Class 11 under the direction of Gen.
Satian Peumtong-in, president of Class 11. They were welcomed by Vice Adm.
Suwit Thararoop, commander of the Royal Thai Marine Corps and Vice Adm.
Sriwisuth Ratarun, commander of Sattahip Naval Base.
Rear Adm. Pongsak Puriroj, division deputy Marine Corps commander, said the
service for the 63 fallen comrades was meant to both honor them and
reinforce a support network among the surviving servicemen. It was also a
reunion of sorts to remember the institution all graduated from.
The event then moved to Sattahip where the alumni gave alms to monks and
planted coral at Toey Ngam Beach. The former students and their families
then released 50 small sea turtles and 10 green turtle breeders into the
ocean at the Sea Turtles Conservation Center. The group additionally donated
20,000 baht to the center in memory of their former classmates.
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