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Buddhists throughout Thailand celebrate Auk Pansaa
Patcharapol Panrak
Area Buddhists marked Auk Pansaa, the end of three months
of Buddhist Lent, with merit making ceremonies and re-enactments of Lord
Buddha’s return to earth from heaven.
 Buddhist
faithful perform the Tak Bat ritual for Auk Pansaa.
More than 1,000 government officials and Pattaya and Banglamung residents
participated in the traditional Tak Bat Devo ceremony. In Sattahip,
67 monks and novices took part in a parade at Sattahip Temple while other
area worshippers prepared 30,000 servings of sticky rice in banana leaves as
alms to give 50 monks who re-enacted Buddha’s return by descending from the
hill-top temple of Khao Baisri.
Using ingredients donated by the community, more than 50 people took two
days to prepare the khao tom mud, which temple-goers substituted for
the traditional, but more expensive, khao tom luk yoni, or sticky
rice with coconut leaves. Legend holds that the coconut leaves, which are
heavier, allowed followers who couldn’t get close to Buddha upon his return
to throw their offerings accurately into his bowl.
More 3,000 worshippers bought the khao tom mud, which supposedly is also
tastier than the traditional recipe, to make merit during the Oct. 4
celebration by placing the offerings of in the monks bat, or bowl.
Tak Bat Devo, derived from the Sanskrit word “Devorohana”, is celebrated at
the same time as Auk Pansaa, the end of Buddhist Lent. Almost always
centered around a temple on a hillside, monks who’ve been in their “rains
retreat” for three months emerged in a procession of golden gowns down the
hill depicting the path Buddha took down a “celestial stairway” made of
silver, gold and crystal.
According to ancient tales, Buddha returned to his home in Kapilavastu seven
years after achieving Nirvana and becoming the “Enlightened One.” At the
start of Lent that year, in remembrance of his mother, Buddha ascended to
the heavens to deliver a sermon to his mother. There he resided for three
months.
On the first day of the waxing moon of the eleventh lunar month - Oct. 4
this year - Buddha returned to throngs of angels, disciples and followers
who received him with offerings of food and other sacred items. Followers
repeated his return in following years during a ceremony that has come to
represent the Buddhist belief in reincarnation as much as its historical
significance.
2 hours of rain leads
to days of flood cleanup
Flooding is severe on
Sukhumvit Highway.
Staff reporters
It took only two hours to submerge much of Pattaya under up to three
meters of water as the city’s drainage system was unable to keep up with a
torrential downpour.
From Soi Buakhao to Nong Yai to Pacific Villas housing development sotuh of
Pattaya, homes, business and offices were swamped by rainwater that raced
down streets and backed up from slow and clogged drains. Although the
downpour tapered off around 6 p.m., severe flooding continued well into the
night.
Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome dispatched fire engines to pump out drains along
main roads, but arteries such as Central and North Roads were gridlocked for
5 kilometers. Third Road was impassable for motorbikes while even cars had
trouble passing many central Pattaya intersections.
Water levels hit 50cm at Nong Yai Temple, Pattaya Police Station, Pattaya
Redemptorist Center and the South Pattaya Tesco-Lotus outlet. At Pacific
Villa, it was even worse with more than 50 homeowners reporting such
extensive flooding their beds were floating.
Huang Mookon, 43, said flooding has been a problem for a decade and, despite
many complaints to city hall, nothing has been done to correct it.
Ban Muangsiri, 64, has lived in his village for 20 years and said progress,
such as the paving of local roads, has actually made the flooding problem
worse. This time he said a number of electrical appliances were damaged.
“I just wish the government could would help us,” he said.
Third Road was impassable for
motorbikes while even cars had trouble.
Japanese-funded wastewater
treatment project takes next step
(L to R) Sonthaya Kunplome,
president of Strategic Advisory Committee,
Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome, and Visanu Phalayanon attend the Strategic
Advisory Committee meeting.
Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
Officials from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry will
launch a study of Pattaya’s proposed wastewater-treatment plans as part of
its commitment to provide 17 million baht in funding to resolve the city’s
water-supply problem.
At an Oct. 2 Strategic Advisory Committee meeting, Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome
said the Japanese ministry confirmed the next step of the funding project
was unveiled in July in a recent letter. Officials will review the city’s
assertions whether it actually needs to use treated wastewater and plans for
a new treatment plant. The study will take 5-6 months, he said.
“Pattaya has suffered water-supply problems since 2005 and we need to
resolve the question of whether to use treated water,” Itthiphol said. “The
study will show whether it’s possible to get another 65,000 cu. meters of
raw water through treatment.”
The Japanese aid was offered as part of a ministry research project into use
of recycled wastewater. Japanese officials want to learn about the safety
measures used to produce water from recycled wastewater, whether the public
accepts it and the cost of recycling vs. other sources. The results of the
Pattaya study will determine if Japanese officials help fund other projects
worldwide.
100 Naklua Market vendors demand Old Town be relocated
Vendors from Naklua Market
gather at city hall
to protest the proposed location of the new Old Town market.
Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
Pattaya’s plans to spur tourism in Naklua through an “Old Town”
project is meeting with resistance from Naklua Market vendors who complain
the project will hurt their businesses.
More than 100 vendors met with Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome Oct. 2 to urge him
to reconsider the location for the Pattaya Old Town project. Part of an
effort to revive business revenue in the bedroom community, Old Town is set
for a three-month trial run every weekend evening beginning Nov. 21.
Vendor Pimpa Rojanaporn said Old Town’s proposed location at the older Lan
Pho market will draw people away from the relatively new Naklua Market,
which has yet to achieve its full potential. Pimpa said vendors want Old
Town to be staged in front of the Kasikorn Bank further towards Pattaya up
the Pattaya-Naklua Road, so the new market will get business as well.
“Pattaya City must ensure the new project won’t cause any conflict,” Pimpa
said.
Itthiphol told vendors the location was set but that if Old Town was
successful it would be expanded to cover the Naklua Market area as well.
“In the beginning we simply want to evaluate Old Town for three months, then
other relevant topics will be considered,” he said. “The reason we chose Lan
Pho is because it has an interesting history as a fishing village and
because of the area’s architecture. It’s a perfect choice of places to start
a new tourist attraction that will lead to a better quality of life and more
revenue for locals.”
While plans for Old Town call for it to operate a 3m-wide stretch between
Lan Pho and the klong bridge, critics say the area is unattractive and the
street too narrow to be a success. Opponents say it will kill off businesses
not located in the Old Town area and want it moved or the Old Town expanded.
Garbage-choked Chonburi pushing for
speedy reopening of trash-disposal plant
Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
Chonburi provincial officials are stepping up efforts to get a
waste-disposal center closed for safety concerns back online.
 Wittaya
Kunplome, head of the Chonburi Administrative Organization, talks about
the local trash problem.
Wittaya Kunplome, head of the Chonburi Administrative Organization, said
Oct. 3 that garbage was becoming a major issue for the province due to
overflowing landfills and because its main waste-disposal center in
Bangpra was closed due to faulty equipment and its adverse impact on the
sub-district’s water supply.
“The repair of the machinery is nearly complete and we now have to talk
with area residents,” Wittaya said. “Bangpra Sub-district plans to ask
permission for Chonburi to test the machinery and the next step will be
to explain to villagers that reopening the facility will not impact
them.”
Residents complained that pollution from the facility, designed to
process up to 500 tons of refuse a day, caused the local water to smell,
spurring fears of toxic contamination. Combined with concern about
escalating damage to the center’s trash-handling machinery, the
Administrative Organization closed the center for repairs.
In another move to boost its trash-handling capabilities, Chonburi also
approved a new budget of 30 million baht to expand waste-storage wells
in Laem Chabang Sub-district, Wittaya said.
City allocates 1 million baht for
flooded Charoensuk village road
Vimolrat Singnikorn
Pattaya has set aside more than 1 million baht to expedite road
construction in Ban Charoensuk on the east side of Sukhumvit Highway
after the village was severely flooded during Sunday’s heavy rainstorm.
 Resident
Manit Kiewsa-ard talks about the heavy rain and flooding in his area.
City officials toured the neighborhood Oct. 12, bringing besieged homeowners
dried food and rice after water as deep as 50 centimeters raced through
their developments.
Resident Manit Kiewsa-ard said several days of rain have sparked flash
floods in the village, causing several houses to collapse. He said he’d
moved what belongings he could to a neighbor’s home after the water level
reached 60 cm.
Deputy Mayor Wutisak Rermkitkarn said Charoensuk was a private development,
but that the city had been working with the owner to covert uncultivated
land into a road. It needs to be paved, not left as dirt, he said.
Wutisak said he has coordinated with project staff to design a temporary
drainage system for the village because the infrastructure current cannot
cope with flooding.
Hollywood to shoot guitarist
reunion movie in Pattaya
Roy Alfred Jr. presents a gift
to Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome.
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Washed-up American rock stars who reunite at age 80 and try to jump
start their career in Thailand star in a new Hollywood movie set to start
filming in Pattaya next month and even the city’s mayor is joining in.
“Glory Days,” produced by former rock producer/engineer Roy Alfred Jr. and
his Radical Entertainment film company, follows the history of fictional
band The Spiders as they reunite after 20 years to appear on a Thai
reality-television show at the urging of a former producer now living in
Jomtien Beach. Armed with such new songs as “Amazing Thailand” and “Extreme
Pattaya” the elder guitarists bang heads for a new culture and fan base.
At an Oct. 1 press conference, Alfred said his first film is also a love
story based in Pattaya, which he likened to the French Riviera. His goal is
to show off the beauty and fun of the area, such as Koh Larn, Pratamnak
Hill, Bali Hai Pier and Walking Street.
The former producer and engineer with such rockers as Ozzy Osbourne and
producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis said Thai musician Sek Loso and even
Pattaya Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome will have roles in the film.
Itthiphol said he believes the film can benefit Pattaya by showing off its
positive side and, he noted, at little cost to the city, which will supply
the film crew with only accommodations and facilities.
Finally police arrest
two murder suspects
Boonlua Chatree
Police have arrested to transvestites for the murder of an Indian
tourist and drugging another late last month.
 Wongsakorn
Singkaew and Prangchompoo Jaroongphan have been remanded to custody as
suspects in the wrongful death of an Indian tourist.
Prangchompoo Jaroongphan, 28, and Wongsakorn Singkaew, 24, were taken into
custody 24 hours after allegedly mixing five Xanax tranquilizers into the
drinks of Indian tourists Amit Anand, 25, and Kumar Pawan, 41. Amit died of
the overdose and Pawan was found unconscious at the Pattaya hotel where the
two men had taken the transvestites.
Both men had been robbed of about 3,000 baht, 14,000 rupees and two mobile
phones.
Investigators quickly discovered the women-of-the-second-category they were
looking for worked for a laundry center on Soi Buakhao, but had fled to a
house in Ban Chang. Arriving at the Rayong Province house, police found both
suspects, 2,800 baht in cash and the two phones.
City official confesses to road
rage beating of German man
Theerapol tries to make peace
by presenting Murasan with a gift basket.
Boonlua Chatree
A city official who punched a German man in the face in an apparent
case of road rage has confessed to the crime and has offered to pay the
victim’s hospital bills.
Theerapol Chanchot, a staffer with the Pattaya Permanent Secretary’s office,
told Pattaya Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh that he lost his temper in a
“misunderstanding” with 63-year-old Peter Murasan at a traffic signal in Lan
Pho, Naklua Oct. 5.
Theerapol, 43, admitted punching the German man in the face, causing
bruising and a cut that required five stitches at Banglamung Hospital. At
the time, Murasan said he could not identify the attacker other than it was
a man wearing a shirt bearing a Pattaya City Hall logo who was driving a
truck with an Office of Pattaya Permanent Secretary.
Murasan and his wife Charassri Sriboon, 42, then went to Pattaya City Hall
to seek justice.
According to Charassri, the pair had been traveling on their motorbike from
their home in Takientia village to a friend’s restaurant in North Pattaya
when, about 1 km before Banglamung Police Station, a pickup truck came off a
side street, blowing its horn for Murasan to give way, which he didn’t out
of fear of getting into an accident.
Shortly after, while stopped for a traffic signal, Theerapol raced in front
of them, got out and started yelling. She said her husband tried to calm the
man down, but instead the Thai man started punching the elderly German in
the face.
The Thai man told a different story. According to him, Murasan cut him off
as he was trying to turn at the Plathong Naklua restaurant. Murasan then
started yelling and gesturing obscenely at the city vehicle. The abuse
continued at the Lan Pho signal, Theerapol said, admitting that he then lost
his temper and attacked the man.
Charassri said felt awful about what happened to her husband and that if
incidents like this happen again, the city’s image will be damaged.
Ronakit agreed, saying the city will not tolerate road rage, especially if
it involves city employees. Theerapol will now face disciplinary review and
penalties that could include cuts to his salary. He also will have to pay
for the German’s hospital bills and any costs to repair damage to his face.
The attacker also tried to make peace by presenting Murasan with a gift
basket.
Pattaya, Banglamung launch crackdown on noisy nighttime bars
Phasakorn Channgam
Pattaya and Banglamung officials are preparing to launch a new
crackdown against bars generating complaints for making too much noise at
night.
 Banglamung
Deputy Chief Phongthasit Pijjanan says the city is cracking down on loud and
obnoxious late night bars.
At an Oct. 6 meeting at Pattaya City Hall, Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome and
Banglamung District chiefs proposed tightening licensing and operating
regulations for bars that continue to ignore noise and traffic complaints
from nearby residents. Warnings will be issued at first with closures
possible for repeat offenders.
Itthiphol said has 900 entertainment establishments in both permanent and
temporary buildings as well as open-air venues that have no noise pollution
protection at all. The city’s Call Center receives a steady stream of
complaints about such locations, he said.
Banglamung Deputy Chief Phongthasit Pijjanan said offenders would get one
warning and if no improvement is made, then severe steps may be taken,
including closure.
Gold-snatching duo crashes, lands behind bars
Boonlua Chatree
Two men who snatched a necklace from a Thai tourist found themselves
wearing police bracelets after trying to escape and, instead, slamming into
a taxi.
Patchya Komkrut, 17, and Thammanoon Phonin, 23, were arrested on Soi
Choomsai in Central Pattaya Oct. 5 after crashing their black Honda
motorbike into a taxi and fleeing on foot.
Local residents and police volunteers caught the injured duo and recovered a
13.6 gram gold necklace Patchya allegedly pulled from the neck of Pranee
Thanomsuk, 31, while she was riding a songthaew on Beach Road.
The two confessed to police Pranee was not their first victim. On Sept. 28
on Thappraya Road in front of Pattaya City Court they said they kicked over
the motorbike ridden by 29-year-old Thanongsak Sangvong, his wife and two
children and took a handbag containing a gold necklace, ring and 5,000 baht.
Thanongsak positively identified the thieves to police.
Forensics experts determine Coyotee’s owner choked to death
Boonlua Chatree
Nearly a week after his mystery-shrouded death in a Third Road hotel
room, Bangkok forensics experts have determined that the owner of Walking
Street’s Coyotee’s go-go bar choked to death on a roll of bread.
 Trevor
Hawley, shown here during his arrest, was found dead in a rented room in
South Pattaya.
Trevor “T.J.” Hawley, 52, was found Oct. 1 in a second-story room at the
Lido Hotel Guesthouse, a 400 baht-a-night hostel that is part of the Tony’s
Entertainment group.
Pattaya Police Investigator Lt. Col. Tawatchai Sudsakhorn said Hawley - out
on 200,000 baht bail after being arrested last month on child prostitution,
human trafficking and work permit charges - checked into the Lido around 6
p.m. Sept. 28 alone, told staff he did not wish to be disturbed and did not
leave his room.
Two days later staff checked his room and found the body, clad only in a
white t-shirt and black underwear. Tawatchai said there was no sign of
struggle or wounds to the body. The only initial hint of a cause of death
was food spilling out of Hawley’s mouth.
Hawley’s body was taken first to Banglamung Hospital where some Coyotee’s
staff paid final respects. It was then sent to the Bangkok Forensics
Institute for examination. Friends said the findings showed the Australian
died of asphyxiation after a large chunk of bread became lodged in his
throat.
Reports of Hawley’s death surfaced Oct. 2 but the delay in the official
cause of death - as well as the circumstances and location - fueled
widespread speculation that Hawley, who worked at many of the city’s most
popular entertainment venues, either committed suicide or was killed.
Friends said, however, there was no sign of drug use, quashing rumors he had
overdosed on sleeping pills.
Hawley was arrested Aug. 22 when Chonburi Immigration Police raided
Coyotee’s and rounded up its female manager and more than 20 dancers. Two -
including one found in an upstairs bedroom - were found to be under 18 and
another was a Cambodian citizen. One of three partners in the 4-year-old
bar, he was charged with human trafficking of children, inducing people to
work in prostitution, running a brother for child prostitution and working
without a work permit.
Friends said the bar owner was faced with either fighting the serious
charges or paying 800,000 baht to settle the matter, which he did not have.
He also had been in disputes with both current and former Thai managers at
his bar.
Hawley is survived by three children and his live-in girlfriend. Friends and
family attended a funeral ceremony Oct. 9. Coyotee’s has now been closed and
put up for sale.
Miss Thailand contestants
to tour Pattaya Oct. 19-21
Vimolrat Singnikorn
Pattaya will play host to the 18 semifinalists of the 45th Miss
Thailand pageant who hope to stir up some excitement in the tourism sector
October 19-21.
 Pornchit
Piamsri, manager of MCOT Public Co. Ltd., organizes promotional programs for
the contestants.
The contestants will tour the city, promoting attractions such as the Silver
Lake vineyard and Ocean Marina. They’ll also take part in religious
activities in Sattahip. Their activities will be chronicled by MCOT Public
Co. Ltd., which is sponsoring the pageant with Shirawut University. Miss
Thailand will be selected Oct. 28 during the Channel 9 television broadcast
at 10:15 p.m.
Preparations for the beauty queens’ tour got started Oct. 7 in a meeting
with sponsors and Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome.
The mayor said Pattaya will greet the contestants warmly, marking their
arrival with signs and decorations. The city also will provide
accommodations and food for them.
Pattaya marks Supreme Patriarch’s 96th birthday with health fair
Privy Councilor Ampol
Saenanarong (seated, center)
and Chonburi Pubic Health officials take time out from
the festivities in front of a photo of Thailand’s Supreme Patriarch.
Phasakorn Channgam
Pattaya marked the 96th birthday of Thailand’s Supreme Patriarch
Somdej Phra Nyanasamvara with free health checks, dental work and tree
plantings.
Privy Councilor Ampol Saenanarong presided over this year’s festivities Oct.
3 at Yanasangwararam Woramahawihan Temple. Chonburi Governor Senee
Jittakasem, Banglamung District Chief Mongkol Thamakittikhun, officials from
the Chonburi Public Health Department and the general public all attended.
More than 120 dentists from Chulalongkorn University gave free checkups,
filled cavities, pulled teeth and removed tarter for those in attendance.
Queen Savang Vadhana Memorial Hospital offered Buddhist worshippers the
chance to donate blood to the temple hospital and Red Cross. Meanwhile, more
than 3,000 plants were distributed to enhance the Khao Chi On wildlife area.
Somdej Phra Nyanasamvara was born Charoen Gajavatra in Kanchanaburi Oct. 3,
1913. He was ordained at Wat Devasangharam in 1933. He subsequently moved to
Wat Bovoranives Vihara in Bangkok to further his studies. It was here that
he was ordained in the Dhammayut movement with the then Supreme Patriarch
Somdej Khrom Luang Vajiranyanavangsa as his preceptor. He passed the exam
for level 9 in Buddhist theology in 1941 and in 1972 was bestowed the title
“Somdej Phra Nyanasamvara” by H.M. the King.
He devoted himself to the service of religion. He preached at many locations
and has authored many academic books and papers on Buddhism which are highly
valued. In 1956 Khrom Luang Vajiranyanavangsa chose him to be HM the King’s
mentor during his time in the monkhood at Wat Bovoranives Vihara. Somdej
Phra Nyanasamvara has kept to the ways of the Buddhist religious precepts of
behavior, wisdom and mindfulness. He is pure and holy.
As a result of all his good works he was finally bestowed the title of His
Holiness Somdej Phra Nyanasamvara, the Supreme Patriarch of Thai Sangha on
April 21, 1989, the 19th Supreme Patriarch of the Rattanakosin Era.
3,100 cadets graduate from
Naval Recruitment Center
Cadets are excited that boot
camp is finally over.
Patcharapol Panrak
Although they may face danger in Thailand’s troubled south, the 3,100 new
graduates from the Naval Recruitment Center in Bang Saray say they are
proud, not afraid, to serve.
The Oct. 6 graduation saw 2,316 conscripts assigned to the Royal Thai Marine
Corps, 480 to the Air Force and Coastal Defense Unit and 310 to the Royal
Thai Naval Fleet.
Col. Vasan Trijit, commander of the cadets, said conscripts are trained both
physically and mentally and instilled with principles of discipline,
morality and ethics.
“They are ready to serve the country and to work under command units and
follow their assignments,” he said. “Our new soldiers are well trained to be
strong and have endurance and expertise in warfare techniques. To achieve
their missions and assignments in Southern Thailand they must be.”
As their assignments were made, the 3,106 cadets cheered. Even though they
knew danger lies ahead, they said they put HM the King and country first.
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