|
HM the King celebrates Loy Krathong amongst his joyful subjects
His Majesty the King waves to
his joyful subjects as he is taken to the pier
on the banks of the Chao Phraya to watch the procession of illuminated
boats and to float his krathong.(AP Photo/ Bureau of the Royal Household)
His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej has appeared in
public for the second time in less than two weeks after being hospitalised
for more than a month for a lung inflammation treatment, marking the
occasion by celebrating a traditional observance of the Loy Krathong
festival with members of the royal family.
Wearing a long-sleeved pink shirt with a white jacket, the 81-year-old
monarch, accompanied by Her Majesty Queen Sirikit and members of the royal
family, was taken by a chief physician and his team in a wheelchair to the
Siriraj Hospital riverside pier on the Chao Phraya River.
Surrounded by hundreds of well-wishers who shouted out “Long Live the King”,
the monarch waved his hand greeting his joyful subjects as he progressed to
the pier and watched a procession of illuminated boats along the river
celebrating the festival organised by the Tourism Authority of Thailand
(TAT) and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA).
Being a keen photographer all His life, His Majesty had a camera with him.
HM the King was handed one of the krathongs, which he handed back to an aide
to place in the water. After Their Majesties floated their krathongs,
members of the royal family including HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn
accompanied by his Royal Consort HRH Princess Srirasmi along with their son
HRH Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti, HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, and
HRH Princess Chulabhorn Valayalaksana placed their krathongs in the water.
The revered King was last seen on national television on October 23 paying
homage to the statue of his grandfather King Chulalongkorn and paying
respect to images of his late father and mother within the hospital
compound.
The disappearance from the public eye of the world’s longest-reigning
monarch has caused great concern and was linked to the largest decline in
nearly two months in the bourse last month after rumours circulated among
investors of deterioration in HM the King’s health.
Doctors have asked the king to remain hospitalised so he can fully recover
from a lung inflammation. (TNA/PM)
Poultry industry steps up bird flu prevention
Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
As summer turns to fall, livestock industry officials are stepping
up preventative measures to ensure Thailand isn’t struck with another wave
of avian flu.
 Chaweewan
Khampha, president of the Poultry Promotion Association of Thailand.
The Poultry Promotion Association is working with the Department of
Livestock Development to disinfect chicken farms and teach farmers to
shelter their animals and protect them from infection.
Poultry association president, Chaweewan Khampha, said the volatile weather
of the rainy season can weaken chickens and other poultry and compromise
their immune systems, leaving them susceptible to the H5N1 influenza virus
carried to the region by birds migrating from Russia, China and Japan.
To prevent the problem the Poultry Promotion Association is working to get
farmers to examine their stock for any sign of illness and to visit farms
and spray disinfectant.
“Poultry that roams in the open on farms have a higher risk of infection
from natural sources such as rain, wind and colder weather,” she said. “The
Department of Livestock Development is assigning officers to visit farmers
to teach them how to build shelters and proper poultry health.”
City Council panel wants
traffic bottlenecks cleared
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Concerned road congestion is increasingly affecting tourism, a
Pattaya City Council committee wants to quickly unplug the city’s worst
traffic bottlenecks.
 Sanit
Bunmachai (right), Pattaya City Council member, meets with city officials
and local police to try to relieve the city’s worst traffic bottlenecks.
Legislators want the full council to take immediate action on remedies for
traffic snarls at the Dolphin Roundabout and at the intersection of Third
and South roads, in front of Central Festival Pattaya Beach and the
Sukhumvit Road U-turn at Soi Chaiyapornvithee.
After meeting with area administrators and police, council member Sanit
Boonmachai said the Dolphin traffic circle needs to have signals installed
to keep traffic flowing quickly and that the U-turn, a site of frequent
accidents, should be closed. He also suggested the often-proposed return to
two-way traffic on Second Road be debated again.
Sanit said the full city council should take up the matter soon with hopes
of getting changes in place for the coming high season as traffic jams
adversely impact tourism in the area.
Pattaya welcomes Lao
goodwill ambassador
Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
Laos’ goodwill ambassador to Thailand received a top-level
introduction into how Pattaya works as top city officials played host to the
Lao-Thai Friendship Board Oct. 28-29.
 Mayor
Itthiphol Kunplome (left) presents the key to the city to Thongtuern
Saiyasaeng (right), chairman of the Lao-Thai Friendship Board at Pattaya
City Hall.
Thongtuern Saiyasaeng and Friendship Board members were given a tour of the
city by Deputy Mayor Wattana Chantanawaranon as part of the group’s Thai
excursion sponsored by Thailand’s parliament.
Itthiphol said the visit was a chance for the Laotians to observe the
workings of the Pattaya City Council and enhance friendship between the two
nations, which he hopes will continue for a long time.
The board members visited various important places in Pattaya and engaged in
talks with Pattaya and Chonburi officials.
Chonburi outlines priorities
for National Health Assembly
Phasakorn Channgam
With Thailand’s second National Health Assembly only five weeks
away, Chonburi’s Public Health Office is putting the final touches on
its suggested updates to the country’s health-care policies.
More than 100 health-care professionals attended the Oct. 27 hearing at
the office headquarters in Chonburi. After much debate, four priorities
affecting the Chonburi area were selected to be presented to the
national assembly next month: the emergence of new infectious diseases,
surgery to treat obesity, further development of the primary system for
the public to access health care and long-term care for the elderly.
The outgrowth of the National Health Act of 2007, the National Health
Assembly brings together civic groups, state and national agencies,
politicians, academic institutions and the public to determine the
public’s needs and interests regarding their health care. Last year’s
first-ever NHA addressed 12 topics ranging from access to medicines and
public health services to video-game addiction among children.
Last month’s hearing was one of many being held around the country to
create a master list from which NHA participants will set goals for the
next year. Recommendations from the assembly will be forwarded to the
Cabinet to craft into new health-care legislation.
Rungthiwa Panitchsukho, head of strategic development for the Health
Office, said the workshop was the forum to decide which local issues
meshed with national priorities. It’s recommendations will be forwarded
to the full assembly in hopes it will be taken up on the national level.
‘Industry meets people’
in business promotion event
Saksiri Uraiworn
Helping struggling businesses reach new customers, city and national
government officials sponsored an “Industry Meets the People” event in
Pattaya to showcase Thailand’s food products and consumer goods.
 Surasak
Nakdee (right), advisor to the Minister of Industry, and Deputy Mayor
Wattana Chantanawaranon (left), look at the products on display during the
event.
Organized by the Industry Ministry’s Department of Industrial Promotion, SME
Bank and Pattaya City Hall, the Oct. 27-Nov. 2 beachfront showcase provided
an opportunity for business owners to develop new networks and markets for
their home-grown products.
Ministry advisor Surasak Nakdee said the program was developed in response
to recession and increasing prices for fuel. It also gave people a chance
“to purchase quality products at low prices,” he said.
In addition to the products for sale, the fair featured musical performances
from the band “Mang Moom.”
Magic books magically reappear, spell-binding believers
Boonlua Chatree
A collection of century-old books that harkens back to Thailand’s “golden
age of magic” are casting a spell on the country’s many believers in
mysticism who are again delighting in such tricks as how to cook rice with a
joss stick and turning alcohol into water.
 Tanat
Soopapoltongchote from the Magician Training Center in Pattaya displays
pages from the old book.
The volumes, entitled “Professor Yemscott,” are volumes of trick techniques
compiled by a foreign writer identified only as “Professor Tiola,”
translated into Thai and published in 1910.
The books, about only 20 pages each, came into the possession of Tanat
Soopapoltongchote, the 60-year-old senior magician of the Magician Training
Center in Pattaya, about 30 years ago, but have only recently gained
notoriety when a another famous magician publicized the books on his
website.
Tanat said many of the tricks on the books were from overseas, performed for
Thai audiences during the 15-year reign of King Rama VI, HM King Vajiravudh,
a period the old magician called Thailand’s “golden age of magic.”
Illusions include making bread appear inside a clock, turning alcohol into
water, stabbing a body with a knife and more which he said may have been
developed in Thailand, such as cooking rice using only a single joss stick.
Tanat said he was given the books by the daughter of Pol. Capt. Chuen
Kamthorn in 1977 when he went to Trang Province. However, he said, he
believes these are not Thailand’s oldest books on magic tricks.
In the near future, he would make full-size copies of the pages of the books
to give to interested people and re-edit their contents, as the language
needs to be refined. Eventually he’ll donate them to a relevant
organization.
Magic has a long history in Thailand with it given royal blessing during the
time of King Chulalongkorn, who established the Royal Magical Society in
1876. Headed by Rama V’s brother, the society boasted princes and royal
family as members with some saying HM the King himself practiced some
tricks.
Region celebrates King
Chulalongkorn Day
Banglamung District Chief
Mongkol Thamakittikhun leads local officials and private organizations in
paying respects to King Rama V on Chulalongkorn Day.
Vimolrat Singnikorn and Patcharapol Panrak
Heavy rains didn’t stand in the way of military, police, judicial
and city officials seeking to celebrate one of Thailand’s greatest monarchs
as Thailand celebrated Chulalongkorn Day.
Banglamung District Chief Mongkol Thamakittikhun presided over a ceremony in
front of the King Chulalongkorn statue Oct. 23. Candles and incense were
lit, prayers made and a wreath laid to mark the passing of the king, also
known as Rama V.
More wreath laying was done at the Sattahip District Office under the
direction of Chief Chaichan Iamcharoen in a ceremony attended by 43
governmental and military units.
At the Chulalongkorn shrine at the Naval Education Department, Navy
personnel led by Capt. Chatchawan Meesawat, commander of the Chumphon Royal
Thai Navy School, paid respect with another wreath laying and an offering of
food.
King Chulalongkorn the Great is beloved of Thai people and considered a
truly ‘enlightened’ ruler among historians. He died on October 23, 1910,
after the second longest reign in the history of the Thai nation.
He is remembered and loved by the Thai people and the date of his death is
commemorated every year. Ceremonies are held, offerings are made to his
memory and the entire student body from the university that bears his name
perform obeisance before his statue.
PM urges all industries to
adhere to EIA requirements
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Sunday that all
planned industrial projects should file environmental impact assessment
(EIA) reports and to also listen to opinions from people living in the area
as to whether they would be impacted by the projects.
On September 29, the Administrative Court ordered 76 industrial projects in
Maptaput Industrial Estate to temporarily stop operating amid continued
concern over critical environmental and health impacts. The Office of the
Attorney-General appealed in early October, asking the Supreme
Administrative Court to revoke the injunction putting the 76 projects on
temporary hold.
Abhisit said while the national law has not yet been amended, the operators
of future industries should file not only environmental impact assessments
and health impact reports, but also listen to opinions from residents in the
area.
He said the government had discussed the suspension of the 76 projects with
the private sector, senators and members of the House of Representatives and
that his administration is sincere about setting up a committee to study the
projects and whether more regulations should be imposed.
On Friday, Abhisit met representatives of local residents in Rayong and it
was agreed to set up an overall committee to settle the problems of
environmental degradation, toxic contamination and applications and
interpretations of the law at Maptaput Industrial Estate. (TNA)
Auntie becomes hero,
rescuing 6-year-old from fire
By the time help arrived the house was fully
engulfed in flames.
Boonlua Chatree
A 58-year-old aunt rescued her 6-year-old nephew from a fire that
consumed her Soi Dan-Dam house Oct. 25, causing 3 million baht damage.
Ruangsri Sangchanda said she was watering plants about 50 meters from her
Thepprasit Villa home when she noticed smoke billowing from the
second-storey windows. Knowing her nephew, Apichat Sangchanda, was sleeping
downstairs, she rushed into the house and pulled him out amid growing flames
and smoke.
By the time five fire engines, officers from the Pattaya Disaster Prevention
and Mitigation Office and Sawang Boriboon Thamasathan rescuers responded to
the blaze, the entire house was engulfed. It took more than an hour to douse
the flames, leaving the house with a collapsed roof and 3 million baht in
damage to the structure and furnishings.
Investigators initially presumed the fire resulted from a short-circuit in
the electrical system. Many home electronics, they noted, were unplugged,
leading to suspicions the house had problems with its wiring.
Thief turned security guard arrested for bomb threat at Central Festival
Boonlua Chatree
A convicted thief employed as a security guard for Central Festival
Pattaya Beach has been arrested for threatening to blow up the beachfront
mall because he was angry at his boss for taking rudely to him.
 Sornpetch
Buathep was easily caught after phoning in a bomb threat to his boss.
Sornpetch Buathep, hired by a local security service company after his
release from prison on robbery charges, told police he used his own
telephone to call in two bomb threats to head of mall security Sa-Ad Srikerd
because the 41-year-old supervisor often was impolite and didn’t care when
the 21-year-old guard broke his toe after dropping a safe on it.
Sa-Ad alerted police to a possible bomb threat Oct. 27 after he’d received
two calls on his mobile phone stating “good luck in 30 minutes” and “did you
find it yet?”
Officers quickly traced the call to the mall’s security-control office where
they found Sornpetch. Checking his phone, they found the numbers matched.
Sornpetch confessed he made the threats to get back at his boss, who used
impolite words with him and didn’t provide any care after the safe fell on
him. The security company had planned to stage bomb-threat training that day
and when the drill was canceled, he figured it would be a good time to phone
in a real threat.
Police said Sornpetch had worked for security firm for only nine months and
was very stressed out by his work. He’ll now have some time to relax behind
bars again.
Dutch pornographer’s throat
slashed by reluctant actress
Boonlua Chatree
An elderly Dutchman who allegedly slapped a Beach Road prostitute to
force her to pose for a sexy video had his throat slashed by the reluctant
actress.
 Paulus
Johannes Verdegaal receives treatment for a slit throat.
Paulus Johannes Verdegaal, 64, sustained a 5 cm cut from a razor-blade box
cutter wielded by 27-year-old Sukalya Palako whom the Dutch national picked
up across from the Mike Shopping Mall Oct. 28. Rescuers treated Verdegaal at
his Mahmun Mansion apartment in central Pattaya before transporting him to
Pattaya Memorial Hospital.
Sukalya told police she had agreed to service the Dutchman for 500 baht but
after she disrobed he produced still and video cameras. She said she agreed
to pose for a few still photos, but drew the line at video and his requests
for her to change into provocative clothing for the movie.
She said he then became angry and slapped her in the face to make her
comply. She fought back with the blade.
Verdegaal said Sukalya had agreed to the photography and denied he slapped
her. Police plan to continue their investigation of the incident.
Dutch man jailed
on drug, gun charges
Boonlua Chatree
A heavily tattooed Dutchman alleged mafioso has been arrested on
drug and gun charges at his Pattaya Soi 4 apartment.
 Nicolaas
Johannes Molenaar has been arrested on gun and drugs charges.
Nicolaas Johannes Molenaar, 52, was taken into custody Oct. 27 inside the
Pattaya Tower Beach apartments by a team of six officers who also seized 33
ya ba tablets, a Beretta pistol and 42 rounds of ammunition.
Police had responded to a tip that the 170 cm man covered in tattoos had
been selling drugs, wielding a gun and generally acting like a member of the
mafia inside the condo block.
Molenaar declined to state where he’d purchased the ya ba or gun, nor how
much they cost. He was charged with possession of a Class I narcotic with
intent to distribute and illegal gun possession.
Alleged Aussie diamond
thief put on ice in Pattaya
Boonlua Chatree
Immigration police have arrested an Australian man suspected of the
smash-and-grab theft of a diamond ring worth almost 31 million baht from a
jewelry shop in Australia.
George Georgiou, 30, was taken into custody Oct. 26 in the lobby of the PS
Apartments in central Pattaya where he has lived with his Thai wife since
March. He was immediately transferred to Bangkok for extradition but the
9.1-karat ring he allegedly stole in March after smashing the window of the
Hardy Brothers Jewellers in Melbourne with a hammer was not found.
Immigration Police Commander Lt. Gen. Chatchawan said Georgiou had confessed
to stealing the ring and fleeing to Thailand where he sold it. However, he
refused to disclose to whom it was sold. The ring had a value of Australian
$925,000 but bank books displayed as evidence at a press conference in
Bangkok showed a balance of only 900,000 baht.
Police also showed off other seized items, including imitation jewels,
magnifying glasses, cell phone and 50 small plastic bags for packaging
jewelry. Chatchawan said Georgiou told him the fake stones were to make
gifts for friends.
Georgiou has reportedly lived in Thailand since March but often traveled,
including his journey to Melbourne this summer. He most recently returned to
Thailand Oct. 17, police said. Acting on an urgent arrest warrant from the
Australian Attorney General’s office, Immigration Police followed him to his
apartment block to make the arrest shortly after midnight.
Georgiou, who previously served 10 months in an Australian prison on
burglary charges, told Australian media he had a gambling problem. That may
have been the reason behind his alleged ring theft when, in late March, he
was identified as the man who, dressed all in black and wearing a beanie,
smashed the display window at the Hardy Brothers Jewellers and grabbed the
stone.
U.S. military joins Habitat for
Humanity project in Nong Plalai
The USS City Of Corpus Christi
arrived in Laem Chabang
on Oct. 24 for a scheduled port visit.
Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
More than 20 American sailors came ashore and picked up hammers to
complete three Nong Plalai homes for impoverished families being constructed
by the local arm of U.S.-based Habitat for Humanity.
 PMTV’s
Paul Strachan (right) interviews Supattra Malairojsiri (left), volunteer
coordinator for Habitat for Humanity Thailand.
The sailors from the USS City Of Corpus Christi came to Cahana Village Oct.
26 where Habitat for Humanity (Thailand) Ltd. is building 16 small homes
that will sell for just 14,000 baht and can be paid on monthly installments
of around only 1,000 baht. HFH Volunteer Coordinator Supattra Malairojsiri
said this is the third partnership between the group and the U.S. military.
Founded in Udon Thani in 1998, HFH Thailand has built or refurbished 4,103
homes. This year alone the group has assisted 1,181 families. Each home is
about 36 sq. meters and the design features make use of concrete
interlocking blocks or concrete hollow blocks with a tiled roof. Habitat
also builds wooden stilt houses with metal sheet roofs in southern Thailand.
House construction normally takes about 20 days and costs about 150,000
baht, which is donated by people from around the world.
 American
sailors help build houses for low-income families in Nong Plalai.
Supattra said HFH Thailand hopes to build another 5,000 homes by the end of
2011.
In addition to building the homes, the U.S. military personnel also cleaned
up the Baan Jing Jai orphanage area. The soldiers trimmed trees and pulled
weeds. They also helped the children cultivate the kitchen garden.
The USS City Of Corpus Christi (SSN 705) is one of the U.S. Navy’s three
forward deployed fast attack nuclear powered submarines. It arrived in Laem
Chabang on Oct. 24 for a scheduled port visit. It has a crew of 147, but
with only 50 bunks - some of which are in the torpedo room only inches away
from Tomahawk missiles.
The submarine’s commander is Robert M. Gaucher.
The work they did here with Habitat for Humanity was part of their comrels
(community relations) work.
American military personnel
cultivate the kitchen garden at Baan Jing-Jai.
Navy enchanted by immovable stone
Patcharapol Panrak
A stone that cannot be moved now stands at the center of an annual
Royal Thai Navy tradition.
 Capt.
Chatchawal Meesawat and other officials make offerings to an enchanted stone
wrapped in satin.
Navy officials Oct. 26 again took up that tradition, setting off 1,000
firecrackers and bringing offerings of food and drink to the shrine built
around the stone that legend says houses the soul of Chao Pho Khunthong, a
servant of King Chulalongkorn.
The legend holds that many years ago soldiers cutting the grass at the Royal
Thai Navy Academy in Bang Saray came across an enchanted tone. Petty Officer
2nd Class Piya Wongkaew was possessed by the rock’s spirit, which told the
men never to move the stone or many Navy lives would be lost.
Stories tell that some officers did not heed the spirit and several attempts
were made to move the rock with disastrous results. Eventually the military
paid heed and built a shrine around the stone.
Academy Director Capt. Chatchawal Meesawat led this year’s ceremony, which
is supposed to bring good luck to the enlisted. They wrapped satin around
the stone, which now bears a red mark and is detailed with small gold leaf,
and offered it drink, incense and candles.
In return, the stone’s spirit often foretells a lucky number for the coming
year. For those that believe in talking rocks, take note. This year’s number
is 188.
Preparations begin for Lions Club OSEAL Forum
Pattaya officials are
preparing for the 48th OSEAL Forum later this month.
Vimolrat Singnikorn
Preparations have begun for the 48th Orient and South East Asia
Lions Forum with Lions members and local officials setting the Nov. 19-22
convention’s venue, accommodations and parade route.
At an Oct. 26 meeting, Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome and Tourism Authority of
Thailand Pattaya Director Niti Kongkrut said the Royal Cliff Beach Resort
will be the main location for the event, which is expected to attract more
than 10,000 people from 18 countries.
More people will stay in other area hotels including the Cosy Beach Resort,
Mountain Beach Resort, and Eastern Grand Palace.
To celebrate the opening of the forum, Central Festival Pattaya Beach will
sponsor a beachfront parade at 4 p.m. Nov. 20 that will wind its way down
Walking Street to Bali Hai Pier. The parade will feature various contests as
well.
Niti said Pattaya businesses could see a windfall as during the convention
Lions are expected to spend more than 1.2 million baht, or about 3,000 baht
per person, per day.
|
