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Local red shirts loud but peaceful
Pattaya tourists, bookings unaffected by Bangkok protests
It’s business as usual along Pattaya Beach despite all the
commotion in Bangkok.
Phasakorn Channgam and
Theerarak Suthatiwong
Mirroring their compatriots’ efforts in Bangkok, local
anti-government group members generated a lot of noise, but little else
during a Pattaya assembly staged before they departed to join other
red-shirted protestors in the capital.
About 200 members of the Pattaya Love for Democracy Group
paraded through North Pattaya, loudspeakers blaring, March 12 before
stopping to pray and wish for good fortune at Pattaya City Hall’s King
Taksin the Great monument and assembling at a field behind Central Center.
Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh and Pattaya City Council
Vice-Chairman Adisorn Pollook-In greeted the red shirts, telling them City
Hall welcomed protests as long as they remained peaceful. The PLDG, a
sub-group of the United Front for Dictatorship Against Democracy, did just
that before pointing their caravan toward a larger red shirt assembly in
Bangkok around 8 p.m. March 13.
The UDD - backed by fugitive former prime minister
Thaksin Shinawatra - had threatened to assemble a million anti-government
red shirts in Bangkok from March 13-16 in hopes of forcing current PM
Abhisit Vejjajiva to dissolve Parliament and call new elections that, they
predict, would return Thaksin’s political operatives to power. But through
Monday, the group fell woefully short of its goal with even the UDD’s
rosiest calculations totaling no more than 300,000 people and the government
estimating around 70,000.
The protests were largely peaceful, although two soldiers
were badly injured from an M79 grenade attack at the 11th Infantry Army
headquarters Monday. Organizers, forced to cancel Saturday’s events and
regroup after embarrassingly low turnout Friday, turned up the rhetoric
Monday and threatened to splatter 3,000 liters of blood on government
facilities Tuesday if their demands weren’t met.
But the government’s demonizing of the red shirt leaders
and scare tactics seem to have done their job and scared most red-shirted
sympathizers into staying home. But the same tactics also backfired on the
country’s tourism industry with Bangkok hotels and tour companies reporting
widespread cancellations and no-shows by tourists fearing a repeat of last
April’s violent red-shirt riots on the street of the capital.
In Pattaya, however, the red-shirt uprising seemed to
have little negative effect on tourists in town or bookings from those
planning to come. Life along Beach Road seemed to play out normally with few
locals showing much concern - or even interest - in the red shirt
machinations two hours to the northwest.
Local hotels and tourist-related businesses, in fact,
received a small boost from the protest, as many Bangkok residents chose to
flee the street closures and uncertainty to enjoy a relaxing low-stress
weekend at the beach. Combined with early bookings from Thais coming for
this weekend’s Pattaya International Music Festival, this year’s red shirt
antics haven’t yet resulted in red ink.
Pattaya International Music Festival this weekend
 The
Pattaya International Music Festival returns this weekend, March 19-21,
bigger than ever with a 28 million baht budget funding performances on six
stages throughout the city.
Deputy Mayor Verawat Khakhay and Tourism Authority of
Thailand Pattaya office director Niti Kongkrut said they expect this year’s
festival will attract more visitors than ever.
TAT has contributed 20 million baht toward the music
fest, with the balance coming from the Chonburi Administrative Organization,
as Verawat said budget cuts made funding from the Pattaya City budget
impossible.
The festival will have two TAT-sponsored main stages. One
will be located at Bali Hai Pier and feature international artists. Another
stage on Pattaya Beach at Soi 4 will showcase well-known domestic and Indie
artists.
Two other stages, organized by the city, will be at the
intersection of Beach and Central roads and in front of Central Festival
Pattaya Beach. Two additional stages will also be set up along the beach.
The festival also features food and floral floats, beauty
contests, stalls selling local delicacies and a spectacular fireworks
display on the beach. The free music concerts are put on by a wide range of
local and international talent.
Organizers announced that Beach Road will be closed from
4 p.m. - 2 a.m. on all 3 days. 2nd road will remain one-way, making 3rd road
the access road to South Pattaya from the north.
For more information and a schedule of events, turn to
Arts - Entertainment .
Despite drought, Pattaya still has plenty of water, officials say
The water level at Mabprachan Reservoir is down, but
officials say there
is enough to get us through the dry season.
Staff reporters
While drought has dropped the Mekong River in Thailand’s
northeast to its lowest level in two decades, the Pattaya area still has
more than enough water for the summer months, city waterworks officials say.
Ratanai Sangsawang, chief of water-supply production at
the Provincial Waterworks Authority, urged the public not to worry about
drought affecting Pattaya’s water supply, as its four filtration stations at
the Mabprachan, Banglamung, Saknok and Nong Klangdong reservoirs have a
combined capacity of 6 billion cu. m.
“The Pattaya area needs 40 million cu. m. of water per
year, and currently uses 140,000 cu. m. per day,” Ratanai explained, adding
that it also purchases water from the Eastern Water Management and
Development Co. Ltd. to supplement its own supply.
Waterworks Authority Deputy Manager Chaitad Idsang noted
residents living in higher elevations have experienced some water-supply
issues, but said the authority is working on a resolution. The city has
plans to lay a new, larger pipeline to the Nong Klangdong Reservoir which he
hopes will solve the problem.
The long-term solution, he added, is increasing the
amount of water coming from Nong Klangdong and Banglamung stations.
Chaitad noted that although the drought affecting other
areas of Thailand does not affect Pattaya, residents should still watch
their water use.
“People should not worry, but should be aware of using it
conservatively,” he said.
Firm agrees to clean Rayong plot amid coal-dumping complaint
Theerarak Suthathiwong
A concrete block company that used coal ash as landfill on a
Rayong plot has vowed to clean up its property after residents complained
the hazardous dust caused skin irritation and may pollute the local water
supply.
Tapong sub-district resident Danai Ratanawichit shows us some of the coal
being dumped in the area.
Residents in the Tapong sub-district alerted authorities
and the media Feb. 27 to the continued dumping of coal waste on a 1-rai plot
of land there. Resident Danai Ratanawichit, 40, said trucks deposited the
coal ash there nightly and residents who took some of it to use for
themselves developed skin rashes. This fueled fears the coal would soon
pollute the local water table.
It was soon learned that Porn Charoen concrete brick
plant owned the land and was using the coal ash as landfill. Officials from
petrochemical firm IRPC (Public) Co. Ltd. admitted they had sold the ash
byproduct to a coal-fired power plant operated by Thorus Pos So Lans Co.
Ltd. which in turn sold it to Porn Charoen.
Villagers filed a written claim with Porn Charoen which
has agreed to clean up its property and remove the coal dust.
Coal dumping remains a problem in Rayong with residents
in the Pae area also complaining about the dumping of ash on a 20-rai piece
of property there.
Rayong house burns while
sub-district officials squabble
Firefighters arrive
in time to put out the final few flare-ups,
but were too late to save the house.
Theerarak Suthathiwong
A mysterious explosion followed by bureaucratic
squabbling resulted in a Khao Chamo home burning to the ground before
firefighters arrived.
No one was hurt in the March 9 blaze in the Rayong
district’s Nam Pen area. Local officials came to the scene, but delays
in getting authorization from nearby sub-districts to dispatch
firefighters resulted in the house being destroyed before help arrived.
Thawat Pasingchob, 62, and wife Patcharee, 52, were
unhurt in the fire, which cost an estimated 700,000 baht in damage. A
neighbor reported seeing an explosion inside the unoccupied house, which
was soon consumed by flames.
The couple was offered temporary shelter and given
necessities to get by until they can salvage what is left of their home.
Tourist police tighten security
Maj. Col. Arun Promphan, accompanied by a throng of
tourist police
and volunteers, hands out safety material to tourists on
Walking Street.
Boonlua Chatree
Maj. Col. Arun Promphan, superintendent of Pattaya’s 4th
Division Tourist Police Station, addressed 50 officers and volunteers
March 9 on security measures to keep tourists safe during their visits
to Pattaya.
Afterward the officers were dispatched to various posts
and patrolled Walking Street, handing out brochures containing tourist
information and emergency contact details. The Tourist Police can be reached
by calling 1155.
Chonburi police raid 2
counterfeit clothing shops
Boonlua Chatree
Chonburi police not fooled by the designer labels rounded up shopping
baskets full of counterfeit shirts, shoes and shorts in two separate Pattaya-area
raids.
Some of the confiscated merchandise is spread out on the
floor for easier identification.
Teams of officers swept into a small shop on Soi Yensabai
March 9, arresting owner Anchalee Kamprom, 38, and snapping up 46 t-shirts
bearing the American Eagle logo as well as seven pair of purportedly Puma
sneakers and copied Clarks sandals.
Later that day the same team raided a booth in front of
Modern Plaza on Beach Road where they arrested proprietor Anchalee Jiewsui,
22, and seized 45 deceptively D&G, Armani and Lacoste shirts, 10
almost-Adidas cloaks and a half dozen less-than-Lacoste shorts.
Both vendors were charged with selling copies of
registered trademarks with the intention of deceiving shoppers into thinking
they were getting delicious designer deals.
Slipway slip leaves residents up the junction
The new Highway 7 extension near Chaiyapornvitee Road
allows access north towards Bangkok, but doesn’t allow a left turn to
Pattaya.
Staff reporters
Residents are calling for help to give them full access to a
new motorway.
The extension to Motorway 7, which links Bangkok to
Pattaya, is nearly complete. But the lack of a slip road from
Chaiyapornvitee Road means anyone coming from that direction can’t use the
road to get to Pattaya.
Instead, residents have to use the old route which means
driving to Naklua and then driving back towards Pattaya. A residents’ group
claims putting in a slip road to access the motorway would have been easy to
do and at least halved the current travel time.
The group is now hoping City Hall can take action to help
the hundreds of residents who live on that side of Pattaya. City Hall,
however, are not commenting on the situation and seemingly avoiding
questions about it.
A slip road does currently exist from Chaiyapornvitee
Road but runs parallel to the new motorway and doesn’t join it.
Stuart Saunders, from the Pattaya Progress Association
said, “A connection would save fuel, time and maybe even lives. From the
other side you can go north towards Bangkok, but we can’t turn left to
Pattaya, which is the route used by people living here far more often. All
it needs is a little bit of road works.”
‘Neglected’ 80-year-old grandmother arrested for drug dealing
Patcharapol Panrak
An 80-year-old Sattahip grandmother who claimed she was
neglected by her 17 children and grandchildren was arrested for dealing
methamphetamines to raise money she said she needed to live.
80-year-old Grandma Waen (center), her daughter Sompit
and customer Namfon have been arrested for ya ba.
“Grandma Waen” Srisuk was taken into custody early March
8 at her Soi Thamwittaya home after undercover officers purchased three ya
ba tablets from her for 740 baht. Also arrested at the scene were daughter
Sompit Srisuk, 39, who was her agent and alleged customer Namfon Soisuwan,
27.
The elder Srisuk was charged with possession of a Class 1
narcotic with intent to distribute while her daughter Sompit, caught with
six tablets, was charged with possession only. Namfon was also arrested for
buying the drugs.
Grandma Waen confessed to police, saying she purchased
the drugs from her daughter Sompit for 200 baht per tablet and then resold
them for 250 baht, then spent the profit on food, utilities and other
necessities because neither her daughter or any of her extended family cared
enough for her.
Grandma Waen claimed her drug-dealing daughter purchased
drugs from feared area dealer Surapol “Chae” Putraksa, 52, who is wanted on
an arrest warrant from Plutaluang police, but allegedly still operates in
the Sattahip area, and recently began reselling them in Pattaya.
This month’s arrest is not Grandma Waen’s first brush
with the law. She served 11 years in prison after being convicted of heroin
dealing in 1994. She told police she was well taken care of in prison, due
to her age. If convicted, she’ll most likely end her days being cared for
again by the state.
Canadian falls from 4th floor balcony
Boonlua Chatree
A Canadian man became the latest foreigner to fall from a
balcony but this time the victim survived, albeit with serious injures.
Nicholas Patrick Roenisch, 25, was taken to Bangkok
Hospital Pattaya to treat wounds from his four-storey fall from a commercial
building on Soi Welcome Hotel in Jomtien Beach March 11. At the time of
going to press, he was expected to be placed in the critical care unit.
Investigators checking Roenisch’s room found the door
locked and, once inside, two empty beer bottles on the balcony.
Sattahip finally nab
‘100 Hotels Man’ drug dealer
Patcharapol Panrak
Sattahip’s alleged “100 Hotels Man” drug dealer may finally have a room
he’ll be unable to check out of.
Sattahip and Royal Thai Navy police and volunteers
officers arrested Pramot Penkoksoong, 26, during a sting operation March 5
using two trusted customers arrested earlier for drug possession as bait.
Found on his person were a half-gram of ya ice, two ya ba tablets and marked
cash.
Long sought by police, Pramot had been able to avoid
arrest by constantly changing hotel rooms and most recently hiding out in
Ban Chang.
His downfall came, however, when he agreed to deliver
crystal methamphetamines to two women he didn’t realize had been arrested
earlier for possession of ya ice. Yupa Bun-on, 42, and Thanya Saithong, 19,
were apprehended using narcotics at a row house near Nongthip Market in
Taothan.
When the two told officers they had purchased the drugs
from the 100 Hotels Man, a plan was hatched to have them telephone the
purported dealer and set up a buy which police would be watching. When
Pramot arrived on his black Honda Click to deliver the ya ice, officers made
their move.
Pramot confessed to dealing drugs and evading arrest, but
quickly ratted out his own supplier, Sitthichai Promchan, 23, who police are
now looking for.
Rayong man kills boy, self in molestation-tinged murder-suicide
Theerarak Suthathiwong
A mid-20s Thai man allegedly molesting a 12-year-old boy shot
and killed the youngster in his Rayong bedroom before apparently turning the
gun on himself.
Police from the Pae Police Station discovered the bodies
of young Warayut Srijang and a Sri Banpae Pier ice vendor identified only as
“Det” lying together on the floor of the boy’s Moo 2 Pae home in the early
hours of March 7. Both had suffered .38 caliber gunshot wounds to the head
and the pistol was lying nearby amid signs of a struggle.
Police believed Det and the boy were engaged in a sexual
relationship, as his mother, Malee, told authorities the man, believed to be
between 25 and 30 years old, repeatedly came to her home with toys for the
Kaosampaothong School Grade 6 student. She said she didn’t know anything
about him except that her son told them they were “close friends.”
The night before the shooting, Malee said, Det came to
her house around 10 p.m. to see her son. She left them alone and heard
nothing, other than the sound of something being pulled into the boy’s
bedroom, until morning, when the two shots rang out.
From the way the older body was found laying on top of
the boy, police assume Det had tried to pressure the boy into having sex.
The youngster refused, which might have set off an argument and the
murder-suicide.
4 men, 1 woman charged in gang rapes of 15-year-old Khao Mai Kaew girl
Boonlua Chatree
Four Thai men and a woman who cheered them on have been
arrested for allegedly twice gang-raping a 15-year-old Khao Mai Kaew girl.
Police bring in alleged rapist Theerapol “Mac” Prasongsuk.
Child and Women’s Protection Center officers arrested the
girl’s boyfriend of one-month, 20-year-old Theerapol “Mac” Prasongsuk, along
with three teenage men - Trin Chansuthi, 19; Komsan Phuraya, 19; and Mana
Klinchanhom, 18 - at a football field and at their homes in the Banglamung
sub-district on March 9. Also taken into custody was 18-year-old Na Phuraya,
who allegedly stood at the door, watched and cheered on her male friends in
assaulting the girl.
Lt. Col. Kreetha Tankanarak, deputy superintendent for
operations at the Chonburi Child and Women’s Protection Center, said the
charges stem from two attacks in mid-January.
The first rape occurred on January 15 when the secondary
school student at Khao Mai Kaew School said she was tricked into going a
house near a tapioca flour gristmill in Huay Kainao Village where she was
raped by Theerapol and three friends in turn.
Two days later, Theerapol telephoned to apologize and
asked to meet her, allegedly intending to negotiate a settlement for the
first rape, but he and his friends ended up raping the girl again.
A report was lodged to the police by the parents and an
arrest warrant was issued by the Pattaya court sometime later.
After their arrest on March 9, the Thai men confessed to
the charges with Theerapol rationalizing by saying the first attack occurred
after they had finished playing football and decided to get drunk.
Naklua Market motorbike taxi busted for gold snatch
Theerarak Suthathiwong
Figuring he could make more money through crime than carrying
customers, a Naklua Market motorbike taxi driver now finds himself behind
bars for allegedly snatching a fat gold necklace from the neck of a man near
Pornprapanimit Village.
The face of a ya ba addict - Supat Thanborisutkul was
arrested for gold theft when he fell through the roof of a house where he
was hiding.
Supat Thanborisutkul, 28, was found under the bed of a
home in the Nongprue neighborhood March 9 after trying to escape police by
hiding on the roof of a village house. Police found Supat after he fell
through the roof. Half of a 3-baht gold necklace belonging to 40-year-old
Saroj Suwanlamai was discovered in his back pocket.
Saroj said he’d been walking on Soi Pornprapanimit when a
large Thai man dressed in black streaked by on a blue Honda Wave motorbike
and attempted to steal his necklace. Quite thick, the necklace broke, rather
than breaking away, and the driver lost control of the bike and crashed. He
then shed his black shirt and ran into the village.
Police and volunteer officers surrounded the village and
found Supat after the owner of one home ran outside, saying a man had
crashed through his roof. The thief, with injured foot and gold chain, was
taken away.
Supat told police he’d twice been arrested for
methamphetamine use and was behind on payments on his motorbike due to
having few customers. Police don’t believe this was the first time the
motorbike taxi driver has tried a necklace snatch and are investigating
similar reports in the area.
Police officer complained of
work-related stress in suicide note
Boonlua Chatree
A Pattaya police officer who committed suicide in his
barracks March 4 told colleagues in a note he left behind that he’d been
suffering from work-related stress.
Senior Sgt. Maj. Suporn Uncharoen, 48, was discovered by
his school-age son lying on a blanket on the floor of his third-floor room
behind the Pattaya Police Station. He suffered a single gunshot wound to the
chest. The gun and one bullet casing was found at his feet.
The Pattaya Courtroom Chief, Suporn left behind two
letters, one to his family and the other to colleagues. In the first, he
asked his family to forgive him. In the letter to fellow officers, he
expressed his fondness for all his co-workers, but added he’d been under a
lot of stress that he didn’t want to deal with any longer.
Police Superintendent Col. Nantawut Suwanla-ong added
that Suporn also had fretted about his health, having just undergone minor
heart surgery to widen arteries constricted by coronary artery disease. The
gunshot was to the heart.
Suporn is survived by a wife and two children who were
not at home at the time.
HM the Queen praises
Navy staff for blood donations
Vice Adm. Surachai
Sangkhapong and other top officers visit navy personnel
to congratulate them for donating blood to the Red Cross.
Patcharapol Panrak
HM Queen Sirikit, Thai Red Cross Council Chairwoman,
graciously presented a speech to be read March 11 at the hospital bearing
her name to congratulate Royal Thai Navy personnel for doing a good deed for
their country by donating blood.
Following orders for all Navy personnel to make merit on
a regular basis, Vice Adm. Surachai Sangkhapong, commander of Navy Region 1
and other personnel rolled up their sleeves at Queen Sirikit Naval Medical
Center in honor of the nation and monarchy.
HM the Queen, the Thai Red Cross chairwoman, hailed the
Navy personnel, saying blood is nourishment for life and is the best gift
someone can give.
Similar blood drives take place every three months.
Chonburi, Navy win
extracurricular education awards
Award recipients and guests listen to guest speakers
at the awards presentation ceremony.
Patcharapol Panrak
Chonburi Province won 14 awards and the Royal Thai Navy another two from
the Education Ministry for best non-conventional education efforts.
The Office of Non-Conventional and Conventional Education
presented the plaques and honors for educational programs aimed at older and
underprivileged students and those who missed their opportunities at regular
primary- and secondary-school education at a March 8 ceremony at Teacher
Council Hall in Bangkok.
The local award winners for this year were:
* Outstanding Student - Capt. Wirat Somchit, deputy
commander of the Naval Recruit Training Center’s Learning Center for the
Sufficiency Economy Philosophy in Bang Saray.
* Best Alumni - Jinda Tanomrod of Sriracha District.
* Best School Director - Puangsuwan Panmamaung, director
of non-conventional education for Panthong District.
* Best Community School Teacher - Hathaiporn Maneesang of
the Non-Conventional and Conventional Education Center in the Panatnikom
District.
* Best Librarian - Supaporn Inthamat of the Chonburi
Public Library.
* Best Librarian Employee - Lt. Pasuda Kaewkiew of
Chalermratkumari Library.
* Best Teacher or Education Personnel - Thipawan
Sithirangsan from the Center for Training and Development for Agricultural
Occupations at Yanasangwararam Temple in Banglamung.
* Best Permanent Employee - Thamrong Leekul of the Center
of Non-Conventional and Conventional Education in Borthong District.
* Best State / Private Education Units - Naval Education
Department in Sattahip; the MOA Thai Foundation, Chonburi Public Library and
Chalermrat Kumari Public Library in Banglamung.
* Best District for Non-Conventional and Conventional
Education - Panthong District.
* Most Innovative Research - Research for development of
learning by storyline method by the Panthong District.
Thailand, 9 Asian countries move to preserve underwater heritage
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Thailand and nine other Asian-Pacific countries have agreed
to work together to preserve underwater archeological sites.
On March 4, Aurbprem Watcharangkul, head of the
underwater archeology group at Thailand’s Fine Arts Department discussed the
launch of an Asia-Pacific underwater-archaeology training center. The goal,
he said, is for countries to jointly promote conservation of underwater
archeological sites.
Diver’s with Thailand’s Fine Arts Department, Underwater
Archaeology Group inspect a site containing artifacts in the Gulf of
Thailand.
Like many Asian countries, Thailand’s offshore and inland
waters are literal treasure troves of historical artifacts. From ancient
pottery wrecks in the Gulf of Thailand to entire villages and temples
submerged in freshwater lakes in the northeast, treasure hunters, divers and
looters pose a significant threat to history. While Thailand, like many
countries, has laws prohibiting divers from taking artifacts from undersea
sites, more needs to be done, experts say.
Aurbprem said smugglers have often dug up underwater
antiques to sell, sometimes damaging them in the process. To prevent its
history from washing away, Thailand has joined with Bangladesh, Brunei,
Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and
Vietnam as well as UNESCO to preserve its history.
To setup the center, experts from Thailand and abroad
were invited to provide theoretical and practical experience to project
attendees, as well as draft organizational plans. But Aurbprem admitted
there are still obstacles to effective conservation, such as inadequate
staffing and budgets. He said more work and cooperation between member
countries can resolve those issues.
Bay watch: Beach promenade landscaping continues
Vimolrat Singnikorn
The landscaping work along Pattaya Beach continues through
Songkran, this time with bricks being laid down to support the growth of
grass between the trees. Once fully grown, the grass will make a nice spot
for lounging around, but has to be less than comfortable for these ladies
until then.
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