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HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]:

It’s official: Minimum baht bus fares now 10 baht

Thailand, Malaysia set joint training, exercises at Pattaya border meeting

Pattaya Hospital construction now at 75%

Laotian women receive lessons in Thai sufficiency economy philosophy

City vows to finally fix Second Rd. sewage grating

200 Pattaya seniors given nutrition info, flu shots

300 Chonburi shoe factory workers picket over unpaid wages

Ya ba dealer arrested for raping 10-year-old stepdaughter

Russian woman raped by motorbike taxi driver

Fire causes 5 million baht in damages to apartment and warehouse

Tourist police arrest transsexual for theft of 1,830,000 baht

Russians caught by photographers, but not police, having sex on beach

British bar manager arrested for working illegally

Pattaya Fashion Week to attempt Guinness world record

Navy officials survey digging of new reservoir

Enrollment opens at new Rayong secondary school

120 Chonburi students take on science, math camp

Popular ‘Darkside’ bar owner killed in traffic accident

Yala security officers conduct firearms training in Rayong


It’s official: Minimum baht bus fares now 10 baht

Pattaya Baht Bus Co-operative secretary, Chusak Julapan,
announced the minimum fare is now 10 baht.

Vimolrat Singnikorn
The Pattaya Baht Bus Co-operative has formalized what has long been the case for most non-Thais traveling on the city’s blue taxis: The minimum fare is now 10 baht.

Until last week, the co-op maintained that fares for all passengers were actually as low as 5-8 baht, depending on the distance traveled. In reality, non-Thais virtually never paid those fares and, since 2008’s surge in oil prices, many Thais have also been paying 10 baht for a ride.

Co-operative Secretary Chusak Julapan maintained, however, that the 700 co-operative taxi drivers adhered to Chonburi Traffic Department regulations and charged 8 baht for short distances - such as North Pattaya Road to Central Pattaya Road - and only 17 baht for longer distances, such North Road to the Bunkanchanaram Temple. The top fare authorized by Chonburi was 29 baht, with intermediate distances, such as from Central Road to Bunkanchanaram Temple being only 11 baht.

Those rates were put into effect when diesel prices were about 22 baht per liter. With diesel now running 30-35 baht, an increase was warranted, he said. New fares set by the co-operative allow for a base fare of 10 baht and the long-distance rate of 20 baht.

Chusak did acknowledge, however, that drivers have been charging those higher rates for some time, but “they were received well by Thais and foreign tourists. Regular passengers have been satisfied and understand the current fuel situation.”

He noted that the new fares apply only to regular service and that the price of hiring a taxi for a private group would continue to be negotiated on a case-by-case basis.

There are few, if any topics, that incite more anger and debate among Pattaya’s ex-pat residents and foreign tourists than baht bus fares and drivers. Arguments over dual pricing for Thais and non-Thais have raged for years and many scoff at the notion rates are regulated at all.

But one regular passenger interviewed last week said she takes a baht bus to work every day and feels that a minimum 10 baht fare is reasonable and understandable giving the recent increase in fuel prices.


Thailand, Malaysia set joint training, exercises at Pattaya border meeting

Military leaders from Thailand and Malaysia
discuss common border strategy at Pattaya.

Bunlua Chatree
Military leaders from Thailand and Malaysia proposed joint training and exercises to better control the unrest along the two countries’ borders during last week’s 25th High-Level Committee meeting in Pattaya.

The March 18 session at the Dusit Thani Hotel Pattaya is an annual get together between military leaders from Thailand and Malaysia aimed at maintaining good relations and cooperation as well as focus on border issues affecting both countries.

While armies, navies and air forces from both sides have done some joint training in the past, officials this year proposed launching mutual war games to better understand operations of each country’s military forces. They also agreed to increase border patrols to crack down on illegal trade.

The High-Level Committee has often been a forum to develop non-conventional methods to deal with the Muslim insurgency in Thailand’s three border provinces that has resulted in the death of more than 2,000 people in the past seven years.

Controlling violent attacks, which are often organized at camps in Malaysia, are a priority for both sides. Thai Army chief Gen. Songkit Jakkabat said this is done through joint military operations as well as education and economic development.


Pattaya Hospital construction now at 75%

Vimolrat Singnikorn
Construction of Pattaya Hospital remains on schedule with 75 percent of the building now complete.

Construction of Pattaya Hospital is now 75% complete and will open to the public sometime next year.

Deputy Mayor Verawat Khakhay said that as of March 16, interior windows and doors had been installed, ceiling work on the second and third floors done and painting started on the second through fourth floors. Verawat said the hospital will sport a brown earth tone to create a relaxing atmosphere for patients.

The 177.1 million baht facility located on Soi Buakhao will be the first government hospital in Pattaya and will provide free health care to Thai insurance card holders and low-priced services for tourists. It is scheduled for completion Oct. 9 and will open to the public late next year.


Laotian women receive lessons in Thai sufficiency economy philosophy

Laotian women watch as a Thai sailor working at the Royal Thai Navy’s New Theory Learning Center in Bang Saray weaves a wicker basket.

Patcharapol Panrak
A group of Laotian learned what Thailand’s “sufficiency economy” philosophy was all about during a visit to the Royal Thai Navy’s New Theory Learning Center in Bang Saray.

The 26 women from Kredtrakarn in Nonthaburi Province received lessons on independent family living and developing self-confidence during the March 16 field trip sponsored by the Ban Kredtrakarn Foundation and Women’s Protection Foundation. The Laotians were welcomed by Capt. Wirat Somchit, director of the learning center on the grounds of the Naval Recruit Training Center.

Cmdr. Samart Aror summarized the sufficiency economy philosophy espoused by HM the King, noting that individuals, families and villages should be able to grow enough food to be self-sufficient and that people should shun excess and only buy what they need to live.

Kamolpan Lakhan, a social worker with the Kredtrakarn Foundation, said it was hoped the Thai philosophy will help the Laotian women change their lives.


City vows to finally fix Second Rd. sewage grating

Vehicles veer around the hole in 2nd road in front
of Soi Diana, which had been there for weeks.

Thanachot Anuwan
Pattaya City Hall was promising to finally repair broken sewer grating on Second Road near Soi 13 after months of complaints from local businesses and residents.

Faced with the prospect of up to a million visitors descending on the city for the Pattaya International Music festival, city officials admitted that having a large hole in the road was probably not the safest thing to have, although locals say that’s been the case for months.

Deputy Mayor Ronakit Ekasingh on March 16 ordered the Sanitation Department to complete its repairs on the road near the Diana Inn, which had been left open and guarded with barriers with no work seemingly being done for weeks.


200 Pattaya seniors given nutrition info, flu shots

Phasakorn Channgam
About 200 local senior citizens learned about good nutrition and received influenza A (H1N1) vaccinations at a city-sponsored workshop for the Pattaya Elderly Club.

The elderly are given free flu vaccinations during the city-sponsored workshop for the Pattaya Elderly Club.

Deputy Mayor Verawat Khakhay presided over the March 12 seminar aimed at giving the seniors information on health services, nutrition and government programs for the elderly and consumer protection.

Verawat said that with the elderly population on the rise, it’s important seniors eat well to stay healthy. This includes having a balanced diet and preventing obesity. The seminar provided tips on portion size and dieting.

The seminar also provided lunch and flu vaccines for all in attendance.


300 Chonburi shoe factory workers picket over unpaid wages

Shoe company workers strike outside Chonburi City Hall, demanding the government do something to help them get paid from their deadbeat employer.

Theerarak Suthatiwong
More than 300 Rama Shoes Industry Co., Ltd. employees demonstrated outside Chonburi City Hall in protest over having not been paid for several months.

Workers in the March 16 protest called on the city to help them in their fight against the shoe-sole manufacturer, which closed its plant through the end of March and hasn’t paid wages for up to four months.

The owner of the company, who wished to remain anonymous, said the company had no funds due to a lack of orders.

Following the protest, Chonburi Gov. Senee Jittakasem arranged a meeting with six of the workers and an officer from the Social Welfare and Labor Protection Department, which will help the employees in their battle against the shoe maker.


Ya ba dealer arrested for raping 10-year-old stepdaughter

Theerarak Suthathiwong
A confessed Pattaya drug dealer has been arrested for repeatedly molesting his 10-year-old stepdaughter.

Wittaya Tanhuay, 36, was arrested by Child and Women Protection Center officers as he drove his truck to work in Laem Chabang March 15. He was charged with raping a minor under age 13 on a warrant obtained after the girl’s mother filed a complaint with officers Feb. 24.

Wittaya Tanhuay is brought in for processing on drugs and pedophilia charges.

Wittaya’s wife told police she had discovered in December that her husband had raped her daughter and, she claimed, Wittaya admitted he’d been molesting the girl for a year. The mother immediately moved out but the couple soon reconciled and mother and daughter moved back in.

But despite promises he wouldn’t touch his stepdaughter again, Wittaya’s wife said she learned of another rape in February. This time, she went to the police.

Wittaya denied the molestation charges, saying he loved his stepdaughter like his own flesh and blood. He did admit, however, to being a low-level ya ba dealer who sold drugs while driving a truck in Laem Chabang.

Officers tried to use the man to help them catch his supplier, but the effort failed. However, there is enough evidence in the molestation case to proceed with charges against him, police said.


Russian woman raped by motorbike taxi driver

Boonlua Chatree
Police are looking for a motorcycle taxi driver who allegedly raped a 25-year-old Russian woman.

Police have released this sketch of the alleged rapist.

The victim filed a report with Pattaya police saying that at around 4 a.m. on March 14 after having had a night out with her friends she walked to the top of Walking Street towards the old pier where she hired a motorbike taxi to take her back to her residence at Grand Condo View on Pratamnak Road. She said that along the way, the driver drove off into the brushes and raped her.

The woman was taken to Banglamung Hospital for a check where she expressed her fear of contracting sexually transmitted diseases because the rapist did not use a condom.

Officers brought the woman to the pier the next day to try to identify the perpetrator, but they found only 4 of the 18 bikers who are usually stationed at that location, none of which was the attacker.

Police have created a sketch of the suspect using a description she gave police and are hoping to get a photo of the man from closed-circuit television cameras.


Fire causes 5 million baht in damages to apartment and warehouse

Fire begins to spread into 64-year-old
Noi Kaew-udom’s apartment before firefighters arrived.

Patcharapol Panrak
An out-of-control garbage fire destroyed a Najomtien second-hand shop and burned an infirm elderly woman’s home, causing 5 million baht in damage. No one was injured.

Fire engines from Najomtien, Kledkaew and Sattahip responded to the March 15 blaze at kilometer marker 162 on Sukhumvit Road. The blaze, which had engulfed the two structures as well as grass and shrubbery in the area, was difficult to extinguish, partially because firefighters could not get water from Huay Tu Reservoir and had to purchase it from villagers to put out the fire.

Witnesses said a nearby resident had been burning trash when strong winds took the fire into dry grass nearby. It quickly spread to the second-hand shop, which specializes in furniture and other wood products. Piles of construction materials lying nearby helped fuel the blaze.

Alarmed residents ran to the scene of the fire to carry 64-year-old Noi Kaew-udom out of her home before the fire spread. Her bedroom and other parts of the house were damaged by the fire.

The only other victims of the blaze were a flock of prize-winning fighting cocks, owned by second-hand store owner Youenyong Khunwiboon. Their coop burned before the birds could be rescued.


Tourist police arrest transsexual for theft of 1,830,000 baht

Tourist Police Chief Lt. Col. Arun Prompan announces that police have finally caught up with Mongkolchai Tharana for theft of a Turkish tourist.

Boonlua Chatree
The Tourist Police arrested a transsexual who cooperated with his friend to trick a Turkish tourist into having sex while his accomplice, who was hiding under the bed, stole 61,000 Swiss Francs, approximately 1,830,000 baht from the victim before escaping.

At 1:30 a.m. on March 11, 2010, Tourist Police Chief Lt. Col. Arun Prompan announced that by order of an arrest warrant No. 410/ 2552, issued on April 30, 2009 by the Pattaya Provincial Court, they took into custody Mongkolchai Tharana, a 27 year old transvestite on charges of robbery and avoiding arrest.

After his arrest Mongkolchai confessed that on the night of April 22 2009, Bulen Karabey a Turkish national hired him for sexual services. Unbeknown to the Turk, an accomplice by the name of E-Jack hid under the bed, so that he could steal valuables from the victim’s trouser pockets and escape while the couple was taking a shower.

Mongkolchai said that he left town and used the money to pay for a sex change operation. He said that he gave 150,000 baht to his friend and used a part of the money to make merit.

Police ongoing investigations finally tracked the thief to Walking Street where he was working as a sex worker. They finally arrested him nearly a year after the crime. Police said they found 12,000 baht in his possession which will be used as evidence.


Russians caught by photographers, but not police, having sex on beach

Boonlua Chatree
Yet another Russian couple has been caught on film, but not by police this time, for having sex on Jomtien Beach.

After finishing their love making, this Russian couple simply dresses and walks away before police arrive.

Reporters were alerted to illicit goings-on around 6:20 a.m. March 17 about 20 meters from the Pattaya Police Department’s Dongtan Beach substation.

Despite being aware of being watched and photographed the couple carried on in a jovial mood and simply got dressed and strolled away before police arrived on the scene, thus avoiding the usual 1000 baht fine for indecent exposure and a black mark in their passports.


British bar manager arrested for working illegally

Boonlua Chatree
A British go-go bar manager has been arrested for working without a work permit.

Jason Hill has been arrested for allegedly working in a go-go bar without a permit.

Chonburi Immigration Police raided Walking Street’s Roxy a-Go-Go around 1 a.m. March 17 where they found Jason Hill, 41, allegedly performing accounting work and actively supervising staff. When asked by officers to produce a work permit, he could not and was taken into custody.

Hill was taken to the Chonburi Immigration Office in Jomtien Beach and refused to answer any questions, officers said. He was then sent to Pattaya Police Station for further processing on charges he had entered Thailand on a temporary visa and was caught working illegally.


Pattaya Fashion Week to attempt Guinness world record

Sawittree Namwiwatsuk
Models will strut the world’s longest catwalk as part of the first Pattaya International Fashion Week April 8-11.

Ratanachai Suthidechanai (left), president of the Commission for Pattaya Tourism and Sports, and Deputy Mayor Verawat Khakhay (right) jointly announce the upcoming Pattaya International Fashion Week 2010 to be held April 8-11.

The event, sponsored by the city, Ministry of Commerce and Rakchat Management Co., Ltd., will see organizers attempt to win a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest catwalk. Planned to run from Central Festival Center to Walking Street, it will have models walking in high heels for 1.6 kilometers.

Traffic along the southern section of Beach Road will be closed for the record attempt April 9 from 6 p.m. to midnight.

The fashion show itself will feature 80 models and feature Thai and international brands with designers showing off their spring and summer collections.

Other activities will include an international deejay show and “young designer” and stylists competitions.

“It will allow Eastern Seaboard students and designers to have a place to show off their design skills and work throughout the fashion week,” said Rakchat Managing Director Edward Kitti.

Kitti said the event will be the largest-ever fashion show in Pattaya and that wives of 20 foreign ambassadors will be given a VIP preview show April 9 featuring 10 Thai silk dresses designed especially for the city.


Navy officials survey digging of new reservoir

Construction is proceeding on schedule for the new reservoir being dug to supplement the water supply for the Navy and its New Theory Learning Center.

Patcharapol Panrak
Concerned about the effects of a prolonged drought, top officials from the Naval Recruit Training Center in Bang Saray checked up on the progress of a new reservoir being dug to supplement the water supply for the Navy and its New Theory Learning Center.

Training Center commander Capt. Nopadon Supakorn and Learning Center director Capt. Wirat Somchit led a delegation of senior officers to survey the work being done on the facility’s 20-rai expansion project, which includes the digging of a 50-by-200 m. reservoir capable of storing 50,000 cu. m. of water.

The lake is being funded with 1.1 million baht supplied by the “Thai Strengthening” (Thai Khem Khaeng) project, a government plan to strengthen the country through investments, constructions, and developments through stimulus packages.

Nopadon said the reservoir is proving especially important in the face of an extended drought plaguing parts of the country. Navy officials are concerned that the Recruit Training Center and its related facilities, which serve 20,000 conscripts and their families a year, may not have enough water.

That would impact not only Navy families’ lives, but local livestock and farming. Also impacted would be work by the New Theory Learning Center, which teaches conscripts to adopt HM the King’s principles of growing enough food to become self-sufficient.

Nopadon said that under normal conditions Navy water supplies provide about 300,000 cu. m. of water. That’s enough for regular consumption and agriculture, but demand would quickly outstrip supply if the Eastern Seaboard is stuck by a serious drought this year.


Enrollment opens at new Rayong secondary school

Mangkorn Kulawanit, former secretary for the Office of the Basic Education Commission, and his team of Nakhon Tangkapipob, Amnat Wiangpol and Chooto Sangpongchai will be in charge of managing the school.

Theerarak Suthathiwong
Rayong Provincial Administrative Organization officials have begun enrolling the first students for newly-built Taksin Rayong Secondary School, which aims to meet international standards by offering bilingual education.

Enrollment of the first class of 300 students ran March 13-17. The 5 million baht school, on 65 rai of land in Choengnern, will serve secondary school grades 3-5. First-year costs will be assumed by the provincial government, which has set aside a budget of 500 million baht to get the facility and its first classes off the ground.

Taksin Rayong features a bilingual learning system with science, math, English and computer courses taught to international specifications. It also requires all teachers to have internationally recognized accreditation.


120 Chonburi students take on science, math camp

Future leaders learn about science at the recent mathematics and science camp.

Patcharapol Panrak
Students from 10 Chonburi schools took part in a unique mathematics and science camp as part of a national program to enhance the nation’s pool of experts in these essential fields.

The 10 schools selected 12 talented students each to receive the in-depth education March 16 at Nong Nooch Tropical Garden provided by the Chonburi Education Service Office in Area 1. Students heard lectures from four respected teachers and did additional work with the help of other educators.

The program was made possible through the country’s “Thai Strengthening” economic-stimulus program, which calls for more investment in science and math education. The goal is to increase the number of students with scientific minds who can push forward the country’s technical development.


Popular ‘Darkside’ bar owner killed in traffic accident

Boonlua Chatree
A hugely popular Pattaya bar owner claimed to have coined the term “Darkside” to refer to the area east of Sukhumvit Road was killed in a head-on collision in the early hours of March 18.

Lee Spencer Mansfield, 41, was returning home from his Noi’s Bar on Soi Khao Noi shortly before 2 a.m. when his black Honda Wave motorbike was struck by a Toyota Fortuner driven by 45-year-old Somjai Jaitad. Mansfield, who was not wearing a helmet, suffered a fractured skull and broken neck, arms and legs.

The co-owner of the Pattaya Live online message board and arguably the “Darkside’s” most popular ex-pat bars, Mansfield was extremely well-known in local circles and his death set off a flood of shock and grief across the real and virtual worlds. Hundreds of tributes have been posted on Pattaya Live, Thai Visa and other Internet forums. A wake was held at Noi’s last weekend and his sister has said the Briton’s body will be flown home for a funeral there.

There are conflicting reports about how the accident happened. Officially, Somjai told police she was returning home when Mansfield’s motorbike approached from the opposite direction at high speed. She said he appeared to lose control and slammed in the front of her oncoming vehicle. Other online reports question her version, with some saying Somjai was attempting to overtake another vehicle and that a foreigner was driving her vehicle then left her behind before police arrived.

Somjai was taken to Pattaya Police Station for more questioning and the investigation into Mansfield’s death continues.


Yala security officers conduct firearms training in Rayong

Territorial Defense Volunteers from Yala Province
 line up to receive weapons training in Rayong.

Theerarak Suthathiwong
Fifty Territorial Defense Volunteers from violence-ravaged Yala Province attended firearms and shooting training at Infantry Battalion 7 at Mahasurasinghanat Camp in Rayong.

Jirasak Tapachot, a Rayong protection officer, said that the Territorial Defense Volunteers are the main force of the Yala administrative sector and are tasked with maintaining peace in an area where a Muslim insurgency has raged for years, resulting in the death of more than 2,000 people in Thailand’s three southern provinces.

They also work to prevent drug trafficking and other criminal activity. Therefore, he said, period retraining in firearms use is necessary.

Yala Deputy District Chief Surin Petchsung said the training was conducted to bolster the volunteers skills so they can better supplement army and police security efforts. Training was conducted by Royal Thai Army officers from March 8-12.