New City manager selected

Former deputy city manager assumes the job

Following the unexpected ouster of City Manager Songsak Yomjinda by Pattaya Mayor Pairat Suthithamrongsawat on January 5th, former deputy city manager Nirand Watanasartsathorn was named as his replacement.

The former deputy city manager, whose contract, according to law, was terminated at the same time as the city manager, will be taking over duties similar to that of an assistant mayor and overseeing certain local governmental workings.

“The Winner” - Nirand Watanasartsathorn, new city manager.

Also considered for the job was Mr. Wachara Plengplang, a former city manager. This was only a matter of form, though, as the law requires the mayor to present two new candidates should the city manager leave office in mid-term. Mr. Songsak had completed 2 years and 3 months of his 4 year contract.

Both names were presented by the mayor to the city council on January 12 for consideration, whereupon Mr. Nirand was chosen as new city manager, as was expected. His contract is expected to be signed very soon.

Pattaya Mayor Pairat Suthithamrongsawat confirmed that his unexpected order to ouster City Manager Songsak Yomjinda on charges of non-response to the city council’s demands was a carefully thought out decision. He stated that he also consulted with Pattaya City Attorney Suphwat Suwanaklorm, who told him that he did indeed have the power to dismiss the city attorney without a city council vote. No law stated that the city manager was required to complete his 4 year term if not competent.

Mr. Songsak learned of his dismissal through newspaper articles and television reports. He was not pleased with the sudden and preemptory dismissal and went to work the next day as usual.

In an interview with reporters he said, "I’m very displeased that the mayor should say that I did not discharge my duties efficiently. I attempted to improve the efficiency of Pattaya’s governmental system. I was also responsible for Pattaya’s being selected as the venue for the water sports competition of the 13th Asian Games. The waster-water treatment plant was another project which I initiated. I received much praise for my work as city manager and for improving Pattaya’s image. I feel the only course is to file a character defamation suit against the mayor of Pattaya. The removal of any city manager should be approved by the city council first."

To help alleviate ill feelings, the city attorney and the city council gave Mr. Songsak a way out by allowing him to resign. This was done on January 12, a week after the ouster was announced.

Fire razes house in Banglamung

A house on Soi Bo-Bay in Banglamung was gutted by fire on January 7, causing an estimated100,000 baht damage. Fire police managed to put out the conflagration before it spread to adjacent dwellings. No injuries were reported. The owner of the house told officers that the fire was caused by sparks from a welding torch which builders next door were using. The welder, however, denied that sparks from his torch caused the blaze.

Local amphetamine dealers arrested in South Pattaya

Police search turns up heroin as well

On January 6, Mr. Vorapoj Sae-Koo, 34, and Mr. Montri Khoontawee, 23, were remanded to custody after they sold 200 baht worth of amphetamines to an undercover police officer.

Searching their apartment in South Pattaya, police found an additional 453 tablets of speed and an unspecified amount of heroin hidden in a cookie jar. They also found 2 account books with the names of regular customers listed.

Both men confessed, blaming their plight on the economic crisis. They said their main customers were young people, to whom they sold the amphetamine tablets for 100 baht each. They purchased the drug in lots of 200, for which they paid 9,000 baht.

The two men were charged with possession and sale of Schedule One forbidden substances. They now await trial.

German tourist falls to his death

Police surmise suicide

40 year old German tourist Erich Berner, allegedly unrequited in love, fell from his hotel room to his death last week.

On January 6, police were called to a Pattaya hotel by a trembling desk clerk who had seen Erich Berner go hurtling past the window, giving her quite a fright. The tourist had died on impact with the ground.

Checking his room, police found many beer bottles on the table and no sign of a struggle or foul play.

A friend of Berner’s, also a German national, approached officers and offered to give testimony. He told officers that he and Berner were in Pattaya on holiday. The night of January 5, he and Berner had gone to drink at a beer bar in Pattaya. After becoming quite drunk, they returned to their hotel. It wasn’t until the next morning that he learned his friend was dead. He apparently could not come up with a reason for the incident.

Officers then question Ms. Chaliow Sithitham, 42, a housekeeper at the hotel. She told them that on the afternoon of the fifth she had seen a bar girl, approximately 25 years of age, enter Berner’s room. She said she then heard sounds of a quarrel coming from inside the room, after which the young women exited the room.

Police conjecture that before his death, the tourist may have been drinking in his room and thinking of the quarrel he had with the young woman. He was probably waiting for her to return.

When she didn’t return, the police believe he probably went into a frenzy of emotion and, not thinking of the consequences, threw himself out the window.

Police are now looking for the bar girl.

Police detain illegal tour guide

Russian woman caught without proper permit

Without the proper permits, Ms. Tanyana Sikhosilova from russia was detained for operating an illegal tour service.

On January 6, Pattaya Tourist Police arrested a Russian woman for working as a guide with no permit after authorities of the Tourism Authority of Thailand and a squad of police officers performed a check of the permits of guides operating out of U-Tapao Airport.

Authorities spotted the woman guiding tourists onto a bus and, suspecting foul play, followed the bus to a large hotel in Banglamung. When the bus reached its destination, officers approached the woman and requested to see her credentials.

The woman, Ms. Tanyana Sikhosilova, 19, a Russian national, had no permit. Officers took her into custody and to the Tourist Police Station for questioning. After questioning, the woman was charged with operating as an illegal guide.

Second attack on Rojana Karaoke owners

Father killed, son targeted but missed

Policed were called in to help a critically wounded man on Pattaya Central Road last week. Arriving at the scene, officers found Khomsan Julapan, 20, the owner of a the Rojana Karaoke, which is allegedly a front for a brothel, holding another young man, ‘Tong’, 20, who had been shot by a man wielding a .38 mm pistol.

Khomsan told officers that he recently opened a second branch of his questionable business and invited ‘Tong’ to manage the establishment. He and ‘Tong’ were traveling by motorcycle to the second establishment when another motorcycle appeared and forced them to the side of the road. The pillion rider pulled out a pistol and aimed it at Khomsan, but the bullet went wild and hit ‘Tong’.

The Karaoke owner told police he had never had any problems with anyone. Police did not believe him though, as Khomsan’s father, Somwang Julaphan, had just been murdered two days earlier. Police arrested three men for that crime.

Officers assume that Khomsan was next on the ‘hit list’.

‘Tong’ was shot in the neck. Physicians operated immediately, but the prognosis is grim.

Police briefs

Burmese prostitutes deported

On January 8, Pattaya Immigration Police arrested a group of illegal aliens from Burma who were engaged in the sex trade.

Officers surrounded a nameless boarding house in Soi Yume and found 9 Burmese women who had come to Pattaya to sell sexual services. They were arrested and are being deported.

Police have taken a stand and plan to stamp out high crimes and misdemeanors of this type in Pattaya.

Teens arrested for speed party

Officers sent to the Supinya Apartment on Soi Arunothai arrested a group of teenagers found smoking methamphetamine.

When the adolescents saw police, they began weeping piteously. All confessed, telling police that the whole world was being turned upside-down and they had family problems due to financial woes, the collapse of the economy and the IMF.

Immigration Police delivered them to the Pattaya Police, who took over from there.

Boy caught attempting to steal motorcycle

On January 9, a 37 year old woman apprehended a 14 year old in boy in the process of stealing her motorcycle.

Ms. Somjai Chainoi, 37, had parked her bike on Soi Nern Plub Waan. She later caught the boy trying to steal it, and took him to the police station.

The boy told the police he was stealing the motorcycle because his parents had given no money to go out on his school holidays.

The arresting officer told Ms. Somjai that it was not in the boy’s interest to have a criminal record at 14.

Police Captain Chareon instead decided to put the boy under the supervision of the Social Welfare Department and give counseling to the family. The captain said he would also have Social Welfare officials investigate the family.

Police break up another small-time gambling party

On January 7, Pattaya Police once again managed to break up a small time gambling party, arresting several poker players.

Out on patrol, uniformed police arrested a group of people playing poker on Soi Aladdin. At the police station, 45 year old Mr. Chanchai Khatikaew confessed to being the owner of the house in front of which the gambling was taking place and a participant in the card game. Officers charged him with illegal gambling.

All forms of gambling except for betting at the racetrack and participating in the government lottery are illegal.

Government investigating VAT

Studying ways to increase efficiency

The Office of Public Relations of the Prime Minister’s Office published the findings of a meeting regarding the results of collections and refunds of VAT. They decided that the Department of Revenue should quickly solve the problems of VAT refunds in order to increase efficiency.

Phase One.

1.1 The Department of Revenue will summon individuals and check their income and the involved taxes.

1.2 The government should consider not giving refunds (to those whose buying was less than their selling) in cash each month. Instead, the taxpayer should request it in credit first and may request that it be refunded once a year. A personal income form should be submitted. The refunds in cash should only be given to those who export and have evidence of export or evidence of going out of business.

2. Long Term. The Revenue Department should increase penalties for those who cheat on taxes and increase protection for those who pay their taxes.

2.1 Explore the possibility of printing government tax forms.

2.2 Consider criminal penalties for those intentionally involved in tax evasion or fraud.

2.3 All companies, corporations and partnerships should be in the VAT program without having to state their income beforehand.

2.4 Ordinary taxpayers should lower their estimate of income in order to build an extended tax base.

Aside from this the committee agreed with the Office of Government Finance in their auditing of funds as follows:

1. In conducting criminal cases against those involved in tax evasion, there are many more cases of tax evasion which the Revenue Department does not know about as these companies are submitting false reports and/or using only credit. These tax evaders are often cheating the government out of more money than the one’s under criminal prosecution.

2. The Revenue Department should have clearer guidelines on prosecution when the Revenue Department finds that a business is using false expense forms which hampers proper tax collection but the Revenue Department has not audited the above-mentioned company or person thereof.

Pattaya’s wandering minstrels

by Add

We often see beggars on the streets. We also often see musicians performing on the streets and ‘passing the hat’. Many think of these people as both being in one category: beggars.

But ‘passing the hat’ is not a dirty word for the husband and wife team of Thong Dee and Patty.

Patty and Thong Dee can be seen entertaining along the streets of Pattaya.

Mr. Chaya Skulthong calls himself ‘Thong Dee’, which means ‘good gold’. From a small farming village in the Isan or Lao speaking community of Thailand, he used to play in pubs and restaurants.

"I played in dozens of them and was popular with the customers," he says. "But I began to realize that this was not freedom. Being at the whim of employers, who often made excuses not to pay us, was not a ‘job’. There was no freedom and no real satisfaction.

"It was then I decided to take up the life of a ‘wandering minstrel’, playing at temple fairs, on the streets and appearing at parties. I did this because of the freedom.

"I have also written hit songs for See Phuak (a well-known Thai singer), which is another source of income. But for us, the happiest experience is when we pass by an outdoor restaurant and people call us to sing for them. Being wanted is much more satisfying than being a ‘fixture’."

Ms. Phacharin Surapraphin, or ‘Patty’, the other half of the husband-wife team, agrees. "I sang in so many indoor establishments, many people assumed I was a prostitute. The usual comment was, ‘You have an amazingly good voice for ...uh, a girl who works in a bar.’ They could not imagine that I sang because I loved it."

Less than a year ago, each was an independent singer, practicing the trade of ‘wandering minstrel’. Their paths would cross and they would often see each other in the same places. They began to talk and found conversation was easy and an attraction developed. They decided to become a duo.

Patty says, "Thong Dee usually sings ‘songs of social comment’ (a Thai form of the Woodie Guthrie style). He also sings in the Thai language. I like to sing in English and other languages. We actually complemented each other well."

When asked why they had only one guitar, as both were known for their skill on the instrument, Patty laughed, "We sometimes do have two guitars. But Thong Dee has now lost a total of 12 instruments through sheer forgetfulness. I suggested he borrow my guitar when he plays and I take care of the one instrument. We haven’t lost one since adopting this method."

When asked about their average income, Thong Dee and Patty say it’s up to the stars. "Some days we make over 500 baht, some days we make less than 100."

Thong Dee continued, "A businessman once asked us why we would be in a profession in which the income fluctuated so wildly. I asked him if his company made a profit every day. He just scratched his head and laughed."

Patty concluded, "It’s wonderful being your own boss."

This is a part of the entertainment world which was once tradition but now has become the exception. A husband and wife who work together, love their work and whose rewards come from their talent for entertaining others.

You may meet up with Thong Dee and Patty on the Walking Street, the Tourist Pier, or at various restaurants in Pattaya.

Save the Environment celebrated at Eastern Seaboard schools

Children seen as saviors of the future

On January 8, schools in Rayong and Chonburi celebrated ‘Save the Environment’ with exciting and stimulating exhibitions. Pattaya Mayor Pairat Suthithamrongsawat presided.

Tasteful young lasses dressed in their best show off their environmental projects.

On this very ‘green’ day, there were exhibitions at the various schools concerning the conservation of the marine, riparian, chaparral and desert environments in Thailand.

One of the sponsors of the environmental event was the Pacific Plastics Company Ltd. and the Organization for the Betterment of Children and Young People, who donated a total of 1,500,000 baht to the 22 participating schools.

As Thailand’s forests disappear and her wildlife is only seen in zoos, adults realize that it is the duty of the children to bring these resources back to life.

The children were encouraged to take care of the environment, which is breathing its last gasp.

Becoming famous by doing nothing

Editorial by Kittisak Khamthong

In international society and all cultures, important parties or ‘functions’ are announced by issuing invitations, word of mouth, and advertisements in newspapers. One, of course, wants a party to be well-attended by a certain group of people, be it family, friends or, in business, partners and customers.

A party could be defined as a funeral, a birthday party, or an exhibition of products. All of these are ‘promoted’ in some fashion.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand decided to hold an exhibition, ‘The Gems and Jewelry Fair, ‘99’ in Pattaya. The ‘Fair’ was scheduled for January 8-21, 1999 at the Royal Garden Plaza, Pattaya.

The Pattaya Media, however, was not notified. Conversely, the central media in Bangkok was courted and cajoled to attend by the organizers. This is a disturbing pattern in Thailand.

The central media in Bangkok is still considered the ‘only’ media in the country. Nothing was announced in Pattaya and the only way the local media or people could know of this event was to read it on flyers plastered on telephone poles around the city.

The Pattaya media were not invited, but wanted to report the news, so ‘crashed’ the party. During the inception of this exhibition, the organizers didn’t want tourists and the ‘general public’ attending.

But it became ‘news’ when a lunatic called in and told the manager of the Royal Garden that they had planted a bomb under the fountain of the first floor. The caller told administrative staff that the bomb would explode at 3:00 p.m., the time when the ‘official opening’ of the fair would be held.

Important people, such as MP Sontaya Khunpleum, son of Somchai Khunpleum (Kamnam Poh) would be at the venue. Somchai Khunpleum is known for his great influence on the Eastern Seaboard and is presently Mayor of Saensukh Municipality.

When the bomb threat was phoned in, the ‘gate crashing’ local media went into high gear to report the bomb threat. It had not been informed of the show but here was a chance to ‘scoop’ other reporters. The presence of important people high in the government was also big news.

There was no bomb.

Nonetheless, what I am wondering is, why don’t the administrators of the Tourism Authority of Thailand in Pattaya inform the local media of noteworthy events? Why do they always entrust the promotion to the Bangkok media? Could it be because they are upset that the local media has dared criticized them?

The Tourism Authority of Thailand in Pattaya often accuses the local media of ‘destroying tourism’ in the area. But I believe it is more a case of personal disputes which have become public. In the end, everyone loses.

The news media here wonders why administrators who do not cooperate with or have its trust, continue to stubbornly remain in office.

A particular high ranking person in the local branch of the TAT has made no progress and produces no results, aside from a lot of ‘big talk’. This person does not get along with the local media.

Mr. Local Administrator of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, are you afraid that someone else might do a good job if given the chance? Is that why you continue to occupy that chair without doing anything? But its true that you are well known and have a ‘face’ without doing anything to deserve it. It’s time to do something positive or move on and let someone capable take over.

Pattaya Carnival planned for February

The Tourism Authority of Thailand announced that this year’s ‘Pattaya Carnival’ will be held from February 13-21, 1999.

The purpose of the Pattaya Carnival is to encourage activities which will promote Pattaya as a local and international tourist destination, and induce Thai people to spend their vacations in country so as not to have a large outflow of currency.

There will be a myriad of activities, such as:

Cultural shows from each region

A huge concert by well-known performing artists

Games galore

Food festivals on the beach

A ‘Who Can Sound Most Like a Dog’ contest

For details, call the Tourism Authority of Thailand office, Region 3 at 428-750, 429-113, 427-667 or Fax at 429-113. Everyone start practicing howling and barking now.

Copyright 1998 Pattaya Mail Publishing Co.Ltd.
370/7-8 Pattaya Second Road, Pattaya City, Chonburi 20260, Thailand 
Tel.66-38 411 240-1, 413 240-1, Fax:66-38 427 596; e-mail: [email protected]
Created by Andy Gombaz, assisted by Chinnaporn Sangwanlek.