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City urges caution about land instability
Possible sinkholes as a result of seismic activity
Suchada Tupchai
The public relations office at Pattaya City Hall has issued
a cautionary warning to residents concerning the possibility of sinkholes
occurring in the region due to the after effects of the seismic activity off
the shore of Indonesia and the subsequent tsunami.
The warning was issued for 49 provinces after a number of
sinkholes and incidences where the ground had moved building structures were
reported at 19 locations in Thailand.
Pattaya officials have urged building owners and residents
to report such incidents or any extraordinary building movements. They also
urged that if residents see the beginnings of a sinkhole that they stay at last
100 meters away from it.
Chonburi has been included in the 49 provinces with
potential problem areas being identified as Chonburi City area: Huay Kapi
sub-district; Sriracha District: Bangpra, Surasak, Tunhsukhla sub districts;
Sattahip: Sattahip, Plutaluang, Bang Saray and Saemsarn sub-districts; Borthong
district: Borthong and Ponwongtong sub-districts.
Reports should be directed to the Department of Mineral
Resources at telephone 02-2023744-5. Visit the website www. dmr.go.th for
further information.
Minister of Tourism and Sports inspects indoor stadium progress
“Should” be completed nearly on time
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
The construction of Pattaya’s Indoor Sport Stadium is
almost on schedule. Sontaya Khunplome, tourism and sports minister and Santiparp
Dechawanich, Thailand Sports Authority governor inspected the progress of the
Soi Chaiyrapruk 2 venue last week.
The new 472.5 million indoor sports stadium began
construction in November 2004 with a 450 day schedule for completion, due on
October 30 this year. Once completed, it will host the inaugural Asian Indoor
Games due to be held November 12 to 19 on the 140 rai site.
(From left)
Chanyuth Hengtrakul, Mayor Niran Wattanasartsathorn and Sontaya Khunplome
inspect the plans and progress of Pattaya’s new indoor stadium.
Following the inspection, Sontaya revealed that that
construction was only slightly behind schedule due to delays in pouring
concrete. “I am satisfied with the progress but have instructed all parties,
whether it is the Sports Authority of Thailand or Pattaya City to fully
cooperate with the contractors to keep the project on schedule in order to avoid
delays of the important upcoming sporting event. It will increase Pattaya’s
sports and tourism sectors as a result of the stadium and I am assured that it
will be open on time,” said Sontaya.
When completed, the stadium will contain a 200 meter running track, a center
arena and enough seating for 4,000 people. Contractors Sino-Thai Engineering and
Construction Plc. and designers SPC Consulting Engineering Co. Ltd. have over
900 workers on site to complete the stadium on time.
Justice Department hosts seminar to uphold social order
Suchada Tupchai
The Justice Department held a seminar at the Town in Town
Hotel to efficiently develop volunteers to control public behavior, and to
stress activities for crime prevention. On January 19, Puangkeaw Chuachoi,
director of the Department of Probation Office under the Justice Ministry in
Region 2 officiated over the opening ceremonies. Over 100 people attended
the conference.
Assistant
Professor, Dr. Sutin Noppakate addresses the volunteers at the seminar.
In an opening address, the office’s assistant director,
Alongkorn Kanchanachiwa, explained that volunteers are trained to assist in
social order, crime prevention and extend mutual cooperation to various
communities.
The volunteer project aims to protect residents by
educating the community about correct behavior, and by providing help with
crime suppression. Their presence is intended to aid law enforcement and
heighten a sense of security within the populace.
Qualified experts including Dr. Sutin Noppakate, director
of Human Rights in Thailand and Chaiwat Ranglek, director of the Department
of Probation Office in Rayong lectured the volunteers on human rights,
social order and techniques in how to join with community leaders in mutual
cooperation for the good of society.
Certificates were presented to those in attendance for completing the
seminar.
Walking Street’s “Walk of Love” to entice lovers on Valentines Day
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
Deputy Mayor Wirawat Kakhai called a meeting on January 13 to
discuss details of the city’s celebration of Valentines Day. This special
occasion will be coordinated by the I.D Graffic Co. Ltd. which is making
preparations in South Pattaya’s Walking Street and aims to attract visitors to
the city’s most famous tourist area.
February 14 is officially Valentines Day, but Pattaya City
will expand the celebrations from February 12-14 to allow tourists to make the
most of this lovers’ holiday.
The city will decorate about 400 meters of the area, from the
Walking Street archway to Tony’s Disco. The area will be divided into zones;
the first zone being around the Walking Street archway, which will be designed
as a Christian church. The next zone will be decorated with flowers and colorful
cloths, and dry ice will furnish a soft and dreamy atmosphere. Every 30 minutes
lights will change from pink to red for 100 meters along a game arch and show
floor that will be set up in the area.
The second zone will become a lovers’ garden, complete with
a Cupid statue and a fountain, surrounded with a selection of beautiful flowers.
A night star held by a wire net catching the light, will grace the third zone at
a game arch, producing the effect of a falling star.
Entertainment will include music from Sony Music Camp and
Grammy Camp, and many games involving loving couples and tourists competing with
each other. Shops will be packed with items associated with Valentines Day such
as bouquets of flowers, cards, chocolates and romantic memorabilia.
A stunning extravaganza, the “Walk of Love” will
definitely be one of Pattaya’s most memorable Valentines Day events.
Pattaya City announces registration for disabled people
Suchada Tupchai
The Social Welfare Department in Pattaya City announced that
Pattaya City Hall will open a handicapped registration facility to help the
large population of disabled persons in the city, with an aim to make
registration easier.
The facility will accommodate individuals who are
categorized at level 3 of disability, which labels them as able to help
themselves in their daily lives and live independently. The registration area
will help people who need advice, assistance or medical supplies. This group
also includes those who cannot go outside to study, work or operate in society
alone.
Level 3 handicapped people who want to register must prepare
the following documents; [1] an ID card, or an official card, or an alien
immigrant card, or official documents issued by an Official Department, [2] 3
sets of house registration documents, [3] 2 photos 1.5 x 1.5 inches, [4] a
certificate issued by a government hospital physician stating the person is
disabled or certified disabled by the Ministry of Health (1 copy).
In the case of registration for a disabled person other than
yourself, you must submit evidence of documents for the disabled person as
follows: [1] the ID card of the person (1 copy), or their official card, or
their alien immigrant card, or their official documents, [2] the power of
attorney or official certificate (1 set), [3] the 3 sets of house registration
documents for the handicapped person you are registering for, [4] 2 photos of
the person 1.5 x 1.5 inches, [5] the judgment stating they are disabled, or
have an appointed guardian in case of a minor with no parents, or the parents
have dismissed their rights as guardians, [6] a certificate issued by a
government hospital physician stating the person is disabled or certified
disabled by the Ministry of Health (1 copy).
Any handicapped people who would like to register can do so
at Pattaya City Hall on January 28 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Bring all necessary
registration documents.
The Pattaya City Social Welfare Department’s vehicle
service can transport handicapped people who are not physically able to come to
Pattaya City Hall for registration. Those in need of this service can contact
the Social Welfare Department, tel. 038-371123 ext. 195. On the registration
date physicians will be present to check and rate the disability of the
handicapped people who come to register and don’t know the extent of their
disabilities.
Chonburi’s parliamentary candidates out on the campaign trail
Boonlua Chatree
Campaigning for Chonburi’s parliamentary elections is in
full swing, with candidates out on the trail meeting residents, kissing babies
and shaking hands.
Campaigning
for the February 6 elections is in full swing.
Last week Wittaya Khunplome, Chanyuth Hengtrakul, Poramet
Ngamphichet and former RTN Vice Admiral Roje Vipaphumipratet, all running on
the Thai Rak Thai ticket, paid visits to the markets in Sattahip to rally
voters.
The four candidates took to the stage to introduce
themselves to vendors and market patrons. In their speeches they voiced support
for the Taksin administration’s plans for the next four years, which they
said will focus on the Thai people. The promise is to create a better quality
of life for everyone, with the main aim of eliminating poverty in Thailand and
eradicating illegal drugs from society.
The candidates pledged to help residents achieve the
government’s goals and provide a means of support for those unable to find a
job or work due to their personal circumstances.
National elections are scheduled to take place on February 6.
Three escape death as pile driver crashes down on Soi 6/1
Negligence cited as main cause
Ariyawat Nuamsawat
A beer bar owner eating outside her premises, a som tam
vendor and her husband narrowly escaped death when a pile driver tipped
over and came crashing down on them. The force of the impact left a deep
hole in the concrete and damaged 2 cars parked along the small soi.
Shortly after 3 p.m. on Monday afternoon, January 24,
the regular hustle and bustle of the small soi was shattered when the large
pile-driving crane tipped over.
Two
cars were crushed and one woman was injured when after a pile driver tipped
over on Soi 6/1.
The injured woman, Noppar Sudsudar sustained serious
head injuries when the large mass of steel fell on top of her beer
bar/laundry. The som tam seller was luckier, as he managed to jump out the
way of the falling object. Two cars were crushed in accident. Noppar was
taken to Pattaya Memorial Hospital for treatment, and doctors kept her
under observation overnight in case of any brain hemorrhaging.
Initial investigations revealed that the contractor,
Viroje Construction Company was contracted by the landowners to build the
Foreshore Thai Hotel on the land next to the soi. The equipment used to
drive foundation pylons into the ground was past its used by date, and
there was an apparent lack of safety controls on the building site.
Mayor Niran Wattanasartsathorn, who inspected the scene
said, “This particular construction site has received a number of
complaints from residents concerning the excessive noise and level of
safety. (Pattaya) has yet to enforce safe building regulations with regards
to the laying of foundation pylons, similar to that enforced in Bangkok.
However, this accident is clearly a case of negligence and police will
investigate and deal with (the contractors) accordingly.”
The injured woman’s husband was visibly upset, but
said that the construction company had promised pay for medical bills and
damages.
Police, however, are still on the lookout for the careless worker
responsible for the accident.
Tourists robbed at gunpoint atop Pattaya Hill
Boonlua Chatree
Two tourists from the United Arab Emirates were the latest
victims of Pattaya’s criminal youths. The pair was on their way to the top
of Pattaya Hill when a gang of teenage youths held them at gunpoint, making
off with cash, a mobile phone and a motorbike.
 Saeed
Sultan (left) and Abdullah Hassan make their statement to police.
Saeed Sultan and Abdullah Hassan, both from Dubai, reported
the crime to the Pratamnak police box shortly after 2.30 a.m. on January 18.
Both men had sustained injuries when the 4 youths pistol-whipped them before
making off with their belongings. They described their 4 attackers as teens
from 16 to 20 years old.
According to their report they were on their way up to the
top of the hill to view Pattaya Bay and the city at night when the boys
approached and demanded them to hand over their cash and goods. A total of
1,300 baht and 300 Malaysian ringgits were stolen, along with the other items.
Police recorded the two men’s statement before taking them to hospital to
receive treatment for their injuries. Police are still searching for the 4
muggers.
Norwegian resident passes away in Jomtien
Boonlua Chatree
Police were called to a Jomtien guesthouse shortly after 9
p.m. on January 18 following a report of the death of foreigner. Officers
arrived at the Barbierong Guesthouse on Jomtien Beach and were taken to the 5th
floor apartment where the man had passed away.
They found Arne Hansen, 65, from Norway on the floor.
Initial examinations revealed no signs of foul play and the room was neat and
orderly.
Police questioned Khumkrong Kidchem, 43, the deceased’s
girlfriend; she told them that she and Arne had been together for just over a
year. She told police that he had been receiving treatment for kidney disease
and earlier that afternoon Arne had complained about not being able to go to
the bathroom.
Khumkrong suggested that her partner go to a doctor to get
it checked out but he appeared uninterested in doing so. Khumrong said she had
gone out for some time and returned to find him dead on the floor.
Officers took down the woman’s statements before sending
the body to the police forensic institute for a post mortem examination.
Police surmise that the man’s death was caused by kidney
failure, which is yet to be verified by medical authorities.
Drunken tourist attempts
to trash restaurant
Boonlua Chatree
Pattaya police detained a drunken Russian tourist, later
identified only as ‘Igor’, after he attempted to destroy a small Walking
Street restaurant.
Officers arrived on the scene when the owner called for
assistance. They found the man throwing chairs, tables and a beer bottle around
the area. Police handcuffed the soused man and took him to the station for
questioning. Two of the man’s friends joined him.
Russian
liquid courage created an eventful arrest.
Along the way one of the tourists threw his gold chain on
the road forcing police to stop and collect it. The three Russians tried to
escape by attempting to take the handcuffs off their friend.
Arriving at Soi 9 the trio refused to enter the police
station, again forcing the officers to use a little muscle power. The tussle
lasted over 30 minutes until police had to call the men’s tour operator to
talk to them. Once they understood the situation they calmed down long
enough to be questioned.
According to the restaurant owner, Busarin Prasiton, 18, the man had
tried to destroy her property and sent her customers fleeing in fear. She
called for 2,000 baht in compensation for damages sustained to both her
business and property. The man agreed to pay the sum. Police recorded the
incident and the tourists were set free with a warning to behave themselves.
Teen shot on roadside refuses to answer police questions
Claims revenge is imminent
Boonlua Chatree
The latest incident in gang violence involved a
17-year-old youth who was shot outside a Third Road entertainment venue.
However, the victim was less than cooperative when officers attempted to
find the shooter.
Police arrived at the Pattaya Memorial Hospital shortly
after 10.30 p.m. on January 19 after hospital staff reported the admittance
of Suchart Sitti. Doctors were in the process of removing a .38 caliber slug
from the teen’s buttocks when police began their questioning. The youth
refused to register a police complaint or give further details. Suchart said
he knew the rival gang well and would take care of them himself.
Police left the emergency room to question the injured
boy’s friends. Danai Duangsuk, 17, told officers that Suchart had had an
altercation with a group of teens, but he didn’t know them. They were
riding along Pattaya Third Road when a gang of teens fired shots into their
group, one of which hit Suchart. Danai said he and other friends brought in
Suchart for treatment at the hospital.
Police have been forced to wait until the injured makes a
police statement before they can act on the shooting; however, they are
continuing with their investigations.
Pattaya’s teenage gangs are continuing their reign of
terror throughout the city. Despite calls from residents to put a halt to
the violence and muggings, they continue to escalate with law enforcement
agencies appearing to do little about it.
EDITORIAL: Don’t lose your footing
Suchada Tupchai
It appears we might be in for even more headaches caused by
the earthquake and subsequent tsunami that recently hit the southern part of
Thailand. The government has just released a warning to the country: watch out
for sinkholes.
Lertsin Raksasakulwong, director of the Department of
Mineral Resources, recently released the warning after people in the south and
northeast of the country began getting “that sinking feeling”.
The first warning sign usually shows up in areas where there
are large amounts of concrete, i.e., boundary walls cracking due to the effects
of earth movement. The second warning signs include an odd sound of falling
earth, or water seeping through concrete for no apparent reason, or cracks in
paths 3-5 meters in length and with a spider web appearance.
It seems as if nature is reacting from the shock.
Thailand’s Department of Mineral Resources director has announced 49
provinces where there is potential for such incidents to occur. Chonburi is one
of those provinces. However, so far there has been very little reaction from
officialdom to the alarming warnings and potential danger in Chonburi, and
chances are that little fuss will be made in the other provinces either.
Yet another phenomenon relating to moving earth to watch out
for is the opportunity for landslides instead of sinkholes. Evidently there are
two main opportunities for this to happen: firstly if the ground is soft and
secondly if there is an embankment.
Even though these two issues (sinkholes and landslides) have
been made public, so far no one is game enough to point out exactly where the
potential hazards could be located, as there has been no solid evidence to
substantiate any claims.
However, the most worrying thing - if there is potential for
a sinkhole - is the number of buildings and construction sites that have
altered their structures illegally throughout the country, leaving a
possibility for catastrophe looming like dark clouds on the horizon of a sunny
day. Effective town and country planning has never been Thailand’s strong
point, and enforcing strict and safe building codes is still all but
non-existent.
The current building control legislation for multistoried
buildings allows for regular settling and minor earth movement. But building
owners appear not to be interested in the issue because “it could never
happen to them”. That is also what everyone thought about a tsunami hitting
Thailand.
The opportunity is there and it is up to lawmakers and
officials to enforce building laws to enable multi-story structures to handle
extreme conditions. Structures already completed can be reinforced but the time
to change is now. Thailand is a growing country and the need to tighten
building regulations is at hand.
Earnest catastrophe prevention and solving building issues
today should not be thought of as short-term profit/loss (although addressing
these issues now could very well avoid major losses, which would lead to bigger
profits, at a later date), but are instead our responsibility to society.
To people who cannot see the problem, in the end it could
very well be - sorry, it’s too late! You’ve lost your footing on the
present - no chance to correct the problem once the damage is done.
More than 2,000 people participate in Teacher’s Day 2005 at Sukhawadee House
Ariyawat
Nuamsawat
National Teacher’s Day in Thailand is a day for pupils
and students to pay tribute and respect to their mentors and educators. On
this day, youngsters around the kingdom gather to thank their teachers and
send cards and flowers to the people who dedicate their lives to molding the
character of the nation’s youth in preparation to enter mainstream
society.
Over 2,000
people turned out to honor teachers at Teachers Day ceremonies held at
Sukhawadee House.
Owner of Sukhawadee House, Dr. Panya Chotitaewan opened
“Teacher’s Day 2005”. Held on the premises on January 16, advisor to
the ministry of tourism and sports, Santsak Ngamphichet (a parliament
candidate for the Chonburi Province in Zone 6); Idthipol Khunplome (a
parliament candidate for Chonburi Province in Zone 5), and Mayor Niran
Wattanasartsathorn attended the ceremony. Teachers from Banglamung district,
VIPs and over 2,000 people from the general public gathered to celebrate
this special day. The motto of the day was, “Teachers nurture the people
and the nation through science and art. The entire country believes in and
cherishes the teacher.”
The morning’s formalities started with a Buddhist ceremony, after which
students gathered to thank their educators for passing on their invaluable
knowledge and showing them the right path to life. In return, the Council of
Teachers praised supporters and presented awards to the best teachers from
each school.
Child rehabilitation center
to be built in Phuket
In Memory of His Majesty the King’s grandson Khun Poom Jensen
A child rehabilitation center will be
built in Thailand’s southern resort province of Phuket in memory of Khun
Poom Jensen, the grandson of His Majesty the King, who died in last
month’s tsunami disaster, a senior Public Health Ministry official said on
Friday, January 21.
Dr. Vichai Tienthavorn, the permanent secretary for
public health, said that the center, to be called Baan Khun Poom, will be
built near Watchira Phuket General Hospital with a contribution from Her
Royal Highness Crown Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.
Phuket was one of the country’s six southern provinces
hit by the giant waves on December 26, which claimed the lives of more than
5,300 people, while over 8,400 were injured and thousands of others still
missing in Thailand alone.
Dr. Vichai said the center will provide rehabilitation
for children, as well as care for those with autism. He said that HRH Crown
Princess Sirindhorn had made a donation for the construction of Baan Khun
Poom, and that the Public Health Ministry would cover the balance.
Meanwhile, a World Health Organization (WHO)
representative in Thailand suggested that communities take part in efforts
to rehabilitate the mental health of tsunami survivors who lost their
properties and assets, as well as loved ones in the disaster.
Dr. Samlee Plianbangchang, director of the WHO Southeast
Asian Regional Office, said on Friday that those people need urgent
assistance for post-traumatic stress. “Long-term assistance is also
necessary for them; otherwise, their mental health will become even
worse,” he said. (TNA)
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