A consortium of organizers met at Pattaya City Hall to finalize preparations for the contest. Chairing the meeting was Mr. Weerawat Kharkhai, Pattaya Deputy Mayor, which was also attended by Mr. Boonakiet Wiwatthanadecha, Managing Director of V C Sports Production, the Contest Organisation Chairman, Mr. Saran Tantijamnan, General Manager of Central Festival Pattaya Beach and Miss Theeraphorn Jatnava of Central Center Pattaya.

The prize for the winner is Bt15,000, the 2nd prize will be Bt10,000, and the 3rd prize Bt7,000. All prize winners will also be presented with an honour cup. In addition, there will be an Honorable Mention Award and a Public Voice Stars’ Prize of Bt5,000. The winning youth will proceed to professional Thai country music status.

Mr. McInnes revealed that Kumite was an internationally certified form of self-defense taught in Thailand through authorization by the Ministry for Education since 2003. Kumite is also an established martial art form in Japan, China and many other countries outside of Asia.

Thailand obtained authorization to host the 2010 Kumite Championships following the world body’s acceptance that the required specialists and event organizers were present in the Kingdom. Further agreeing, Thailand is a prime destination to encourage the continued promotion of the sport due to the tourism industries influence.

Mr. McInnes was appearing at the promotional event having recently been arrested after a warrant was issued for a series of gun and explosive related charges. Mr. McInnes was granted bail of 100,000 baht which he subsequently posted and as such continued in a strictly promotional role for the World Kumite Championship event organizers.

Related News:

Pattaya Music Festival 2010 Announced

The grand Pattaya Music Festival is back in town to entertain music lovers. This is an unrivalled opportunity to enjoy a weekend of listening and dancing to beautiful music performed by more than 100 musicians. Fun awaits everyone, on the weekend of March 19th-21st.

Announcing Pattaya’s “Yamaha Young Talent Contest 2010″

A Yamaha Talent Festival has been announced for the young, organized by Tiffany Theatre Pattaya. The event will give the youth of the region a chance to impress and win the Princess Somsawalee award along with 700,000 baht in prize money.

Pattaya United Gets New Look for Thai Premier League 2010

Pattaya’s soccer club plans move to new club in North Pattaya on Sukhumvit Road, where an up to date sports complex is being built.

Following notification from a senior police officer of the whereabouts of a fugitive robbery suspect and acting under the authority an arrest warrant, dated 30 April 2009, Major Arun Phromphan (Chief Inspector of Pattaya Tourist Police) and his team of Tourist Police swooped on a rented house in Soi Mabyailia, managing to arrest the suspect,  Mongkhonchai Tharana, 27, from Thatakieb, Chacherngsao, who was found in the possession of Bt 12,000; all that remained from an original Bt1,830,000 stolen by Tharana and his accomplice.

Tharana was subsequently taken to Pattaya Tourist Police Station for interrogation. Once there, he confessed that he and his lady-boy accomplice, Jack, 27, had robbed Mr. Buren Karaboey, a Turkish national, of 61,000 Swiss Francs/Bt1,830,000. Tharana said that Mr. Buren had hired him for sex, but he had somehow sneaked his friend, Jack, into the hotel room and secreted him under the bed before sexual relations took place. During sex, Tharana had apparently managed to take the money from his victim’s pocket, nearby, and surreptitiously slipped it to Jack under the bed. Then, as Tharana and Buren took a shower together, Jack had escaped from the room to meet up later with Tharana and the pair escaped by car with the loot. Afterwards, the pair went to Malaysia, where they stayed until nearly all the money had run out, after which they returned to Pattaya. Jack is apparently still on the run.

The Tourist Police Commander, Maj. Gen. Adisorn Ngamjitsuksri, is apparently eager to rush this case to trial as it tarnishes Pattaya City’s image.

Related News:

Lady Boy Prostitutes Bash & Rob Iranian in Pattaya

An Iranian national has been robbed and assaulted at his rental room in North Pattaya. The man had engaged the services of a lady boy in North Pattaya who along with another lady boy and a Thai man, robbed him of nearly 30,000 baht.

Swiss National Robbed After Eating Chocolate

A Swiss national took two females to his room, only to be later robbed of approximately Bt100,000, after eating a piece of suspected narcotic-laced chocolate. Investigations continue in an attempt to apprehend the two offenders.

Ladyboy Pickpocket Caught by British National in Pattaya

A ladyboy successfully stole the wallet of a drunken British national in the early hours of Thursday morning, before he was then apprehended shortly after by his victim. The incident occurred in the vicinity of ‘Tuk Com’ computer city, South Pattaya.

One Tourist Dies And Another Hospitalized From Spiked Drinks

Pattaya, 29 September,2009, [PDN]: two tourists invited a couple of ladyboys back to their hotel room. While there, one or the other of the ladyboys is suspected of having spiked their hosts’ drinks, with the result that one man died and the other was hosoitalised. The case is under investigation.

Spurned Ladyboy Robs And Knifes Ozzie Tourist On Pattaya Beach Road

Pattaya, July 29,[PDN]: an Australian tourist, walking along Pattaya Beach Road, was solicited by a katoey (ladyboy) who, when rejected, picked the tourist’s pocket, stealing Bt2,200, which he passed to an accomplice. The tourist retaliated and, in the fight which ensued, was knifed by the katoey, but still managed to detain the robber till police arrived.

Under the provisions of this act, specifically Sections 38 and 77, all those who run apartments, guesthouses, condominiums, or hotels that accommodate foreigners are required by law to notify the Immigration Office within 24 hours, and every successive 90-day periods thereafter, of any newcomers to their establishments. Those who fail to comply initially face fines of between Bt800-8,000,  at the rate of Bt200 per day.

This tightening up operation is being run from the regional Transnational Crime Information Centre of Chonburi under Police Colonel Athitsawat Kamonrat, Chonburi Immigration Police Superintendent. The Deputy Police Superintendent of Chonburi Immigration recently conducted a personal sweep of Pattaya and Sriracha for offenders and found 10 guesthouses, with bars down stairs and rental rooms upstairs, that were contravening the law. They will likely face prosecution.

The specific Immigration Act had previously not been strictly enforced and its provisions were not generally well known. Accordingly, Immigration officials reiterated that hotel operators who contravene the regulations will be fined a maximum Bt8,000 if they are apprehended, or Bt4,000 if they report themselves voluntarily to the Immigration Office. For guesthouse operators, the same applies, but the fines are Bt1,600 and Bt800, respectively.

Pattaya Police Superintendent, Police Colonel Nanthawut Suwanla-ong, said he fully supports the new enforcement measures and is ready to assist in any way. A representative of Pattaya’s hospitality industry, Mr. Nathaphong Wongdoa, also declared his support for the new measures and said that he appreciated how the act’s implementation would help in the apprehension of foreign criminals.

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Arriving at the incident, officers discovered the unconscious body of Canadian national, Mr. Nicholas Patrick Roenisch [25] lying on the pavement below the shop house balconies. Mr. Roenisch had suffered a fractured skull in the fall and was bleeding profusely. Medical examination revealed that he was still alive, as such rescue personnel transported him immediately to the Bangkok-Pattaya Hospital.

Investigation at the scene of the incident revealed that Mr. Roenisch had been living in room 43 on the 4^th floor of the unnamed shop house. Police discovered two empty bottles of beer evident on the balcony, which possibly had been drunk by Mr. Roenisch prior to his fall. No signs of a fight or struggle were found and the room did not appear to have been searched.

Police have filed a report on the incident and will proceed to interrogate Mr. Roenisch if or when he recovers from his severe injuries. At present, doctors have refused to comment on the chances of Mr. Roenisch’s recovery.

Related News:

Norwegian Woman Falls From High Rise Condo in Pattaya

Pattaya police were called to the Jomtien Beach Condominium complex on Wednesday night following the suspected suicide of a foreign woman. The Norwegian national allegedly jumped from the 18-storey condominium complex after recently showing signs of what is thought to be some form of dementia.

Swedish National Falls to His Death From Pattaya Hotel

A Swedish national has been found dead on a second floor balcony at the Royal Twin Palace Hotel in South Pattaya. The man in believed to have fallen from the balcony of his room on the 12th floor in an intoxicated state.

Russian National Falls to his Death Off Pattaya Hotel

Yet another suspicious suicide from a Pattaya hotel as a Russian national was found dead early yesterday morning having fallen from his room at the Ambassador Hotel in Na Jomtien.

German National Allegedly Commits Suicide in Pattaya

A German man has been found dead in Naklua after having allegedly committed suicide by jumping from an 8-storey block of apartments at dawn on Wednesday.

Related Features:

The Karmic Perils Of Following Suit

With the Thai penchant for emulating their heroes, especially movie super stars, one has to be careful not to instil ideas in impressionable minds. Apparently, the Japanese have a suicide syndrome which many follow unthinkingly, due to inordinate academic or business pressure. Though the same pressures could hardly be claimed for the majority of Thais, nevertheless, they do like to be copyists. One often sees this among lovelorn bar girls who, when jilted, readily slit their wrists.

Suicide: An Unfortunate Global Occurrence

PDN feels it is necessary to publish the grim truth about the phenomenon of suicide, due to the increasingly large number of suicides in this fair city, which apparently is not viewed universally in this light. This especially as today we have yet again the misfortune to have to report another farang suicide.

Real Circumstances Surrounding a Recent Suicide

“We are the creators of our own destinies and I am still unsure of what mine is. I know I have done the wrong thing in the past and I think we all have but God forgives us all, no matter what we have done.”

Apparently, Sergeant Winut Thongbutr, 29, found the body of a male, dressed in blue jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt, but with no identification papers on him to indicate his age or nationality. The assumed time of death was approximately two weeks ago and the body was later taken to Sattahip Hospital to discover the cause of death.

It is assumed that the body could be that of a crew member of a fishing boat who may possibly have been murdered or who fell into the sea and, not being able to swim, drowned.

The boycott on seafood sold at the vegetable market in Sattahip was because locals were concerned that fish, crabs, shrimp, shellfish and marine animals could have eaten parts of the body and somehow become contaminated!

At the 18-storey condominium project, the body of Norwegian national, Mrs. Anne-Marie Pedercent  [73] was found lying deceased on the grass verge. Mrs. Pedercent had suffered a broken neck, arms and legs in the fall with her skull also found to be fractured in several places. At the scene, Mr. John Henry [68], Mrs. Pedercent’s husband was standing over his wife’s deceased body in an inconsolable state.

Police questioned Mr. Henry, who stated that prior to the incident the couple along with Mr. Henry’s Thai wife, Mrs. Lawipha Lertjarernrung [45] had been inside their room on the 4^th floor of the building. Mr. Henry explained that Mrs. Pedercent had gone out onto the balcony for a cigarette when he and Mrs. Lertjarernrung heard her scream; rushing to the balcony they observed her dead body lying on the ground below.

Mr. Henry explained that he had been with his Norwegian wife for over 40 years, travelling from Norway to Thailand at least once a year, living at the aforementioned condo which they had purchased several years ago. This most recent trip had seen them enter the country on the 10^th of September 2009. Mr. Henry further revealed to police investigators that he believed his wife had been suffering what seemed to be the onset of some form of dementia in recent times which may have caused her to commit suicide.

Investigating officers took statements from Mr. Henry and his Thai wife whilst the body of Mrs. Pedercent was sent for autopsy to determine the cause of death.

Note: Another suspicious suicide death in Pattaya, once again police appear to have found very little evidence to suggest that it was anything but suicide, whether they will follow-up with investigations remains to be seen.

In this particular case, which is remarkably strange to begin with (for various reasons), police should at least attempt to ascertain the relationship that Mr Henry, Mrs Pedercent and Mrs. Lertjarernrung have with each other including the statement regarding Mrs. Lertjarernrung’s failing health.

Having allegedly visited Thailand and presumably Pattaya many times, one would assume that they at least had some close friends in the area that may be able to provide some insight into the case.

Suicide deaths are an all too frequent occurrence in Pattaya, as such below we have provided you with a few of the most recent cases of a similar nature. Searching “suicide” in our website search box at the top of the screen will reveal over 50 other  related news. Unfortunately there is also many more incidents of a similar nature which we have yet to transfer over from the old websites archive.

Recent Related News:

Swedish National Falls to His Death From Pattaya Hotel

A Swedish national has been found dead on a second floor balcony at the Royal Twin Palace Hotel in South Pattaya. The man in believed to have fallen from the balcony of his room on the 12th floor in an intoxicated state.

Russian National Falls to his Death Off Pattaya Hotel

Yet another suspicious suicide from a Pattaya hotel as a Russian national was found dead early yesterday morning having fallen from his room at the Ambassador Hotel in Na Jomtien.

German National Allegedly Commits Suicide in Pattaya

A German man has been found dead in Naklua after having allegedly committed suicide by jumping from an 8-storey block of apartments at dawn on Wednesday.

Related Features:

The Karmic Perils Of Following Suit

With the Thai penchant for emulating their heroes, especially movie super stars, one has to be careful not to instil ideas in impressionable minds. Apparently, the Japanese have a suicide syndrome which many follow unthinkingly, due to inordinate academic or business pressure. Though the same pressures could hardly be claimed for the majority of Thais, nevertheless, they do like to be copyists. One often sees this among lovelorn bar girls who, when jilted, readily slit their wrists.

Suicide: An Unfortunate Global Occurrence

PDN feels it is necessary to publish the grim truth about the phenomenon of suicide, due to the increasingly large number of suicides in this fair city, which apparently is not viewed universally in this light. This especially as today we have yet again the misfortune to have to report another farang suicide.

Real Circumstances Surrounding a Recent Suicide

“We are the creators of our own destinies and I am still unsure of what mine is. I know I have done the wrong thing in the past and I think we all have but God forgives us all, no matter what we have done.”

Although his return to training is seen as a sign that a return may be imminent, no official statements by the golfer or his representatives have been made. At a recent press announcement where Woods apologised for his recent transgressions, Woods stated that he would be returning to golf at some point but gave no indication as to when that point would be.

Various sources within the Woods camp had reported that the former world number one had been considering a return a few weeks prior his emotional press release, with reports stating that wife Elin Nordegren had even encouraged it. Traditionally, even prior to his recent downfall, Woods never committed to an event until the Friday prior to the commencement of the first round.

Speculation has intensified that Woods might consider playing at the exhibition Tavistock Cup in Isleworth or the Arnold palmer Invitational at Bay Hill in Orlando, but as yet nothing has been confirmed.

The Pattaya Music Festival, 2010, to be held from 19-21 March, is being jointly sponsored by the Tourism Authority of Thailand and Pattaya City to the tune of Bt28 million. Pattaya Police will be responsible for road traffic flow, whilst security measures against dangerous weapons and explosives will be handled by the Navy. These pre-emptive measures, it is considered, will prevent any tarnishing of Pattaya’s good image, acquired over a number of years of successful festival organizing.

The Songkran Festival is yet another event likely to provoke concern, especially due to its extended length in Pattaya. The festival is often used as an excuse for the youth, in particular, to let off steam, invariably involving numerous instances of drunkenness, petty crime and worse than normal driving, with an accompanying higher accident rate. Accordingly a steering committee of police and kindred services met to decide on a raft of preventative measures. Those in attendance from the authorities included Police Colonel Somnuk Janket (Banglamung Police Superintendent), Police Lieutenant Colonel Supphachat Piammanat (Banglamung Police Crime Suppression Deputy Superintendent), Police Major Kamon Thaweesri (Banglamung Police Chief Inspector), and a team of police and volunteers, as well as officers from Banglamung Hospital and Sawangboriboon Foundation, representing the medical services.

Following the meeting, there was a practical rehearsal to test the co-ordination of the emergency-service teams, with a host of simulated accidents, and first-aid provision at the Naklua Sawang Fa traffic lights, during which the road was closed the 30 minutes.

Finally, because of a radical increase in crimes against tourists, including theft, snatch and grab and muggings, a team of police regulars and volunteers, led by Police Lieutenant Colonel Arun Phromphan from the Pattaya Tourist Police, walked the length of Walking Street, distributing 1155 emergency phone number cards to tourists, which were well received, inspiring confidence that every precaution was being taken to safeguard them.

Purine, is a component of certain foods that metabolize into uric acid in the body and is found in certain protein containing foods such as shrimp, oysters, organ meat and certain fish. Large amounts of protein can also aggravate gout such as fatty white meats, kidney, heart, or liver which are especially bad.  Purine is part of all human and animal tissue and is important in the formation of genetic material such as DNA. The intake of these foods should all be reduced or avoided altogether.

Foods that are high in fat and or cholesterol are also high in Purines so as a result, gout diets are one that is low in fat and cholesterol. Those who are at risk of gout are encouraged to avoid foods high in Purine, but most importantly seek medical advice.

Dairy products, and also some vegetables can be high in Purine, for example, whole milk, ice cream, butter and cheese have been know to be a cause for gout so replacing these with low fat, or soy alternatives is recommended. Spinach, asparagus, mushrooms, cauliflower and peas have also been shown to be rich in purines. On top of all this, beans and yeast can increase the chances of a flare up of gout so for this reason, beer, because it is derived from beans and yeast is recommended by health professionals to be avoided.

Increasing the amount of water intake, eating tofu and nuts seems to actually counteract weakened kidneys to eliminate uric acid from the bloodstream.   Rich complex carbohydrates in the form of vegetables (other than those mentioned above), fruits, wholegrain, like bread and pasta, may ease the symptoms of gout. Fruit teas made from fruits of the rainforests is suggested to be excellent for flushing out excess uric acid from the body.

Patty Brown