Thailand & Pattaya Headline News (28 October 2022) Fabulous 103fm
Thursday saw the sad announcement of the passing of yet another victim of the fire at an illegal venue in Sattahip, bringing the total death count from the Mountain B Pub to 26. After 83 days of unimaginable pain, sedated and obviously hospitalised, a 26 yr old submariner from the Royal Thai Navy succumbed to his injuries following 70% burns resulting from the fire which has featured regularly in our news. The young man, was out for the night unaware that the building he and thers were in was a fire hazard, and from which, now, 1 in 4 people in the bar that night have now died. he had managed to flee as the fire and smoke filled the bar but, as with others, had fought to find the single exit and despite making it to the outside, was totally incapacitated with severe damage to his lungs and other organs. Initially taken to Q Sirikit Naval Hospital, he was later transferred to Siriraj. STILL no report as to insurance cover, still no report on who allowed the venue to open without proper licensing and still no report on how the family that owned the venue, now demolished, plan to properly compensate the families affected. 13 died initially, subsequently that number has doubled due to burns and organ damage.

In Udon thani, reports of a well heeled local taking advantage of young school students are hitting national news wires. It is claimed he mistreated a 14 year old half british youngster and subsequently, during a raid on his home, it was revealed that police were greeted by two 15 year olds. Further inspection revealed a video filming setup and both were taken into care, as a 17 year old elder sister of one of the two girls gave a full statement alleging vile activity AND police recovered 20 memory cards along with computers and phones which were due to be checked by forensics teams.

Chonburi football club has amended its suspension of their goalkeeper, after he drove, allegedly drunk, into 2 joggers, killing one before his fellow player tried to get him away from the scene before being caught. The club chairman, Wittaya Khunpluem, brother of two former Pattaya mayors, has announced that the player has been sacked. Currently bailed on 100K baht, surety it’s unlikely he will ever be hired by a major team again.
Raids on foreign owned clubs here in Pattaya and later in the capital have seen senior police officers clarifying that those who consume illegal drugs WILL be deported after conviction. The 104 mostly Chinese who failed drug tests during a raid on an illegal club in BKK are not being released currently AND as police seek out the real owner of the venue. So, former MP and current TV personality Chuwit Kamolwisit went on record yesterday to announce that he was handing over a dossier on what he called ZERO DOLLAR businesses operating in both cities and where, he claims, everything from booze to cigarettes is imported from china with Chinese staff working and all profits being siphoned off back to Chinese investors abroad. Police General Surachate certainly has the hots for illegal venues, and we can expect more raids very soon as here, the repercussions from an outburst by a manager at Club one, formerly Bone, during a raid last weekend, are still reverberating amid the entertainment community where police now are clamping down on opening hours for all. Back in the capital, the local police colonel has been transferred to an obsolete option after claims that HE accepted bribes to turn a blind eye to illegal clubs including the one that was raided. This investigation is likely to expand quickly, involving numerous police investigators nationally as there appears to be a direct link between the club raids in Pattaya and BKK, amid claims that drugs found there, originated here in Pattaya city

If you are out and about this weekend, well best to keep your eyes open in clubs and venues and spot for yourself the fire escapes, just in case. This as despite checks months ago, as a reaction to the fire in Sattahip, and warnings given to several Pattaya venues regarding adequate fire escape procedures, there has still been no official comment as to improvements. Legally they are required to have, for larger venues, 4 escape routes, properly signed along with fire prevention equipment. That, we are told, is specifically NOT the case in some venues here whilst newly licenced venues ARE being vetted for proper safety before licenses are issued.
This weekend sees the city hosting the bikini marathon race on the seafront. Promising to be a visually engaging event, more details from Megan in tomorrow’s news.

As a reminder to British expats, the clocks in the UK go BACK as of this weekend, changing the time difference between here.. and there.
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