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Please note that since the tragedy of the Tsunami following the huge earthquake in S E Asia on 26th December 2004 - I am suspending the news of Thai waters here. We are all inundated with news from all forms of media - I wish well to all and hope that all can do what they can to assist with the healing of this situation. I shall resume this news service when we have more specific and factual news on Thai waters. My heart goes out to all of those affected by this tragedy.

City administrators discuss Bali Hai Pier management

Decha Chalermyart www.pattayamail.com 

Since the opening of South Pattaya’s Bali Hai pier, discussions on how it is to be managed have been placed on city administrators’ agenda. Last week, city management and councilors took one step closer to making a decision, but none was forthcoming.

Mayor Niran Wattanasartsathorn chaired the brainstorming session at city hall where he and his deputies listened to ideas from the floor on how to manage the area, including the building and the grounds.

The general opinion is that the city should manage the gardens and public areas. The main reason being given is that currently a large number of residents use the area for exercise, and if a management company were to control these areas and the car parks, they might impose a fee, which city administrators fear would chase people away. However, if the city administration did not carefully control the area, long term problems would occur, such as vendors selling illicit items or taxi queues, etc. Such issues, once in place, would be difficult to rectify.

It was suggested that a management company should take over the Bali Hai Pier office area (the building). The company, selected through bids, should provide ready made food and drinks, souvenirs and ferry tickets at two points. The office area is set to be completed in December, and officials are scheduled to move out to make way for the management company.

A transport system along the pier, from shore to vessels and back, was also discussed. A flat rate fee of 5 baht per person was proposed, but some thought that a downside to that idea would be the affect it would have on vendors taking items to Larn Island, as they currently carry people and cargo to the waiting vessels.

All suggestions were recorded in the meeting minutes to be considered at the next meeting. A final decision will rendered once a clear outline has been created.

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Environmental concerns delay underwater tour operation www.pattayamail.com 27th November 2004

City looking into artificial coral project

Ariyawat Nuamsawat

City administrators have expressed concern that Hi-Tech Submarine Company’s proposed submarine tours around Pai, Larn and Krok islands will negatively affect the marine ecology.

Mayor Niran Wattanasartsathorn, city councilors, administrators and company representatives met at city hall last week to discuss the situation. The meeting picked up from where a previous meeting, held October 15, left off, when the city dictated operating parameters for the company to follow when operating in the waters around the islands.

During the interim period, a survey of the areas revealed that conditions in terms of marine life and stability are not conducive to carrying out submarine tours, since the city has already begun its coral reconstruction project. The company therefore requested permission to operate tours in other, more suitable and scenic areas.

The city has informed all relevant Pattaya departments at the Chonburi Fisheries Office and navy representatives in Sattahip, and has asked that they coordinate with the Hi-Tech Submarine Company concerning the project.

Regarding the city’s coral reconstruction project, Chonburi Fisheries Office has recommended that only concrete be used to facilitate coral growth. However, Mayor Niran said that an additional plan is underway to sink a train carriage offshore, closer than the location of the HTMS Krarm. He said the carriage would provide an ideal haven for marine life in Pattaya Bay as well as being an attraction for recreational divers.

Navy representatives added that they would call for cooperation from the coast guard command, which is responsible for the area, to begin instigating this project.

Meanwhile, city administrators will carry out a further survey in order to create a master plan for the artificial coral reefs.

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PHUKET: Thailand’s largest construction company, Italian-Thai Development (ITD), is to invest 95 million baht in its first project in Phuket, a marina at Ao Por.

The project will be handled by the Ao Por Pattana Co, a wholly-owned subsidiary of ITD.

Project manager Akaraphan Suwanchot said the marina would be built near Ao Por pier, which is itself about to undergo complete reconstruction, and that the company had already prepared plans and a model of what it would be like.

The company already holds a 60-rai site at Leam Lhong, near Ao Por pier, where it proposes to build the marina. K. Akaraphan said the development would take 10 rai of land on the shore and cover a similar area of sea.

Work is expected to start early next year and be completed by mid-2006.

The marina would have space for 100 yachts, where they could be moored, serviced and refuelled; it would not have facilities for building or reparing yachts, nor would it have a hotel or other accommodation.

The chief administrative officer of Pa Khlok Tambon Administration Organisation (OrBorTor), Pranom Keawprang, said the plans had already been submitted to the OrBorTor.

The OrBorTor is now awaiting the results of an environmental impact assessment (EIA) before considering whether to give the green light to the plan.

WILDLIFE www.bangkokpost.com 18.10.2004

Two big and rare green turtles have been reported killed off Chumphon by trawlers that had encroached on coastal waters.

Payom Polpramul, a 53-year-old coastal fisherman, said he saw two dead green turtles, each about a metre long, floating in the sea about three kilometres off the beach in Pathiu district's Ban Hin Kob village yesterday. He brought one of the dead turtles ashore in his small boat.

The fisherman immediately alerted local marine authorities. But when they arrived, they only found its shell, guts and head. Local villagerss were suspected of having sliced it open for the meat.

Based on the remains, the turtle would have been 83cm long and 65cm wide and about 50kg in weight. It had taken a bad hit on its shell and head.

The protected animals might have been caught by a trawler violating the no-entry zone along the coast which was declared a sanctuary for green turtles. The crew must have killed them before throwing them into the sea.

Thai officials to make call to save rare dolphin www.bangkokpost.com 02.10.2004

TUL PINKAEW

Thai wildlife officials have requested assistance from foreign green groups in making final preparations to a proposal at an international wildlife trade convention that would guarantee the survival of an endangered dolphin species.

``Thailand has never made a formal proposal at a Cites conference before. These wildlife conservationists have much more technical knowledge and experience than us and will do a world of good for our cause,'' said Maitree Duangsawasdi, chief of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources.

In the two-week 13th conference of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites), which kickstarts in Bangkok today, Thailand will propose changes to Cites regulations, including a request to upgrade the protection status of Irrawaddy dolphins, common to Southeast Asia and Australia, to Cites Appendix I from II.

Appendix I prohibits all international trade, while Appendix II allows commercial trade under strict controls.

Thailand's Irrawaddy dolphin proposal has been heavily criticised for lack of scientific background information by Japan as well as the Cites governing body itself.

``It is a brave move for Thailand to suggest such a proposal and we support them completely,'' said Brian Smith of the Wildlife Conservation Society.

Sue Fisher of the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Group said there are only about a thousand or so Irrawaddy dolphins left in the wild and it was time someone did something to save them.

The continuous decline in the Irrawaddy dolphin population is attributed to entanglement in fishing nets and injuries from explosives used in dynamite fishing.

There is also demand for the dolphins for display in zoos and aquariums.

``Thailand has the support of all 13 countries that have Irrawaddy dolphins in their waters, all EU nations and the US. With the help of the NGOs our argument will be strong,'' said Mr Maitree.

CONSERVATION / PINK DOLPHINS

Communities help protect rare sea mammal www.bangkokpost.com 20/09/2004

Nakhon Si Thammarat _ Officials and residents of Khanom district have joined hands to protect indigenous pink dolphins after some fishermen reportedly caught the animals and sold them to tour operators on nearby Koh Samui.

Santhat na Nakhon, chief of Khanom district, said that after hearing news that the rare mammals had been sold to a businessman for 100,000 baht each, he and other government officials patrolled the sea off Khanom and found the pink dolphin population had dropped.

The dolphins which had usually greeted fishermen's boats in the morning instead appeared to being trying to keep their distance from the boats, he said.

Local residents have taken turns watching the dolphins while district officials are ready to step in if any illegal netting is seen, said Mr Santhat.

He has also asked marine police and fisheries authorities in Nakhon Si Thammarat and Samui to help verify the report that dolphins were being sold.

The Khanom district chief said there was an unconfirmed report that a net enclosure had been installed off Samui island. He said pink dolphins were a tourist attraction and they should be allowed to live freely in nature.

The pink dolphins, also known as Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins, are a great help to the local economy with about 100 tourists a day renting boats from local people and hotels to see the animals, Mr Santhat said.

There were usually several pods, each of three to four dolphins, off Khanom and the adults were totally pink, he said.

Hawksbill sea turtles return to Sattahip waters

10th September 2004 www.pattayamail.com 

The first group of infant hawksbill sea turtles, nurtured under a Royal Thai Navy-supported protection program, has successfully returned to the ocean off the beach at Sattahip.

Sixty-seven baby turtles crawled from a number of 40-centimeter-deep holes which their mothers had dug for their birth. They hatched from 90 eggs their mothers laid naturally in the holes. The eggs have been guarded by the Royal Thai Navy against any disturbance by humans. All 67 turtles crawled back into ocean as a group of program officials and reporters watched their progress.

The hawksbill sea turtle population in the Gulf of Thailand is small and in danger of extinction because of illegal fishing and the mammals’ limited ability to reproduce. The female turtles can only lay a maximum of three fertile eggs at a time - three times less than green sea turtles. (TNA)

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Hawksbill sea turtles return to Sattahip waters

www.PattayaMail.com 03rd Sept 2004

The first group of infant hawksbill sea turtles, nurtured under a Royal Thai Navy-supported protection program, has successfully returned to the ocean off the beach at Sattahip.

Sixty-seven baby turtles crawled from a number of 40-centimeter-deep holes which their mothers had dug for their birth. They hatched from 90 eggs their mothers laid naturally in the holes. The eggs have been guarded by the Royal Thai Navy against any disturbance by humans. All 67 turtles crawled back into ocean as a group of program officials and reporters watched their progress.

The hawksbill sea turtle population in the Gulf of Thailand is small and in danger of extinction because of illegal fishing and the mammals’ limited ability to reproduce. The female turtles can only lay a maximum of three fertile eggs at a time - three times less than green sea turtles. (TNA)

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Rare whale shark washed up on Chonburi Beach

www.pattayamail.com 06.August.04

The corpse of a rare whale shark was discovered washed up on a beach in Chonburi Province on July 26 after having apparently been caught in a fisherman’s net.

The four meter-long whale shark, weighing an estimated 500 kilograms, was discovered near the Khao Sam Muk Beach. As the body seemed unscathed, villagers speculated that the animal had been caught in a fisherman’s net, but had been released by the fisherman when he discovered that it had already died.

The body will be stuffed by the Institute of Marine Science at nearby Burapha University for research purposes. (TNA)

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FISHERIES

Missing skipper of sunk trawler in Burmese jail www.bangkokpost.com 04 August 2004

Ranong _ The owner of a Thai fishing boat who went missing after a Burmese vessel opened fire and sank it last week, is currently being detained in Burma's Kawthaung province.

Kittikhun Khamsong, 34, owner and skipper of the Kor Sap Kittikhun, was arrested by Burmese troops after his trawler sank. He was being detained at a police station cell in Kawthaung, said his wife Nongnapha Khamsong, who planned to visit her husband today.

The vessel was operating in the Andaman Sea, west of Koh Chang, when it was attacked by a Burmese vessel on Friday.

Eight Burmese crewmen aboard the vessel were rescued while Mr Kittikhun went missing after the vessel sank. The trawler was retrieved yesterday.

Capt Chaiyos Sunthornnak, director of the Thai-Burmese Coordination Centre, said the attack took place in Thai waters.

Burma claims the trawler had encroached on its waters. He said bullet holes from the vessel showed that Burmese troops had not fired warning shots, but intentionally attacked the vessel. Talks will be held to secure his release.

Thai and US military right on target with missile practice

Patcharapol Parnrak www.pattayamail.com 31.07.2004

Thai and U.S Navy and Marine Corps. recently concluded the annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness And Training (CARAT) exercises here in Thailand for its tenth successful year.

During the recent exercises, missile practice was conducted with a high degree of accuracy. The exercise took place in the Thai Navy’s section of the Sattahip Bay area.

Heading up the surface to air missile training was Adm. Vichai Yuawanangkoon, commander-in-chief, Royal Thai Fleet for Thailand and Rear Adm. Kevin Quinn from the US.

Adm. Vichai Yuawanangkoon revealed, “This is the second time we have had the opportunity for missile practice, the first being in 1995 off the HTMS Rattankosin and the HTMS Sukhothai. The year, we have again used the HTMS Rattanakosin for missile practice, with the US military providing drones as targets, which are very close to true aerial targets. The Thai Navy is strong in the defense of Thai waters and such successful training missions affirm our commitment to the nation’s sovereignty and safety in Thai waters.”

CARAT is a series of bilateral exercises held annually throughout Southeast Asia that began in 1995 by combining a number of existing exercises to be conducted sequentially by a single U.S. Navy task group.

Rear Adm. Taweewuth Pongsapipatt, commander of the Royal Thai Navy’s Frigate Squadron 2 and Thai director of CARAT 2004 said, “The success of this year’s exercise is clearly derived from the cooperation between Royal Thai Navy and U.S. Forces.

“The cooperation is aimed to enhance individuals’ abilities and tactics in order to be able to work together in all levels of military combined operations. Furthermore, it also shows a good long lasting relationship between our two countries,” concluded Rear Adm. Taweewuth.

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Aircraft carrier HTMS Chakri Nareubet now a popular floating destination for Thai residents

Patcharapol Parnrak www.pattayamail.com 31.07.2004

Before this story can be told, first we must go back to 1989 when a huge storm battered Thailand’s southern coastal provinces of Chumporn and Prachuap Khiri Khan. The devastation from the storm was massive, resulting in large losses in property and life. Fishing communities were ripped apart and large numbers of boats and their crew disappeared or sank to the bottom of the gulf. These provinces lost communications facilities and the Royal Thai Navy was called in for help.

At that time supplies and equipment had to be flown from U-Tapao. There were no seafaring vessels large enough to cope with the dangerous conditions on Thailand’s Gulf when the navy struggled to help those in need. The fury of Mother Nature left deep scars in the hearts and minds of the communities battered by the fierce weather.The storm was an important turning point in the history of the navy, as measures were taken to prepare for future events, whether in patrolling Thailand’s waters protecting the nation from attack to providing effective aid and assistance to those in need.

The decision was made to construct a vessel large enough to carry aircraft, able to travel quickly and provide aerial assistance in patrolling up to 200 nautical miles from its positions. The HTMS Chakri Nareubet was commissioned for that purpose.

Once the authorization was given, the construction process began in Spain’s Principe de Asturias. The process spanned two years, from 1994-1996.

HM the King named the aircraft carrier the HTMS Chakri Nareubet, and on January 20, 1996, HM Queen Sirikit flew to Spain and, together with Queen Sophia, christened the vessel in a ceremony at Ferrol, Spain.

The vessel then made its way from Spain, arriving in Phuket on August 4, 1997, before making its way to the Sattahip base. It arrived in Sattahip on August 10, and was then officially commissioned.

Now, fast forward back to the present, 2004.

The HTMS Chakri Nareubet has a full complement of vertical/short take off and landing (VSTOL) aircraft and helicopters. Six newly built S-70B-7 Seahawk multi-mission helicopters are also on board. The 11,400-ton displacement ship was the first air-capable vessel to enter service in Southeast Asia.

It’s role as the Royal Thai Navy’s designated offshore patrol helicopter carrier (OPHC) reflects the ship’s chief peacetime roles of disaster relief, search and rescue, exclusion zone surveillance and environmental protection. However, the navy also acknowledges that the ship has potential as a regional sea control asset during times of crisis. Due to the costs of operational deployment, however, the carrier is rarely at sea.

This has not deterred the navy, as the vessel has since seen over 4 million visitors from all age groups and social levels. It is greatly popular among Thai students where it sits in pride of place at the Chuk Samet port facility, as long as peace reigns in Thai waters.

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Phuket Gazette - 23rd July 2004 

Royal Thai Navy divers become part of Salvor crew during CARAT

By Electrician’s Mate 1st Class Elysian McIntyre
USS Salvor (ARS 52) public affairs www.pattayamail.com 20.07.2004

Two groups of professionals who speak completely different languages and live worlds apart from each other, came together for more than a week beginning June 30 on board USS Salvor (ARS 52) to share a common interest and skills in deep sea diving.

During the Thailand phase of exercise Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT), U.S. Navy and Royal Thai Navy divers worked together in port and at sea on a salvage project and wreck dives planned by Salvor’s master diver, Master Chief Machinist’s Mate Jim Nichols.

Boatswain’s Mate 3rd Class Scott Hubbard, left, of USS Salvor (ARS 52), helps a Royal Thai Navy diver adjust the headset of the 2A hand held sonar prior to diving. (U.S. Navy photo by Electrician’s Mate 1st Class Elysian McIntyre)

CARAT is a series of bilateral exercises held annually throughout Southeast Asia that began in 1995 by combining a number of existing exercises to be conducted sequentially by a single U.S. Navy task group.

Preceding dive operations July 5-7, the Thai divers had the opportunity to experience shipboard life. Preparing for emergency situations, they were briefed on where man-overboard and abandon ship stations were, and how to don an Emergency Escape Breathing Device.

“Just like any workplace, you always need to know the nearest escape route and how to get there safely,” said Hospital Corpsman 1st Class John Ashley. “Shipboard life is no different. Anything could happen here. I want the Thai divers to feel welcome but I also want them to be safe.”

Thai divers were also given instruction on how to prepare for a two-point moor. This included heaving around on an 8-inch hawser and faking it out on deck. This required every person available and the Thai divers were more than happy to lend a hand.

Diving operations consisted of locating and salvaging a project from the bottom, which lay approximately 90-feet below the surface. They used hand-held sonar devices to locate the project and then attached a lift bag to it. The diver filled the lift bag with air until the project had slight negative buoyancy and then brought it to the surface in a controlled ascent.

For every dive that was made, there was always one U.S. diver and one Thai diver getting in the water and working together to complete a phase of the project. They literally worked hand in hand until the project was safely raised to the surface. The Thai divers were excited about showing the American divers a wreck that was nearby. It was a Thai ship that had been decommissioned and sunk for tourism. They made multiple SCUBA dives during the day and even a few at night.

Communication gaps were bridged by Thai divers that spoke English and served as translators during all the safety briefs, training seminars, and during the diving operations. There were two communication systems set up to prevent any misunderstandings. “During salvage operations, clear and concise communication is crucial for the safety of the divers,” said Hull Technician 2nd Class Andre Bessette. “If the project becomes lively, you don’t want someone down there who cannot tell us if there is a problem. Only they see what is going on down there.”

Salvor divers developed a great sense of trust among their Thai counterparts during the exercise.

One of the Thai divers asked Salvor crewmembers if there was any difference in the Thai divers versus the divers from the other foreign countries that Salvor has visited. The answer across the board was “divers are divers.”

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Contravenes treaty, Singapore group says www.bangkokpost.com 10.07.2004

Authorities are investigating a claim by a Singapore-based watchdog that a local zoo operator has violated an international animal rights treaty banning the trade of endangered species.

Animal Concerns Research and Education Society of Singapore claims Oasis Sea World sold six dolphins captured in Thai waters to Underwater World Singapore in 1999.

The group says the dolphins are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and their trade is illegal. Thailand and Singapore are signatories to the convention.

Pol Maj-Gen Sawet Pinsinchai, commander of Forestry Police, said initial evidence suggested the dolphins were shipped to Singapore.

Wichai Wattanawong, Oasis Sea World owner, admitted sending six dolphins to Singapore, but said they were traded for sharks under an exchange contract.

However, Mr Wichai, said he does not remember when the exchange took place.

He said he was unaware of the international treaty.

Cherdsak Wongkamolchun, of the Fisheries Department, said the zoo owner may face charges of lying to state officials if he filed a false report on the dolphins.

Yanui remains confirmed as missing dive instructor 07.07.2004 Phuket Gazzette

RAWAI: Autopsy results have confirmed that the skeletal remains recovered at Yanui beach on June 10 are those of missing Dutch dive instructor David Wiewel, who disappeared on March 26 after leaving his Kata home to take a walk.

Supatra Wiewel, wife of the deceased, told the Gazette that the bones had been cremated in Phuket after the Police Department’s Institute of Forensic Medicine in Bangkok informed her that the teeth and jawbone matched dental records she had provided.

“The [Netherlands] embassy helped to expedite this case, which is why the results came back in about a week,” she said. “We expected it to take a month.”

Pol Col Chalit Kaewyarat, Superintendent of Chalong Police Station, told the Gazette said that although he is still waiting for a final autopsy report, he doubts whether it will be possible to determine the cause of Mr Wiewel’s death.

Meanwhile, police have hit a dead end in the case of missing dive instructor Phikun “Nori” Srisaksungnoen, who has not been seen since November 29 last year.

Kathu Police Inspector Pol Maj Narong Laoprathumviroj told the Gazette today that there has been no progress in the case and that police have run out of witnesses to question.

Phuket Gazette - 01st July 2004

PHUKET: Vice-Governor Vinai Buapradit will represent Phuket at what promises to be a heated meeting on Friday with Ministry of Energy (MoE) officials to discuss a proposed oil pipeline from Tab Lamu in Phnag Nga to Nakhon Sri Thammarat.

The proposed 240-kilometer pipeline, known as the Strategic Energy Landbridge, is intended to link oil production sources in the Middle East with consumers in East Asia, avoiding the long journey that tankers must currently take around the end of the Malay Peninsula.

“This is a very important meeting because MoE officials will come to listen to [our views about] the effect of the project on the provinces of Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi,” said Phuket Governor Udomsak Usawarangkura at a meeting at Provincial Hall this morning.

“The project will affect Phuket’s main industry, tourism, so we have invited representatives from the private sector, such as the Phuket Chamber of Commerce and the Phuket Tourist Association [PTA] to attend [the meeting],” he added.

PTA President Pattanapong Aikwanich told the Gazette that an Association representative would tell MoE officials that the project will have a negative impact on tourism in both Phuket and Khao Lak.

The Gazette understands that the plan is to construct a platform for the western end of the pipeline in the sea several kilometers off Phang Nga’s Tab Lamu District, just south of Khao Lak.

Tourism industry operators in Khao Lak are particularly fearful of the potentially devastating effects an oil spill could have on beaches there.

“We may share information about past oil shipping accidents. Oil leaks occur all over the world nowadays, so we should be aware that they can happen here too,” K. Pattanapong said.

“At a meeting in Phuket last year, I pointed this out and suggested that the project should be sited further north, possibly in Ranong.

“But our recommendations went unheeded and the government has continued moving ahead with the project as planned,” he said.

The original plan was to site the western terminal of the pipeline near Ao Leuk at the north end of Phang Nga Bay, with the eastern terminal being in Surat Thani.

This was later changed out of concern over the project’s possible environmental effect on the tourism industries of Krabi and Koh Samui.

Nipawan Bussarawit, a marine biologist at the Phuket Marine Biological Center, told the Gazette that because oil is less dense than water, it floats on the sea surface when spilled.

Even a thin sheen can block sunlight, killing off plankton and disrupting the entire marine ecosystem, she said. It also enters the gills of fish, suffocating them.

“Some parts [of a spill] would be blown up on beaches, where it would leave black stains and ruin nice scenery.

“Oil released into the sea is eventually broken down by natural processes, but it takes a long time. This process can be accelerated thought the use of dispersal agents, and if they set up the system properly the amount of spillage can be minimized.

“But the effects of an oil spill certainly need to be considered,” she added.

PHUKET: Members of the dive community in Kata and friends of dive master Chompoonut “Jeab” Kobram, 23, are mourning her loss after she was found stabbed to death in a Pattaya apartment on Friday.

Police in Bang Lamung District, Pattaya, have arrested and charged Sam Van Treeck, a 24-year-old Belgian, with her murder.

K. Jeab, who came from Buri Ram province, finished her PADI dive master course last May and was working for Nautilus Divers in Kata.

Her Danish boyfriend, Noah Meyer, 33, told the Gazette from K. Jeab’s hometown, where he is attending her funeral, that he had been living with her in Phuket for about 18 months and that the couple were planning to marry next year.

He was informed of his girlfriend’s murder by the victim’s younger sister, who in turn learned about it from a newspaper.

“I talked to [K. Jeab] for the last time on the phone on Friday afternoon and asked what time I should pick her up at the airport, because she was supposed to come back on Saturday. She asked me to call her back, but [when I did] her phone didn’t work,” he said.

Police said the murder occurred between 4 pm and 6 pm on June 25.

“At first I didn’t believe it. Then I looked and recognized the photos in the newspaper and I knew [it was true],” he said.

K. Jeab moved to Phuket in December 2002, Mr Meyer said. Before she became a dive master, she worked as a waitress in an Italian restaurant at Nai Harn Beach.

“She was extremely friendly and customers loved her. She was always very thoughtful. She also taught herself to cook Italian food,” he added.

“She went to Pattaya to help her friend Sam. He was her ex-boyfriend many years ago, before the two of us were together. He started to call her again three months ago.

“She went there alone because she was very independent. I trusted her to travel on her own,” he said

Asked what he thinks was the motive for the murder, Mr Meyer said, “I have no idea. It’s still a complete mystery to me. I don’t understand how anyone could do something like that.”

Bryony Dalby-Ball, a friend of the dead girl, said, “Jeab was a beautiful woman, a great friend to have and I feel lucky to have been able to get to know her. All her friends love her very much. We’ll miss her.”

Canadian Shannon Bunna, owner of the Yoonique Stone restaurant in Nai Harn, a regular hangout for K. Jeab and Mr Meyer, went to Buri Ram for the cremation.

She said, “When I heard about it, I was just so shocked. Everyone in Nai Harn knows her well.”

Pol Maj Chalermkiat Sirimak of Tambon Dong Tan Police Station told the Gazette that Van Treeck is accused of stabbing K. Jeab 48 times with a short-bladed knife. Van Treeck had denied the charge, telling police that he found K. Jeab already dead in his apartment.

Maj Chalermkiat Sirimak said investigators are now reviewing a tape recorded by a video surveillance camera at the apartment building where Treeck lived.

Although hesitant to disclose much information about the case while it is still under investigation, Maj Chalermkiat did tell the Gazette that investigators had recovered some strands of hair from the victim’s hands. The hair is now being tested and the results are expected in about two weeks’ time, he said.

CRIME

Diving instructor found brutally murdered www.bangkokpost.com 27.06.04

A 23-year-old female diving instructor was found dead with more than 60 stab wounds in a Pattaya condominium on Friday night.

Pol Maj Chalermkiat Sirimak of tambon Dong Tan police station said he learned of the incident about 11pm and led a police team to a room on the 18th floor of Jomthien Complex Condotel.

Chompoonut Kobram, a native of Buri Ram, was found dead in the room with repeated stab wounds. She was believed to have been dead for a few hours. The room had been ransacked.

Police brought in Sam Van Greeck, 24, a Belgian boyfriend of Ms Chompoonut, for questioning. The man said he worked as a freelance guide and translator in Pattaya.

Mr Van Greeck told police he had known Chompoonut for several years. The woman was a diving instructor and owned a pizza shop on Karon beach in Phuket, and visited him from time to time, he said. Chompoonut arrived in Pattaya about 10 days ago and was scheduled to go back to Phuket yesterday.

The Belgian admitted he had quarrelled with Chompoonut early Friday night because he suspected she was seeing someone else. He told police he then left to go out drinking and returned late to the room, to find her dead.

Police found no trace of fighting on the man and released him after taking a sample of his hair for DNA tests.

Vietnamese Navy commander visits Royal Thai Fleet

Two navies join forces in attempt to end piracy www.pattayamail.com 18.06.2004

Pacharapol Panrak

In May, Vice Admiral Doh Suan Kong, commander-in-chief of the Republic of Vietnam Navy, and his followers visited HTMS Chakri Naruebet at Sattahip Naval Base under a warm welcome from Admiral Wichai Yuwanangkoon, Royal Thai Fleet Commander, and Thai navy personnel.

A few days before, Vice Admiral Suang Kong met with Admiral Chumpol Puchjusanon, commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Navy, at the Navy General Headquarters in Bangkok.

Admiral Wichai said, “Royal Thai Navy and the Republic of Vietnam Navy have had a good long relationship. We always exchange official visitation among high-rank commanders.

“In 2000 and 2003 the Thai navy dispatched its navy drill team to Ho Chi Minh seaport. According to the contract signed on the territorial waterline between Thai and Vietnamese navies, we have collaborated to release marine patrols to support the countries’ benefits in maritime resource exploration. Besides, this project helps protect trawlers and fishing boats from pirates.”

Vice Admiral Doe Suan Kong revealed, “This is my first time in Thailand, which is a very beautiful country. I am really happy to meet Royal Thai Navy Commander Chumpol and have a chance to discuss collaboration to suppress pirates in Thai and Vietnamese waters. Moreover, I am honored to visit the Royal Thai Fleet and HTMS Chakri Naruebet at this Sattahip Naval Base.”

The Thai Navy will dispatch a fleet of navy ships to reach Ho Chi Minh City again from June 21-27 to show an established relationship between the navies of Thailand and Vietnam.

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TOURISM

Chumphon plans to promote local island www.bangkokpost.com 15.06.04

Undersea walkway, cable car project to cost B500 million

Authorities in this southern province plan a cable car and a tube-like undersea walkway to promote a local island which is rich in edible swift nests and marine resources.

Deputy governor Pinit Charoenpanich said the 500-million-baht project targeted Koh Maphrao island off the Sai Ree beach in Muang district as it was an abundant source of edible swift nests, sandy beaches and shallow-water corals.

The cable car system would improve access to the island in the Gulf of Thailand. The mainland cable car station should be built on the sea side of Chao Muang mountain.

Mr Pinit said the undersea walkway would take up most of the 500-million-baht budget. It will be a tube-like transparent walkway to provide tourists with underwater views of the island.

The province wants the government to pay five million baht for a feasibility study.

Mr Pinit said the cable car system would not affect the landscape because only a few trees would be felled. A local national park agreed with the project which could become a national tourist attraction, he said.

Krisna Chayakul, a local conservationist, said the project might affect local people offering ferry service between the mainland and the island.

The huge development cost might deprive Chumphon of the chance to undertake other development projects.

Prachan Meebun, chief of nature study of the Chumphon national marine park, said local people should be prepared to cope with an increasing number of visitors which would affect their traditional way of life.

About 400,000-500,000 tourists visit Chumphon every year. Most of them are Thai and only about 20,000 visitors are foreigners.

NATIONAL HERITAGE

Ancient barge dug up at Bo Bae site

Found near Klong Mahanak, site sealed, no pictures allowed

Anchalee Kongrut www.Bangkokpost.com 10.06.2004

A wooden barge was unearthed from the Bo Bae Centre construction site near Klong Mahanak canal in Pomprap Sattruphai district, an archeologist said.

The Fine Arts Department on Tuesday sent an expert to examine the artifact after word spread about the discovery a few days before, senior archeologist Amphan Kit-ngarm said.

``This is an ancient wooden barge, a national heritage item which no one can claim the rights over,'' Mr Amphan said.

The barge, 17 metres long and 0.30 metre wide, was cleaned and is being kept temporarily in the Bo Bae trading centre.

The site has been sealed and photographs are not allowed.

``We fill it with water, to keep it from abrupt temperature changes or it will break.

``We will wait until the barge adjusts to the new temperature,'' he said.

Mr Amphan said this was not the first wooden barge to be found in old canals in the city's inner areas.

In the 1990s, a 20-metre-long barge was found near Wat Ratchabophit near Klong Lot, a canal dug during the reign of King Rama V more than 100 years ago.

Erbprem Vatcharangkul, archeologist and expert on ancient boats, said parts of Klong Mahanak served as a pier for goods.

Klong Mahanak was dug when King Rama I built the capital city more than 200 years ago.

Newly found mussels named, registered 

www.bangkokpost.com 08.06.2004

The Fisheries Department has registered a recently discovered species of unionid mussels and named it according to the location of discovery.

The name ``Solenaia Khwaenoiensis'' has been suggested by the department's chief, Sitthi Boonyarattahapalin.

The mussels were found in late April in the Khwae Noi riverbed by re-searchers of the Khwae Noi dam project studying aquatic life for the project's environmental impact assessment study.

The biology department of Chulalongkorn University's faculty of science has confirmed its uniqueness.

The discovery will be published in the university's Natural History Journal.

Maritime collision in Sattahip waters leaves 22 dead

Two missing WWW.PATTAYAMAIL.COM 04.06.2004

Pacharapol Panrak

Twenty-two Cambodian crewmembers of a Thai fishing boat died and two went missing after the vessel collided with an unidentified freighter in the Samaesarn Gulf off Sattahip on May 18.

The vessel sank quickly, but another fishing boat managed to rescue nine other crewmembers and the captain.

The Royal Thai Navy and Marine Police dispatched patrol boats and aircraft in a search-and-rescue mission. Twelve of the dead were trapped in a net covering the sinking trawler. The missing two crew members are presumed to have drowned.

Great efforts are being made to find all the dead bodies so that the corpses can be cremated according to religious rites.

The owner of the vessel said the survivors are being properly looked after.

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Crab fisherman pulls in deadly haul 

Live ammunition definitely not on the menu

Pacharapol Panrak

Sattahip fisherman Somkiat Wongsorn thought he had hit a mother load when fishing in the Sattahip Bay area after pulling in a very heavy net. However, the catch was not fresh seafood but 99 live heavy automatic weapon shells. He immediately notified local police and navy personnel.

Police first on the scene inspected the haul as Somkiat explained that he was carrying out his regular fishing duties in the bay area close to the naval operations base by laying 2 meters of netting off his boat. He began to pull in the nets and noticed they were quite heavy and was shocked at what he found.

“I informed the police immediately as it could be potentially dangerous to those who don’t know or if children had found the live ammunition,” Somkiat told reporters.

Naval police from the nearby base arrived to inspect the find noting that the shells were RA-53 bullets and they were indeed live. The officer was puzzled as to how the ammunition could have been dumped and said that the military would conduct an in-depth investigation as to the origin of the find.

The ammunition is used in heavy rapid fire situations and in the past was often kept to be used as ornaments in local houses or for jewelry purposes after being defused. One explanation offered is that the ammunition was dumped out of fear of being discovered and prosecuted, since it is illegal to possess weapons or ammunition without the appropriate permits.

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ENVIRONMENT

Tourist spot faces serious trash threat

Post reporters www.bangkokpost.com 02.06.2004

A budget of one million baht has been allocated to clean up Phangnga bay where rubbish is posing a serious threat to coral reefs and marine life, a fisheries official said.

The clean-up campaign is being funded by the Institute of Marine and Coastal Resources Research and Development.

Nipon Pongsuwan, of the institute, said the campaign had been prompted by the recent retrieval of hundreds of kilos of rubbish, especially fishing debris, off Koh Ngang.

He said the institute is trying to regulate the activities of local people and tourists near shorelines to prevent damage to coastal coral reefs.

He said the main targets for protection are those reefs off Krabi's Phi Phi islands.

Meanwhile, harbour officials in Surat Thani are considering regulating diving in Koh Samui, Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan.

Udom Boonchuay, director of water transportation region 4, said both snorkelling and scuba diving will be controlled for safety and environmental reasons.

He said harbour authorities have surveyed the areas and will coordinate with the agencies concerned.

Almost 700 kilos of rubbish were retrieved from the sea and beaches in the recent clean-up campaign around Koh Samui, the Marine and Coastal Resources Department reported.

More than 100 local and foreign volunteer divers joined in the campaign which has been run for the past four years.

The campaign is part of efforts to maintain the natural beauty of the well-known tourist spot that is visited by up to 800,000 people a year.

FISHERIES

New kind of mussels found in riverbed www.bangkokpost.com

Discovery made while studying dam impact 02.06.2004

Piyaporn Wongruang

Fisheries researchers have stumbled on what they claim to be a new species of unionid mussels. Chromosome tests have confirmed their genetic uniqueness.

Gridsada Deein, leader of a survey team for the Khwae Noi Dam project in Phitsanulok province, said the mussels were found on the Khwae Noi riverbed some 10km from the dam site when they were conducting a survey on aquatic life for the project's environmental impact assessment study in late April.

The group believes the mussels come from the solennaia family of molluscs. The first species of solennaia mussels was discovered in the country more than 40 years ago.

Thailand has more than 30 mussel species. Thirteen alone can be found in the Khwae Noi river.

Mr Gridsada said the new speciesonly had 37 pairs of chromosomes, one less than the other unionid species.

He said the discovery reflected the complexity of the river's eco-system around the dam site as the mussels live in specific habitats like layered rocks on the riverbed.

"Mussels usually act as filter feeders who help clean up the river. We don't know what would happen to the river's eco-system if the mussels were gone. But for now it's unlikely that that will happen as the mussels are found downstream, away from the construction site," he said.

The Khwae Noi Dam will become the country's second largest dam when completed. After its completion, it would have the capacity to store more than 800 million cubic metres of water and submerge at least three tambons in Phitsanulok province. Its construction began in a rush last year along with the study of its EIA.

The group will look into its environmental impact for a period of 10 years to prepare solutions to problems that could follow.

PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN: Fishermen nabbed with illegal nets www.nationmultimedia.com 01.06.2004

Sixty fishermen were yesterday arrested for illegal fishing and their five boats seized in Prachuap Khiri Khan.

The boats from Trat province were equipped with fishing nets with meshes smaller than that allowed by law, fisheries official Angoon Ratanaphrom said.

Fisheries officials nabbed the fishermen at 2am yesterday about 20 kilometres off the Prachuap Khiri Khan coast.

About 40,000 kilograms of their catches, worth Bt400,000, were seized.

The Fisheries Department has banned the use of fishing nets with meshes smaller than 2.5 centimetres. - The Nation.

Navy on standby www.Bangkokpost.com 31.05.2004

The Third Fleet is on standby around the clock to rescue fishermen and tourists in the Andaman sea during the monsoon.

Fleet commander Vice Adm Pairoj Terachai said in Phuket yesterday that his subordinates were always ready for rescue missions in the Andaman sea off Ranong southward to Satun province which is the area in his fleet's jurisdiction.

His fleet also operates actively to prevent oil smugglers and drug trafficking which may turn to the sea in the future, he said.

Sea collision leaves five dead www.nationmultimedia.com 

Published on May 21, 2004

Five crewmen drowned and 19 were still missing after their fishing boat was hit by a freighter and capsized off the Sattahip coast late Wednesday night.

Police said the Pornwaree 45 was trawling in Samae Sarn Bay near Juang Island when an unidentified cargo ship rammed it amidships, causing it to keel over immediately.

A passing fishing boat plucked 11 fishermen from the ocean.

The survivors told police that the tanker did not stop to rescue them and they could not catch its name as it was dark and the sea was rough at the time with swells approaching two metres.

Initially, 24 crew were unaccounted for but five of them were found dead in the vessel's cabin by Navy frogmen yesterday morning.

The Navy deployed a craft to help search for the missing crew members.

Police said they would investigate cargo vessels docked at the Sattahip Deep Sea Port to try to find the one that had smashed the fishing boat.

The Nation

SATTAHIP, CHON BURI

Bomb exercises planned www.Bangkokpost.com 15.05.2004

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will observe three big military exercises and visit US aircraft carrier US Essex off Sattahip district, Chon Buri, on May 24 as part of the Cobra Gold 2004 joint Thai-US military exercise.

The Singaporean, Filipino and Mongolian military are also taking part. Cobra Gold 2004 will be held until May 27 in Nakhon Ratchasima, Phitsanulok, Udon Thani, U-Tapao air base in Rayong, and in the Gulf of Thailand off Chon Buri. Mr. Thaksin would board the US Essex off Satthahip, Chon Buri, on the opening day when large exercises in the sky and on the water including an amphibious landing would be held. Maj-Gen Nopparat Yodwimol, director of joint Thai-US military exercises, said Cobra Gold would include air-raid exercises using Thai and US F16 jet fighters and US marine F18 jet fighters, and bomb attack exercises involving US B52 aircraft.

Ancient junk proves precious ocean find www.pattayamail.com 14.05.2004

The ocean is said to yield a lot of junk. But traces of a 400 year-old ‘junk’ - or traditional Chinese sailing ship - discovered recently by archaeologists working in conjunction with naval officers in the Gulf of Thailand, could prove to be one of the more important recent archaeological finds in Thai waters.

According to Erb-prem Wacharangkura, head of the underwater archaeological team from the Department of Fine Arts, the junk sank around 400 years ago around 40 nautical miles from the shoreline. Naval officers first got an inkling of the ancient vessel last year, when they retrieved the wreckage of a sunken gas tanker just two nautical miles away.

Working on the wreckage of the junk, the underwater team has unearthed Sangkhalok and Chinese pottery buried 140 feet under the seabed. What they have not yet discovered is the junk itself. Already the archaeologists have determined the provenance of some of the pottery. Some vessels are known to have come from kilns in Sri Sachanalai in Sukhothai Province, while others are thought to have been made in the Mae Nam Noi kilns in the central province of Singburi. The Chinese willow-pattern bowls, meanwhile, are believed to have been made in kilns in southern China.

The findings have led archaeologists to speculate that the junk traded in pottery and other goods between Southeast Asia and China during Thailand’s Ayutthaya period. (TNA)

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Rare whale shark caught in fishing stake www.pattayamail.com 14.05.2004

A rare 7-meter whale shark was released back into the sea around the popular tourist resort of Bang Saen after being discovered caught up in a fishing stake - an indication, according to local ecologists, that the health of the coastal ecosystem is improving.

According to Prasarn Bensa-art, an education official at the local Underwater World, the whale shark was found on May 8, without any obvious injuries or signs of illness.

He speculated that the whale shark - a protected species under the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) - had come to the area to take advantage of its large population of shrimps.

Noting that this was the first time a whale shark had been sighted in the area, he said that its presence indicated that the Bang Saen coast was rich in marine biodiversity. (TNA)

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ENDANGERED SPECIES

Bangkok pushing for ban on trade in Irrawaddy dolphins

Rare creatures on verge of extinction

Kultida Samabuddhi www.bangkokpost.com 6th May 2004

Thailand is lobbying for support from other Asean member states and Australia for a ban on trading in rare Irrawaddy dolphins, now under the threat of extinction.

Udom Bhatiasevi, deputy chief of the Marine and Coastal Resources Department, said his agency sent letters to a few of those countries last week to seek their backing for its proposal to ban trading in Irrawaddy dolphins (Orcaella brevirostris), a protected species under Appendix II of Cites (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).

The Appendix II status means the sale of a listed animal is possible with a certificate from a relevant state agency. In order to ban the sale completely, the animal must be listed on Appendix I of Cites.

Mr Udom said Irrawaddy dolphins, found in Songkhla lake in southern Thailand, Tonle Sap lake in Cambodia, the Mekong river, and in shallow waters of the Indian and Pacific oceans around Indonesia and northern Australia, are now on the verge of extinction due to a rapid decline in their population.

A recent survey found six of them in Songkhla lake and another 67 in the Mekong river.

The most immediate threats faced by the species are fishing nets and the loss of their natural habitats due to human activities.

Mr Udom voiced concern over a report that up to 83 private aquariums would soon be opened in China. That would lead to rising demand for live dolphins, he said. ``It's very likely several Irrawaddy dolphins in Southeast Asian waters would be caught and sold to those aquariums.''

According to him, the Fisheries Department once approved the export of 10 Irrawaddy dolphins from a private aquarium in Thailand to Singapore's Sentosa underwater world.

The Irrawaddy dolphin population was very small and it was no longer acceptable to capture members of this rare species for any purposes other than research, he said.

Amendments to the treaty's appendices will be finalised during the 13th Cites conference to be held in Bangkok in October.

Haunted ancient porcelain blamed for death of two divers

Fears of curse prompt villagers to bring their porcelain pieces to local temple

Patcharapol Parnrak (www.pattayamail.com)

Two divers were found dead after their secret quest to retrieve ancient Sukhothai porcelain from Sattahip waters.

Their deaths were claimed to be a result of taking the historic pieces of pottery from the bottom of the sea for commercial purposes.

This ghostly story began to spread when many pieces of the 700-year-old porcelain were left in Thepprasit Temple or Wat Taotan, Sattahip.

Pra Boonsong Juntima, the deputy abbot told reporters, “On March 29, a mysterious man took all these pieces of ancient Sukhothai porcelain to the temple without giving any reasons.”

Apart from the porcelain, a human bone was found in a clump of coral sticking to some black porcelain.

During the interview with Pra Boonsong, a man named Sahus Chamnongnarinruk, 49, walked into the residence with a strange appearance and howling voice.

“Will you all stop stealing the porcelain from the sea!” he shouted. “Whoever takes or possesses them, return them to where they come from, and I will forgive you!

“Fine! That’s fine, you took the ancient pottery to the temple, where I have been searching for it.”

Then he touched the pieces of porcelain and the bone. A short while later, he appeared stunned and silent. He later told the shocked crowd who had gathered that he had no recollection of what he had done and that he had just been in a state of unconsciousness.

Later, Sattahip Rojanathammastan Rescue Foundation officers reported that a dead man’s body was found floating near Koh Changklua, in the Samaesarn Bay area. The body was decomposed and headless, with only blue underwear and a small fabric belt left on it.

However, it was thought the corpse could be that of Private 1st Class Tawin La-ongaek, who had gone missing in the Sattahip waters with his friend Private 1st Class Sukchai Kunkete on March 26. Sukchai’s body had previously been found.

The two Marine officers had been hired by Dang and Tuk of Samaesarn to dive for the ancient Sukhothai porcelain in Sattahip waters, although they did not have any proper diving tools. The pieces of porcelain were said to be secretly sold to high-ranking government officials in the Pakpanung district in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat.

People believe that taking these porcelain pieces from the sea caused the death of these two officers.

After news of this ghost story spread, people who possessed ancient porcelain left them at Wat Taotan, fearing they would be cursed. A novice monk at the wat said he could no longer stay there as he felt that unseen shadows were walking about all the time.

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CITY HALL

Showcase aquarium approved

Anchalee Kongrut www.bangkokpost.com Weds 21st April 2004

City hall yesterday approved the construction of Bangkok's first aquarium, in the Chatuchak area.

It will be sited on 30 rai along Kamphaengphet II road, adjacent to Chatuchak Park, Queen Sirikit Park and the State Railway Park, a spokesman said.

Construction is expected to take 18 months after the contract is awarded, and it will open in 2007 to celebrate His Majesty the King's 80th birthday.

Private investors will put about 600 million baht into the project, and have the right to operate the place for 30 years.

Foreign companies with experience in Singapore, Australia and China had showed an interest in the project.

The aquarium would be on a par with a famed aquarium in Sydney, Australia. The tanks would contain about 8,000 fresh water and marine creatures representing more than 1,500 species.

``This aquarium will not be just a fish tank that merely shows rare animals,'' the spokesman said.

``We really want the public to be fascinated by it.

The city expected the aquarium would draw two million visitors a year.

Race to save local dugong 

Scientists hope cries hold key to survival

Ranjana Wangvipula (www.bangkokpost.com)- Sunday 18th April 2004

Scientists are studying the cries of local dugong in a bid to devise a system that may be used to save the endangered sea mammal from extinction.

Dugong experts from the Phuket Marine Biological Centre have been working in collaboration with a research team from Kyoto University in Japan since January 2003.

In late February, they began using hydrophones to record the sounds of dugong off Libong Island, Trang province, around the clock.

All data had been stored for further analysis by Japanese graduate students specialising in the cries of dugong.

The scientists believed the sounds could be used to ward dugong away from fishing nets, in which many become entangled and die.

``The cry for fright could be recorded and played back to scare dugong away from trawlers,'' suggested Marine and Coastal Resources deputy chief Udom Bhatiyasevi.

Dugong expert Kanjana Adulyanukosol, who took part in the study, said aural analysis would reveal more about dugong behaviour, including migration patterns.

She said this knowledge may lead to the development of a detector that could alert fishermen to dugong in their vicinity.

``The analysis should take at least half a year to complete,'' she said.

Ms Kanjana was also recording the cries of a 8-month-old female dugong currently staying at the Phuket centre.

The main study was being conducted in a bid to save the country's surviving dugong population of about 200.

In Australia, about 80,000 dugong live in special no-fishing zones.

Before they were declared a protected species, local dugong were previously killed for their meat and teeth, which were believed to bring good luck.

Ms Kanjana said without a sincere conservation plan, dugong may still become extinct in Thailand within 50 years.

Thailand, Australia to hold joint naval exercises in September

Pacharapol Panrak www.pattayamail.com Friday 17th April 2004

The Royal Thai Navy and the Royal Australian Navy are to conduct joint maneuvers in the Gulf of Thailand.

Plans for the joint naval exercises were recently announced at a meeting between representatives of the two countries. AUSTHAI 2004, as the event is called, will take place during the first week of September.

This year’s training exercises will involve navy frigates from both countries and focus on the exchange of experience and promotion of bilateral relations. They will also look at the importance of new strategies and skills in surface-to-surface warfare, submarine warfare, surface-to-air combat and the use of up-to-date technology.

Commander Paitoon Prasopsin, chief of staff of the Royal Thai Navy Frigate 1 fleet said, “The meeting took place to plan the upcoming training exercises for AUSTHAI 2004 and discuss how best to make use of the time for the best results on both sides and to further relations between the two countries.”

Senior Thai naval department heads only recently approved the commencement of the training missions as they met with Australian naval representatives led by Commander Charles McHardie, head of the Australian committee commissioned to plan AUSTHAI 2004.

The training exercises between the two nations take place every two years. This year Thailand is hosting the event.

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U.S. and Thailand to hold Cobra Gold ’04 joint exercise May 13-27

www.pattayamail.com Friday 17th April 2004

The armed forces of Thailand, Singapore, Mongolia, the Philippines, and the United States will conduct exercise Cobra Gold ’04 in Thailand May 13-27.

Cobra Gold ’04 (CG-04) is a regularly-scheduled joint /combined multilateral exercise, and is designed to improve U.S., Thai, Singaporean, Mongolian, and Filipino combat readiness and combined-joint interoperability, enhance security relationships and demonstrate U.S. resolve to support the security and humanitarian interests of U.S. friends and allies in the region.

CG-04 is one of the largest exercises involving U.S. forces in the Pacific Command. This year’s training will focus on improving interoperability between coalition forces conducting a United Nations sponsored peace enforcement operation in conjunction with humanitarian and disaster relief operations. As in all previous Cobra Gold exercises, this exercise will include joint-combined land, sea, and air operations,

Approximately 13,500 U.S. service members will participate. Participating Thai forces will number approximately 6,000, and will include elements of the Royal Thai Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force.

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