PATTAYA TODAY 1
Vol.7 No.22 Â? 1 - 15 August 2008
Volume 7, Issue 22
1 - 15 August 2008
25 BAHT
Pattaya 2009 Budget Request Slashed
Unfinished projects and unreliable contractors create many headaches
IN mid-July Mayor Ittiphol Khunplome chaired his first annual budget allocation meeting at City Hall with every branch, section, division, and office armed with reams of flow charts and Excel spreadsheets to press their case for a monetary handout. The total to be requested from the central government for 2009 for Pattaya will be just under 1.5 billion baht, a surprising 450 million baht less than 2008's budget. Although Pattaya continues to expand, the local
government believes it can run leaner efficiently on a reduced appropriation. For example, the Office of the Permanent Secretary wants 135 million baht to developing the efficiency of sea rescue services. The Koh Larn branch requires 38 million baht to purchase a garbage collection boat. The Education Office wants 264 million baht to maintain its 10 public schools, or more than two million baht per month per school. There are no guarantees the
requested amount will be approved by the central government. There is a belief the public servants charged with approving budget requests will view Pattaya's submission unfavourably because there are still many unfinished projects from past allocations. City officials say many projects fail to be completed on time, or not at all, because
winning contractors, many of whom seem to be able to win bids almost at will, often illegally sub-contract to other operators, keeping 10 percent as their profit. Other contractors run out of money due to increasing materials costs. They abandon the project, and although they are subject to a significant fine, some close the company and start up a new operation.
German resident survives shooting near railway line IN the very early hours of 18th July local police were called to assist Ulli Schneider, a 41-yearold German expatriate, who had inadvertently been caught up in the middle of a shooting incident between a group of Thais and police volunteers near the railway crossing at soi Khao Noi in eastern Pattaya and was slightly wounded by a stray bullet. Mr Schneider explained to
police he had gone into Pattaya to have dinner and wander around the bars with his 29-year-old Thai girlfiend Khun Ketsarin. They were heading back to home and hearth in Chokchai Village 2 with Mr Schneider riding his motorbike while his girlfriend drove their car ahead when the incident occurred. The whole affair began after two police volunteers who were
riding along south Pattaya road towards Sukhumvit road were passed at speed by a group of between seven and eight motorbikes ridden by teenagers. Being naturally suspicious as to why these young people were allowed to be out so late instead of home tucked up in bed, the pair of volunteers decided to follow the group. Continued on page 2