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The Legacy of
Itthiphol Kunplome
Itthiphol Kunplome
Itthiphol Kunplome
From 2008 until 2016 Itthiphol Kunplome was the acting Mayor of Pattaya City.
Almost all the projects the Mayor launched during his Governorship failed. A complete waste of taxpayers money.
Itthiphol's term ended on June 16th, 2016.
He was replaced by a committee of twelve members, handpicked by Thailand's Military Junta.
The Killing of Pattaya Mayor's former Driver
Some people recommend that Thailand's Crime Suppression Division (CSD), the investigating police unit, should have a closer look into the killing of Pattaya Mayor's former driver too.
The mysterious killing happened on Saturday, December 8th, 2012, between 03:30 and 04:00 in front of the Netureza North Pattaya project, near the bridge #1 on the side of the road Chaipornvithee (Soi Nong Preu) Moo 12 Tambon Nong Preu, Amphur Banglamung, Chonburi province.
A gunman shot Itthiphol Kunplome's former diver three times.
Kamol Supatsaksakul, 44, died later in the hospital.
He lost his job when Pattaya Mayor Itthiphol Kunplome began driving himself...
Pedestrian Lights
Pedestrian Lights
Pattaya spent over 129 million Baht for traffic light-controlled pedestrian crossings in 2010. Until today they never worked correctly. Police don't like them and shut them down during weekends.
Bali Hai Drug Prevention Center
Bali Hai Drug Prevention Center
Put up to house a Drug Prevention Center. Never used.
Beach Nourishment
Beach Nourishment
Beach Nourishment
A 480 million Baht project, allegedly stalled, but the barracks are still there, the cars and some people too and they block the Promenade. Interesting: The published website never was online - a scam?
Bali Hai Marine Port
Bali Hai Marine Port
Bali Hai Marine Port
Bali Hai Marine Port
The 680 Million Baht Marina near the Bali Hai Port, aimed as facility to attract Luxury Yachts and larger Ocean Liners, never finished. The port also allowed to built the otherwise illegal Waterfront Condominium and Hotel complex...
Bali Hai Parking Garage
Bali Hai Parking Garage
Fully Automatic Parking Garage. A 738 million Baht building that nobody needs. Originally planned to open in July 2013, opened on April 1st, 2015, but closed a few months later. A popular recreation area had to make space for the useless car parc.
Pattaya Beach Road Widening
Pattaya Beach Road Widening
To make space for a 3rd lane, part of Pattaya Beach Promenade was used in the 144 million Baht project. The highly educated project managers forget to install an adequate drainage system.
Pattaya Beach Promenade
Pattaya Beach Promenade
Pattaya's new Beach Promenade is a complete disaster, made by bungler: Rain washes away the sand of Pattaya Beach, the walls collapse. Limited seats, almost no shadow spending trees.
Pattaya Flood Prevention
Pattaya Flood Prevention
Pattaya Flood Prevention
Pattaya Flood Prevention
Professionals, please look away: Pattaya City Hall invested a whopping 193 million Baht into new drainage pipelines. The massive new drainage pipelines miserably failed to solve Pattaya's flooding problems...
Pattaya Flood Prevention
During rainy night times Pattaya's old pumpstation at the entrance to Walking Street is spitting dirty and stinky waters directly into the beach...
Pattaya City Hospital
Pattaya City Hospital
Pattaya's City Hospital is located near the Public Health Center on Soi Buakhaow, about 500 meters from Soi Diana. Its construction started on March 19th, 2009. According to Itthiphol Khunplome the new hospital should give the public another option of choosing an alternate hospital service to the private hospitals around Pattaya, which are rather expensive.
The Hospital fully opened to the public during 2014 after being on a test-run for out-patient treatments only for more than a year.
As a public facility, Pattaya Hospital offers free primary health services for people with state insurance (known as 30-Baht Health Care Scheme).
Some sources say that the Pattaya City Hospital is very farang friendly - other sources claim the contrary.
Pattaya Sky Train
Pattaya Sky Train
A project launched by Itthiphol Kunplome shortly after his inauguration. The first projekt was aimed to connect Pattaya City Hall with Bali Hai. After strong opposition the Mayor presented a new plan using Pattaya second Road instead of Pattaya Beach Road. Thailand's Government stopped the (stupid) project. Nevertheless Itthiphol's City Hall wasted millions of Baht for feasibility studies, planning, sessions and publication-materials.
Pattaya Tunnel
Pattaya Tunnel
During October 2011 City Hall approved 800 million Baht for a 1'900 meters long tunnel under the intersection of Central and Sukhumvit roads. People are skeptical, mainly because not one single project launched by Itthiphol Kunplome works as promised - they all failed. Nevertheless, a Thai Engineer assured Pattaya business leaders as well as citizens that the 420-meter-long tunnel would not flood...
Dolphin Street Lighting
Dolphin Street Lighting
On about 1'500 meters of Pattaya North Road City Hall installed about 150 street lights in the middle of the road, all topped by Dolphin sculptures. The very same posts the city installed at Bali Hai too.
Like father, like son?
Khaosod reports on its Twitter account on July 25th, 2023: The National Anti-Corruption Commission on Tues concludes there's enough ground to believe that former Culture Minister Ittiphol Khunpluem was involved in corruption related to Pattaya Water Front project when he was Pattaya mayor. It will refer the case to the Criminal Court.
The Pattaya News reports on July 26th, 2023: Anti-Corruption Organization Finds Possible Guilt Against Former Pattaya Mayor in Waterfront Suites & Residences Condo Scandall
For additional information about Ittiphol Khunpleum and his background click
Pattaya News Flash: The Godfather of Chonburi
Wikipedia: Itthiphol Khunpluem
Arrest warrant for Itthiphol Khunpluem
Thai Enquirer reports on its Twitter account on September 5th, 2023:
According to news reports, the Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases in Region 2 has issued an arrest warrant for former Culture Minister Itthiphol Khunpluem.
The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) has accused him of granting an improper construction permit to Bali Hai for the construction of a high-rise condominium complex called Waterfront Suites & Residences back in 2008 when he was serving as the mayor of Pattaya.
Itthiphol was summoned by the prosecutor to acknowledge his charges on September 4, but he failed to appear. Consequently, the NACC requested an arrest warrant from the court, which was granted on September 5.
If found guilty of violating Section 157 of the Criminal Code, he could face imprisonment ranging from 1 to 10 years, and the statute of limitations for this case is 15 years, meaning it will expire on September 10.
Thai Enquirer reports on its Twitter account on September 6th, 2023:
Former Culture Minister Itthiphol Khunpluem could escape arrest if his case expires before apprehension, according to Niwatchai Kasemmongkol, the Secretary-General of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), which filed the case against Itthiphol.
An arrest warrant was issued for him on September 5 for failing to appear in court to acknowledge his charges. The NACC accuses him of improperly granting a construction permit to Bali Hai for the Waterfront Suites & Residences complex in 2008 when he was Pattaya's mayor.
Niwatchai told Isranews that if Itthiphol isn't arrested by the case's September 10 expiration, authorities can't take further action, even with an existing arrest warrant.
If found guilty of violating Section 157 of the Criminal Code, Itthiphol could face 1 to 10 years in prison. The case has a 15-year statute of limitations. The NACC filed the case on August 3, but Itthiphol didn't appear when summoned by the Office of the Attorney General.
Isranews reported he left the country on August 30, flying to Phnom Penh - on the same day that the Attorney General ordered his prosecution.
Thai Enquirer reports on its Twitter account on September 7th, 2023:
The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) has requested the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) to seek a new arrest warrant for Former Culture Minister Itthiphol Khunpluem.
Before issuing the initial warrant, the OAG had recommended that the NACC petition the court for an arrest warrant with a provision stipulating that the statute of limitations on the case would be suspended if the suspect fled. However, the initial warrant does not include the provision.
Consequently, the OAG has now asked the NACC to approach the court for a new warrant that includes the aforementioned provision. This is urgent because the statute of limitations on the case is set to expire on September 10. Itthiphol failed to appear for his court date on September 4, and the latest reports indicate that he left the country on August 30.
It took the NACC nearly 15 years to accuse Itthiphol of improperly granting a construction permit to Bali Hai for the Waterfront Suites & Residences complex in 2008 during his tenure as Pattaya's mayor. The NACC only forwarded the case to the OAG on August 3.
For many, it seems that Itthiphol Khunpluem as culture minister under dictator Prayut Chan-o-cha and as a member of his party was untouchable and may still enjoy some protection today.
Bangkok Post reports on September 22nd, 2023:
Former culture minister and Pattaya mayor Itthiphol Kunplome, facing an arrest warrant for malfeasance in connection with the approval of a controversial condominium development in Pattaya in 2008, has reportedly contacted authorities to surrender.
Thai Enquirer reports on its Twitter account on October 9th, 2023:
Former Culture Minister Ittipol Khunpluem has been arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport.
Ittipol fled to Cambodia on September 5th after the Office of the Attorney General filed charges against him and nine others for their involvement in issuing an illegal construction permit to Bali Hai. This permit was for the construction of a luxury condominium at the base of Phra Tamnak Mountain in Pattaya during his tenure as the city's mayor in 2008.
Ittipol is now being transferred to the Office of the Attorney General, Division 2, in Rayong.
The Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases in Region 2 has granted bail to Ittipol with a surety of 120,000 baht, even though he fled the country in an attempt to escape prosecution last month.
Ittipol has denied all wrongdoings, and his next court date is scheduled for October 31st.
Conclusion
The Governorship of
Itthiphol Kunplome
was nothing else than a gigantic waste of Taxpayers' money!
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