Chaiwat wants city to buy Siam Park for youngsters

Park president Chaiwat Leungamornlert announced that he may sell the 26-year-old park in Bangkok's Khan Na Yao district for Bt5 billion.

His comment came after the accident, which saw 28 children rushed to hospital with head injuries and broken bones after a water slide broke and they fell two metres to the ground.

Chaiwat said he was considering selling the park to Thai Beverage chief Charoen Sirivad-hanabhakdi.

Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin had also called, he said, asking him not to sell.

Chaiwat said he thus proposed the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) buy the complex and turn it into a place where youngsters could enjoy swimming or other activities.

Chaiwat said he would prefer to sell the centre to the city or a non-profit organisation.

Staff at the water amusement complex said yesterday they were saddened by news of a possible sale. Saturday's accident followed a serious accident in October, when a woman was killed and others injured on a ride. Officials at Nopparat Ratcha-thani Hospital said yesterday two of the four children sent to the hospital had gone home. The last two would be released today.

Pathum Riengrod, 60, who earns Bt6,300 a month as a maid at the Safari section, said she was astonished by news the park might be sold, but felt sympathetic to the owner's long struggle to keep it running since 1981, when it was deep in debt.

"Suan Siam is like my life. I've worked here since 1984. It's like a home to me and whenever many visitors come to the park, my fellow workers and I are happy and work hard. It feels like we also own the place. If Suan Siam is sold, I'd have to move back to my home in Bang Chan district and work as a scavenger," she said.

Pathum lamented that her life after Suan Siam would be tough because, besides bills to pay, she had many people to support at home.

"Deep in my heart, I don't want the owner to sell the park but if he does, he'd have his reasons because he has fought a lot," she said.

A 19-year-old female worker, in charge of operating a play machine, said she sympathised with the park president, saying he had fought to keep the park open for years and was saddened by his announcement.

"I feel a bond to this place although I've worked here just two months. After finishing my vocational schooling in Kanchanaburi, I came straight to Suan Siam because I love the job here - seeing families bringing their kids to play and seeing the smiling faces of children," she said. If the park was sold, she would return to work with her family in Kanchanaburi.

Another 35-year-old female worker, operating the Kids' City section, said she only heard about the possible sale through the media, not from the park management.

The seven-months-pregnant worker said most employees sympathised with the park owner and that if the complex was sold, she would return to her home town Chumphon.

Surat Leungamornlert, 26, who is Chaiwat's nephew and operates the Rock-and-Roll machine, said he had heard of a possible sale of Suan Siam.

Surat said he did not want the place to close because he wanted the park to open for people for ever. All 300 employees loved the park and the owner treated them well, as if they were family members.

Meanwhile, Chaiwat said he had received many calls from the public to give moral support and asking his family not to sell the park - while investors were also interested in buying the site.

Among them was Arthorn Janwimol, head of Ratchamong-kol Institute of Technology Pathumwan Campus, who told him not to sell. However, Arthorn also told him if he really did want to sell, he should contact Thai Beverage chief Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi.

Chaiwat said if he did sell the park he would ensure that employees got compensation according to labour laws.

He also confirmed the park would foot medical expenses for accident victims from the weekend. Chaiwat said the insurance company had already contacted 13 victims to make sure transport costs were paid.

Police had summoned the two workers who operated the machine at the time of the accident but had not charged them yet, he said. And he would give full cooperation if police wanted to summons him too.

The park has remained open since Saturday but few people have gone to use its facilities. Khan Na Yao district officers have asked the park to close the water slide for 15 days so that city engineers can inspect it.

The Nation