Fake police strike again, almost

Editor;
Re: Music stops for fake copyright police gang (PM Friday, 23 November 2012) - Copyright fake police were here on the dark side, 7-8 in number, Thursday eve the 26th trying to scare my wife. We took photos and were told they need to give us permission to do so! 2 of them hid their faces, so maybe they might be local police(?). This puts a bad look for all the people trying to build up Pattaya. They all left when they figured out they were not going to get a single baht.
Lakeside Bar Owner

Skepticism justified?

Hi Pattaya Mail;
Thank you for your always interesting publication. Being skeptical about City Hall and the police’s real interest in cracking down on the jet ski problem which has been given a lot of publicity, I got my answer in Friday November 16 issue of Pattaya Mail.
Headline: “Jet Ski vendor arrested for 25,000 baht extortion, returns money” and I thought Hallelujah till I read on. “Pattaya police arrested a jet ski vendor who allegedly extorted 25,000B from an Indian tourist who had allegedly scraped the side of the boat. Ponssuphan Phoommok was taken into custody after tourist Jaspre Singh, 34, complained to police he’d been forced to pay for alleged damage to a jet ski on Nov. 3.”
So far so good, then reality sets in: “Ponssuphan returned the money with police saying he confessed never expecting the tourists to go to the authorities. Singh and friend said they rented the jet ski in front of Mikes Shopping Mall and were told they had scraped the side of the boat.”
Now for the punch-line: “After they had had the money returned the two tourists declined to press charges” (perhaps after being told they would have to testify in court sometime in the future, probably in about 3 to 5 years time) “and the vendor was released.” What, without even slap on his thieving wrist?
So everything is back to normal then; forget about any crackdown.
When are these people going to learn that killing the goose that lays the golden eggs for one enjoyable meal is a very shortsighted policy? Silly question - never!
RW

Progress is shameful

Editor;
Re: Another paradise lost (PM Friday, 09 November 2012) - Having first visited Pattaya back in May 1984, I have been amazed at the destruction of the area. I went to Koh Larn by long tail boat and was greeted with a completely empty, pristine beach (no sheds, deck chairs, vendors etc). I was so impressed I took photos which I still have. Back in Jomtien, the beach was at least 50 metres wide. Again, no vendors, deck chairs, umbrellas, etc. Just a little shack at the back of the beach selling som tam. Amazing (Thailand) that it only took 27 years to completely mess up what took 1000’s of years to create. I now live at Sam Roi Yod Beach, which is similar to how Pattaya was all those years ago. Shame!
Steve Thompson
 

Traffic is getting worse

Editor;
One of the delights of living in Pattaya compared to Bangkok has always been the better traffic. Alas, with the increased development (around Wong Amat beach in particular), this is coming to an abrupt end. The area along Naklua Road from Soi 12 to Soi 20 (in particular Soi 18) is now at times a car park with buses clogging traffic in both directions.
What are the authorities at City Hall doing about this? So far, a couple of street signs telling people not to park on one side of the road have made no difference (these require policing). The area needs a complete overhaul immediately, and to a non-expert like myself the logical solution is making a system of one-way streets as happens along Beach Road. Some smaller sois also need to be off-limits to buses (which applies to many streets in Pattaya).
I hope changes can be made quickly in order to improve the quality of life of the local residents.
John Roman
Soi 16, Naklua
 

Equally polite or rude

Editor;
Re: Perpetuating myth serves no purpose (Mailbag Friday, 16 November 2012) - Thais and farangs are equally polite and as equally ignorant as each other in my opinion. There are good and bad people whichever country your are from. Be polite and be patient is the best policy.
Politeness can be wasted on some people. I was long time member of a 5 star resorts gym. One day I was walking through the hotel on the way to the gym. About 20 yards behind me were 2 Thai women. One was daddy’s clammed up princess and the other the conservatively attired mother. Having been brought up correctly, on a treat others as you would like to be done by basis, I held back and got the double swing doors for them... I got no thanks, no eye contact was made; in short they totally ignored what I had just done for them. Still ahead, I said nothing and moved on to the second set of swing doors 30 yards away. Suffice to say I did not repeat my kindness towards them. Some people are just ignorant, plain and simple. Always try to make the effort to be pleasant, if it’s a wasted exercise don’t repeat your kindness.
Happy Chappy

Fake police strike again, almost

Skepticism justified?

Progress is shameful

Traffic is getting worse

Equally polite or rude