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It’s all a lie
Editor;
Re: Michael Nightingale’s letter on smoking. “Letters” 2-28-14. Michael
talks of obfuscation, but it doesn’t seem to bother him to make out and out
false statements. “We have known for fifty years that air pollution was
carcinogenic.” If that is so, than why did the World Health Organization
make its study? Further, if you knew, then why did all of the governments,
media and anti smoking fanatics of the world attribute all deaths in non
smoking people from cancer to second hand smoke?
Michael, you used the word “harmful” several times in your description of
second hand smoke. How in God’s name is it possible to prove that statement
when second hand smoke is such a miniscule percentage of overall air
pollution?
No, I am sorry Michael, but what occurred here was that the Surgeon General
of the United States contrived a report that was blatantly false and the
biggest lie of the century was created because non smokers who were annoyed
by cigarette smoke jumped on the band wagon. And because they were annoyed,
they backed the segregation of smokers from just about everyone, supported
the verbal abuse of smokers and worst of all, backed the draconian taxation
of smokers, which is what the entire issue was all about in the first place.
Now that the W.H.O. has let the cat out of the bag, everyone is in denial
that they did anything wrong.
Michael, it is true that many smokers were rude about their smoking. I had
no problem with separate seating in restaurants, or no smoking in public
buildings. Even the smoking rooms in airports didn’t bother me, although
like you I was “annoyed” by it, but when they removed them all together
things began to get out of hand. Before you knew it, there was no smoking in
parks and beaches and people were being forced to sell their condominiums
because a neighbor complained of smoke coming out the smoker’s window and
into theirs. (This occurred in the Midwest of the U.S). They put a smoking
“area” way down by the engines of the trains in the Hua Lampong train
station, even though the entire train station is permeated with diesel
fumes. Ditto for the Morchit bus terminal. In Taiwan I had to check out
through immigration to go outside for a cigarette and then come back through
immigration again to catch my connecting flight. Yet all of the duty free
shops were stacked mile high with cigarettes for sale.
I could go on with this into infinity, but it is enough to say that you were
duped by the U.S. government into believing a lie so that they could tax
cigarettes beyond all reason with the backing of two thirds of the
population. The tax on a pack of cigarettes in New York is now over four
dollars a pack. Of course the “monkey see, monkey do” Thai politicians soon
adapted the ploy and cigarettes went from fifty baht a pack to eighty five
baht a pack over night. And they were all able to do this because they had
the backing of fanatics.
Michael if you want to live in denial, which your letter indicates you do,
then do so, but please cease the lies, because you are only giving
governments the backing they need to continue to extort money from smokers.
If you want to say that cigarette smoke is annoying, say it all you like,
but kindly cease and desist with using words such as “dangerous, harmful and
cancerous”. That may or may not be true if it applies to the smoker, but
that’s his business, not yours.
Lastly, allow bars to decide whether or not they want to allow smoking or
not. Give back everyone’s choice to decide for themselves what they want to
do. In other words, strike down the “Michaels way, or the highway” law.
John Arnone
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New swim buoys
Editor;
These are the new swim buoys at Jomtien Beach Soi 7. They look great, much
better then the previous ones that they used for a few years, lacking
preventive maintenance also ending up being an environmental mess.
At this point the only problem KOTO sees is the dangers of letting people
play on them, running, jumping off, letting people unable to swim on them.
KOTO has watched children, adults running on them, diving off of them,
falling; also drunk people on them, night and day.
Looks like an accident waiting to happen, hoping they don’t wait for a child
or anybody getting hurt or drowning.
If KOTO had a say in this matter, he would make it unable or damn hard to
mount them, having pictures with a big X through somebody climbing onto
them. It would not only deter, but also help to prevent accidents, some
maybe deadly, also legal matters.
I see a lifeguard in the area but not keeping anybody off or keeping much of
an eye on this new type of swim buoy.
Health and happiness to all,
Gerry, aka KOTO “Keeper Of The Ocean”
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Songkran planning
Editor;
Re: Pattaya officials begin 2014 Songkran planning (PM Friday, 28 February
2014) - We expats and residents are also doing our own Songkran planning.
That being where to go during the “10 Days of Madness” and the “The 7 Deadly
Days”. I am certain the strict enforcement of the sale of the PVC water
cannons, along with being sensible about their use on bike riders, those
going to and coming from work, or business, and tourist dressed for an
evening out will not be in effect. Glad it wasn’t mention in the planning.
Certain all laws regarding drunk driving, or rules of the road will also be
suspended, and there will be a fair number of tourists who will not be
returning due to death, injury, or crime.
Dill Pickles
Living in a time warp
Editor;
Regarding the 21 Feb letter to Mailbag by John Arnone - There is a reason
the Bangkok papers do not print his letters regarding cigarette smoke. He is
living in a time warp of 1940’s and 1950’s state of ignorance and denial,
when doctors made ads for cigarettes.
Lawrence Remington
Pattaya
Where have you been?
Editor;
Re:- Belated reply, PM Friday 21/2/14, John Arnone claims that smokers smoke
does not kill. Ok, if we are to believe this, what argument can he raise for
the smell of a smoker and the smell of cigarette smoke? Nothing can be worse
than sitting next to a smoker on the baht bus or next to a smoker in a
restaurant. Smokers and their foul smoke stink, they should bury their nose
in an ashtray to see what they put us non smokers through.
Cornish Ned
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