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Campaign for a safer Pattaya
Editor,
On Friday night and on Saturday night I saw CNN news tell the world about
the disastrous fire which took place in Jomtien. Of course, they reported
that fire exits had been LOCKED, that fire alarms had not sounded, and that
these same reports on CNN Interactive, ABC News and in each of the USA
newspaper sites which I checked.
FOR THE MOMENT, the entire world knows that Pattaya, Chonburi Province, and
Thailand have allowed an unsafe hotel to exist. I expect all of the
government officials to make noise about how bad this was and how it should
not happen again.
On Saturday night, a friend asked me what I thought about the problems which
existed at the hotel...the handling of the fire...and what will be done. I
told my friend that I expect the government officials to say how bad it
was...should not happen again...and then promptly forget about these things,
making NO ATTEMPT to be sure that other public facilities are safe and that
proper fire-fighting equipment, with properly trained staff are available
for our city. I reminded my friend that more than a year ago, I wrote a
letter to the Pattaya Mail complaining about the UNSAFE condition of the
‘Big-C Department Store’. In that letter, I pointed out that exits had been
blocked in order to make security easier. I explained that there is not
adequate emergency lighting in the store, there are not proper signs
pointing to emergency exits (which are not adequate and do not have clear
paths). All of these things were pointed out in my letter, after Central
Department Store had a disastrous fire in Bangkok killing several people. I
pointed out to my friend that the Pattaya Mail did not try to campaign for
safe conditions in buildings, and that the city ‘OFFICIALS’ did nothing
about having safe conditions. Exit doors of ‘Big-C’ are still blocked. There
is only ONE way to exit from the four theatres on the top floor. Exit doors
of the Burger King are still locked. (Just as the exit doors of Royal
Jomtien Hotel were...AND many, many other businesses in the area.)
After we have had so many people killed by a fire in an ‘unsafe building’,
will the Pattaya Mail start a campaign to have safe building standards
ENFORCED? Will our government officials actually DO something to improve
safety conditions of buildings for public use in the area? Or will things
just go on as usual, waiting for the next disaster?
A concerned ‘outsider’ living in Pattaya (a city I love)
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Wake up, Pattaya officials
Dear Pattaya Mail:
With the tragic accident which occurred at the Royal Jomtien Hotel, many
things came to my mind. It is tragic, yes, the news is full of it; all over
the world people will again say, ‘Oh, Pattaya.’
Now, travel agents will not refer to a hotel being in Jomtien as they
usually do when they want to sell rooms; but this is not the reason for my
letter.
Will this incident be enough to finally wake up the public, the managers and
the directors of the these unsafe buildings and department stores in our
region (actually, all over Thailand.)???
I remember a letter in mailbag, about a year ago from Mr. Bob Purdy,
complaining about the closure of all exit doors in Big C. Did anything
happen? Even though anyone knows that Big C is a chain store. One of their
branches in Bangkok had a huge fire in Bangkok about 3 years ago. Can you
imagine being trapped there with all that plastic and clothing around you?
Many times, while shopping in Big C, I shopped with only the emergency
lights on, because of a power cut. So what? A power cut is a normal thing in
Thailand, but what if the power cut is an emergency in the end? A fire, an
electric short, a gas incident? Where can you escape? All the doors are
locked and hidden behind tapes, TV’s and clothes. There’s only one sliding
door for all these people, especially dangerous on weekends. I would not
want to be there. No, how about the fire doors of all these big hotel and
the other department stores in Pattaya? Isn’t is possible to pressure the
officials in a way to take some action in the name of safety?
Or will it be just another tragedy which will be only remembered by the
survivors and those who lost a loved one, because we were not concerned?
Best Regards
A Pattaya Citizen
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Theatre exits locked
Dear Sir,
The day after the Jomtien Hotel disaster I went to see a film at the Big C
Mall. After the film when I went to leave, guess what? The exit doors were
locked! Any comment would be superfluous.
Yours faithfully,
John Sealey
Howdy from
Down Under
Hi,
I would just like to say hello from Australia. I have been to Pattaya a few
times over the last couple of years and enjoyed it very much. I especially
like your newspaper and have always returned with copies for further
reading.
When my friends go over to Thailand I always ask for them to bring me back
copies of your newspaper. I enjoy all the stories and read it from cover to
cover.
Please pass on my hello to Stoney’s Bar (Beach Road) from myself and Suned
Chuawong.
Jim Lessells
Greetings from the U.K.
Editor;
I’d just like to say thanks for producing such an excellent newspaper. I’ve
recently visited Pattaya and I’m always interested to know what’s going on
out there.
I’ve just heard about to hotel fire there. I hope all is well for you and
you are all O.K. I’ll be phoning friends over there soon to find out if they
are all right.
All the best
Scott Morris
Staffordshire, England
Norway finds it hard to believe
Pattaya Mail,
The report on the fire at Royal Jomtien Hotel as seen on Norwegian TV 2, at
23:40 (Thai time) Friday night and during the rest of the night I got a lot
of phone calls from Norway.
About unbelievable:
1. Hotel more than 4 storeys with lack of sprinklers?
a. Is this normal for Thailand?
b. How many, and which hotels in Pattaya-Jomtien are the same?
2. They locked their (fire exit) doors to prevent guests from running off
without paying their bills?
a. Is that a big problem in Thailand, and is it normal to save it this way?
b. Why don’t the different hotels keep some money or guarantee when guests
check-in?
c. Will the Tourist Department recommend the hotels to keep payments when
tourists check-in, as a routine, so nobody do it this way in the future?
This catastrophe was not good for the tourist business, and I hope your
newspaper will help so the different hotel owners wake up and the government
will press them to invest more in safety.
Best regards,
Harald Tveråen
Thai-Norway Tourist info center
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Disputing the fitness column
Dear Sir,
I would like to draw your attention to the “Fitness Tips” article you
published in Volume 5 No. 27 on Friday, July 4, 1997.
In this article has stated that, quote, “I generally stick to white meat,
chicken, turkey or fish as this is lighter than red meat and contains less
fat.”
This I feel needs clarification. Yes, white meats are lighter in colour than
red meats, however, on a gram for gram basis a lean cut of beef has in
actual fact less fat than skinless chicken.
Also, how do you explain high fat fish such as Salmon? The only white part
in this very popular and tasty fish is the fat.
In an article such as this these things need to be mentioned, let us try to
keep the broad sweeping statements in check, shall we.
I generally enjoy this column and with a background in Nutrition and
Dietetics I am happy to concur with the diet side of what I have previously
read.
I was outraged when I came across this in the same article: “Cutting down on
the fat intake should be done slowly and intelligently so that you don’t
feel as if all of a sudden you are on a diet and missing out. Every time you
eat, just try to discipline yourself and take either one potato less than
normal, or no sauce and slowly you will realise that it’s not that difficult
if you just cut down on those fattening things one by one.”
Are we actually advocating the removal of one of the body’s best sources of
carbohydrate? Simply put, there is no fat in potato at all.
Perhaps the reference to potato here is to the usual style of preparation -
French fries - I sincerely hope so for the sake of the integrity of the
columnist and for that of the paper also.
Mr. Editor, how can it be that we are now reading subjective supposition,
unsubstantiated or should I say clinically disproven fact which remains
merely opinion as this is what used to be the case?
These things require clarification for the public for the sake of the column
and for that of the paper, let us hope that the explanation is a simple one.
Please bring the standard back to the previous level - beyond reproach.
Deeply concerned avid reader
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Bjorn’s reply
Dear Editor,
Have been reading Mr. Peter Eades letter to me on WWW.pattayamail.com.
Yes, I was “got” by the traffic police for not wearing a helmet. On my
recent holiday to Pattaya, the 3rd this year, I rented a motor-bike and
asked the person I rented from for a helmet. He came with a helmet far too
small for my “European head” and he had no others. Even after I made the
strap go under my chin larger, it could not reach.
Now, what do you do as farang? I was so naive that I was sure that I could
explain that to the traffic police if stopped by them. But no such luck. I
am almost sure that day it was work on a commission basis. The more you
catch, the more money you make.
At the police station I spoke to a lieutenant there who very kindly reduced
my fine from Baht 400 to Baht 200 after I had explained to him my
problem/dilemma with the helmet. On driving back to the Traffic Police,
corner 2nd avenue and central, I also, via a person speaking both Thai and
English, told them about my problem with the helmet. The Traffic Police was
kind enough to make a note of that in my paid fine.
But now I have sent to Pattaya Mail photos I have been taking of police
driving around without a helmet, and I would be very happy to get an answer
from the chief of the Traffic Police about what makes those persons so
special, or are they just Holly Cows there who can not be fined just because
they are in the police. As far as I am concerned, it is the same law for
them as for other Thais and Farangs.
Kind regards
Bjorn Falkenbrink
Denmark
PS. It is terrible about the Royal Jomtien and I pray for the poor people. I
wish that I would have been there to help in some way.
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