Suppress the bad, let the good people carry on their work

Editorial comment by Kittisak Khamthong

Pattaya today is becoming as the Buddha predicted. The worst elements of society have the power in the city, while no matter how much good the other people do, society does not accept them. But the ‘baddies’ in society are becoming very popular. If life in Pattaya has become a ‘dog’s life’ we only have to look at who is in power to understand the canine analogy.

People are afraid to openly speak the truth.

Amorn Malhotra’s profession is that of a journalist. He helps society by being the head of the Tourist Assistance Volunteers. He is also an advisor to the mayor of Pattaya. Through the newspaper and his other activities, he has been a voice of the people for over 5 years. Since the founding of the Pattaya Mail, his expertise in many fields has been well known. This comes from a long period of residence and study overseas. He is also known for a fierce devotion to the truth.

Through his work with the Pattaya Mail he has staunchly defended Pattaya against scurrilous and sensational attacks from foreign media using the city as basis for sensational and money making stories.

Due to his constant work, very few foreign papers write sensational and ‘semi-fictional’ stories about the city, as they know that Pattaya Mail will answer them with the truth. He does not shy away from the fact that there are problems the city needs to solve, but takes the issues up with the city authorities responsible.

He is known for his tirelessness in giving all help and legal advice to tourists and Thais alike.

An expert interpreter, Amorn is fluent not only in Thai but in English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Hindi and other middle eastern languages. He is a willing interpreter for those who need him. He is also an advocate for tourists defrauded by other tourists, Thai people and anyone who has been treated ill in the city.

Amorn also works closely with the Pattaya Tourist Police in the apprehending of foreign criminal elements, pedophiles and other lawbreakers. His record of successes in getting foreign criminals deported and prosecuted in their own countries is an impressive one.

Amorn has always encouraged foreign nationals concerning investment and tourism in Pattaya.

Pattaya Mail, being a small local newspaper covering the eastern region, knows it is almost impossible to publicize all the news of the happenings in and around Pattaya to the world. So we enlist the cooperation of many international newspapers in getting the truth about Pattaya to the world. Last year we were instrumental in inviting members of the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand to come take a first hand look at Pattaya. Both the public and the private sector, including the Tourism Authority of Thailand, staunchly supported this visit.

The visit was a successful one to say the least. Pattaya had an opportunity to present to the world, through the members of the FCCT, the plans and projections for the improvement of Pattaya. Be it the environment by building an enormous 1.8 billion Baht water treatment plant, the beautification of our beaches or solving some of our social problems.

In effect very few negative stories were written in the foreign press in the past year. Pattaya even won an award for "Outstanding work in rejuvenating and protecting of the Environment" at the Travel Mart in England early this year. At the city hall meeting last year, one member of the foreign press with great optimism said, "we will soon see the rebirth of Pattaya."

Pattaya Mayor Pairat Suthithamrongsawat, pleased with last year’s visit by the FCCT and Pattaya Mail’s work, invited the group again this year. Pattaya Mail assisted the mayor in coordinating the visit. The mayor wished for the FCCT to see the progress in the development of Pattaya’s environment and ask for opinions from the members of the FCCT.

Gladly accepting this responsibility, Pattaya Mail contacted all agencies involved and wrote a letter of invitation to the members of the FCCT. Before the basic program reached the Pattaya City Council, it fell into the hands of ‘sinister’ elements of society, who wield considerable power that is only dangerously destructive to society.

This ‘sinister’ element of society did everything possible to stop the FCCT’s visit. Malicious stories were repeatedly printed in every issue of a local Thai language newspaper. Not stopping at that, anonymous letters were sent to various governmental offices, from the office the Prime Minister down to the provincial governor and even to the different organizations, warning them not to support the visit of the FCCT. The paper said this visit was a useless waste of government money, destructive to the economy and that the organizers would put any ‘leftover’ money into their own pockets.

These articles were written for no other reason than to cause doubt, dissension and have a divisive effect on the organizers. It is a libelous insult and caused aggravation to the Pattaya Mail, who have worked honestly and with a good conscience for the people of Pattaya.

This caused honest people great distress, as the government agencies concerned had to investigate to find out the truth in these accusations.

After a short period, the government agencies found all these accusations to be false and the FCCT visited Pattaya from August 7-9 1998.

The matter was not finished. At 2:00 a.m. on August 8, Amorn was accosted by an assailant who struck him on the head with a lead pipe. This was right after a reception for the foreign journalists had ended and all had left the premises. The assault was so swift that it was not possible to apprehend the assailant and we have now left it in the capable hands of Pol. Col. Pinit Satcharoen, Chief of the Pattaya police, to use his skills in tracking down this evil person and bringing him to justice along with his accomplices and the person who ordered the assault.

Amorn said that this was done out of spite and was not the act of a human being. The persons involved do not realise how much damage this incident has caused to the credibility of Pattaya that we have tried so hard to create. An act such as this only damages the city’s image as someone tries to get childish revenge because they did not get what they wanted. Amorn said that people who don’t understand cooperation or teamwork, but only personal benefit, react in this fashion. They think that they have so much power that they must not be afraid of the law.

With the situation like this, how can the people be happy and feel safe living here? The culprits are known to the authorities, but how can they just let them walk around freely? Why don’t they take measures to stop them from further destroying our country? One person can cause so much havoc and turmoil in our society that even influential people have to give him importance because they are afraid to be attacked in his newspaper. As for ours, a newspaper that writes fair and harms no one, we are treated with indifference because they know they will not be harmed in print.

The attempt to sabotage the visit of the FCCT and to show Pattaya in a bad light failed miserably. The visit was very educational and ended with a round table discussion at city hall where different ideas were again fielded for our city fathers to consider. The future of Pattaya was top priority on the agenda.

Preparations are in full swing for the Asian Games and there are many events that will be competed in Pattaya. This is a great opportunity for all organizations to promote Pattaya to it’s fullest. We now can show the world even more of the great beauty that we possess here. Plans will be pushed ahead to have a local branch of the FCCT here in Pattaya so that the foreign press will be here to help us promote Pattaya to the world.

As for Amorn, he will continue to do his duties, and if it brings positive results to us, we are satisfied. Hopefully what has happened is just a bad dream, but if these bad dreams reoccur then just imagine how much more turmoil all of us will have to endure.

Don’t allow the bad people to float around freely and we will all live in peace and harmony.

I beg permission to quote one of His Majesty the King’s teachings, "Society becomes bad, because the good people despair."

Flying high and low in Pattaya

Story and photos by Suzanne Dooley

For Mr. Udomchok Churut, 40, of Pattaya, life is full of highs and lows. As a seventeen year old he lived in Samut Prakan, studying electrical engineering at a vocational school. One night at a party, he was shot in the back. The bullet is still there. Udomchok has not walked again.

Twenty-three years after this ‘accident’ Udomchok is an Electronics teacher at the Redemptorist Vocational School. He is totally paralyzed below the waist and uses a wheelchair for mobility.

Last week he went microlight flying in Pattaya. Thanks to the generosity of Mark Overend, Pattaya’s only qualified microlight instructor, he enjoyed soaring the skies and seeing a view of Pattaya few have experienced.

Udomchok says, "The view from the microlight is so different from the roadside view. I could not recognize the roads. Flying is very exhilarating. I would love to learn to fly a microlight. It’s such a wonderful experience."

Udomchok went flying because Mark Overend understands that disabled people can do almost anything other people can do. The key issues for the disabled are attitudes and accessibility. Neither proved a problem on this occasion.

Udomchok states, "Disabled people are normal people who have the same wants and desires as everyone else. We want to live normal lives. However, we sometimes need a little extra help or a provision made for our accessibility."

Accessibility is a key current issue for Udomchok. He is one of a committee of three who are working with the District Officer of Banglamung, Mr. Prasert Thanasettakorn, to improve accessibility for the disabled in Pattaya.

Difficulties abound in Pattaya. Try posting a letter at the post office, or visiting the food hall in Lotus, or going to a restaurant or catching a baht bus in a wheelchair. Accessibility for the disabled is very limited.

But Udomchok is not critical. Always a gentleman, he says, "The problem is unawareness, not bad will. We have to move slowly and promote awareness."

He is hoping the new District Office at Banglamung will be a model of accessibility for the disabled. He would like the government to lead the way. His committee is writing a submission for ramps and a toilet, to help make this building accessible.

Disabled tourists have money. Thousands of disabled athletes from more than forty countries will descend on Bangkok in January. Disabled tourists may come to Pattaya to spend their money, if Pattaya is accessible for them.

Accessibility promotes equality and justice. Disabled people in Thailand are beginning to live independent lives and they, too, will have money. If they cannot access a particular business their money goes to another business or another town.

After his accident, Udomchok’s wife Nujan says, "He did nothing. It took him about ten years before he could feel good about himself again. He wanted to end his life."

Udomchok has experienced many lows in his life. He says, "Now I’m happy. But often handicapped people are more handicapped by the attitudes of others and the lack of awareness of accessibility issues, than by their physical handicaps."

Udomchok has flown in the sky in a tiny machine that is little more than a motor bike with wings. He has experienced a new perspective on Pattaya.

Sadly, some days in Pattaya air travel is easier than ground travel for the disabled.

French speakers celebrate at ophanage

Story and photos by Suzanne Dooley

The French Speakers of Pattaya from France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Canada celebrated their annual national day at the Pattaya Orphanage on Sunday July 19th.

They enjoyed food, fun, drinks, sporting activities, giveaways and a concert in the orphanage grounds with the orphanage children and young adults.
The Senior tug of war.

About 25 Pattaya businesses came to the orphanage, setting up their drinks, eats, antiques and souvenirs. Proceeds of sales went to the orphanage. A highlight of the day was the giveaway of a motorcycle. It was won by a delighted Mr. Charoen of South Pattaya.

The children were treated to a day of fun activities with novelty sports in the morning. This was followed by the serious business of soccer matches in the afternoon, wheelchair basketball and petanque and then various concert items which concluded with a performance by Hippo Cabaret.

Pierre B. Piedferme, secretary of the Organizing Committee explained, "This year is special as it is the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Orphanage. Today is only one of the many activities the French speakers have planned. We had football in June, which raised 25,000 baht on the day. We had a Harley Davidson Parade yesterday. In September we plan to have a mini golf weekend and in November the SOS rice project again."

The two men who made it happen. Didier Frere of the French speaking community and Fr. Michael Picharn Jaiseri of the Pattaya Orphanage.

"That is not all. At the same time in Europe there is a prestigious operation to raise funds for distressed young people in Thailand. We expect to be able to present money to the orphanage in December."

Sadly missed from this year’s celebrations was Fr. Ray Brennan. The French community wished him a speedy recovery from illness.

Special visitors at the day included Baron Alexis de Crombrugghe, First Secretary of the Belgian Embassy in Bangkok. He came to this event for the second time because, "It is a very good initiative of solidarity with Thai people and we want to support it."

Another visitor of note was Daniel Nonnotte from the French Embassy. Despite the fact he played on the French Soccer Team, they could not beat the orphans. Something about practice?

The National Day celebrations at the orphanage are in their third year. Raymond Derrider, one of the Organizing Committee stated, "We hope to project a good image of foreigners living in Pattaya. We want to contribute positively to this country."

The residents of the orphanage heartily say thank you with a special thank you to Didier Frere and the hardworking organizing committee.

Tourist security - growing problem, few solutions

by Imtiaz Muqbil
Executive Editor, Travel Impact, Bangkok, Thailand

When giant tour operator Japan Travel Bureau issued its annual survey results on August 1, 1998, it contained a startling fact: 42.6% of respondents cited ‘security concerns’ as a reason for fearing travel abroad. This was up from 32.9% of respondents in 1997 and 28.7% in 1994. Said JTB, "Last year’s news from overseas was characterised by events such as the terrorist attack in Luxor, Egypt, haze pollution and political unrest in Indonesia, successive aircraft accidents in various countries, the ICE incident in Germany, and sundry other crimes and untoward events, many of which involved Japanese tourists."

The JTB message was clear. While overall Japanese outbound travel is expected to drop from about 16.8 million in 1997 to about 16 million this year due to the economic slowdown, elderly people are still travelling in good numbers and spending well. But, said JTB, "guaranteeing safety is a fundamental precondition of travel, and in the elderly segment in particular, concerns about security and safety abroad were frequently cited ... among those who were hesitant about taking an overseas trip." As national tourism organisations battle it out for market share in a diminishing Japanese outbound market, those representing countries with a higher perception of safety will have the edge.

Political, social, ethnic and religious tensions are escalating world-wide, and the travel & tourism industry is clearly feeling the fallout. Tourism in Egypt was blazing along at a 20% growth in 1997, until the Luxor attack in November. The cancellations that followed affected neighbouring Israel, Jordan and other Middle East countries. Kashmir, the Switzerland of Asia, has been devastated by the civil conflict. Ditto Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Indonesia. Cities with reputations of common criminality, like Johannesburg and Rio de Janeiro, also suffer. The scourge appears to be spreading to Australia where the perception, if not yet reality, of anti-Asian sentiment is affecting tourism.

The demands for something to be done became shrill enough for the World Tourism Organisation (WTO, no relation to the World Trade Organisation) to see what actually can be done. The 1998-99 work plan of the Madrid-based global tourism body calls for the establishment and operation of an international tourist safety and security task force. Its first step is to inventory what kind of problems exist before venturing how best to start tackling them, and in what priority. A questionnaire now being circulated among the WTO’s 138 member countries and territories shows the scale of the problem. It lists everything from epidemics and natural disasters to terrorism and organised crime and sexual abuse of minors.

It is important to differentiate between ‘safety’ and ‘security.’ Henryk Handszuh, head of WTO’s Quality Tourism Development Programme, has no doubts. "The Titanic was a ‘safe’ ship structurally," he says. "But its ‘security’ systems were not adequate enough to prevent the collision with the iceberg." In other words, countries are only as safe as the next terrorist attack or car-jacking incident, and the harder they work at preventing these incidents, the better. As many countries and even US states like Florida and Hawaii find out, it is far cheaper to spend whatever it takes to prevent incidents than the amounts that go into repairing the damage they cause in terms of both lost revenue and crisis-management budgets.

The WTO has held several seminars on tourist safety and security. At one in Warsaw, Poland, last year, a survey of 380,000 people by the European Travel Monitor revealed that more than eight million Europeans on trips abroad, or 3% of all travellers, had been victims of serious offences. The most common criminal offences were car break-in/theft, handbag theft, fraudulent money exchange, and theft of cash, credit cards and cheques. The survey also revealed that independent travellers are more vulnerable to criminal attacks than package tourists. Winter holidays in the mountains face the highest crime risks. Staying in hotels is safer than other forms of accommodation. Finally, young travellers are more affected than people over 50 or parents with small children.

To safeguard themselves from the personal financial fallout of an attack or an otherwise disrupted holiday, travellers are buying insurance. In some countries, it has become obligatory. But that does not prevent the problem. As tourist safety and security is a global problem, it needs global data. However, countries are not inclined to publicise statistics on criminal attacks on tourists, for obvious reasons.

One major irritant from which countries are seeking relief are the so-called ‘travel advisories’ issued by governments of countries that are major tourism source-markets. Usually issued by diplomatic missions, advisories get huge media coverage and land up in the computer reservation systems and on the Internet. Weeks later, long after the ruckus has faded, they may or not get pulled, depending on whether someone remembers them being issued in the first place. Even if they are forgotten about in the paper-mills, they still flash on the travel agents’ computer screens. Countries at the receiving end have protested endlessly but in vain. Intensely frustrated that one government’s assessment of a potential threat is given greater credibility than another’s, these countries are turning to the WTO, in the hope that its Task Force will create a mechanism by which an alternative, more independent assessment can be conveyed.

Mr. Handszuh also points out that different aspects of what can be considered ‘security’ come under different global bodies. Incidents related to airlines and aviation are under the purview of the International Civil Aviation Organisation or the International Air Transport Association. There are separate groupings for combating criminals, illicit trafficking and hotel related incidents, all of which have one form or another of impact on travel & tourism. All of these will be involved in the search for solutions.

In October 1998, the WTO’s Quality Support Committee is to meet to discuss the results of the questionnaire survey. Also on the table will be the information gathered from about 50 WTO member states on various Tourist Security and Facilitation Councils known to exist in those countries. Based on that information, the WTO will set up the Task Force to issue proper information, provide early warnings, identify criteria for ‘safe-destination’ status and also exchange expertise and research on preventive measures. Funding and administration issues will also be on the agenda. Creating yet another Task Force to add to the many on the global stage may not be the best way out, but at least its a start.

Investment briefing for Mekong River tourism projects
Tourism investors keen on checking out opportunities in the Greater Mekong Sub-Region are invited to attend an industry seminar to be organised by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) between 27-28 August at Nikko Mahanakorn Hotel, Bangkok.

The seminar will be jointly organised by the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Agency for Co-ordinating Mekong Tourism Activities (AMTA).

Consultants hired by the ADB will present the results of a major study identifying various tourism "products" that could offer potentially good returns on investment. The ADB is keen to hear the views of the private sector about developing public/private sector partnerships for tourism investment and management.

Potential investors will get a full briefing on the overall concept plans for various segments of the Mekong River from Yunnan Province in Southern China to the Mekong Delta area in Vietnam, along with reports on legal, financial and administrative mechanisms for co-operative management of the river’s tourism potential.

Proposed projects range from passenger boat services to tourist accommodations, infrastructure developments (air, road and rail) to cultural heritage planning and management.

Senior representatives of the national tourism organisations from each of the Greater Mekong Sub-region countries are expected to participate to answer questions. Executives of regional airlines, hotel groups and tour operators are also expected to attend.

Successfully Yours: Leslie Wright

by Mirin MacCARTHY

Leslie Wright looked up from behind his coffee mug and said, "I’m a Gemini, you know, we all have split personalities". One hour later, I had to agree with him.

Leslie Wright in his orchid garden.

Leslie is better known to readers of the Pattaya Mail as the writer of the weekly "Family Money" column, a financial advice forum, which could easily be so boring, if it weren’t for its witty, readable presentation.

Westminster Financial Services (Thailand) has been established in Thailand only a year, but Leslie, its Managing Director, has been an "Asiaphile" for over 20 years. Originally from the UK, his academic training was in research chemistry and economics. "But experience has taught me far more since," he said with a grin. His success in international business came from negotiating deals in over 100 countries before settling down in the Philippines in 1978.

Thirteen years and ten robberies later (two at gun-point) he decided it was time to move on and joined an international financial consulting firm in Hong Kong, despite initial misgivings that his economics background was too out of date. "I was very fortunate and took to it like a duck to water," he said with obviously justifiable pride.

After four successful years in Hong Kong, he was sent to re-structure the company’s Bangkok office, and this gave him the practical experience of living in the Kingdom. He had been coming here for holidays for the previous 12 years, and freely admits that life here as a resident is very different from experiencing Thailand as a tourist. He then returned to Hong Kong to complete his contract after which he came back to settle in Pattaya. "So I’m certainly not guilty of wearing rose coloured glasses," he said. "I chose to come and live here."

One factor which helped make his decision easier was one of his great passions - orchids. "There’s 300 of them out there," he said expansively, motioning towards the hanging orchid enclosures in the garden.

But it was the business Leslie who was sitting in front of me at the interview, and that person is just as passionate. Describing that side of himself as "The man with the tie on," he launched into acronyms as soon as I asked him about "success". The secret of success was just A-B-C he told me, "Activity, Belief and Commitment". From there he turned into a veritable fountain of quotable quotes "Greed blinds prudence", "Good managers are invisible", "The first Principle of Management is Planning", "You have to be self-disciplined to have the capacity to earn", "Learn from your mistakes" and "Be focussed and productive".

Leslie assured me these snippets of advice would, "Stop one sliding down the slippery slope of mediocrity." This may be so, but Leslie, despite this apparently somewhat flippant side of him initially, is indeed very firmly focussed. He has a 5-10 year business plan that involves growing Westminster Portfolio Services into a well-known, respected firm here in Thailand. When I asked him about his own personal future planning, as opposed to the business, he replied, "My whole life revolves around my business". He is certainly focussed, self disciplined and productive!

Personally, Leslie appears very content. The "man with the tie on" is pleased with the way the business is progressing, considering the current economic climate, and the other Leslie, the orchid grower and motorcycle rider, who goes eco-touring to photograph sunsets, waterfalls and butterflies is happy here as well. If success is "Contentment" as Leslie suggests, he has already arrived.

AutoMania

by Dr. Iain Corness

Baht Buses

The poor old Baht buses are in the news again, with the city fathers looking at what they can do about the diesel spewing demons. Since there are over 500 (and I’ll swear I’ve seen some with 800 registration numbers) they remain a problem, congesting our roads by stopping every twenty seconds looking for that elusive fare. You know the one they are looking for, the folk with $100 notes and no Baht and no idea where they are going, other than for a good time. Come aboard, suckers!

Jomtien Beach High Header.

However, as a public service, I thought I should let all the "new chums" into the Basics of Baht Bussing. The first, and most important fact is to note there are two basic types of Baht Bus in Pattaya. I call these the High Header and the Low Header. Once you begin to understand this, life becomes a lot easier, concussion becomes a lot rarer and scalp lacerations virtually non-existent.

The Low Headers are those with the passenger roof barely above the driving cab’s. The resultant head-room is fine for 95% of Thai passengers (who, because of small genes, can limbo under a two foot bar) but totally unsuitable for 95% of Farangs wearing large jeans. (The remaining 5% covers children, the Seven Dwarfs and my Aussie mate David Smith from Rover!)

High Headers, on the other hand, have so much head-room that some look as if they have been made to ferry go-going giraffes ("Would you care for a drink? The high-balls are on me!") Rule number one - choose a High Header, but watch out for giraffe poo.

Next sub-category is the White Stripe. The more observant ones amongst you will have noticed that some of the Blue Beasts have a white strip along the bottom of the door. This is not to be confused with stripes of white (or any colour) gained from sliding quietly down the side of parked cars. No, these are large, 8" wide, and along the bottom of the door and passenger compartment.

This stripe is a code. Rather than do something obvious like having a sign with origins and destinations, the Baht Bus secret code is used. White Stripes go between Naklua and Jomtien. To be more correct, White Stripes USUALLY go between Naklua and Jomtien. Since we know that Thais inherently dislike being forced to go anywhere specific, this is why code is used, rather than the finality of the printed word. Rule number 2 - if going to Jomtien, you’ll stand a better chance with a White Striper but make sure you keep the sea on your right hand side.

The next part of Baht Bussing requires some study. Did you know that deaf and dumb people pay less than you do on any Baht Bus? They do. They do! Like the Unwritten Rule of Destinations (see before), there is the Unspoken Rule of Reply and the Unheard Rule of Request.

As all but the very newest chums know, the fare on a Baht Bus is 5 Baht within Pattaya and 10 Baht to Naklua/Jomtien. However, IF you reply, in any way, to the question "Where you go?" the fare structure now changes. The sky’s the limit, or how deep’s your pockets? It is now deemed a matter of private hire and intense negotiations will ensue. You have broken the Unspoken Rule of Reply and you will pay for it. Heavily!

The Unheard Rule of Request is very similar. This one goes like this - you hand over 5 Baht, he wants and requests more. If you hear the request, you’ll have a public argument at least, and a stand-up fight at worst. Rule number 3 - pretend you are deaf and dumb, before, during and after any Baht Bus trip. Do not break the Unpoken and Unheard Rules. Otherwise you will never hear the end of it!

For those who have been very brave and ventured outside the "safety zone" of Pattaya, you will have seen that Baht Busses also come in different colours. The white ones seem to patrol Sukhumvit Road, between Rayong and Sriracha, whilst the green, red or light blue ones seem to work inland from Sukhumvit. Mind you, if you board a very large, very multi-coloured one, get off immediately, because you have just hailed an aircon bus for Bangkok!

Properly handled, the Baht Bus system is an efficient method of transport for the thousands of tourists and locals to get around this region easily and cheaply. You have to admit, there is certainly no waiting for the "bus every hour" as is prevalent in many countries. We just need to "fine tune" the system somewhat.

But in the meantime, use the Doc’s guide to the Baht Buses, and you’ll never be "scalped" again!

Autotrivia
Last week we looked at the famous Dr. Ferdinand Porsche’s early automotive work. Initially he was a great proponent of the electric motor and I asked what was different about the placement of the engines in his designs.

The hint, of course, was in the word "engines" - plural! Dr. Porsche used electric motors in the centre (hub) of the wheels, using at least two and sometimes four engines per vehicle. This was a very adaptable propulsion system and he used it in domestic motor cars, tractors, gun carriages and even racing cars which set records in 1900.

Of course, the wheel has turned full circle, if you’ll pardon the pun, with alternative methods of propulsion being all the go again. All the major manufacturers are having another fling with electric engines, often in conjunction with another type of engine to assist in charging the batteries (see the new Honda experimental dual propulsion design). Mind you, old Dr. Porsche also used to run a petrol engine in the prime mover of "road trains" which drove a dynamo to provide the power for the electric hub motors in the following trailers. So nothing’s really "new" is it? (Or Dr. Porsche was truly a very clever fellow!)