Another motorcycle gold snatch

Dear Editor,

I hesitate to write this letter because, since the incident described took place, I have found out that it is a common occurrence - in the area described.

Last Sunday evening at about 11 p.m. I was returning home after a pleasant evening in Pattaya. I was driving a motorbike and my friend was in the passenger seat. About half a kilometer from home, another motorbike approached from the rear, and the passenger on that motorbike tore the gold necklace from my passenger’s neck, and kicked our vehicle over for good measure.

At first I thought it was a simple accident, and was amazed to see the other bike speeding away - but then I found out the real cause. Luckily, neither of us was severely injured, although we will both have the scars for a long time to come. I think this could be classified as assault with a deadly weapon, the weapon being a motorbike, and it is perhaps just a matter of time before someone gets badly injured or killed.

During this last week I have found out that this particular stretch of road (in Soi 17, a few hundred meters from the PRS Hotel) is notorious for robberies of this kind. In fact another friend of mine was relieved of a gold necklace at almost the same spot - just yesterday, in broad daylight! Many of our neighbors shake their heads and agree it is an ongoing problem. As far as I know, there are no regular police patrols of this stretch of road, so I imagine the crimes will continue unabated.

My hope is that this letter will prevent other tourists from exposing themselves to this very real danger. Do not wear gold, do not ride a motorbike, and particularly do not venture (day or night) on to Soi 17.

Sincerely,
Pete Mills

Contradicting the hose tax law

Dear Sir,

Contrary to the information given to foreigners considering buying houses in Thailand, I have owned a house using a company for the past 10 years. Every year I pay my lawyer 8000 Baht to handle my tax papers and approximately 500 Baht actual tax. My house is worth many 1,000,000 Baht and I have never paid, nor have been asked to pay, 8000 Baht for every 1,000,000 Baht of the value of my house. I think that someone somewhere is getting their facts wrong. Surely, at a time when foreigners are being encouraged by all in sundry to invest in Thailand, articles containing misinformation that may do the opposite should be discouraged?

Yours sincerely,
Neil Stone, Pattaya Klang

Gangs in Pattaya stealing gold chains

Dear Sirs,

Lately there have been many stories about gangs who are specializing in robbing gold chains from people who go in the streets on their motorcycle. It is not only happening in the darkness in the evening and night, but also in the daylight among other people.

That was what happened to us the other day when we were driving home in the middle of the day. Suddenly in Soi 17, a few hundred meters from PRS Hotel, two Thai-men drove up next to us and the man sitting behind grabbed for the gold chain of my husband who was driving the bike. Everything went very quickly and when they had taken the chain they kicked our bike so we turned around and fell in the street and got really hurt.

We think this is the start of a big problem here in Pattaya and we want everybody to be aware of this, day and night, and in what streets and areas these gangs usually are operating.

If the Pattaya Police really care about this growing problem and put some effort into preventing these gangs from operating, we think that everybody would be grateful. We hope that the Pattaya Police look at this problem and really take it seriously, because this problem is growing very fast and many people can get hurt and lose their belongings. We wanted to write to Pattaya Mail to make everybody aware of this problem, and to always make a report to the police when it happens. These gangs have to be stopped!

"Victims"

Best light relief in local print

Dear Sir,

Your correspondents S, S & L (Vol. VII No.12) and Mr. Jan Abbink (Vol. VII No. 11) clearly have hold of the wrong end of the stick.

One only has to read last week’s advice re the sleeping maid and an issue some time ago concerning a lady’s inability to find suitable cucumbers for her cucumber sandwiches, to realize that the whole thing is a spoof! It is the best light relief in local print; long may it continue!

Yours faithfully,
Larry Tait

After losing your passport...

Dear Sirs,

Recently I had all my valuables stolen at the Bangkok domestic airport, including my British passport & I wonder if other Brits know what happens if similar misfortune befalls them?

After filling in the police report I was hustled by the police into a taxi to the British Embassy (luckily I had some Thai money) where I imagined I would be given tea & sympathy. Alas my thoughts were shattered by a clerk who gave me some forms to fill in, then told me to get 2 photos from the shop outside the embassy.

I had to pay for a replacement passport (about £35) & for a fax to the UK passport office to confirm my details.

I was given a form stating the embassy would give no financial help but could phone home for money, etc. (What happens if you have no one to send money I wonder?). I was told the replacement passport would be posted to me in Chiang Mai.

Alas, when the replacement passport arrived, the month of birth was entered on the new passport as Jan instead of July. This was due to the Thai in the embassy mistaking 7 as 1, so back the passport had to go to the embassy.

Eventually, after 30 days, the replacement passport arrived with the correct details. A useful tip: when filling in the TM card write the month of birth in words & not figures, i.e. July not 7.

The post offices in the UK have moneygram services which are cheaper than Western Union.

If you want details of your TM in Chiang Mai, go to the airport, get the details & take them to the immigrations office where they will enter the details of your lost TM free of charge into the replacement passport.

Yours sincerely,
A. N. Addison

Safer in Uganda?

Dear Sir,

Just a small remark. What has happened to this Mr. Wolfgang U. could happen to anyone with some money. There is no end to the greed of the so-called "Influential People" who run this lovely country.

Why then would anyone invest any large amount of money here? The dangers are far too great! That the police are quick to find 1-5 tabs of ya-ba in a victims pocket is the "normal" way to nail someone here and in no way special.

Take yourself and your money to Uganda or Yemen just to be on the safe side!

Frans de Groot
Amsterdam, Holland

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