The Pearl in the Gulf of Siam

Editor;

I went back to Pattaya after nearly 18 months, and I was very pleasantly surprised.

I had not stayed away from Pattaya for any particular reason other than being busy, yet I must say, in 18 months Pattaya had changed to the better and is still undergoing renovation.

The hoteliers are happy that the community is doing its best not only to drain the beach road, but also to introduce beauty restoration. Looks like the Pattaya people are determined to reposition their city with a wider offer attracting families as well.

And more can and should be done. The vision for Pattaya should be to develop it as “The Riviera” of the Gulf. With the beach road finished and the Pattaya South’s “Walking Street”, as it is called, is being laid out with beautiful stone, more should be done to attract families into beach cafes and restaurants.

Whilst the bars dominate the beach road as one gets closer to Pattaya South, the earlier part can and should have more facilities to attract singles, couples or families who do not like red lights! And here I think of sidewalk cafes, fish restaurants, small romantic pubs, etc... A lot was done to lure “Farangs” to Pattaya with perceptions of Farang-needs, but little was done for the Thais and in general for families who evaded to Hua Hin. The initiative is there, yet the Pattaya community needs to expand it a bit more!

With 90 minutes close to Bangkok, Pattaya has always been worth a trip!

Rudi Fischer
EVP, Magellan Corp. Ltd.

No compassion for animals

Editor;

Over the years of visiting Thailand it has always amazed me at how cruelly the locals treat their animals, especially the dogs. Many times I have seen the locals kick the dogs or throw stones at them and laugh because they think this is amusing. Last week I saw a local vendor pour his boiling water from the pot over a dog that was sniffing nearby, completely scalding the dog with 3rd degree burns. Of course everybody laughed because they thought it was funny (locals). I know the falangs would have been horrified as I was had there been any there at that time.

Many locals watch these poor animals suffering, some of them dragging their broken legs behind them to a slow painful death and they think nothing of it. I should add at this point that I do like the Thai people; I spend half the year here and speak Thai, but there is one thing that always surprises me about how they have no compassion. Does their religion not teach them about this?

I know that if anything is to be done about the problems for dogs, it will have to be done by the farangs not the Thais since they obviously don’t care about their dogs.

I also realise of course that this will take time and money. I think the only logical answer would be to round up all the stray dogs, not kill them, but give them the much needed medical treatment then also sterilize them so they don’t continue to breed. They can then be put back on the streets, as this is a better alternative to keeping them indefinitely in a cage which is not practical.

I know there are other Falangs who would also like to help with their time and assistance, maybe something could be done.

Thank you for printing this letter and keep up the good work at Pattaya Mail!

Mr Keith

In praise of songthao drivers

Dear Sirs,

As a regular reader of Pattaya Mail on the Internet and having just returned from another wonderful trip to Thailand, I thought that perhaps a note regarding the great service I had in Pattaya from songthao drivers would not go amiss. I had to attend Pattaya International Hospital for dental treatment over a long period of time and knowing that for a stated destination one has to agree a fare with the driver I ascertained this before getting aboard. This was done every morning without any problems whatsoever, resulting in a satisfied customer getting from Pattaya Tai to Soi See in time and happy as one can be before attending the dentist.

Also on three trips outside of Pattaya boundaries, on negotiating a fare and for the driver to stay for an hour or so presented no problems. OK, one or two tried to go for a jackpot but with a bit of humorous banter and my lamentable command of the Thai language I managed to secure a reasonable fare, which also resulted in a reasonable tip for the driver. The only strange thing I found was that when I told the drivers (or their wives) that I had ten children to support, they always seemed to have twenty.

To conclude, even on trips to Jomtien Beach from Pattaya Tai, baht 20 for two people on arrival caused no problems. Am I unique?

So well done to the songthao drivers from the sunny (not at the moment) Isle of Jersey in the Channel Islands and roll on next year.

Also many thanks for your very informative newspaper which keeps me abreast of what is happening in the Land of Smiles.

Merry Christmas to you all.

Iain Yule

Total cop-out

Dear Editor;

It has long been quoted that “those who complain the most about the problems of a society are, in their own lives, doing the least to improve it” mainly because the ones who really are improving society are too busy making things better and don’t have the time, need or compunction to complain.

It’s so easy to complain, isn’t it? But N. A. Ankelind is not happy to just complain - but would rather judge, condemn and ostracize those with different morals and values.

N. A. Ankelind’s letter is a total cop-out. So that no one would dare confront him and his stupidity, he regurgitates his ignorant opinion and then cowardly lumps all who would rather not “whine” as being a member of some “homo farang - non-whinging under species.” Who’s going to disagree with him and risk being called a homo farang?

What’s even funnier yet is he then proceeds to say, “Unfortunately, this attitude seems to be relatively common among “Homo Farang.” N. A. Ankelind seems to be quite well versed in the “common attitudes” of these homo farang. One wonders where N. A. Ankelind might have gained all this knowledge? It’s a shame he has to be so critical of people in his inner circle. He really should be nicer to his kind and stop hating himself so much. We accept you as you are.

Mai pen rai,
John N. Allen

Thai-partheid?

Dear Editor,

I would like to respond to the anonymous letter written and signed by a pseudo “frequent farang”. His letter is the perfect demonstration of the negative attitude against foreigners in Thailand.

If I follow his simplistic reasoning, I can take the right to abuse and cheat westerners, in the pretext that in Thailand this is a normal rule, and should be accepted.

Then anyway, don’t worry, the farang has enough money to pay. Just do it without scruples.

Curiously, Thais don’t do that against Thai people, evidence of the dangerous nationalism and racism growing in Siam.

Not long time ago there was the apartheid in South Africa. Prices and justice for the whites were not equal for the blacks. Places for white people, places for blacks.

Prices for Thai people, prices for “farangs”. Justice for Thai people, “adjusted” for westerners. What do you call that Mr. “frequent farang”?

Better to face the reality, even sometimes if it looks ugly, rather than showing aggressiveness against what is different than yours.

So, Mr. “frequent farang “, open up your eyes [and your mind], you are not alone on the planet, billions of others are living too.

Sincerely yours.
Fredy

Wonderful on the Web

Editor;

I am very happy that you have such a great web site that I can read the Pattaya Mail from my home here in Rio de Janeiro. But I am really disturbed to read how the crime has increased in Pattaya. It seems as every issue I read of a tourist murder or robbery.

Now I read the letter about Jomtien Beach how it has even gotten worse since I left there one year ago for a brief visit. At that time I thought it was at the bottom of the barrel compared to how it was when I first came to Pattaya in 1985, So I got out some old video I had of the beach area in 1985 and it was wonderful then.

The police are now getting rid of the illegal tourists. If the government where on the ball they would make it easy for foreigners to take up residence in Thailand and help increase the economy of the kingdom. If it keeps on the deterioration as it is now they will have only illegals as the tourists will not be able to put up with the pollution and crime. I am really sorry to see the great kingdom of Thailand going down the sewer.

Please print my E Mail address with this letter as I would really like to hear other comments on my letter.

Ralph E. Revill ( E-Mail [email protected])

Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

Don’t condemn others

Editor,

In response to Mr. NA Ankelend, his ramblings are enough to make the case of why westerner’s have no clue about eastern (Asian) culture and philosophy. His use of the word “Homo” show’s that this westerner has such hatred in his heart, that I’m not sure why the letter was printed at all. In Asian culture, it’s really “What’s in the heart that matters” not the hatred espouse by this person. Asians don’t have to condemn others to feel good, we know it’s what’s in our hearts that matters.

Wuhilaer

Have a nice trip

Mailbag,

I am amazed that the first thing some farangs want to do when they come to Thailand is to try to regulate, and legislate to make things the same as they are in their home country. For some of us it’s a breath of fresh air to be away from laws and regulations that restrict the freedoms of individuals.

My suggestion for Anti-Smoker is to go back to California where the smoking laws are to his satisfaction.

For Had enough, going home, Have a nice trip!

John Shepherd

Different perspective

Sir,

I write with reference to Frequent Farang’s correspondence (Issue 17-23 December), entitled “Non-Whinging - a different angle’.

I would advise him (and indeed all other “Frequent Visitors of the Non-Whinging Species”) to sample living, working and conducting business here on a full-time basis. Their perspectives may then be a little different to those which they now have, from the ivory towers of their hotel rooms.

Regards,
A. Resident esq.

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