Actions speak volumes

Dear Editor;

In reference to the letters in your last issue about “whining”: Is Freddy really saying that he is a victim of apartheid because he, as a non-resident, has to pay more than a resident to visit the Crocodile Farm? And Mr. Resident should read the letter in Hillary’s column about the farang who thought he could retire in Thailand by investing 10,000 pounds in half a bar. I’m sure that gentleman will lose his shirt, or find out that you can’t live on the proceeds from a 10,000 pound investment. He’ll also discover that he can’t legally live in the country like that, so he’ll be spending all his time going on visa runs to stay in the country in order to illegally operate a business he knows nothing about in a country whose laws he’s never researched.

Then he’ll put pen to paper and write to the Pattaya Mail to tell us all how he was cheated and abused and that only people like him who have tried to do business in Thailand truly understand it. He will never acknowledge that his failure was entirely his own fault.

In the many times that I’ve been to Thailand I’ve heard a lot of farangs in his situation whining and complaining. But one thing I’ve never heard is one of them volunteering to go home. That, to me, speaks volumes.

John

Is Pattaya out of control?

Dear Editor,

Is Pattaya running out of control? Unlike Bangkok where “Girlie” bars are confined to certain areas, bars in Pattaya are infesting the whole of the city, day by day.

The small, previously quiet sois in Central Pattaya are now inundated with dozens upon dozens of these bars, mushrooming by the week. The Hotels in this area are surrounded in a suffocating way with a cacophony of noise created by screaming service girls, and music played, live and recorded, at the incredible high level even up until 4 a.m. each morning. That makes it impossible for local residents, leading normal lives, to sleep.

It appears that every last little space in these sois is being converted into these types of bars.

Despite petitions, phone calls, etc., to the local police, which seem to have no affect whatever, it seems the situation appears to be in the hands of people that are able to do what they wish, without concern in Pattaya.

This only emphasizes, more fully, the city of Pattaya’s increasingly evil reputation worldwide.

Surely the National Government Department for the Environment, Police Departments, etc., should and must take this matter in hand and exercise some control before it is too late.

Yours sincerely,
Concerned

Two-tier pricing is normal

Editor;

It’s good to see that the letter from N.A. Ankelind has provoked much discussion in your paper. I think that’s a good process and is one of the important functions of a quality newspaper.

I’d like to respond to 2 of the letters, both of which were responses to my letter. First, to A. Resident who suggested that if I lived or worked in Thailand I’d have a different perspective. Have you ever noticed that all critics (movies, books, theater, etc.) seem to spend a lot of time pointing out what’s wrong with what they’re reviewing? That’s how they prove their “expertise”. And if someone disagrees with them and says that the movie or book was good, the response from the critic is always, “I’m the expert and if you knew as much as I do you’d hate it, too”. That seems to be the tone of Mr. Resident’s letter. If I knew Thailand like he knows Thailand...

Sir, the reason that I come to Thailand frequently is that I’m a computer consultant and 3 of my regular clients are farang businesses that operate here in Thailand, among other countries. So I do work here, and I’m closely involved in businesses here. Yet I still don’t see your perspective. Thailand is different than other countries, that’s true. But the US is different than Singapore which is different than Mexico which is different than the UK, etc., ad infinitum. The first thing that the multi-nationals learn is that when you enter a country to do business, you find out the rules, abide by the rules, and usually don’t have problems. Thailand is like that, from my experience.

In response to Fredy: I guess I didn’t clearly explain my position in my original letter. Let me try to clarify it. I don’t, under any circumstance, support “abusing and cheating” Westerners. But what I said was that I feel the problem is that so many Westerners when they encounter the differences in Thailand choose to label them “abuse and cheating”. Fredy does just this. He refers to the double pricing for Thai and farang. Sir, with all due respect, there is NO double pricing for Thai and farang. I challenge you to show it to me. There is, however, double pricing for resident and non-resident, for citizen and non-citizen. Fredy asks what I call that. I call that normal, common, correct and honest business procedures, just as they are used throughout the planet. There are 2 completely different target customer groups for many Thai businesses to target, with radically different characteristics, particularly income and ability to pay. Whenever that situation exists, it is perfectly normal to have different marketing techniques which often include different pricing structures.

Again, what is telling is the decision made by some people, thankfully a minority in my experience, to label that as dishonest, cheating, abuse, etc. It’s none of the above. It’s sad, in my opinion, that some people block out the tremendous benefits they could receive from the diverse cultural experiences available on this planet, because they are too busy condemning those who are different because of their differences.

Frequent Farang

20 Questions immature and silly

Sir:

I just returned to BKK where I live. I did not have time to read the Pattaya Mail (Dec. 31st) till this morning. I am amazed at the “20 Questions” sent in by Ian Mac-Foggert, an Englishman who vacationed in Pattaya. His 20 Questions are rather immature and silly. If Mr. Mac-Foggert would have acquired a good guidebook to Thailand prior to arriving here, he would have understood the answers to all his 20 questions. While it is understandable that any tourist would have questions about any country, these questions are indicative of a lazy person who arrived, gawked, snapped lots of photographs, saw nothing, understood nothing, and walked away from it all to tell his friends what he saw, rather than experienced.

I would personally like to answer Mr. Mac-Foggert’s 11th question. He asks, “Why is it so difficult to find a genuine and sincere Thai who does not require money in return for anything”? Tell me, Mr. Mac-Foggert, have you bothered looking? I visited England recently. Why was it so hard to find a smiling, pleasant Englishman who would stop to take the time to give directions or answer a question? Did I look for such a person? You bettcha!

Jack Gilead

20 Answers

Dear Sir,

I was initially hesitant about responding to the incredibly offensive letter from Ian Mac-Foggert, since at first glance I assumed it was an end of millenium spoof from dear Hillary; but, gifted as she is, I doubt if she could feign such illiteracy.

My best suggestion for Mac-F is a brain transplant. He may not know that Thailand is a pioneer in the procedure. The operation on General Chavalit may not have been a total success, but I am sure your esteemed medical correspondent could provide advice and possibly a discount.

Unfortunately some of your readers may take Mac-F at face value, so at the risk of boring your regulars I shall comment less succinctly than usual.

1. Two tier pricing is the oldest chestnutty in your pages. As pointed out ad nauseam it is a worldwide phenomenon and in many cases justifiable. 2. I am not surprised baht taxi drivers cannot understand him! I have also been in Pattaya for ten years and have never been abused or witnessed any problems between drivers and local Thais for whom they provide a cheap and essential service. 3. After ten years Mac-F should really have learned that phrases such as “up to you” are not English but Thai. It translates as “you are paying”. 4, 5, 6, 7. Elementary my dear Watson. So all the go-go girls are lesbians and the go-go boys are straight. I have never been to the Royal Garden and doubt that I ever shall; but by all reports people see what they expect to see. Bars take blood test? Using the same needle for all their staff I suppose! On my first visit to Pattaya I was amazed to be proffered a medical card. Ten years later we are both just as healthy, if somewhat heavier. 8. Look in the mirror. 9 - 13, 17 & 20. Such patronising and racist comments tell us a lot about Mac-F but nothing about Thailand. In any tourist resort in the world the raison d’etre is to relieve visitors of their money as pleasantly as possible, so that they return again and again, as Mac-F has done; although from his complaints I fail to understand why. 14. With all his other investigations in a two week stay I am surprised he has found time to watch Thais watching TV. My experience may be more extensive: the favourites in this household are (a) soaps about lovelorn teenagers (b) violence in any language, but preferably stereotyped Chinese in slo-mo, (c) mind-numbing game shows. 15. It is simple common sense to keep out of the sun and Pattaya is hardly a walker’s paradise. I suggest Doi Inthanon for his next visit. 16. In ten years, I doubt if Mac-F has ever really communicated with a Thai. Loy Krathong, His Majesty’s Birthday, Chinese New Year, Songkhran? Of course there are a few more obscure religious holy days whose significance may be difficult to explain in English. 18. Fluent English? Would Mac-F recognise it if he heard it? What effort has he made to speak Thai? His egoism knows no bounds. 19. It would be interesting to know to what incidents he is referring when he says “Thais don’t show any regard when a farang is ill”. My experience is totally different; but you can’t expect people may not be able to afford to see a doctor for serious gastric problems to be over concerned about the inevitable farang gastric disorders. Let alone self-inflicted excesses.

Peter Mitchell

Sick of pedophiles

Editor,

I got sick reading the news of the two foreigners arrested on sexual child abuse. Not to the fact that it appeared in the Pattaya Mail Vol. VII. 52, but to the thoughts that there are still western civilized human beings who take the dirty adventure (and the risk) to travel to this country to have sex with under aged girls. I happen to read the Pattaya Mail starting with page two, not because of the thrill, but to admire your courage on exposing these horrible stories. Let it be known that, despite the fact what people might think about Thailand, sexual morals in this country are not worse than the other parts of the world. Keep up the good work!

Maruli Sibarani

Anna and the King

Dear Editor,

I recently viewed the movie Anna and the King in America and was wondering if it was showing in Thailand? I knew it was banned from being filmed in Thailand, thus would surely mean its banned from showing in Thailand. I can definitely understand how the movie would not be accepted in Thailand. It showed many bad sides to the beloved King of Siam, but thankfully it ended on a positive note with the heroic King leading a victory over the Burmese warriors. There is also a lot of Hollywood fantasy in the movie, which is a big historical criticism I have of the movie. With that said though it was a good movie and was much enjoyed by my Thai wife, offering a little taste of home. I too was missing Thailand after the movie and was glad to get a glimpse of my home away from home, Thailand!

Ryan Smith,

Kearney,
Nebraska, USA

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