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Everyone knew what
they were doing
Editor;
The letter in the 18 August issue from “I am not a
Ped” showed justifiable anger about what happened in Leo’s Palace. But
at least part of the anger was misdirected. And he was completely mistaken
about what the police did.
He said, “No arrest like this should ever stand up in
a court of law. There are certain civilized rules to be followed in law
enforcement. Anybody going into Leo’s with sex in mind would reasonably
expect to not encounter a boy under the age of 18. Maybe there was an
awful lot of temptation going on. A good lawyer would investigate this
case thoroughly and demand fair treatment for their client.”
1) Of course the arrest would stand up. It had to be
done this way. The police had been told (or for other reasons had
suspicions) about illegal behavior. The police “cannot” make an arrest
based on such suspicions. They did the proper thing and staked out the
place until they observed the alleged violation and then made the arrest.
This arrest is almost guaranteed to stick.
2) It is an unjustifiable assumption to say that the
Brit didn’t expect to find an underage boy. First, Leo’s Palace had
that “reputation” (according to Police and Pattaya Mail). Second, at
least one other letter writer on 18 August had been approached outside
Leo’s with an invitation for “young boys”. Third, there’s no way a
14 year old boy looked 18 to the Brit.
3) It’s true that Leo’s should be shut down and the
proprietors prosecuted. But the Brit involved deserves absolutely zero
sympathy. I hope he is prosecuted *IN THAILAND* and jailed *IN THAILAND*
for a very long time.
Please sign me,
“Frequent Farang”
Major problem
Dear Sir,
My word, my letter on the young hoodlums patrolling our
streets seems to have created quite a stir, but if you leave these young
tearaways to rule the streets then this is what will happen.
I am still shocked to find that nothing has been done
to deal with these motorcycle riders. Just last night as I was on my way
to have a tincure at my favorite watering hole (a marvellous place with
such friendly barmaids, although I really do think they should have some
sort of dress code for the staff, bathing costumes are fine for the beach
but not really suitable for a gentleman’s club) I was approached by one
of these fellows who seemed to want me to accompany him on his motorcycle
for what purpose I refuse to speculate. A brisk tap with my walking stick
soon dissuaded him, but how someone less experienced in intercultural
relationships would have dealt with the matter I don’t know.
My dear wife, god rest her soul, would have given him
short shrift. She had no time for scoundrels and wastrels, preferring to
spend her free time offering solace and comfort to the other ranks and how
they loved her for it. Many is the time she would return home with gifts
of chocolates and nylons and her popularity with the men meant that there
was always someone willing to buy me a drink at the club.
Happy days.
I remain, your obedient servant.
Major C. Petard
British Army (Ret)
Winebibber spot on
Editor;
Winebibber’s quip about arts graduates and large
amounts of money was spot on, except he was talking about liberal arts
grads, not fine arts ones.
Liberal arts students learn about psychology,
sociology, politics, etc., and are often doe-eyed and bleeding-hearted.
Fine arts students study oil painting, sculpture and interior decoration
and usually have a lot of money before they start because they know no one
is going to pay them to do anything with what they learn after they
graduate. They usually end up marrying wealthy patrons, watching
“Style” and the art program on CNN and travelling to Paris to buy
haute couture.
Regards,
Tony Kobine
Retirees in
Chonburi
Editor;
In your last issue, you mentioned Japanese retirees would
need a million baht a year for twenty years to live in Chang Mai.
I have only lived in Pattaya for 2.5 months during a
leave-of-absence, but unless you want to live like royalty, I thought you
could do it for under 500,000 baht a year, easy!
Is it because of certain bank penalties and Gov’t
tariffs (maybe both Japan’s and Thailand’s) that are coming into play in
this scenario or what?
Thanks for your time...
Ken Clayton
Redondo Beach, California USA
Cleaning up South
Pattaya
Dear Sir,
I read with great interest your article concerning the
arrest of Russia prostitutes in South Pattaya. Your paper seemed to
indicate that the police are in the process of cleaning up South Pattaya.
Are they really trying to curtail and stop prostitution in South Pattaya?
D. Haynes
A tainted view of
Pattaya
Editor;
I considered Peter Fernau’s letter for several days before
drafting this letter. I can only conclude that his boundless enthusiasm for
Pattaya and Thai people is at best naive and at worst downright dangerous. I
would strongly recommend readers not to take his words too seriously!
Though good and bad people may be found anywhere, it should
not be forgotten that for over 30 years Pattaya has been a world centre for sex
tourism and prostitution. I am aware that many are working hard to change this
image, but the fact remains that for decades Pattaya has been a magnet for
single male tourists, desperate female Thais and a large number of unscrupulous
business entrepreneurs. Make no mistake: Pattaya is about sex, money - and of
course drugs.
From the superb shopping malls and top class hotels down to
the small beer bars and restaurants, everyone’s income is derived from sex.
Doesn’t this tell you something, Mr Fernau? Can you really believe that behind
the facade of jolliness and frivolity lies true hospitality?
For the average 2 week tourist, as long as the cash keeps
flowing, maybe. But step out of line Mr Fernau, and you will be taught some very
harsh lessons indeed! Spend a little more time here, read the papers, open your
eyes a little, speak to those with a little more experience than you then maybe
you’ll begin to understand. I won’t even begin to say more as so much
happens in Pattaya that you’ll never know about. Maybe it’s best that you
live in ignorance.
So why are there so many tourists and permanent residents in
Pattaya? Sure, they have weighed it up, decided what they want and found it
right here. Like everywhere else, take the good with the bad. Thailand
deservedly enjoys a worldwide reputation for its rich heritage and cultural
traditions but this is hardly to be found here. Pattaya is a celebration of
carnal delights. Do your thinking from above the waistline, Mr Fernau.
Finally, some of your observations are so outrageously wide
of the mark that I can only surmise that you work for the tourist board.
David Rhodes, Liverpool UK
Reliving Pattaya
through the Web
Editor;
I just finished reading the latest notes on your web page. It
was such a good moment to remember my old days in the Kingdom! For five years, I
visited Pattaya at least once a month and stayed for one week each time. This
was between 1987 and 1992. Those were the best, the happiest years of my career.
At that time I was assigned to the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok.
Reading your articles brought many smiles to my face. I could
almost smell the million smells of Pattaya in the night. I could almost hear the
music, the motorcycles, the tuk tuks, the men and girls trying to get customers
to enter the Baby a Go Go, and other bars; I could almost feel the smoke coming
from the noodle stands; I could go on and on relating my emotions, but it would
take too long.
I am so glad to have found you on the web. My earnest desire
now is to return to Thailand once more before I leave this earth. I lived in
many different countries, but only in Thailand did I find such great people and
so much happiness.
Sawatdee Khrap
Oscar Tellez
Complaints,
complaints, complaints...
Sirs,
I think your newspaper is really good. The only
disappointment is the letters’ page. All they do is complain. Don’t the
lucky residents of Pattaya realise they are long term guests of Thailand and
should accept that life is not run like at home? Pattaya is a great place and
has a lot to offer everybody with their eyes open.
Regards
PD UK
What’s the world
coming to?
Dear Sir,
Thank you very much for printing the wonderful news that,
according to the police, they are determined to keep South Pattaya a prostitute
free zone. At first I thought this meant that South Pattaya was a zone for free
prostitution and that the young Russian ladies had been arrested for daring to
charge a fee, but I quickly realized that the absence of a hyphen between
“prostitute” and “free” was merely a printing error. Or is it possible
that the police want to maintain South Pattaya as foreign prostitute-free zone?
It was a relief to learn of the disappearance of prostitutes
from South Pattaya because I was very concerned that I had encountered female,
male and intermediate people of such dubious propriety during a short stroll I
enjoyed two evenings ago along the Beach Road between Soi 13 and Soi Post
Office. I was approached at lest twenty times by very friendly young (and
not-so-young) persons who were anxious to attract my attention.
Thanks to the police statement, I now know that these were
not ladies, gentlemen and others of the night but they were honest business folk
who were probably trying to interest me in life insurance, or a timeshare condo
or a new religion or something. Maybe they were freelance tour guides eager to
show me the delights of the new squeaky clean South Pattaya?
On a totally different subject, I was astonished to see a car
driver pull into the side of the road in order to use his mobile phone. What is
the world coming to when people start to do stupid things like that?
Yours faithfully,
Oliver W. Minto
Copyright 2000 Pattaya Mail Publishing Co.Ltd.
370/7-8 Pattaya Second Road, Pattaya City, Chonburi 20260, Thailand
Tel.66-38 411 240-1, 413 240-1, Fax:66-38 427 596; e-mail: [email protected]
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Letters published
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are also on our website. |
It is
noticed that the letters herein in no way reflect the opinions of the editor or writers
for Pattaya Mail, but are unsolicited letters from our readers, expressing their
own opinions. No anonymous letters or those without genuine addresses are printed, and,
whilst we do not object to the use of a nom de plume, preference will be given to those
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