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One way or two on
Pattaya Second Road?
Dear Sir,
I looked in vain for some comment in today’s Pattaya
Mail on the intention to make Second Road uni-directional between the
Dolphin Circle and the Central Road Intersection; I was saddened to find
none! I am totally opposed to the idea, and must say so now, ere it is too
late; it is some relief to note that there is no implementation date, so
our ‘open government’ in City Hall may have time to stop and think
again.
It is assumed that it is the southbound flow that will
be eliminated; I do not indulge in any special pleading when I refer to my
own situation, which I feel is typical. My apartment is in a Soi not far
from Second Road, with access also to Central Road. I often have to visit
‘Big C’ for shopping, my lawyer in Soi Yodsak, my doctor at the
International Hospital in Soi 4, the chiropractic centre some way towards
Naklua, and yes! - even the ‘Mail’ offices not far away. I can
ride the baht buses both ways for all these outings, but this plan will
put me on my feet for many return journeys, or the need to accept a less
convenient baht bus stopping point. At almost 78 years of age I do not
walk as well as I once did, and the idea of long walks home does not
appeal.
It needs only a slight understanding of traffic flows
to see that a move from ‘A’ to ‘B’ is almost certain to be
balanced by one in the opposite direction, best done on the same route.
Bi-directional roads achieve this and so are ideal: anything else is
second best. I submit that there is no case for the proposal, as traffic
flows remarkably well at almost all hours, even on this modest highway,
and hold-ups are relatively few and transient. The easing of the corner at
the new and ugly ‘Tops’ Supermarket has been a help, and if the nearby
‘drive-in-and-out’ could be used by baht buses loading or unloading,
they would be clear of the traffic flows, at least as far as the Grand
Sole Hotel, possibly further; control of baht bus parking on the main road
outside Big C needs controlling, too.
There is an alternative to all this, which I now put
forward. One of the very widest roads in all Pattaya is the other half of
Second Road - from South Road to Central Road intersections. It is
hazardous from all aspects (see comment this week on trying to cross it!),
but also the antics of crazy motorbike riders are a danger to all. I
submit, therefore that this length of road should be restored to the
bi-directional status it almost certainly once had; this would ensure its
being fully utilized as a main two way highway right through the middle of
the city. With a reduction in time wasted turning corners, a far better
traffic flow would result and congestion would be reduced.
I am not joking, nor am I a fool! I exhort the city
planners to look at this idea, which is not frivolous, with open, but not
vacant minds. Other factors to help might well be the widening of the
northern section, as mentioned above, and enforce the disciplined stopping
of baht buses at authorized points, to be clearly marked; indent the
sidewalks, where they exist, to take stationary buses out of the traffic
line, and wherever possible, provide sidewalks to where, today, they are
lacking; marked crossing places for pedestrians should have controlled
lights.
Once again the hoary old chestnut of air-conditioned
minibuses arises to haunt us. Used in Bangkok, they are as badly designed
for narrow streets and sharp corners as it would be possible to devise.
For their length, their capacity is pitifully small, largely due to the
amount of space taken up for the engine (which ought to be at the rear or
under the floor). This makes the fares unacceptably high, and we cannot
expect something the even Bangkok does not enjoy - an all night service as
provided by our often despised baht buses. Pattaya never sleeps, and it
needs a 24 hour service far more than does Bangkok.
Yours faithfully,
John D. Blyth
The Money Racket
Editor;
If you ever wondered how the banks in Australia make
just so much money (the National Australia Bank is the biggest money
earner Down Under) then you don’t have to look much further than their
money changing departments. On my latest trip to Oz I was quoted 25.1 baht
to the dollar when buying Oz dollars, but when buying baht the rate
plummeted to 20.9 baht to the dollar. That’s around a 25% mark-up. If
that is not enough, I was charged a $5 commission for the transaction.
The moral of the story is to change your baht here
before you go and get sensible rates, both buying and selling. You have
been warned!
Dr. Iain Corness
Sir Lance’s
letter of discontent
Editor;
I am simply amused that Sir Lance is so surprised as to
the charge to enter Koh Samet Island. I believe I only paid 50 baht
earlier this year (I am farang also), however, it sounds like he had been
coming to Thailand for years yet is unaware of a price difference between
Thais and foreigners for certain situations. Let us just get down to brass
tacks: foreigners tend to have much more financial resources than Thais
who usually earn minute wages and have no form of welfare or health
coverage for which I am aware. If it bugs this farang so much to pay a few
hundred baht, let him go elsewhere!
David Rubendall, USA
Extanded bar
opening hours
Dear Mailbag,
Watching your news items on Pattaya Mail Channel
yesterday (26th) and reading the report in Pattaya Mail today (27th)
regarding the protest by the bar owners in Pattaya to the 02.00 curfew
imposed by the police, all I can say is that I am on the side of the police!
2.00 a.m. is late enough for bars to stay open and if any
of your readers live either on Diana Estate or near to it and have to
contend with the loudest music possible emanating from Cupido Bars and the
abundance of karaoke bars alongside, then they will know that of which I
speak.
On Monday morning the music was blasting out until well
after 04.30 and even living at the back of the estate the music seemed to be
next door, which it wasn’t! The residents have continually complained
about the loud music from these establishments and quite frankly to legalise
opening until 04.00 fills me with dread.
Most times in any case these bars are open well after
02.00 even now so where are the authorities when you need them?
Yours sincerely
Rodtoon - Pattaya
Losing faith in
Thailand
Pattaya Mail,
What is with the Thai people?
I just arrived back home after another trip to
Thailand! I truly love this country and every time I leave here I seem to
leave just a little smarter. Why is it that Thai women have this deep need
to always take advantage of the farang? I try as much as possible to keep
an open mind about Thai women, but it’s getting harder and harder with
each trip.
Unlike a lot of tourists I do not come to Thailand for
a sex vacation, I come because I love the environment and it’s a
relatively inexpensive holiday for me. But every time I come there I seem
to meet a Thai lady who is not in the sex industry and she turns out to be
just as money hungry and pathetic as the bar girl!
Are there any respectable and decent women who live in
Thailand? I unfortunately have not met one yet. What a shame to treat
another human being the way Thai’s tend to treat a foreigner.
Losing faith in Thailand
Som Nam Na
Dear Editor;
I’d like to comment on the letter from “Gullible
Traveler” who was ripped off by a woman in Thailand.
Many cons and scams (throughout the world) depend on
the greed and dishonesty of the victim to help the scam along. Examples
being the one where a stranger finds a wallet full of money. He’s going
to split it with you but wants from money from you up front “to show
good faith”. Or the Nigerian scam that tells you he found zillions of
dollars in the bank and he wants to illegally sneak them out of the
country and split them with you, but he needs access to your bank account
(and, of course, a few dollars “good faith” to help speed the
process). The victim, thinking he’s the one accomplishing the scam, goes
along with it. To his detriment.
Gullible Traveler registered the bike in his girl
friend’s name? Why? Because he couldn’t legally register it in his own
name. He thought he’d found a way to scam the government. Turned out the
first con man (the female bar owner) was better than the second con man
(Gullible Traveler). He lost.
The lesson is that those who think they’ve found a
way to “scam the system” had better be prepared to find out that
others got there first. When you decide to play outside the rules you’re
going to get burned occasionally.
In short: it was his fault as much as hers.
Frequent Farang
Balderdash
Editor;
B. W. Palmer’s letter to the editor (Refined sugar-is it
good?) can be answered in one word. Balderdash! His agenda is glaring. Any free
thinking, inquisitive person will see through this ideological approach. Anyway,
moderation is the key.
Pale Rider
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: ptymail@loxinfo.co.th
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