Editor;

On a recent visit from my home in Pattaya to Foodland on the evening of November 18 I was forced off Sukhumvit shoulder on the highway while riding my motorbike by a very aggressive Highway Police vehicle (new 4-door sedan). The officer rolled down his power window as I was recovering from the roadside hazards and he asked me for my driving license (by the way there were two Thai girls in front of me with no lights or helmets). I showed the good officer my license and asked him what traffic law I had broken (being an officer myself for 30 years). He said no problem, nothing wrong but you must pay me 1,000 baht or go to jail. I objected and said, “I have done nothing wrong and don’t have 1,000 baht.”

The young officer then replied, “Ok, Ok, just give me 500 and you can go.” Very confused and wanting to get the situation over with I agreed and the officer and I looked through my wallet for the money. Unfortunately, I only had 300 baht. So the good officer said, “Ok, Ok, 300 and you go away ‘pie’!”

I paid him the money which he put in his pocket and solved the immediate problem. The officer wrote nothing down and offered no receipt. As he drove off in a cloud of dust I wrote down the license plate number of the teenage professional officer’s car.

I then went to the tourist police office and reported my robbery. These officers were extremely professional, helpful and summoned the highway police inspector from a very distant headquarters. The tourist police officer in charge was as professional as any that I also worked with in America for the last 30 years.

I explained the incident in detail on the their report and was assisted and comforted while in their custody.

Eventually, I was accompanied by two police officers to the local highway police unit on Sukhumvit where a very ‘sorry’ police commander in pajamas refunded my money in a very obscure manner; again with no receipt, dismissing the incident as a ‘misunderstanding’.

The ‘offender’ (me) was then returned to tourist police headquarters and released on his own recognizance. Before leaving the police office, I donated the returned 300 baht to the police charity box inside and left presumably to further my criminal pursuits.

This “lawbreaker” plans to issue an advisory to the American Embassy for those new victims (visitors) to Thailand and plans to return to the regular robbers, ‘baht bus drivers’, as they are cheaper.

I am a longtime senior citizen visitor and part-time resident to Thailand living on an extremely small military disability pension, and am a member of the Pattaya Sports Club.

Dear Pattaya Mail,

I must admit the feedback on the letter I posted “losing faith in Thailand” was more than interesting. In defense of my letter I would like to post a few comments.

First off I would like to start with an apology! I generalized all Thai women into one category which honestly was done by mistake. So, for all the “good and honest” women of Thailand I truly apologize.

Secondly, this letter was also not directed to the bar girls. I found the comments posted by “Martin” who owns two bars to be very interesting. I fully understand and sympathize with the economical situation in Thailand. However, for these comments to be coming from a person who makes a living off exploiting theses “poor” and “unfortunate” girls even more pathetic! I wonder how you would feel if your daughter worked in an establishment such as yours?

Needless to say that after reading the comments of all those who contributed I can now fully understand the mentality and why the majority of the women act as they do. Maybe I should have headed my letter “losing faith in farang’s”.

Dear Sir,

A good and efficient postal service is absolutely essential, otherwise how can we be sure that mail arrives at its intended destination?

I live in the Jomtien area and use the local post office near the Thai Farmers Bank, and cannot praise too highly for the hard work, friendliness, efficiency and helpfulness of the staff there. They are a pleasure to deal with.

Recently I have had occasions to go to Banglamung main Post Office which I understand delivers mail all over Pattaya. This was because several letters had been inordinately delayed between arrival at Banglamung post office, as evidenced by their stamp on the reverse of the envelope and delivery to my house. The staff were helpful and accepted the problem, which has again occurred recently.

May I ask, through the columns of your newspaper, that a serious investigation be made as to he cause of these delays and prompt action taken to remedy them? I believe that I am not the only person who has experienced such problems.

Yours faithfully