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Loving Thailand
Sir,
I have visited your magnificent country twice in the past couple of years with my family, husband and 2 children aged 13 and 15 years - the last time being
for Christmas and the New Year 2000 when we did a multi centre trip - Pattaya, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and ending in Bangkok.
I have encouraged many of my friends and work colleagues to visit Thailand but because of its rather tarnished image portrayed by the media, especially in
the light of the dreadful murder in Chiang Mai and the other terrorism problems, friends with children have shied away from going.
I had hoped to see the Tourist Board of Thailand attempting to sell this paradise to families, thus helping this wonderful country to escape from the
negative image it has.
As a British family we have found Thailand to be amazing value - hotels, food, entertainment, far superior to anything we could afford in the closer
holiday destinations which are frequented by mass tourism.
Last year we visited Pattaya and stayed at the fabulous Dusit Resort. The staff were very friendly and the foyer was amazing, very Indiana Jones. Yes, we
saw girly bars but they were by far less offensive than sights I have seen in many European cities on a Saturday night! The girls were friendly and polite to my family and
they were very considerate towards the children, never trying to cause offence. We never felt uneasy or at risk. The resort had a great deal to offer families: great beaches,
Coral Island, shopping, fantastic restaurants, water park, go-carting, to name a few, none of which are promoted in British holiday brochures, indeed everything for all age
groups at incredible prices.
We then flew to Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, what an experience - great cheap hotels, amazing market in Chiang Mai, elephant trekking on Christmas Day,
things that dreams are made of. Even although last Christmas it was very cold, the staff in the hotel never lost their sense of humour and certainly succeeded in making our
stay as comfortable and memorable as possible. Having the chef serve us dinner on Christmas Eve wearing oven gloves to stop his hands freeze was funny.
Finally, we ended up in the most fantastic city in the world, Bangkok. Yes it is busy, but the traffic is not half as bad as people make out, no worst that
the rush hour in any other city in the world. The Sky Train has made a huge difference; it is cheap, easy to use and clean - if only the same thing could be said for the
underground in London!
The shopping is out of this world, especially if you go where the locals go. It is fascinating walking up and down the rows of market stalls in the day
market at the Amari Watergate.
Safety was never an issue for us. The people are the most friendly in the Universe. The children felt perfectly safe going from the Siam Intercontinental
Hotel to the shopping centre next door. My son lost his wallet, he thinks some European backpackers took it when they pushed into him. The security staff in the shopping
centre couldn’t have helped him enough, they were very kind and helpful. We walked the streets of Bangkok, taking in all the sights both day and night and never felt unsafe
or at risk.
My husband and I have travelled a great deal and people in the media talk about the high standard of service in America - travel to Thailand I say. The
people are genuine, they like to please and help. They smile all the time and nothing is too much trouble. The hotel chambermaid, the man waiting at the bus stop who advised
us on buses to the water park, the people we met at the World Trade Centre on New Years all were pleased that we had come to their country and wanted us to enjoy it. The
people are what really make Thailand the beautiful place it is.
Please Sir, I beg you, encourage the Tourist Board to promote this amazing, fantastic country to families, sell the positive aspects and this will change
the way your amazing country is perceived in the holiday market. The children of these families are the tourists of the future; they in turn will share their experience with
others.
I am afraid that we will not be able to visit Thailand this year - we will be at home in boring England watching last year’s holiday video and wishing we
were back in Thailand, but I will certainly keep encouraging friends to visit.
Sincerely,
Mrs Jackie Turner
Inconsistent postal delivery
Dear Editor;
I have been a resident of this beautiful city for more than 9 years, with my Thai wife and our children, without any minor problems. I always had the
feeling that the postal workers did the best they could - but that doesn’t include stealing or throwing away post... I had a post box at Jomtien and had some post
containing tobacco disappear.
Pattaya’s post office usually has good delivery, sometimes to our gate, with no problems, but one time two out of fifteen 50 gram items were lost. When I
made a claim, I was told that the post didn’t use that kind of tape, yet it is sold all over Thailand. No answers in 5 years. But I was lucky enough to get a customs bill
on my next sending. And the next sending I did have to pick up at the Custom Office in Laem Chabang. I was really afraid, but the honest and polite customs officer just
smelled it and said, “it smells like chocolate. Custom free for personal use, no illegal drugs.” To give me one more punishment they returned 1 pack of tobacco and 1
Norwegian newspaper to Norway.
After more than 4 years with the same name and house number, could suddenly the delivery boy not read it? All other bills were delivered.
Our new residence is connected to the Banglamung post office, and as far as I can see they usually deliver the post as they should. I am just wondering why
do they sometimes deliver my Norwegian newspaper to my gate, and other times tell me to get it at the post office, with a charge of 7 baht? My sister already pays 400 baht in
stamps, but they usually get lost.
The funny thing is my Thai drivers license is accepted all over Thailand as an ID card, even for Banglamung post delivery. But not when my wife uses it.
They ask her for my passport. As far as I know, the Thai immigration office tells everyone not to leave their passport with another person, as it can be misused.
Signed,
TFS
Legal closing time
Dear Pattaya Mail,
I have read several articles in your newspaper about the 2 a.m. legal closing time law and would like to know from someone why this is not enforced in
Pattaya. For the last month in the soi near Cosy Beach, on the way to the Mountain Beach Hotel, residents of the condos, the peak and Casa Espana have had little sleep. Three
makeshift karaoke bars have opened and the loud blaring music plays till 5 in the morning and sometimes it goes on till 8 a.m. Even when they have no customers the music
continues.
What used to be a lovely, quiet area is now quite unbearable. Night after night we have to suffer. The irony of it all is that the Pattaya sub district
police office is at the top of the soi, and the officers seem to ignore the situation.
Can anyone clarify who can stop this? I have been a regular visitor to Pattaya for 12 years but after a month of sleepless nights I am considering this as
my last visit. I often wonder if these makeshift karaoke bars have liquor licences.
I would also like to give a word of warning to other tourists living in this area. What was once a lovely location is now awful. The tuk tuk drivers
stationed here are sharks, from Pattaya to Cosy Beach costs 60 baht. However, the drivers here charge the farang 150 to 200 baht for the same journey. The area is the kind
that gives Pattaya a bad image.
A loaf of bread that costs 20 baht everywhere in Pattaya costs 44 baht in the mini market here and everything costs double. It is not surprising that the
tourists are choosing other destinations. There is no high season anymore, only low and lower.
I read regularly that Pattaya is trying to clean up its image but lets be honest, when you drive from Naklua to Jomtien, each and every soi has become like
one continuing beer bar, karaoke, go-go, massage parlour jungle.
As a lover of Thailand and patriot of Pattaya it is disappointing to watch the whole tourist industry here dissolve.
Mr Thomas Warner UK
Nong Nual, Water treatment
Dear Editor,
Living in Pattaya for a long time now makes me sick to think that Nong Nual Restaurant can get away with not conforming with the law and removing the dining
area over the water because it will hurt tourism. We will have to pay for a water treatment plant to go online yet they get a stay to keep on dumping sewerage into the sea. Why
don’t we residents get a stay from our increased water bill payments until the 101 buildings stop dumping their sewerage in the water? Who is getting paid off this time?
Peter Prince
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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