Sir,

I am retired and like many other farangs spend about half of the year in Pattaya. My impression is that most of us accommodate well to living here, and contribute significantly to the town’s prosperity.

In one respect, however, the farangs (in my view) fail somewhat. Among the thirty or so whom I know hardly any would claim anything more than the barest smattering of the Thai language. Virtually the whole burden of communication falls on the Thais, who must learn English. Of course, English is as difficult for them as Thai is for us.

I think farangs who live here for long periods should be actively encouraged to acquire the language of the local people. The European Union has made 2001 “The European Year of Languages” in order to promote this kind of initiative: it would be wonderful if the movement found a response in the expatriate community here.

In some countries (the Baltic states, for example), authorisation for some types of long-term stay depends on resident foreigners passing a simple local language test. I think this practice might usefully be considered here. Another method of promoting Thai might be through mildly differentiated charges for visa extensions, favouring farangs who have genuinely tried to integrate linguistically into the rich Thai culture.

Something really needs to be done to correct the present imbalance.

Yours faithfully,

Dear Editor,

I hope that all authorities and tourist organizations in Pattaya will ban a gay festival here. In the last 2-3 years Pattaya has been able again to attract family tourists plus a very significant number of fairs and conventions.

A gay festival can easily be held in Sydney, Paris, etc., but such an event in Pattaya will only be covered by the media to present the worst of this city.

You can be sure to see pictures of an old Australian hand in hand with a Thai boy looking not older than 14, even if he may be 17-18 years old. You will read about the gay live shows probably with good selling pictures. The very young boys on Beach Road aggressively trying to catch every man without a female companion will be a big story.

There will be no reason for any newspaper, magazine or television to cover such a festival in Pattaya if they cannot ‘sell’ it. So whatever kind of gay festival in Pattaya, the media will only focus on events that will turn families with children to look for another destination.

And I am sure that many organizations and companies will think twice before booking conventions or fairs in Pattaya in the future.

It will be a big setback for all the works of profiling Pattaya. Not specific because it is a gay festival - a pornographic fair, etc., would do the same harm. So please let other cities take care of such festivals in the future.

Sincerely,

Dear Editor

After being recommended to buy your newspaper whilst on my holidays in Pattaya I would like to thank you for providing an excellent read for newcomers. We stayed in the Royal Garden Resort which was very central and spent our time around the streets and not stretched out by the pool, as many other Brits seem to do. We ate at your highly recommended Shenanigans (excellent for those I only like English Food Types). The meal was very good but we tried to eat at a different place each morning and evening. We ate from the street stalls and seafront cafes and we tried to stick to the local menus. This was great fun. Noodles, rice, green curry soups, crispy duck, etc. Everything we were served was clean and freshly cooked and we never suffered a hint of tummy troubles. It was great fun and I would recommend a stay in Pattaya to anyone. It was busy yet tranquil, a great place to people watch.

Kent England

Dear Sir,

I, too, receive magazines through the post, and almost invariably the wrapping has been opened, and in some cases destroyed to a point where the postman places the magazines in a postal sack to keep then together. My friend who sends the magazines has improved the standard of wrapping, but in vain, as they still arrive “opened”.

If this is the Royal Thai Customs who open the packages to check for contraband, then I would expect a sticker saying “Opened for Customs Inspection”. As there is no such sticker, then I can only suppose that the postal official opens the package to see if the magazines are worth reading. Before someone at CAT shouts “defamation”, let me ask what other explanation there is? Perhaps David Richardson’s Aviation and Space magazines have caught someone’s fancy?

I suggest he take the matter up firstly with the magazine supplier, and then with the Post Master, General Post Office, New Road, Bangkok. In my experience they are very helpful.

Secondly, use a PO Box rather than delivery to a house.

Yours faithfully