Editor;

I have a telephone number that starts with 422. For the past two months my telephone is cut off two or three times a week from 12:00 hrs. midnight to about 10:00 a.m. I have found out that many people with telephone numbers starting with 421 or 422 are cut off at this same time. We have called the telephone co. where we pay the tel. charges monthly, and they seem to have no knowledge of this. Someone must know what is going on as this problem is occurring at the same hours. Is there anyone who has access to the TOT who can remedy this frustrating problem? We are paying for service that we are not receiving.

Pattaya

Editor;

I can think of only one response to last week’s sad tirade by “A Long Time Resident” over her pilfered pocketbook: “Cry me a river”. By her own account, she left a handbag filled with valuables unattended in order to buy some junk food, then had the gall to place the blame on others when the contents were stolen.

Her account of the incident is full of mendacity and pompousness. Did she leave her bag unattended for one minute or two? (She contradicts herself here.) She says she called out loud that her handbag was missing. Did she do so in Thai or some foreign language, I wonder? She whines that “the reaction of the whole staff in the supermarket was very slow and inappropriate.” Yet also relates that at the same instant she called for help, the security guard was walking towards her with the missing pocketbook, having already been found and turned in by alert cleaning woman.

She goes on to complain that the supermarket doors should have been sealed at that instant in order to apprehend the thief. What did she want, a strip search of everyone in there? Furthermore, she faults the store for not having expensive video surveillance equipment, apparently to protect irresponsible shoppers from their own incompetence. She further blasts the store manger from not calling the police for her (ever hear of a pay phone, lady?) and slams the poor security guard for not protecting her from her own carelessness.

By reading her own account of the event, it seems to me that after this lady’s terrible error in judgment, and irrational response, the (I’m sure decent and hard working) store employees went out of their way to assist her. Her angry letter berates and belittles them, yet gives both the thief and her own judgment a pass in reviewing the incident.

I am not surprised to read a rant like this; the world is full of people unable to accept responsibility for their own failings. What does surprise me is to read such a pointless and pitiful screed on the “Letters” page of this fine newspaper. Commentaries should stick to debate and discussion about events and issues of general interest, not serve as a soapbox for someone to soothe a guilty conscience by damning others.

Mailbag;

My first visit to Pattaya was 16 years ago, and following 2 visits every year since then I have seen a few changes. But the “political-social-financial-arguments” have never really changed. Pattaya will always be subject to criticism, but like every success it will always have its admirers. Just like the same old bar stories and complaints I heard 16 years ago will be echoed in another 16 years. Pattaya - the road to success is always under construction, so everyone who has limited vision, simply find another road in disrepair!

To My Dear Friends,

I have never been able to express my feelings very easily and I am neither poetic, nor do I have a way with words. I just want to say “Thank You” from the bottom of my heart, to ALL of you. Those two words seem so small, to really show what I feel, but I don’t know what else to say. The emotional support and encouragement of my friends has made this ordeal I’ve been through easier to handle. From the beautiful flowers, to special “tempting” foods, all the wonderful phone calls, those cheery visits and the shoulders to lean on at times, I couldn’t have asked for a better “away from home” family. I truly want to thank all of you.

Julie Garratt, our P.I.L.C. president obviously started immediately when I phoned her, asking for the club database information of donor blood types. As incredible as it seems, this is something that had received much discussion in the past, but never got off the ground. When I am back “up to speed” I will certainly be the first to volunteer my help, to get this project off the ground.

In closing, I would just like to say to those of you whom I haven’t actually spoken to in person - if you have been putting off that “annual check-up”, please attend to it right away! It is so very important, especially as we head upwards in our age groups. “Early Detection” is one of the reasons that, so far, my chances for beating this are VERY GOOD. I don’t guess I am supposed to give a “recommendation” for a particular hospital, but just let me say we have some wonderful, skillful, supportive and caring doctors here in the Eastern Seaboard.

Sincerely,

Dear Sir:

It was encouraging to read that an arrest was made by the Pattaya Police for a murder that was committed in 1990. For me it bolsters the belief structure that proper investigative procedures are indeed operational in Pattaya and hopefully will result in a positive outcome for the murder of Canadian photojournalist Joe Gaal while a guest at the then Ocean View Hotel owned and operated by Lothar Kroehn and Wolfgang Ulrich.

My 29 year old son was also struck down by a hired assassin, who was assisted by local residents and law enforcement persons that early morning of April 30, 1989.

I will not give up on the belief that there is someone out there who has the courage to come forward and allow our family and the soul of my son to find peace. Joe did not die accidentally, as was reported, nor was his body free from severe bruising and injuries as stated in the Thai autopsy. He was subjected to a cruel and vicious beating by his attackers who were acting on orders from “the boss” who were told to make it appear as an accident, and attempted to do this by placing his dead body in the swimming pool a few hours before its discovery. “No water in the lungs, no apparent bloating associated with drowning and a skull separation that according to a prominent United States pathologist suggests a severe brain trauma.”

Murder is murder in any country, and the end result of an unsolved case is an anguish known only by those of us who sit in hopes that someone will be charged and that “justice” will finally be served. There is a longstanding reward for those who can help put this case to rest. Feel free to email me at: [email protected] or telephone/fax: 250 765-9960 or write: Arlene Gaal, 1035 Neptune Road, Kelowna, B.C. Canada. V1X3E4. Thank-you.

Arlene Gaal (mother of Joe Gaal)

Mailbag;

I’ve been coming to Thailand since 1982, at least once a year sometimes two. In all this time I have never seen drug taking in the tourist bars. It may go on in the Thai discos, etc., but I can’t see any reason to close the farang bars because of it. I don’t often drink after 2 a.m. (the wife wont let me) but it does get my goat when somebody else (other than my wife) tells me I can’t.