HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]:

The powers that be are trying their best to do away tourism

UBC could show Turner Classic Movies

Motorcycle deaths will not stop until police enforce the law

Shoulda read the Mail sooner

Insulting the tourist’s intellect

Reply to Mr Kennedy

Puzzled in Pattaya

The powers that be are trying their best to do away tourism

Editor;

I’d like to begin by expressing my appreciation to the City Administration for returning to the old two-way back road traffic system. I realize this change in plans is only temporary, but hopefully the powers that be will realize the mistake they made and not return to the Bira Circuit style one-way traffic system.

I totally sympathize with the guys in charge on the fact that Pattaya’s growth over recent years has caused an over-whelming amount of traffic, but turning the Beach Road into the new Coastal Highway isn’t the answer. It was about six months ago that the suggestion to expand Beach Road by eight meters was to be incorporated. Naturally they were confronted with much disdain for the project by all those folks living along the beach, as it would take away most of their frontage. Eventually, the administration gave in and agreed to postpone the expansion project indefinitely.

On January 15th, the big new one-way plan was introduced causing even more dismay for those residing along the front. If the purpose of this arrangement was to clear up congestion along the back road, the project was a success. However, the downside of the idea was inserting three main arteries of traffic onto a Beach Road that was half the size of the other three roads. Some people made jokes about the fact that this is the only place in the world with a traffic circle surrounded by traffic lights. Personally, I feel that was the best thing to come from the entire scheme. It did my heart good to watch the tourists crossing the intersection at the roundabout and not having to dodge traffic fearing for their lives.

I realize this reverting back to old two-way system is only temporary, but hopefully, some other solution can be found to improve the traffic problem. If expansion of a road is necessary, let it be the Back Road and make it two-way all the way to South Pattaya.

Abstractly speaking, maybe we could get the Thai government to remove all the unused supports for the Bangkok overhead railway and install them along Beach Road. In this way, the folks along the front would benefit from the shade and be able to enjoy the sunsets, while the traffic and noise were 40 feet in the air. Also, the new Walkin’ Street extension proposal is even more ridiculous. Saturday night is the biggest night of the week for most nightlife in Pattaya and this idea will just about ruin any potential for anyone in business from Central Road to Walking Street.

It cost the city two billion baht and three years of construction work to complete the Water Treatment System, in order to attract tourists back to the beach scene in Pattaya. I’ve heard many returning tourists’ compliments about how the beach and water conditions have improved since the treatment system was incorporated. My question is, why would the city want to discourage tourism on the beach further by creating an expanded Beach Road, causing more noise and air pollution?

The now infamous Interior Minister has all but ruined the idea of anyone coming here for the nightlife. Considering that travelers come here for two main reasons, either the nightlife or the beach, it appears that the powers that be are trying their best to do away with both attractions.

Does anybody out there care what happens to our City by the Bay? If so, it seems now is the appropriate time to voice your opinion. In the meantime, try to enjoy this little bit of Paradise while it lasts, cause it may be gone tomorrow!

Respectfully yours,

BJ

UBC could show Turner Classic Movies

Dear Sirs,

Concerning the issue of UBC and Turner Classic Movies, I have received an e-mail from Gregg Creevey, Senior VP, Turner International Asia Pacific Ltd, dated 8th January 2002, which states:

“The decision to convert the hybrid Cartoon Network/TCM channel into a 24hr Cartoon Network was the sole decision of Turner. It was ultimately a commercial decision. The viewer demand referenced in my letter is viewer demand from around the Asian region not just Thailand.

“However, TCM does still exist as a separate 24hr channel. Unfortunately for the moment UBC are not in a position to carry the service.”

Why cannot UBC carry the TCM service? Is it because they don’t want to pay for it, or for some technical reason? Either way, UBC seem to have been less than honest with their explanation.

Signed,

Another Dissatisfied UBC Subscriber

Motorcycle deaths will not stop until police enforce the law

Editor;

I was pleased to read in the Pattaya Mail that the governor had told police to ensure that every person on a motorcycle was wearing a helmet. This last weekend we were in Pattaya (we come 3 weekends a month) and as normal my girlfriend and I rode round on our motorcycle. I will agree that our bike is much larger than the majority of bikes one sees in Thailand, and we wear helmets all the time. We were, however, totally taken back by the fact that rather than everybody wearing helmets, the majority of persons on motorcycles of all sizes were not.

I also thought the legal age for (driving) motorcycles was 16 years, yet we were nearly knocked off our bike by a 12 year old girl on a 110 cc bike that was actually too big for her to sit properly on.

It is said that 2 people a day die in motorcycle accidents in Chonburi Province, this will not stop until the police enforce the riding rules and set a good example by following them themselves.

From,

A lover of motorcycles and safe riding

Shoulda read the Mail sooner

Dear Editor:

I picked up a copy of the Pattaya Mail on a Friday but didn’t get around to looking at it until the following Sunday. If I’d read Friday’s Mail - even the front page - earlier, I’d have known about the “temporary” change back to 2-way traffic on Pattaya 2 Rd., north of Central Rd. and avoided a near-miss traffic event.

This morning, in my ignorant complacence, I turned right on my motorbike onto 2 Rd. from Soi 5 after stopping to check traffic coming from the left. I turned north into the right lanes of Pattaya 2 Rd. (no problem as long as the street is one-way heading north - right?) confronting two baht cabs abreast heading directly at me. Wow! Heart attack time! Fortunately I managed to dodge off to the right shoulder in time narrowly avoiding a serious accident.

Sure as shootin’, when I got home and looked, the news of a “temporary” change was right there on the front page of Friday’s Mail. Did I miss something earlier? Not good! Sure would be nice to have some reasonable timely warning of major traffic rule changes from City Hall. Hard enough stayin’ out of trouble when I think I know the rules.

From now on, in self defense, I’ll read the Mail early on Fridays. Thank goodness we have a local news, English Language, paper.

“Bobby” Peterson, Pattaya

Insulting the tourist’s intellect

Editor,

I originally felt that this current Thaksin/Purachai “New Social Order” - “Kill The Nightlife” idiocy would end quickly after most of their silly ideals came into the full view of the Thai public; however, it seems that these fellows are truly bent on ruining Thailand’s tourism and the average Thai does not care, or does not realize the damage being done. Anyone in the travel industry knows full well that the TAT numbers are down far more than the official claim of 20%. From my figures, as a travel professional, I’d say that Thailand has lost about twice this percentage of its tourism funds when compared to last year’s “high season”.

My business clients are mostly of the family-tourism and adventure-tourism ilk, as well. They are not the type that Purachai is always badmouthing, but rather, the more wealthy and big-spending. My bookings for Thailand have dropped off by 54% in recent months. This started before 9/11 and my other overseas locales have not seen this kind of drop in booking numbers. I book tours all over the world, and only Thailand has this huge drop in numbers. I can also say, without a doubt, that this is due, 100-percent, to Purachai and his oddly bent ideas of dictating morality and targeting foreign businesses. One must target all crime and all criminals and not blame a specific race, or group of races. Purachai should look hard at all the Chinese/Thai owned brothels used almost totally by local Thais as this is where the real crime and underage activities occur. It is simply inept to go about things in the manner that the new government is. This, unless they really do not want any tourists or western retirees in Thailand at all?

Even if a tourist would never dream of doing illegal things, this new attitude in Thailand’s highest offices do not make a tourist feel safe, nor wanted. And, any person who thinks that “wealthy tourists” do not enjoy nightlife on their vacations is simply very poorly educated in the needs and wants of tourists. If these go-go bars were not popular with tourists they would have vanished a long time ago (Business 101). Pattaya’s entire current commercial value was built around the nightlife started by the US military on R&R in the 60’s, to make such attacks on it now is very much biting the very hand that feeds you.

With so much that needs improving in Thailand, this government has certainly chosen poorly for its pet projects. Rather than lining up beach chairs and closing bars that have some skin, why not make a real attempt to solve the horrid air pollution and clean up the water on the beachfront and stop the two-tier price gouging and the tourist mugging and the police corruption... and then Thailand might win some additional family tourists. But to attack in the manner that is now being done will never make Thailand more desirable to tourists. My heart goes out to those poor Thais trying to make a living in the tourism sector under the Purachai watch. He is slowly starving them off, right along with the tourism numbers.

Dr. Walker

The United States of America

Reply to Mr Kennedy

Dear Editor,

I just checked the internet and read with confused interest the letter from Brian Kennedy, USA (PM 15/02/2002) with his comments on the book “Money Number One”. I have no idea what point he was trying to make in his letter, but it is obvious that he has not read the book. If he had, he would realize that the author (that’s me) loves Thailand and Pattaya in particular.

Tourists will tell you that wherever they travel in the world, if their holiday is spoiled because they believe that they were cheated, overcharged or otherwise relieved of a substantial portion of their hard-earned savings, it leaves a sour taste in the mouth.

No matter how wonderful the place may be, they will give bad reports to their friends and relatives on returning home. Pattaya can be overwhelming for some visitors and the purpose of the book was to make them aware and hopefully encourage them to retain a level of common sense while enjoying their holiday here.

Mr Kennedy states that he reads “your journal religiously”, so he should be aware of the many stories from farang who have had unfortunate experiences in Pattaya.

I suggest that Mr Kennedy borrow a copy of the book and read it so that he can make an informed opinion next time.

Neil Hutchison

Australia

Puzzled in Pattaya

Editor;

Having been a regular tourist to Thailand for some years, I was amazed on this occasion (February 13, 2002) to see some bars (under police protection no doubt) offering the most explicit shows while others have been closed for I believe very minor indiscretions. This would normally be seen as a very serious miscarriage of justice. Are double standards to be expected here at the present time?

A Casual Observer

Letters published in the Mailbag of Pattaya Mail
are also on our website.