HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]:

Help the stray dogs

Thanks for cleaning the beaches

Enjoyed the Night at the Opera

Foreigners should learn to speak Thai

Something for city hall to think about

Moved by Leslie Wright

Carping about carping

Can it be true?

Be alert when withdrawing money from ATMs

Help the stray dogs

Dear Editor;

We are year 5 students and attend Garden International School in Rayong. We are writing to express our concern about the amount of stray dogs in Thailand. Whilst we agree that there are many positive aspects to visiting and living in Thailand, such as friendly people, a wonderful climate and great tourist attractions, we feel that the majority of people do not care enough about these animals.

We have come up with the following suggestions and we are interested to know if your readers agree and have any further ideas. Firstly, we would like to see animal rescue centres, with veterinary care, where Thai people and ex-pats could be encouraged to “adopt a dog”. Secondly, we believe that if all male dogs were neutered, the continuing problem of unwanted puppies would stop. We strongly feel that local vets could be encouraged to visit stray dogs and treat them, free of charge. We are distressed to see helpless animals in appalling condition and urge your readers to help in any way they can.

(Names supplied)

Thanks for cleaning the beaches

Editor,

So many of us complain about how dirty the beaches in Pattaya and Jomtien are, but I really want to commend the efforts of the annual Clean up the Beach campaign. The efforts of the public, the over 2,000 navy recruits, and even the public officials who joined in are greatly appreciated.

Perhaps we could extend this campaign to bi-annually since it is so effective. I realize that the campaign is costly, not only in money but in man-hours. However, the results are really worth the cost and the effort. What a pleasure it was to see the beaches cleaned of trash and debris.

C. S.

Enjoyed the Night at the Opera

Gentlemen,

Congratulations to all concerned regarding last night’s fantastic function, A Night at the Opera. Every aspect of the event was super and my wife & I enjoyed the evening very much. Indeed an evening to remember.

I hope that you all will see fit to host and sponsor similar events in the future.

Thanks for a job well done.

Best regards,

Graeme Moore

Foreigners should learn to speak Thai

Sir,

In February of last year [9th] the Pattaya Mail, with its usual concern for important issues, published a letter I wrote regretting the reluctance of resident farangs to make a proper effort to learn Thai. It is rather unfair, I noted, that virtually the whole burden of communication should fall on the shoulders of local people, for whom learning English is just as difficult as is learning Thai for Europeans. I suggested that permission for long-term residence might be made dependant on passing simple Thai language tests, or alternatively, differentiated charges be introduced for visa extensions, so as to encourage an element of linguistic integration.

As far as I can see, the situation has not improved at all. It occurred to me, therefore, that perhaps a better way forward would be to introduce, for long-term residents, the obligatory purchase of vouchers for Thai lessons in well-established local language schools. Farangs seeking residence permits or renewals would then have a real financial incentive to attend the classes (since they had been paid for in advance). There could, of course, be a dispensation for the aged, demented and (possibly) the intellectually inadequate. But there is no doubt that everybody - both Thais and farangs - would benefit from better communication.

Yours faithfully,

Mervyn Matthews

Something for city hall to think about

Dear Sir,

May I, through the medium of your newspaper, add my 25 satang’s worth to the discussion raging around the “Thai Wisdom Festival”? By the way, I have yet to discover what on earth “wisdom” has to do with a street fair mainly concerned with music, food and alcohol. On second thoughts...

Last Saturday I actually took the trouble to visit the festival for the first time, and was pleasantly surprised. At 9.30 p.m. Beach Road between Central and South Roads was thronged, and the people present seemed to be thoroughly enjoying themselves. It was so nice to be able to amble along the road without fear of being run over by a maniac influenced by the power of the internal combustion engine under his control. I was reminded of visits to “walking streets” in Copenhagen and other European cities.

But there’s a downside to these Saturday evenings of relaxation and pleasure. The traffic has had to be diverted to other areas of Pattaya, and this is causing big problems and delays. My (simple) solution is temporarily to make Second Road from South to Central Roads two-way whilst Beach Road is closed. It would be very easy to make the arrangements such as placing orange traffic cones down the centre of the road to separate the traffic and putting policemen on duty to ensure that all traffic flowed freely and safely. Judging by the number of gentlemen in uniform I saw on Saturday evening on Beach Road I doubt that this last requirement would pose a problem! (Incidentally, why not close Beach Road to traffic permanently and make Second Road two-way along its entire length?)

Making Second Road two-way during the time Beach Road is closed to traffic seems such an obvious solution I wonder why the Great Thinkers of City Hall have not thought of it. Or is that a stupid question?

Yours faithfully,

Oliver Minto

Moved by Leslie Wright

Dear Sirs,

I was very moved by Mr. Leslie Wright’s article in the Pattaya Mail, and I would very much like the opportunity of writing a personal letter of encouragement to him.

May I also take this opportunity of congratulating the publisher, editor and staff of your newspaper for your wonderful and unique newspaper.

Thanks and regards,

L. Willcocks

Carping about carping

Sir,

I used to think that ‘carping’ was using rod and tackle to match wit with a wily species of fish. Since coming to live in Pattaya I have come to learn it is an entirely different beast. Carping is what a certain breed of Pattaya ex-pat, and indeed, tourist, does to pass the time. Complaining about the most petty of offences against their raw sensibilities. Time and again we are warned about the hazards of riding a motorbike without a helmet. Okay. It is ill advised as even those who do it know. Enough said on the subject, surely. Rarely does the activity offend anyone other than the rider.

The traffic flow is another well-known carp. I’m sure everyone that hasn’t had a lobotomy knows that Pattaya does not have the best traffic system in the world. Neither, however, does it have anything like the worst. Indeed, anyone who can’t get about in Pattaya, Beach Road closed off or not, ought to confine themselves to some remote country village. There are equally banal subjects raised time and again but which, (dog dirt included) are just too trite to mention.

In the 8 March issue of the Pattaya Mail the gauntlet was thrown down by Winebibber to resurrect what was probably the liveliest Mailbag debate of the year; that of the Gay Parade. Did I detect a bit of biased smugness in his comment? Contrary to what he wrote in raising the matter, at no stage was there criticism of the fundraising events that were hosted in various establishments. Before the “homophobic finger-pointing” accusations are made, please note I did refer to “sexuality” and not the “homo” version.

Back to the subject at hand; the objections I noted were to a public flaunting of what is a sexual deviance from the nature of things. Given that Pattaya’s regulars are being deprived of a little normal flesh watching, even in the privacy of indoor bars, the criticisms surely carry even more weight. The whole subject is, however, surely put into prospective by the Mardi Gras carnival that was held earlier by the Planet Rock people and which not lauding any sexuality bias, not only provided the femme gender exhibitionists to strut their stuff, but was enjoyed by all in the “Pattaya spirit”.

T. Crossley

Can it be true?

Editor;

Can it be true? Are they really planning to introduce spas and massage parlors in the center of Thailand’s National parks (along no doubt with and air port and relevant infrastructure) ... when at the same time they are closing down the aforementioned attractions in both Pattaya and Bangkok as part of the social order campaign? Amazing Thailand indeed!

Unbeliever

Be alert when withdrawing money from ATMs

Dear Pattaya Mail;

I had a similar incident to the German couple who were attacked on Soi 1 and the stolen mobile phone incident. I am living here in Pattaya with my family and I have been here for 6 months so far. I have had the same experience, having my handbag snatched, not long ago.

It was about 9:30 p.m. and we went to an ATM machine on Pattaya Klang to draw out quite a lot of money. We stood at the ATM for quite a while as we took money out twice. While my husband and I were getting the money, my daughter waited and watched. She noticed 3 Thai boys on a motorbike (about 20) all looking. They went passed and waved, so she just looked away. Then they went to hide to watch us.

They watched me put 38,000 baht into my handbag and get on the motorbike. Our next stop was Big C, so we headed down 3rd Road, towards Big C. These 3 boys followed us on 1 bike, and told another 2 boys about us at the 3rd / North Road junction. They stopped there so we thought they were no longer following us. Then both bikes must have followed us.

As we pulled up to Big C to park, I got of the back of the motorbike, with my handbag (38,000 baht inside) in my hand. The next minute it was gone like the wind. The back passenger out of the 3 boys on one of the bikes took my handbag. My daughter and I got off the bike while my husband quickly followed them.

Unfortunately, he did not catch them as our bike had a sidecar attached, which made it slower. Their bike was also an old motorbike. Doesn’t this sound like the same boys as the stolen mobile phone incident and the German couple?

This made us feel very unsafe in Pattaya, and hope this does not happen again. We took a visit to the police station, but did they help? No! Just a waste of time. I am writing this as I think police should be placed to watch at ATM’s. I know many people who have been robbed at ATM’s and around Pattaya.

This brings Pattaya down and it would be much a better place without people like these.

Thank You

’38,000 baht down Farang’

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