Letters

HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]:: A sign of the times; Referring to some readers complaining...; City vandalism; Thailand is not cheap; End of nightlife in Pattaya; Don’t forget, we’re visitors here; The morality regulators are back; Effluent in Pattaya Bay; The other side of the story

A sign of the times

Editor;
So, as was expected, the crime rate is on the rise like never before! Social unrest is stirring (angry vendors storm Pattaya City Hall) and all in the country that was famed for its safety!

And the reason? Just three words - Social Order Campaign. Depriving people of their livelihood is not a clever thing to do - less money, more time on their hands - and dark streets when the entertainment venues close at 2 a.m. - less tourists, less money; it’s just a vicious cycle. What at first sight sounded wonderful is proving to be a recipe for disaster.

P.S. Our finest are now insisting that venues should not open till 6 p.m. sighting an obsolete 30-year-old law (what happened to the “close earlier, open earlier” announcement of the ministers?).
Leon Palmer

Referring to some readers complaining...

Dear Editor,
Referring to some readers complaining about the crackdown on nightlife I want to state the following: no farang has the right to complain about the decisions made by the Thai government. This is Thailand and we are guests here. If we don’t like it we just don’t come back or if we are residents we look for another place to live.

Money is undoubtedly No. 1 in Thailand and this is the only language that is understood. Some readers don’t understand the crackdown on nightlife. It is easy to explain. The government does not want to address the real problems in the country. Therefore it successfully draws the attention away using some popular issues addressing the emotional level of the common Thai people. These issues are the “social order policy” (crackdown on nightlife, drugs, dark influence) and the use of farangs as scapegoats (IMF is to blame for the Asian crisis, farang endanger Thai culture).

These issues keep the common Thai people busy and leave no room for the real problems. The Thai economy is booming. 6% GDP growth, skyrocketing company earnings, but the common Thai worker still gets his 4000, 5000 or 6000 baht a month. The richer get richer and the poor get almost nothing of the cake.

Less than 10% of the Thai own 90% of the wealth in this country. This is the real reason for increasing criminality, increasing drug abuse and the attraction of the nightlife business. What is the perspective of a factory worker who earns 6000 baht a month working 6 days a week? There is almost no possibility of saving money and increasing living standard. This is the reason why many women and men prefer working in the nightlife (“sex”)-business, where they can easily make a good income for themselves and their families.

It is obvious that the government with the richest man at the top is not likely to tackle the real root of social disorder.
Yours,
Ole Svensson
Malmoe, Sweden (living in Pattaya)

City vandalism

Editor;
I have been pleasantly surprised at the improvements along Jomtien Dongtan Beach during my previous two visits following the planting of the new palm trees. I have just returned for another of my regular visits and am horrified and disgusted to see that the large trees which previously lined the beach have been vandalised and decapitated. I fail to see the logic in adding new trees and then mutilating the existing ones.

Could this be another part of PM Thaksin’s erroneous and harebrained vision of a Utopian Thailand (along with the Privileged Card Scheme) catering to a rich and privileged few? The replacement of perfectly good standing trees with palm trees - presumably because they may appear more exotic - is ideology gone mad. His view is an elitist one and he fails to appreciate that Thailand survives largely on revenue from the average tourist, who in general prefers things as they are. He proceeds at his (and Thailand’s) peril! We have a saying in the UK “if it ain’t broken don’t try to fix it”.

Whoever the official was (I assume in city hall) who ordered or authorised the vandalising of these trees ought to be thoroughly ashamed and should resign from whatever position they hold forthwith as he/she is clearly grossly incompetent.
David Snowdon
London (and presently Pattaya)

Thailand is not cheap

Dear Editor,
Many readers always quote that it is so cheap in Thailand that it doesn’t matter when farang pay a little bit more. But Thailand is not cheap! You always have to take into account the costs involved. Take for example a hotel room. Let’s say your room costs 500 baht per night.

Now consider the costs. For instance labour costs. A receptionist earns about 6000 baht per month, working 6 days per week, having practically no holiday. A receptionist in Europe at least gets 60000 baht per month, working only 5 days per week and having 4 to 5 weeks holiday per year.

What about the construction costs? A construction worker earns about 170 baht per day, this is less than 5000 baht per month. A European construction worker gets at least 50000 baht per month, having also 4 to 5 weeks holiday per year.

Not to mention that many employees in Europe even get a 13th monthly salary per year. So most costs are more than 10 times less than in Europe. To get an impression and a fair level when you compare prices you have to multiply the Thai price with the factor 10 to get the European equivalent. And you would agree that for 500x10 =5000 baht per night you will easily get a much better and nicer hotel room in Europe.

This equation applies to apartment prices, restaurants, bars and of course also to the most discussed baht-buses. 5 baht is the Thai price with a driver earning about180 baht per day (5000 baht per month). A European driver would earn at least 50000 baht per month. So 5x10=50 baht to compare prices fair. And 50 baht is almost exactly the price I pay in my European city to get from A to B using a public bus.

In Europe, however, I don’t have to sit on an improvised pickup, but have a well-cushioned comfortable seat, a responsible careful driver and an excellent insurance when the bus is involved in an accident and I get injured. So please fellow farang: almost nothing is really cheap in Thailand. When you pay the Thai price you pay a market price which offers the businessman a good profit. Don’t accept ridiculous Thai prices. Always try to find out what the locals pay and don’t pay more. Don’t be always so naive in Thailand!
Tom Riintsma, Groningen, NL
P.J. Inn Pattaya

End of nightlife in Pattaya

Editor;
Customer is king! Customer is king in Pattaya? Not at all! Most farang come to Pattaya for the beautiful Thai women and to watch the vibrant nightlife with dancers and sexy shows. This is gone now. The government stopped it, because they know farangs come back anyway, because farangs are already addicted to the Thai women. The government at least doubled all visa fees. It is cynical. You have to pay huge visa fees that you are allowed to spend your hard earned cash, pensions etc. Many farang spend in one month more money than the average Thai worker earns in one year. There is no respect for farang at all. Is there no farang out there with a small portion of self-respect and honour? Stay away for at least some month! Teach them that customer is king and that farang deserve more respect than a Thai dog.
Yours sincerely,
Peter Anders
Germany/View Talay Building B

Don’t forget, we’re visitors here

Editor;
The management of Plutaluang Navy Golf Course has asked me to publish a message to golfers and organized groups visiting the course.

“Whilst visitors to Plutaluang are most welcome and may enjoy the favorable rates charged for the course and facilities, the management wishes to remind everyone that it is a Royal Thai Navy establishment and, as a result, senior naval, military, and government personnel always take priority on the golf course and in the clubhouse. This right may occasionally cause some ‘inconvenience’ to visitors that is regrettable, but necessary for visitors to accept without question.

Social golfers, organized society and tour groups, and major tournaments will continue to be made welcome, provided the priority due to the Royal Thai Navy is fully respected.

The alternative is to seek another venue.”
Mike Franklin

The morality regulators are back

Editor;
Today I have witnessed yet another police raid on the bars of Pattaya - this time only for being open prior to 6 p.m.! Was money involved I wonder?

It was my understanding at the onset of the ‘Social Order Campaign’ in the words of our illustrious leaders “close the entertainment early at 2 .m., but compensate by opening earlier also!”

This has been the case for some 18 months, but from yesterday (Tuesday 16 September 2003) no dancing before 6 p.m. (but can / cannot remain open?)

Little wonder the crime rate is on the increase and people’s livelihoods are being put at risk as the local economies plummet.

Please! May we have a definite decision on the policy of opening hours for the clubs, bars and night spots?
Leon Palmer
Bangkok

Effluent in Pattaya Bay

Dear Sir/Madam;
I live at Coconut Beach, from where I have a good view of Pattaya Bay. Last week, a workforce dug up the road just a little way from Coconut Beach, shortly before Soi 16 and repaired a large pipe in the road. They’re now filling up the hole, but out to sea, about 50 metres, is a large, black, bubbling patch of water, which wasn’t there before work started. It’s leaving a large, black slick which is spreading up towards Pattaya. I presume that this is merely water which is running off the land, but it doesn’t look too good.
Yours,
Charles

The other side of the story

Editor;
I read last week’s article about the “drunken foreigner” striking the Thai woman in Soi 6 with some amusement. My elderly friend and I were also on Soi 6 the other evening trying to walk down the street to the popular English restaurant. A Thai couple in their expensive European sedan were apparently “touring” up and down the soi to “gawk” at the visiting foreigners. My friend did not move out of the way fast enough for the horn blowing couple and was actually “nudged” by the front bumper of the car. I think more consideration and respect needs to be given by foreigners and Thais alike.

The other issue are these “lady-men”, hiding in the darkness, accosting all foreigners returning to their hotel. This is not only unpleasant but makes people feel unsafe.
Signed,
Short-term visitor.

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