HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]:

Violence on Beach Road

Avid fan of Family Money prays for the best

Rid beach road of unwanted buses

Disabled friendly city?

Thank you Alvi

In Memoriam

Extinction vs. A beer after midnight

Govt trying to run tourists off

The Highway Code

Violence on Beach Road

Dear Sir,
While shopping down on Beach Road about a week ago, I bought 3 or 4 DVD movies at one of the many street side stalls. When checking them at home, one did not work so I planned to return it. Last Wednesday about 2 p.m., I went down with my wife to Beach Road and dropped her at Mike’s department store while I walked on to the DVD stall just beyond Dunkin’ Donuts.

There was a young man working at this stall that I did not recognize but told him that I bought several DVD’s a few days before and I wanted to return this one as it did not work. He looked at me with a scowl on his face and said I did not buy it there. I replied that I did buy it, not from him but from that stall. He returned with “F*** OFF, YOU DIDN’T BUY IT HERE!”. I said that I know I did and want to replace it with another one. He came back with “F*** OFF!” and a second later 3 young thugs jumped on me, punching and kicking me down to the ground. It happened so fast, I didn’t even see where the other two came from. I ended down in the street, just missed by a passing motorbike.

I was pretty well battered and beat up. I did manage to land one punch in defence but at my age I was no match for three young thugs. As I got up, I thought for a moment about going back into the fray but decided against it considering there was 3 of them and they may be carrying knives or worse. I shouted for police, but none were around and the thing that also upset me was nobody did a thing to help me and this area of the street was full of people, Thai and Farang ... To me, this was the worst part of it, to think how helpless one can be in a crowd. I walked away, bleeding into my handkerchief.

I walked on to Mike’s to find my wife who was extremely shocked when she saw my condition. We returned home to clean my wounds, not knowing what could be done about this. I thought about contacting the police but having never done that before in the 7 years that I have lived here I decided against it. One of the thugs might be a relative of one of the local police and the last thing I want is for them to know who I am or where I live.

I think my wife was shaken as much or more than I about this and said that Thailand is becoming more and more dangerous each year and we should consider selling our house and moving to a less violent country with better law enforcement and law abiding people. We have 3 homes globally, Italy, England and here in Pattaya and I have always loved Thailand, the country and the people, but this has set such a sour note in our minds. I am trying to get over this and focus more on all the good people here, the nice local people that I know and worked with during the past 7 years, there are many out there.

I am writing to you about this but not sure why, I certainly don’t want these people to know my name or where I live so I respect your confidence on this. Thanks for listening.

Abused and Battered on the streets of Pattaya

Avid fan of Family Money prays for the best

Dear Editor,
I have been a reader and a very big fan of Mr. Leslie Wright for as long as he has been writing for your publication. His column Family Money is one of my favorites. I often either clip out it and send it to friends, or email them with the Pattaya Mail website address so they can also avail themselves of his informative and wise council on monetary matters.

Since your newspaper printed the recent item about Mr. Wright’s illness I have received many personal emails from readers wishing to convey their deepest hopes and prayers for his recovery.
C. S.

Rid beach road of unwanted buses

Editor;
I was baffled to read that Second Road is returning to two way. It works better the way it is. Also, the bus will use Second Road going south. This leaves half the beach with no service. There is one simple way to improve traffic flow in Pattaya: Stop the large tour buses from double and triple parking on Beach Road to unload and load people going to the beach. These beach goers are not even staying in Pattaya. They spend no money in Pattaya. The only thing they bring to the beach is trash.

Sincerely,
Bob J.

Disabled friendly city?

Sir,
I’ve noticed that the authorities are making an effort to become a ‘disabled-friendly’ city by laying specially indented pavements to assist blind people in navigating their way around Beach and Second roads. I assume the ridges and dots marking the stones are designed to warn the pedestrian of upcoming hazards such as intersections and obstacles. What I find confusing are the numerous telephone boxes, fire hydrants and concrete poles that have been slapped bang into the middle of the paths without any warning marks whatsoever. Nice try City Hall, but no cigar.

Regards,
Tim Lewis,

Thank you Alvi

Sir;
As I browse the back issues of your newspaper, I read with continued admiration of the fine work in the community carried out by Alvi Sinthuvanik and her colleagues at the Rotary Club of Jomtien-Pattaya.

Being related to Alvi through marriage, I am probably more aware than many people of Alvi’s kindness and generosity and have many memories of the hospitality extended to myself by Alvi during the time that I worked with her in Pattaya in 1999.

It was a wonderful surprise and amazing coincidence, as we have not spoken for some time, to note Alvi and the Jomtien-Pattaya Rotary Club’s links with the Rotary Club in my own home town of Wallasey, UK. How wonderful it would be for Alvi to pay a visit to Wallasey. I intend to contact the Wallasey Rotary Club and suggest an official invitation, as I for one would be delighted to extend the welcome of my town and country to her, just as she did to myself.

Best wishes Alvi and keep up the good work.
Mark Leach
Wallasey, UK.

In Memoriam

Albert Terence “Buddy” Creese

In the early hours of Sunday the first of February, the community of Pattaya expats lost one of its own. Mr. Albert Terence Creese, better known as “Buddy” to his friends, passed away at Pattaya Memorial Hospital after a short illness.

Albert Terence “Buddy” Creese

Buddy retired to Pattaya two years ago after a long career as a London cab driver. He was well-traveled and had friends all over the world. Buddy loved Thailand and loved the Thai people. He would quibble over five baht one minute, then buy toys or candy for the local kids in the neighborhood the next.

He is remembered for his brash wit, his big grin and his infectious laugh. One of his greatest enjoyments was sitting at the “table” at the local condo enjoying the conversation or a crossword, and wishing he could share it with his friends in frigid London.

Enquiries about funeral arrangements can be sent via email to Scott Haynes: [email protected]

So long Buddy, and God’s speed my friend.

Extinction vs. A beer after midnight

Editor;
Like all species it’s a possible event, if you cannot adapt you fade away. Even for us humans, it’s looking more likely the longer we are here. None of us would treat our home/house like the way we have been treating our planet/home. Do we dig a hole in the living room and put all our waste in it? Do we cut a hole in our water supply pipe, and drip chemicals into it? Do we have a small diesel compressor in the bedroom, running all night? Rivers full of contaminates fish dead... Ozone layer full of holes... Nuclear Power waste that last a 1000 years, with a by-product for weapons to wipe us of the face of the earth. Biologic/chemical weapons that have no border, and need no sophisticated expensive missile to deliver it.

Then there is our own personnel hygiene. Viruses that have gone berserk, AIDS SARS, bird-flu, BSE, foot & mouth, genetic engineering in the hands of some person with a cause. Dare I mention religion, the cause of most of our troubles that give us a need to invent these weapons? I am no pessimist, but the future does not look very bright.

So why am I writing this? Well, it’s in response to the bars shutting at midnight in Thailand, which will be the beginning of the end of Thailand. I imagine it will be the same old story, the lights will be out, but still open. Reduce the tourists, possibly, but I am sure the government will be aware of this, or might have another agenda. It’s their country, I am only a guest, and like most of us an old one at that, so time is not on my side, and will have little effect on the years I have left.

But in I believe we have far more important things too worry about, than whether I can have a beer after midnight.

Chok dee krap!
M Anderson

Govt trying to run tourists off

Dear Pattaya Mail,
Regarding the govt’s new policy on closing times, it seems they are trying to run tourists off, not trying to help the industry or economy. We enjoy having dinner between 7-9 p.m., afterwards going to karaoke, [my lady loves to sing], or going somewhere to listen to a band. We’ve been visiting Pattaya many years, love it there, but will spend our money elsewhere if we cannot have an enjoyable holiday.
Chuck
USA

The Highway Code

Dear Sirs,
I do not think that there is an English translation of the Thai Highway Code; however, the Code does exist and the rules are very similar to those of other countries, bearing in mind that one drives on the left in Thailand.

Basically the Code consists of two sets of rules, those that are Mandatory and those that are Cautionary, the former taking precedence over the latter: herein lies the difference. Whereas the ‘farang’ that deviates from the strict interpretation of these rules does so at risk to his purse; the locals are allowed to consider them as Cautionary and Optional, with the latter taking precedence over the former, and drive accordingly.

Regards,
Roger Womersley,
Ko Sichang

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