HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]:

A few words of warning

4800 baht taxi ride is good value in the Netherlands

Drive by motorcycle mugging

Pattaya will be a fishing village again

A heartfelt thank you from the Bob Davis family

In favor of early closing time

Lighting up

A few words of warning

Editor;
I dare say the following sign should be posted in all conspicuous places for the benefit of visitors to Pattaya.

Visitors to Pattaya please take notice:

Please be observant at all times while you are here. Here in Pattaya we have ways of doing thing that you might not encounter in your own country. For example:

1. We have very few traffic lights and posted speed limits.

2. Motorbikes are allowed to park and run on the sidewalks. (They travel with impunity. They are always found on one-way streets going the wrong way.)

3. Intersections are extremely dangerous. Traffic comes from all directions. You will notice that traffic pays no attention to digital stop signs.

4. Do not use zebra crossings. They are extremely dangerous. We don’t know why we go to all the trouble to paint them on the road.

5. Pedestrian bridges are not provided at this time. (Business people have now agreed to subsidize their construction. They will be provided with observation platforms so people can observe the chaotic traffic situation beneath them.)

6. We know that baht taxis may certainly be a problem with their crazy maneuvering. (Motorbikes and baht taxis are certainly the cock-of-the-walk in Pattaya.)

7. Sidewalks are not provided on the narrow sois. We must provide for two-way traffic on these sois.

8. Be especially observant after sunset.

9. Please do not get in the way of tour buses.

10. Bicycles, motorbikes, skateboards, joggers and transvestites have the use of the walk along Beach Blvd.

Have a good time in Pattaya but please be careful. We know some situations might not be to your liking. Numerous committees have now been formed to study the traffic problems.

Yours truly,
An Observer

4800 baht taxi ride is good value in the Netherlands

Dear Editor;
I am a Dutch man and traveling two or three times a year to Pattaya for having some fun and of course to enjoy the weather and food, etc. I would like to place a comment on a letter published on Friday the 30th of January and written by a man named Phil who was wondering if only millionaires are welcome in the land of smiles. He made a statement saying that limousine taxi fares from Bangkok to Pattaya and v.v. went up. He stated that a 1500 THB fare, while not cheap, was a good value. The millionaire thing came up due to a change of fare up to 4,800 THB while a fare of 1,500 THB will only be sufficient to get downtown Bangkok.

In the Netherlands we have the following saying “sitting in the first row for a dime” or “wanting all the frills without the expense.” What I try to say is that in my eyes a 4,800 THB fare while not cheap is a good value for Thai taxi drivers and their companies. I don’t know Mister Phil personally or where he is from but for sure he forgot the fares in his home country. For example a taxi ride of 15 minutes from my house to downtown Amsterdam will cost me 30 euro or about 1,400 THB. So a fare of 4,800 THB is still very cheap for a well paid farang.
Best regards,
Gert Cornelisse
The Netherlands

Drive by motorcycle mugging

Sirs,
For the past 7 years, my wife and I enjoyed our break from Scotland’s winter weather by coming to Pattaya/Jomtien. The Thai culture and hospitality along with great value golf has always ensured a repeat booking. Which is why it was such a shock when, 2 weeks ago, my wife became another victim of drive-by motorcycle mugging.

We had become careless and complacent walking along Thappraya Road in Jomtien back to our condo. Her shoulder bag was ripped from her and she was pulled from the pavement into the path of following traffic which fortunately was able to avoid running over her as she lay dazed and bleeding in the road.

We were quickly surrounded by concerned Thais with offers of help and we are particularly indebted to Pongsiri Ken Suwanrut who acted as the proverbial ‘Good Samaritan’. He drove us to the hospital, waited while my wife received emergency treatment, then drove us back to Jomtien police office, where he acted as witness and interpreter; before driving us back to our condo at 2 a.m. What a wonderful young man.

So, a word of warning to other farangs. If you wish to walk, do so against the traffic, on the inside of the pavement, with your bag across your body. Be alert.

Finally, although the tourist police were sympathetic and understanding, it would perhaps make a difference if the police dept. would crack down on the multitude of anonymous motorcycles on the roads without lights or number plates.
Regards,
Doug Hollingworth

Pattaya will be a fishing village again

Editor:
As a visitor to Pattaya for 10 years and one who has a house there, I wonder if now is the time to leave. All that is good about Pattaya is being destroyed by silly Thai politicians.

Do they not realise the falang spends huge amounts of baht to keep Pattaya going? Opening hours 6 p.m. - midnight is worse than all Europe, so who will come to Pattaya?

It will be a fishing village again.

Sing me,
I will wait and see

A heartfelt thank you from the Bob Davis family

Dear Pattaya Mail,
On behalf of Porn and Nonny, and at Porn’s request, I would like to thank the many people that were so helpful at the time of the death of Bob Davis. Bob passed away on January 13. He was a long time Pattaya resident, a member of the Pattaya Sports Club and had many friends throughout the Pattaya area.

Both the Sawang Boriboon Foundation and the American Embassy were immensely helpful. The Bjarne Nielsen family, as always, took care of all the temple arrangements and gave much moral support. Jock McKinlay, the Couch Family, Nual Russell and Alan Stevens have helped to cope with the paperwork and the communications to Bob’s family in the States. Pastor Daniel Krynauw of the Pattaya International Church has been a wonderful spiritual help. And finally, Bob’s many friends throughout the city who so unselfishly took up a collection to help with Bob’s funeral expenses.

It is a wonderful thing to be a part of the expat community here in Pattaya, a joy in life and a helpful friend in death.

Thank you so much,
Porn and Nonny Davis
by Diamond Dave

In favor of early closing time

Editor;
I am puzzled by all those who think that a closing time of midnight will spoil the tourist trade in Thailand. What precisely can happen between 8 p.m. and 4 a.m. that cannot happen between 4 p.m. and midnight? Does the beer taste better? Do the girls get prettier? Or, are some of the protesters so unattractive to look at, they prefer not to be seen in daylight?

It seems that there is some sort of reaction against their youth, when mummy made them be in bed by 9.p.m. Now they are ‘big boys’ and can stop out late! Big Deal. Personally, I do not wish to be woken up by drunken revellers as I prefer to sleep at the times when most normal people sleep, and not be woken up by motor bikes at 3 a.m.

I am entirely with Prime Minister Thaksin on this. It is time for Thailand to go up market and let the Sad Brigade go elsewhere.
Derek
Soi Nern Phlap Waan

Lighting up

Dear Editor,
Can somebody please explain to me the reasoning behind the new law which requires motorcyclists to turn on their headlights during the day? Considering we live in one of the sunniest places on the planet, I just cannot see any logic behind the new law ... and before anyone states the obvious that it will cut down on accidents it won’t ... the drivers who pull out in front of bike riders now, will continue to do so!

While I am having a whinge ... whoever thought it was a good idea to close the bars at midnight should think again. If the powers that be think that tourists who work elsewhere in the world all year to then come here and be told that closing time is at midnight will continue to come they wont! Why don’t they address the main problem of the escalating level of crime here? It won’t be solved by merely closing the bars early.

Allan (long time resident)

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