HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]:

Make North Beach Road a quiet zone

An answer to Pattaya’s traffic problems

Looking elsewhere

Other countries will benefit

Flying cars make lots of noise

Buses, baht and a load of old ballots?

Not a public lavatory

The reasons for coming are running out

Make North Beach Road a quiet zone

Dear Editor;
All to often we criticize Pattaya City for what we perceive as wrong or foolish. There are, however, some things that the city has done right. For example, in early January the marine or port police realigned all the marked off swimming areas along Pattaya Beach. This was a major safety accomplishment because the fast boat operators now actually respect these boundaries and stay out of them. I see more and more people taking advantage of these areas for a safe swim. Maybe some time soon jet skis will also be required to stay out.

Another very positive event took place recently on the beach area around Soi 4. As reported in the Pattaya Mail, Thai school children, playing classical instruments, put on a fantastic concert. What really made it great for me was that there was no electronically amplified, blasting music. Just natural music the way it is meant to be and which really was relaxing and classy. I saw many people stop their baht buses and get out so they could listen. This was a very positive departure from past displays of over amplified, ear blasting music. I’m sure more people would have attended if they had known about it.

I’ve also noticed on several occasions, uniformed city employees on the beach trying to reduce the number of bothersome sales people who prey on the tourists relaxing on the beach. This effort has certainly had a marginal impact so far, but it is a step in the right direction.

One only needs to look at the hotels prices around the main beach in Phuket, which has no hawkers, no boats and a relaxed atmosphere, to see the financial benefit of offering people choices.

I believe Pattaya would be well served by giving tourists a choice of a quiet, relaxed area, or more hectic atmosphere. The North Beach Road area is the scene of many new hotels. I believe a quiet, relaxed atmosphere is what Pattaya needs to attract people to these new businesses.

The children’s music presentation is the type of event we need on North Beach Road. The blasting music of last year’s so called music festival and at this years’ OTOP presentation are what we do not need! They actually drive people away. Please give tourists choice. Make the North Beach Road area a quiet zone. If people then want blasting music they can easily go to Walking Street.
Please sign me,
“All for positive change”

An answer to Pattaya’s traffic problems

Editor;
As a qualified civil and highway engineer I am amazed that the Pattaya authorities cannot see an obvious way to improve (but not solve) the traffic situation. Having removed the 2/3 properties at the southeast corner of the 2nd Road and Pattaya Klang, they should move the electricity pylons and make the 2nd Road two-way all the way from the Dolphin Roundabout to South Pattaya. It was obviously the intention of the local authorities to do this about 10 years ago as the traffic lights at the 2nd Road / Pattaya Thai junction had one phase facing north, but this has now been removed.

This would remove the farcical situation whereby traffic from the north arriving at the Dolphin Roundabout wishing to go to Big C etc, have to go down Beach Road into Pattaya Klang and north up the 2nd Road, i.e. 5 times the distance. Similarly traffic from the Pattaya Klang / Soi Baukow area having got to Big C and wishing to return, have to go all the way up to the Dolphin Roundabout again down the Beach Road to Pattaya Klang.

I would have thought it was desirable to remove some of the traffic who are presently being forced on to the Beach Road and of course some of the baht-bus taxis are now using Soi 2 as a commuter road for which it was never designed, in order to avoid going up to the dolphin roundabout and back down again.

The fact that the new bus service has its own lane in the 2nd Road in order to go south from Big C, against the one-way traffic flow, proves my point.

It is a basic principle of traffic engineering that traffic should be allowed to go from their origin to their destination in the most direct route possible and the roads should be designed accordingly.

Also, are there no planning authorities in Pattaya? The road surface in Soi Baukow was recently improved but there seems to have been no attempt to allow for road widening and straightening out some of the ‘chicanes’. Most of the old shacks have been demolished and an unbelievable amount of new apartment blocks have been allowed to be built, more or less on the old building lines. I reckon that in the next year or two, the traffic in Soi Baukow will double on a road which is hopelessly inadequate. What little footways there are, are permanently blocked with signs, plants and parked motorcycles.
Bill McKain

Looking elsewhere

Dear Sir,
About this time of the year we tend to start planning our month plus annual visit to Pattaya. This year, we are holding off until the licensing situation is sorted. If, as it would seem, someone in their wisdom judges that a closing time of 12 midnight will help to increase tourist numbers, then here’s four of us who will need to be replaced, as we certainly will be looking elsewhere for this years vacation. Don’t Do It! It really doesn’t make sense!
Melvyn,
England

Other countries will benefit

Editor;
It’s obvious the person sponsoring this new law on hours of closure own bars in Angeles, Philippines and Song Ton Si, South Korea, and are trying to increase their customer base. I hear a few even had bars in Tijuana, Mexico.

I like and enjoy Thailand, but I do know how to use a map and a phrase book. There is cheap beer elsewhere.

Just some random thought.
Max Fischcom

Flying cars make lots of noise

Dear Editor,
About three months ago the “highway” department of the Thai government put in place (I’m not sure what to call it) something like “speed bumps” in Sukhumvit Highway. We live just off of it.

There has been no change in the driving on it ... We are retired and are at “home” the day through ... the only change has been in the amount of noise! The sounds from vehicles traveling through the area is unbelievable! Simply put, pure noise! This goes beyond normal loud mufflers (which seems to be common in Thailand!).

Just something you might wish to consider in your coming edition.
Ron West

Buses, baht and a load of old ballots?

Editor;
The Whingeing Pom writes... What a great idea this free bus service is! Finally I get to go the wrong way down a one-way street - it’s legal and it’s free!

I’m really looking forward to standing around in the hot sun waiting up to 30 minutes for the scheduled bus and watching all the baht taxis go past thinking “that’s 10 baht I’ve saved ... that’s another 10 baht I’ve saved...”, or 5 baht if I was Thai.

One of the great things about a free bus service is that it’ll reduce traffic ... won’t it? If everyone uses the free bus then all the alternatives will disappear won’t they? Or maybe they’ll just hang around waiting for the inevitable impatient person who can’t wait so many minutes for a scheduled bus. By the way, what do the buses do when they’re waiting for a scheduled round to start? All park up on the road somewhere? I can imagine a situation where half a dozen people stand and look at a driver in his stationary bus for 30 minutes until it is his time to depart, and one by one they give up and jump on a songtaew.

Never mind, I’m sure the local powers-that-be know what they’re doing; sending another wave of large lumbering, unmanoeuvrable vehicles down Beach Road, I’m sure in time we’ll all get used to the extra chaos caused when a 25ft long 6 1/2 ft wide vehicle stops to put down or pick up passengers. Baht taxis and motorbikes can squeeze past ordinary sized vehicles but the buses will just have to stop and block the road, but that’s OK we’re all on holiday, aren’t we?

Pattaya needs a free bus service like it needs a hole in the head! One thing about Pattaya is that its public transport is frequent, reliable and dirt cheap. The last thing we need is a load of old buses clogging up the roads. On top of this if the service is to have any chance of working at all on no account should it be scheduled, to function effectively it has to be a continuous service. This has been shown over and over again all over the world. And what is the idea of taking business away from the local baht buses and motorbike taxis? Has someone at town hall had a row with them, were they consulted before the introduction? Apparently not.

Pattaya needs a lot of things putting right; drains, phone lines, water, power, and the traffic is at times bad, (N.B. the new Carrefour) but the introduction of these buses bears all the signs of an ill considered, spur of the moment enactment - is there an election coming up or something? Save the money and improve the crossings on the Sukhumvit Highway!
Will Kelsall

Not a public lavatory

Dear Editor,
Back to the vexed question of our beloved baht bus drivers again. This concerns the line of baht buses that wait on the corner of Pratamnak Road outside the school playground to make the journey to Jomtien Beach and if you don’t have your wits about you they will herd you onto the back of the bus and you will be on your way to Jomtien whether you were headed there or not.

The serious point of this letter being, am I the only one who finds it deeply offensive nearly every time I walk past there to see that at least one or two of them have scaled the playground wall in order to urinate (at least I hope that it is just that) where the children play? This is very anti-social behaviour and a health risk to the children. Have they no sense of decency? Apparently not.

A roll of razor wire along the top of the fence may go some towards curbing this obscene behaviour. It has occurred to me to go into the school and ask the head teacher if he /she is aware of this problem but I expect that I would get the usual apathetic reply of “mai pen rai”.

As someone who is mindful of the sensitivities of the Thai people I think it is high time these people thought about their insensitive behaviour.
David
South Pattaya

The reasons for coming are running out

Editor;
Although I have come to Thailand and spend most my time in Pattaya for the last seven years, I did discover Bali this last trip. I come to Thailand for weather, the people and lifestyle. But now it’s time for a change.

I do not drink myself, but love to socialize in the bars. It was 4:00am to 2:00am to now midnight. I am afraid that I smoke so I am not allowed in parks now. I expect prices to rise as only special people will get licenses for bars (friends?). I spend about $7000 each trip.

The reasons for coming are running out. Best wishes to Thai people. I hope the super wealthy can take care of you. Maybe you can supply dancers that will dance on cue. Soon I am sure they will be allowed in gated areas to dance. Maybe truck in an elephant? Make sure Denneys, McDonalds and lots of American hotels so guests will not feel like they left Los Angeles? Then they can go home and say they have seen the real Thailand.
John Sutherley,
Canada

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