HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]:

Traffic, just my pen rai

Soi Khao Noi is still a mess

Ukraine and Holland might have the right ideas

Thank you for speaking out

I love shrimp

Tourism decline in Pattaya

Traffic, just my pen rai

Editor:
Gwyn Parfitt’s comments in “Light up your nightlife” point out how people around here just don’t get it! Not only are they some of the worst drivers in the world, the administration does not have an organized plan for road maintenance as indicated by Peter’s letter. Road design is also highly questionable.

The cover of the Oct. 8th Pattaya Mail highlights another significant problem here in Pattaya. Due to a lack of zoning, the streets of Pattaya are not adequate for use by large motor coaches and on street parking doesn’t help the situation. Traffic problems are then increased exponentially by improperly trained and what appeared to be in this case a “drunk” driver. If this happened in the United States not only would the driver be jailed for an extended period of time, he would lose his license to drive a vehicle for hire for many years. The owner of the motor coach would be heavily fined and all his drivers would be tested for alcohol and drugs. In Thailand, it just “my pen rai!”

The motor coach mishap was not an accident. It is typical of local driving, but I’m constantly amazed at the insane local driver. Only someone who was insane would fly down Sukhumvit at night without their lights on. Only someone who was insane would pull out into traffic without looking and hope the oncoming traffic can hit the brakes in time to avoid hitting them. Only someone who was insane would let a 10 year old drive a scooter on the public roads. Only someone who was insane would drive a scooter while talking on a hand phone.

Most of the other breaches of civilized driving can be chalked up to the total lack of traffic enforcement by both the Pattaya Police and the Highway Police. If there was proper enforcement and the handing out of maximum penalties, local drivers would quickly become educated with the Thai driving laws, exercise common sense, and practice better social behavior on the roadways.

Here’s what I suggest. Almost all of us “rich foreigners” have video cameras. Velcro the camera to your dash and send the recordings of the utter stupidity on the streets of Pattaya to your embassy and the head offices of major corporations working here. Last year I talked with some people in Sriracha and the conclusion was that most of their traffic problems ended when a “major businessman” became involved.

In Thailand, money talks, and if someone’s “rice bowl” is at stake something will be done. Hit the Pattaya Police and city administration were it hurts - their pocket books. Pattaya would suffer badly if foreign governments put out travel advisories and companies refused to continue to do business in the area if faced with multimillion dollar lawsuits should their employee be killed in a crash due to the “known” deadly driving behavior here in Pattaya. While bad driving can found throughout Thailand, it’s notably worse here in Pattaya. In the past, two employers I have worked for absolutely would not allow me to drive in Thailand, I had to hire a driver. One decided not to open an office here with Thai driving being a major consideration.

If the Pattaya authorities were even remotely interested in the public good, they would find a way to motivate traffic cops to enforce the law. My suggestion is to give the traffic cop a bonus for every “proper” ticket written; say 20% of the fine collected. If a traffic cop would write B100,000 in tickets a week and make B20,000 a week bonus, the paper trees in northern Thailand would be scared to death as whole forests would need to be cleared to make ticket pads for the local police. With this kind of income, why even worry about shaking down beer bars for tea money?

With a fine of B10,000 for reckless driving, I could book B100,000 in tickets just standing outside the Highway Police Station on Sukhumvit in an hour or two. The speed limit is 60km and 25km over the limit is generally considered reckless driving.

How about the maximum fine for every helmet violation, double parking, driving the wrong way, running red lights, etc., etc. etc.? Confiscate every vehicle driven my minors and unlicensed drivers until they pay the maximum fine and produce a proper driver’s license. Crack down on obviously drunk drivers.

Yes, it’s sometimes hard to tell if the Thai driver is drunk or just a bad driver, but if it’s an erratic foreigner at the wheel, he’s probably drunk! How much money for the police and the city administration would aggressive traffic law enforcement produce?

America has one of the worst driving records in the industrialized world, but I’ve been told by people who keep stats on this stuff that the likelihood of dying as a result of an automobile crash is ten times higher in Thailand, probably even higher in Pattaya! It seems that traffic deaths in Thailand are treated like the bird flu; not exactly in an honest and forthright manner. There’s lots of talk and little action; just “my pen rai”.

Pattaya “Beach” Bum

Soi Khao Noi is still a mess

Dear Editor,
Soi Khao Noi has been in a mess now for months. I am the owner of ‘The Prince Of Wales’ and have lost about 80% of our revenue, as have our neighbors. Some have already gone bust.

Luckily we are in a position to sustain this loss for 3 months but others are not so fortunate. There is simply zero motor access to our businesses. The only customers who can get here are those who live close enough to walk.

For example: Our Monday night pool is a very important part of our relationship with other bars in Pattaya and forms an important part of our monthly income. The ‘away’ team has to walk from 7-eleven on Sukhumvit to the Prince Of Wales and although not far, it can be muddy and is an inconvenience especially when it is raining. We have to compensate them for their efforts one way or another.

I think the picture speaks for itself. Where is the light at the end of the tunnel? Bear in mind this is 6 weeks into the job! I know this will make your readers laugh but is there such a thing as claiming compensation in this city and if so how? Please could the mayor or city hall respond?

I would like to thank our customers who have been faithful and go through hell to keep coming and apologies to those who are simply unable to make it.

Mrs. Jiraporn Bennett
The Prince Of Wales
Soi Khao Noi

Ukraine and Holland might have the right ideas

Dear Editor;
The Pattaya Mail editorial the other week about Mayor Niran being worried about getting high rollers back in town was answered by everybody I know by saying “Stop putting off tourists by closing everything and let people have what they want, late night drinking and fun in fun city”.

The following items appeared in today’s “The Sun”, the English paper with a circulation of over 2 million (or is it 5 million - I forget). Maybe the suggestions would help the Pattaya mayor.

* Free striptease shows are being staged by campaigners for Ukrainian Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovich - in a bid to get voters to re-elect him in a poll later this month.

* Bar staff in Holland are being sent on courses to learn how to laugh - to make customers happy.

Resident of Fun City

Thank you for speaking out

Dear Sir,
I was pleased, and impressed by your recent editorial concerning equality for physically challenged individuals.

As you stated in your editorial, many of these individuals are well qualified in their areas of expertise. They possess outstanding work ethics, as a result of the hardships they have had to face in achieving their qualifications. Also, the physically challenged individuals often display remarkable abilities in persisting with demanding tasks; as they have had to do throughout much of their lives.

Although society has come a long way in accepting, and welcoming, these physically challenged individuals, there are still employers today who have not taken this exceptional opportunity of employing these individuals.

These employers are missing an opportunity of enriching their workplaces, by not hiring such outstanding individuals.

As I said before, society has come a long way, from a time when many physically challenged individuals were doomed to a life of poverty, loneliness and lack of opportunity.

Now that many employers have come to realize that imperfections in the ‘outer shell’ of the human body should not distract from the outstanding talents that the physically challenged individual possesses, employers are reaping the benefits of having these individuals in their workplace.

It would have been a sad statement about present day society if we judged negatively a person like Stephen Hawkins on the basis of his imperfect ‘outer shell’ and missed out on the genius that inhabits that body.

Or if we had judged negatively a person such as Christopher Reeves (Superman) based on his physical injury and missed out on his contribution to encouraging scientific research in the area of spinal cord injuries.

Society would not have had the amazing contributions that these gentlemen have provided.

In the same context, some employers are missing out on outstanding opportunities by not employing a physically challenged person.

Open minded opinions, such as those expressed in your editorial, and the efforts made by ones who welcome physically challenged individuals into all aspects of society, do much to contribute to the advancements of our modern day society.

Thank you,
Dan Campbell
Canada

I love shrimp

Dear Mailbag,
Thanks a million for the article on shrimp. We have just returned from Phuket and spent a whole day touring a shrimp facility plus we caught our on shrimp for lunch.

I have read your magazine for over 1 year now and it’s amazing how good your stories are. I also like the story last week on the man giving his life savings to help the blind.

Keep up the great work.
Thank you,
Phyllis Cone

Tourism decline in Pattaya

Dear Sir,
I used to be a regular visitor to Pattaya 5 years ago, along with many of my friends. But alas no longer. Why not? Well, what some people want on holiday is an active nightlife. This is no longer available in Thailand, because for some reason the Thai authorities think early to bed is good for tourists. So where to now? Well, in Europe Greece and Spain stay open until dawn. In SE Asia, everywhere else is open until 4-5 in the morning, including Singapore. If Thailand continues to ‘kill the goose that lays the golden egg’, places such as Pattaya will see a big decline in tourism.
Peter

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