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Not expecting much

To make the bus system truly effective…

Not expecting much

Dear Editor:
If all the Pattaya administrations over the last 8 or 10 years actually tried to make a mess of Pattaya, I doubt if they could have done a better job. Pattaya used to be a nice place to live, holiday, or even do business.
I can’t place all the blame for water problems on city hall, but the lack of attention in regards to over building in the area hasn’t helped the situation. The focus on expansion at any cost has obviously created a situation of inverted returns; except maybe for a few well connected individuals who worship money.
Traffic jams in Pattaya are easily as bad as Bangkok. Few obey even the most basic traffic laws, especially motorcyclist and baht buses. The lack of enforcement of the helmet law shows the police are not really in control of the streets; as further evidenced by the crime.
Does the Pattaya administration and police department plan on correcting matters or just talking like PM Thaksin? How any of Pattaya’s leaders can walk the streets without holding his head down in shame is beyond me.
A few suggestions on getting things back in order just in case you really do care. Stop building and actually fix a few things, like the streets! Forbid all curbside parking (and stopping) on South Pattaya Road, Central Pattaya Road, Beach Road, 2nd Road outside South Pattaya Road and Central Pattaya Road, and all of 3rd Road. You can’t widen the streets, so widen the flow of traffic and stop the gridlock.
Regulate baht buses into specific areas; too many work the Beach and 2nd Road area. Stop the encroachment of businesses on to the streets, especially the small sois. Actually enforce the traffic and encroachment laws. Fine violators! The government could make a lot of money from traffic law enforcement and save lives at the same time. Criminals and hooligans have no respect for the law. Start stopping people for minor traffic violations and you will be surprised at how much you impact the drug and violent crime problem.
I really don’t expect too much of a positive nature in the future, but I think city hall and the police should be reminded just how clueless most foreigners and many of the locals think you guys are from time to time.
The Ex-Pattaya “Beach” Bum

To make the bus system truly effective…

Editor;
Every driver and resident in and around Jomtien and Pattaya wants to see the bus system work. If for no other reason then it is to be rid of at least half of the offensive drivers of the baht busses. To make the system truly effective I suggest the following changes to the present system.
I will cover just the red line for that is the one that is most important for the Jomtien riders. (Though now I notice that for some strange reason the green line busses are also going one way through Jomtien towards Pattaya.)
1. Let there be a two way system put into effect so that when a Red Bus traveler reaches Pattaya on 2nd Road from Jomtien, he can be assured that by walking to Pattaya’s Beach Road he can return to Jomtien without, as is the present case, having to go half way to Bangkok to get back to his destination.
2. Eliminate the lunch breaks by the driver and attendant until they have completed a set number of round trips. As it is now, passengers often have to just sit there and fume while the crew takes a leisurely break, it seems, at any time of their choosing. The drivers of the busses traveling to Bangkok on a daily basis do not stop in route to take a lunch break. Why do things differently with the system here?
3. Let one line, be it blue, green, yellow or pink, ply a route that would take a rider from a central point in Pattaya to or from the main bus station on North Pattaya Road.
Thank you very much.
“The Jomtien Observer”

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