HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]:

No water for 5 weeks

Who gives a damn?

I had a strange dream

Cambodia set-up

Memorial angel’s attacker brought to heel

No water for 5 weeks

Hi,
This is the first time I’ve corresponded with the Pattaya Mail, though I’ve been an avid reader since its inception. I’ve lived in Pattaya since I can’t remember when. I was here in Pattaya in 1965 when it was an 11 hour drive from Bangkok along the American Highway. That is neither here nor there unless anyone wants to pick my mind as to what this place was really like.
For the last 7 years my family, wife and 2 children have lived in a village called Eakmongkol #1 on Soi Khaotalo. The problem is the lack of interest in the village by the management since the last house has been sold in our village. I could go on and on regarding the problems that go untended, but the final straw is our water supply.
I called our village office and the conversation ended with, “Silly farang, did you forget what country you live in.” So, a call was placed to Pattaya City Hall. They were wonderful to speak to but of course had no answer. They transferred me to the public water dept. Now we were getting answers! It seems the management of the development had bought most of Soi Khaotalo, ensuring that the city could not run a water supply, leaving the management with a well and water tower whereas they could charge for the water as they sees fit. The main man is a very hard man to locate, sort of like Major Major from the novel Catch - 22. So, we the village have had no water now for going on 5 weeks. Help!
Yours truly,
Gary Steuer

Who gives a damn?

Editor:
We’ve enjoyed the openness and vitality of Pattaya for ten consecutive years, often bringing family members and friends, and seeing friends who are here on our recommendation. The friendliness of the people, the beauty of the country, the beaches and the wonderful food, all brought us back each year for our month-long January vacation, and we alone have contributed around 100,000 baht to the Thai economy each year. Gradually over the past few years we’ve noticed a change. Many more tourists, more crime - usually by Thais - and a diminishing of the friendly Pattaya spirit. We’ve also noticed an almost total failure of the town to react.
In most countries, pedestrians have priority over motorists. In Viet Nam, it’s about equal. It’s a shock to new visitors that in Pattaya, cars and motorcycles have priority over pedestrians. You’d think then that the sidewalks would at least be safe, but Pattaya sidewalks are more torturous than the streets. For instance, while attempting the daily street crossing at the Manhattan, a baht bus and motorcycle slowed enough for us to negotiate the passing, but a fast moving car almost got us. It was a white tourist police car, zooming past us so close and so fast that the “We protect and serve” was a blur. What irony! But two days later, while on the beach walk, my wife was almost run over by a motorbike driven by a tourist police officer who couldn’t have cared less that he almost wiped out one of his supposedly precious tourists. We mentioned this to an English-speaking tourist police volunteer when we got to Walking Street (another oxymoron given the errant speeding motorcycle). The volunteer politely listened and responded that the new police chief has pledged to make Pattaya more hospitable to tourists, but how many times over the years have we all heard that?
Adding to this type of danger are the various steps and drops in the level of the sidewalks, the holes that go uncovered for weeks, the sharp stumps of cut off signs that slice toes, the running water that has tourists slipping and falling. Perhaps it’s actually a service that in many places, tourists are actually forced to walk in the streets because businesses usurp sidewalks for tables, hookahs and whatever. I was recently walking past a 7-Eleven with a fairly clear sidewalk only to have a Thai girl run her motorcycle up a ramp, parking it directly in front of me. Our eyes met and she casually got off the bike and walked into the store, leaving her bike fully blocking my path and then the entire sidewalk.
Of course there are many areas where there are no sidewalks at all. Take for instance the daily horror my wife and I experience walking from and to our apartment on Soi Yensabai. We noticed recently that two Pattaya police officers stopping drivers who were not wearing helmets, while remaining completely oblivious to two motorcycles that sped down our soi at about 40 miles per hour, skirting pedestrians who were squeezed between a wall and the line of cars parked along the other wall of the already narrow street.
So the Thais don’t give a damn, and the police - even the TAT - don’t give a damn. It’s catching, because now we don’t give a damn. We’re not coming back and we’re certainly not recommending Pattaya as a place to visit while in Thailand. If you don’t improve things, vastly and promptly, soon the only visitors you’ll have are the ones you don’t really want.
Jeff & Ann Minckler
Missoula, Montana USA

I had a strange dream

Dear Sirs,
I had a strange dream last night. I dreamt that US Ambassador Boyce held a news conference to announce:
A. Thai citizens no longer will be allowed to purchase property in the US.
B. Thai travelers to the US will be allowed to remain in the US for only 90 days, and will be prohibited from return visits for 90 days.
C. Thai investment in the US stock market will be subject to a 30 percent “Reserve” penalty.
D. Thai visitors will be charged up to 400 percent of the normal fee for entry into national parks, privately owned parks, restaurants, etc.
E. Thai citizens seeking medical care in the US must pay cash up front or large amounts of gold jewelry in escrow.
F. All traffic regulations will be suspended during the holiday season. Stop lights will only be meant as a suggestion.
G. All official documents regarding these new acts will be published only in Greek.
H. Thais who are unhappy with the foregoing new policies are encouraged to go to Cambodia.
I thought it a bizarre dream. Then I realized that the US Embassy doesn’t give a hoot about the concept of reciprocity in international relations.
Sadly, the Thais also seem reluctant to face reality, determined to press on unfettered by facts or informed opinion. I recall a comment allegedly made by a senior Thai leader, “Take from the West everything and give back nothing”. The average Thai seems immersed in this philosophy. A fish doesn’t know when it’s wet.
Sincerely,
Arthur Lee Gordon
Retired FSO
Pattaya

Cambodia set-up

Editor;
I’m asking that you post this letter to aid other travelers to Cambodia. Last week a friend and myself were traveling to Sihanoukville via Koh Kong and as I have done many times before we booked a hotel for the night. We then set out for dinner and a few drinks. As we had one of the travel guides from the border (tall guy with small beard spoke better English than myself), he picked us up at the hotel after dinner and took us to the famed Chicken Ranch so we could fine some company.
We then returned to the hotel and I had a problem with the girl, so I sent her on her way. About 1 hour later there was a knock at my door; there was my tour guide saying we had to go to the police station or they would come here and arrest me, as a compliant was made against me by the girl.
Upon arrival I was told that the girl had said I made her take drugs and that I beat her up. Of course there were no marks and no drugs. Then it hit me: sounds like a set-up. Of course she was crying and putting on quite a show. I told them that this was just not true and to go ahead and lock me up. But no, they wanted to settle this now, tonight. Again I said go to hxxl.
This went on for 2 hours. The starting price was 1000 U.S Dollars and I was told by the tour guide in the company of the police that if I didn’t pay I would never be seen again. At that point I became worried, having lived here in Thailand for 6 years I have heard some bad stories. After another hour we had the price down to 200 dollars and then we settled for 150 dollars. I was then free to go after I put my fingerprint on a piece of paper and gave them my name.
I would advise you to stay away from Koh Kong and Cambodia in the future. This was my 15th trip to Cambodia.
Sign me,
Dumb In Pattaya

Memorial angel’s attacker brought to heel

Dear Editor
Eating an ample slice of humble pie, I feel I must write to congratulate the ‘boys in brown’ for swiftly apprehending the thug who mugged my wife last week.
On her way to work at Pattaya Memorial Hospital, a motorbike rider knocked her to the ground and made off with her handbag. She was in full nurse’s uniform and it was only 7am. Appalling.
Being the cynic, I assumed that would be the end of it, with no prospect of any justice being dealt out to the culprit, thankful that she was not physically harmed. I was delighted and surprised when my wife told me that she had been asked to go to the police station to identify a suspect, who was indeed the guilty party.
He had been picked up, trying to hawk my wife’s phone to a vendor near Tuk Com ... and he still had her bag under his arm! Not the brightest kung in the ocean, I’m sure you’ll agree. His excuse? He had been up drinking all night, and decided he’d like some more money to continue his binge into the day. So he waits till my wife is standing at the side of the road and makes his move. His mother must be so proud!
So it’s a big hand for Pattaya’s finest. I know they take a lot of stick, but I for one am prepared to admit I was wrong and say a big thank you and well done.
I’ll be heading down to the station in the next few days to say that personally and to drop off a box of goodies from Tops.
As for the moto-Dick Turpin ... I hope he gets what’s coming, and plenty of it.
Thank you Pattaya Police.
Kind regards,
Scott Bryden

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