HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]:

Thailand off course with smoking ban?

Speakers corner

A clean country

No Post office blues here

Thailand off course with smoking ban?

Dear Editor,
A friend of mine, an MD in England, told me that carbon monoxide is the most carcinogenic (cancer producing agent) content of nicotine. If this is true then the “ban” is misdirected.
Air conditioning does provide an air filtering that no outdoor bar/restaurant can. Possibly the filter can even remove some of the carbon monoxide or, be equipped to do so.
Outdoor establishments usually border a street or 2 where non - pollution equipped vehicles (motorbikes, cars, trucks, busses) pass by, and sometimes park with motors running. So, ban in effect, we have smokers plus vehicular pollution!
I believe the medical and air conditioning professions should be consulted to see if there is another way to resolve this problem to everyone’s satisfaction.
That being said, the reasoning that the ban will reduce smoking is, charitably, naive. Prohibition of anything has never worked - not with alcohol, drugs, prostitution, etc. It has only raised the price, moved it to a new location or, in fact, increased the usage.
Don Aleman

Speakers corner

Editor;
For over 8 years I have enjoyed the ‘mailbag’ kudos, as well as rants, and have been pleased to be published several times. Comments concerning ‘cheap charlies’, dog pooping on public sidewalks and the owner not cleaning up after, baht taxi fares (I say pay the 10 baht and shut up), ad infinitum. And of course enjoyed reading the rebuttals, some from uneducated morons and some from conceptual thinkers.
But let’s get serious for a moment. Several years ago the headlines read, “Pattaya’s water problem solved” and that we could expect no further problems. Well, I have been without water for a week now, as they have turned it off to install water pipes along Sukhumvit Road. The complaint is that they never announced this to anyone. Glad I have a 2,000 litre water tank at my home in Grand Condotel.
Next, the Thappraya/Thepprasit intersection. They have not worked on the road widening project for months now, and with typical non-thinking ahead, removed the traffic lights, stating that they had ordered new ones. “Hello, anybody home?” It is amazing that no one has been killed there, and I am sure that when they do install the lights, it will greatly confuse many and the red light will be meaningless. My neighbor, Khun Fled the Scene, and I are in daily peril.
In conclusion, I wonder who pocketed the money that was needed to complete the road project? I can only say (phonetically), “Tum Dee, Die Dee, Tum Chua, Die Chua”, a term that every Thai knows from age three on up.
Choke Dee, all.
Hyde Parke

A clean country

Editor;
Walking around now in Jomtien for some years, I have to get something of my chest. Every day I see the people doing a good job, cleaning Beach Road until the last leaf is gone. It is very much appreciated.
Maybe it could be motivating for them to feel they are really cleaning and let them work one day a week in the other sois, and then especially off road.
It is an unbelievable mess out there and in this way you could show you not only want a clean Beach Road, but a clean country.
Dutchie

No Post office blues here

Editor;
My response to the letter: Post office blues, B. Phillips. I am always wondering about the complaints about lost mail. I have been living in Pattaya for many years and before this in Bangkok.
At both locations I had a mailbox at a post office. Not one letter and even not one parcel ever disappeared in all this time. More than this - sometimes the address is not correct and it goes to a different post office. But after a while the mail arrives in my box despite the wrong address - with some effort from the people at the post office I guess.
So perhaps a mailbox at a post office can help.
Regards,
John

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