HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]:

Troubles in Angeles

Spinning alcohol bottles

Violence should not be tolerated

Smoking ban

Water bottle ashtray

Congratulations from Arlington Texas

Root of all road evil

Gold snatchings in Pattaya

Beach road trees butchered

Troubles in Angeles

Dear Editor:
If you’re thinking of going to Angeles City in the Philippines you should first read this letter. When I was recently there, over two hundred dollars was taken from my deposit box. Another guest lost over four hundred dollars. The owner blamed us for not putting the money in the hotel bag that was in the deposit box. Exactly why someone who breaks into deposits boxes wouldn’t have just taken the bag was not explained to us. The owner - in front of a policeman - then accused me of lying about how much money was stolen. Luckily the thief didn’t take my passport or my ATM card so I had no trouble getting out of the country. An Australian at the hotel had everything taken and the hotel wouldn’t lift a finger to help him. After all it was our fault we were robbed.
Also in Angeles City street girls will get picked up by foreigners and then go to the police who will arrest the foreigner for having sex with an “underage “girl. It doesn’t matter if you’re innocent. A friend of mine was merely standing in front of a bar when the police took him to the station where a little girl he never saw said he had molested her. Paying off the police can cost thousands of American dollars. In fact the only people in Angeles City who are safe from the police are the criminals!
Eric Bahrt

Spinning alcohol bottles

Editor;
I read in the BK Post that from the 1st Aug all mini-marts must turn around all bottles of alcohol so that the label cannot be seen by the public. The government is trying to discourage Thais from drinking. A good idea; I must publish this on YouTube so that the rest of the world can take note of how Thailand controls its sobriety problems.
As the article says, the mini-mart staff will spend all day turning the bottles around and back again. The Thailand voters must be pleased with there government’s efforts, or is this a clever ploy to increase employment?
Matt Jomtien

Violence should not be tolerated

Editor;
I refer to the horrific attack on a young woman outside a Jomtien bar. This attack is possibly the worst I can recall ever of a foreigner against a Thai woman and five other people including a passing motorcyclist. Without any (known) provocation this six foot three inch, 31 year old body builder hero went berserk and set about this girl and beat her with fists and a pool cue until she was almost dead.
This is a respected member of the Jomtien bar business community and a Thai citizen. It is worth noting that normally any complaint, however trivial, made against a foreigner to the police results in going to the station and making compensation. In this case the perpetrator is free and on bail while the victim is still having treatment and slowly recovering. She has so far had to find 190,000 baht in medical costs. Much of this money has been loaned or given by friends but further expenses will arise. Also her business has suffered as her staff have fled in fear. She has permanent scarring and will most probably have to have further surgery to her eye. After the attack and to this day not one single officer visited her in the hospital or at her bar. What is going on here?
This type of behaviour should never be tolerated and the victim should not be searching for ways to settle her medical bills. The 200,000 baht bail paid by the foreigner should have gone straight to her. She nearly died for heavens sake.
This attack must have a satisfactory ending in that justice is done and also that the victim is able to put her life back together again, which, because of the severity of the beating will probably never be the same. It is also necessary to let all know that violence will never be tolerated in Pattaya and all such offenders will be treated the same as drug traders, sex offenders and the like; imprisoned then deported.
Concerned Jomtien resident

Smoking ban

Editor;
Is the local police ever going to enforce the non-smoking ban? After a night on Walking Street and adjacent sois, it is apparent that none of the local go-go bars are following the new law! Is there any method of filing complaints to the local lawmakers?
Glenn

Water bottle ashtray

Aloha;
I thought that a suggestion or two can’t hurt. It has to do with our small drinking water bottles. If we all would fill one and put it in our toilet we would save a bunch of water, like up to10 gallons a day. If we are a smoker, a water bottle in our car with some water in it makes a perfect ashtray, no smell, no dirty ashtray, no butt flicking. Health and happiness to all.
Koto

Congratulations from Arlington Texas

Editor;
Congrats on your 15 years of success. With the newspaper struggles in America, your success in these times is remarkable. After visiting Thailand a few times I have been reading your paper in Arlington, Texas (USA) and enjoy this way to keep up with the news of the day in Pattaya and the Chiang Mai areas. Keep up the good work and I wish you many years of keeping on.
Bill Morgan

Root of all road evil

Editor;
Another concerned resident in P.M. from 25th of July who knows what is best for other people. People are taking some risk not wearing a helmet, but it is their own life they put at risk.
That is different all the way from surviving cars with drivers who think they are king of the road or drunk later in the day. It is far more important the police control the roads every day, because the car drivers are the big “killers”. When our concerned resident could bring 2 girls in one time to the hospital he might be one of the car drivers.
Me, a race push bike driver myself, every day I have to hold my hands at the breaks along every side road, because cars just don’t (want to) see me. It looks like you don’t count when you are slow or vulnerable.
So don’t start about helmets again, but start with the root of all road evil: booze.
Dutchie

Gold snatchings in Pattaya

Editor;
Per the story about gold snatching in the July 11 issue; this was interesting as I had my 5 baht gold necklace ripped off me by two motorcyclists on Second Rd in Naklua. I was mounting my bike to drive while they zipped by. I could not get my bike out and going fast enough to catch them. If I did; the real lad would have become part of the pavement.
So I ask the tourist police what can I do if I catch them? They first ask where did this happen; I reply in Naklua - 2nd rd. The magic word you never say. So don’t bother us; call the Banglamung police. I informed them that they do not speak English up there, as I know very well. They insisted to keep trying to call or go visit them as they are not to be involved!
So what’s the purpose of tourist police? Why in the same issue 300 more in training? Is there no farangs in the tourist police?
I asked again If I catch them or get their bike; while they run on foot, what to do? They say just call a police office. Hello!
Nothing has changed in 15 years. You take the law into your own hands. Yes, there is nothing preventing reselling of used back and forth and never will be in any country.
Ed

Beach road trees butchered

Dear Editor;
I am never more amazed (and usually disappointed) than when the city government of Pattaya decides to do something for the general benefit of tourism and the economy of Pattaya. However, with very few exceptions these actions generally result in producing exactly the opposite result of what was expected by the city officials.
Today I am referring to the decision to trim down the trees that line Beach Road. I’ve no idea what the city officials were thinking when they decided to hack and ruin the trees there. The trimming was quite severe and will obviously result in those trees finally dying later on. There are no leaves left to produce the photosynthesis that is needed to keep them alive.
From what I have been told, the decision was linked to the improvement of the road’s appearance in time for the Pattaya Marathon on July 20. What I have observed is that all the trees severely trimmed were ones that would be considered non-domestic types (pine, redwood, etc.). The coconut trees were left unmolested, although the continuous process of harvesting the coconuts continues.
The other trees, the ones that were cut down or hacked, were the ones that provided shade during the afternoon hours. We all know that Thailand is a warm place. Even Thai people stand in whatever shade or shadows they can find, even at a bus stop standing in the shade of a telephone pole.
But farangs tourists, the ones that bring the needed money into our community, are not used to the heat and enjoyed having the shade of those larger trees. Now they’ve met their fate and have been duly trimmed, chain sawed into the proper length and their much needed respite from the sun has departed. Well done city officials.
Add this recent decision to the lack of sufficient water for homes, interrupted phone service, sharply rising prices for most everything, lack of a safe way to cross both Beach Road and Second Road without risking ones life, no public toilets, lack of lifeguards stationed where they are needed, and general confusion of this city regarding enforcement of bar closing times, closure of tourist bars during Buddhist holidays, and lack of interest in the welfare and safety of the tourists.
When will officials ever learn that most of the things they have been trying to do to encourage and increase tourism has resulted in many people (as evidenced in this opinion column) leaving the city, decisions to never return here again, or even to avoid Thailand in general. Sadly, I’m afraid the answer is never. Thai officials are not receptive to suggestions from farangs, probably due to their concern about a loss of face. But who would better understand what tourists want more than the tourists themselves? It’s a sad time for this city, and sadder yet for the future. As I’ve been told countless times by many tourists, I got my smile, now I am leaving!
Disappointed and Disillusioned

Letters published in the Mailbag of Pattaya Mail
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