HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]:

Gun Free Pattaya

Bad experience on Beach Road

Hoping the best for the twins

Tourism down in Pattaya

Not all construction in Pattaya is good

Inviting all people to lay aside prejudice

A World away with no children

Who is controlling this serious health hazard?

Gun Free Pattaya

Editor;

I fear Pattaya is just following a trend. Gun use is increasing all over the world. I am sure the commentary was meant to raise the issue in a thoughtful way, but I find reference to computer games as a cause of such problems incredibly naive. My wife and I are considering returning to Thailand to retire in a few years and the reporting of gun related incidents in the Pattaya Mail has certainly made us think twice. As a psychologist I am as familiar with research into the causes of violent crime as anybody and the evidence for media (including computer) influence just does not hold up, even with children. I would suggest the opposite is true in most cases. As for the ‘gun in the pocket crying out to be used’ come on. I carry a large diving knife when I go diving but I don’t go cutting up people or even fish. I recognise that some people have low self-esteem and need to express themselves, but the easy option of removing the means of expression will not work.

It may be worth remembering that much crime in Thailand is poverty and drug related. The later being the case in much of the western world. The tragic event in Germany is similar to that of Dunblane in Scotland. Legislation because of these cases is futile, as anyone who wants to own a gun still will. You cannot generalise this type of behaviour to any population.

Probably the best solution is not to concentrate on eliminating guns as that is impossible, particularly in Thailand at present. It would also waste resources while police concentrate on removing guns from those who would not commit a crime. You would have to reduce corruption first. So we are back to poverty again!

Responsible gun ownership may be one way of protecting the innocent and reducing the opportunities for easy targets. If I do retire to Thailand I would certainly like the option of owning a firearm for protection. I feel its silly letting the criminals have all the weapons.

Also, after the events of the WTC in New York people are not going to accept the passive option you suggest. Removing firearms from the population has not worked in England and it certainly will not in Thailand.

Talking as I was of poverty, I was horrified, but, sadly not surprised, at the poor couple who had to give up their twin daughters. Is their any charity that helps support such cases and if the family is suitable, work towards reunification? Anybody have information on this issue?

Peter,

England

Bad experience on Beach Road

Dear Sir/Madam,

I feel I must write to you to tell you about an experience that happened to me last time I was in Pattaya. Working for an airline I have been lucky enough to travel to Pattaya from England during the past 5 years without incident until the last trip. Walking down Beach Road by Soi 12 with 2 friends I was approached by 2 lady men asking me the usual were you go. I smiled as usual and walked on. My friend turned to me and said he had his wallet felt through his jeans 2 nights earlier, so I instinctively checked my side pocket in my shorts and to my horror my wallet with 10,000 baht in it had gone.

I turned back and ran trying to remember their faces. After about 100 yards I caught up with the first one. The look on her face told me it was her. I grabbed his/her arm and demanded she empty her handbag. With much noise she did and lo and behold my wallet dropped out. I took the wallet back, but by this time she was making so much noise a crowd had gathered and she ran off again down Beach Road.

My friends turned up and we went to report it to the police, who were not really interested. Thinking about it after I think I was very lucky as I got my wallet back and nothing had been taken. Thanks to my friend; if I had been alone I would have kept walking.

I am back in England now and thought I might warn other falangs or Thai to keep an eye out and not let people get too close. With not many tourists about, some of these types of people are getting hard up for cash and pick on farangs for easy cash. I hope you can print this letter to warn other victims.

Thank you,

Richie London

Hoping the best for the twins

Editor;

I do hope that I have read the article on the giveaway twins incorrectly, and that help will be given to the tragic young parents. Any civilised country has to help such unfortunates, surely the adoption option has to be a no go area, it cannot be all that costly to give this couple some sort of break.

I am a pensioner of modest means and would dearly like to help, but as yet I can see no way so to do, other than making a donation, which I will do if others will do likewise or whatever.

Yours faithfully,

S R J Leggatt

Tourism down in Pattaya

Dear Sir,

I read your article on tourism being down in Pattaya. Some of your solutions to the problem are correct, as the beach needs cleaning, trash needs to be removed, and water treatment may clear the beach, in time (but you can promote nearby cleaner islands - Koh Larn). But the major problem is the closing of bars and entertainment areas at 2 a.m. I have been coming to Thailand for 2 years now (will make my 6th trip in November). I do not drink, smoke or use drugs, but do arrive with friends who do drink. Even in USA the major entertainment areas like New York, Las Vegas, and Hollywood California stay open after 2 a.m.

If there is a problem with juveniles and drugs, have police on paid detail stay at clubs to monitor incoming patrons, not close down the entire city because of a few criminals.

My friends and I usually take tours in the day to visit parks, temples, cultural centers, shopping malls, islands, swim, snorkel, jet ski, scuba, etc., but at night we shower and take off to visit clubs, beer bars movies, and discos. This early closing has had an adverse effect on your economy and has caused an increase in muggings (hand bag thefts) due to those that have no way to get money resorting to crime. These reports of muggings get back to our homelands and deter people from returning until things are safe and bars are open later.

And lowering your rates at hotels, airfares, etc., doesn’t promote a lower class of people to come there, just allows me and my friends and others to make more frequent trips since our money goes farther.

Sincerely,

Arturo Oliveira

US Postal Service, Boston Mass USA

Not all construction in Pattaya is good

Dear Sir,

I have seen many improvements in Pattaya is the last several years in the roads, sidewalks, water drainage, water supply, accommodations, movies, television, internet, restaurants, shopping and special events. One additional improvement would be a small fleet of metered taxicabs.

But recently I have also seen a few things which remind me of how, in my opinion, Bangkok was changed from a pleasant city 20 years ago to a very unpleasant city now. First is the construction of many tall hotels on narrow sois in central Pattaya with no apparent thought given to the increase in traffic, standing room for passenger vehicles, more parking space and increasing danger to pedestrians, since most of these sois have no sidewalks.

Also, the turning over of the few good sidewalks to vendors, forcing many pedestrians to walk in the street. Even the Beach Road sidewalk is being cluttered with stands and other structures which are bad for pedestrians and good for unsavory types who use them to gather or hide. The structures block the view of the gulf and the water activities to anyone not on the beach itself.

I believe many of the people who have been avoiding Bangkok for years and coming directly to Pattaya may start looking for another place to vacation, once the effect from all this new construction is felt.

A. Ferron

Inviting all people to lay aside prejudice

Editor,

In a world troubled by terrorism, the conflict is often seen as being caused by religion, even though both sides often have no idea what the others’ religion is about! (i.e. Islam vs Christianity). Many are frightened by the other’s religion, purely because they are unaware of what it teaches. I am Christian, but have read the Koran and lived with a Moslem girl, and would invite all people to lay aside prejudice and read both for themselves. This gives a first hand understanding of what it teaches for ones self, instead of listening to all the different views about it.

Thank you

Annette Henriksen

A World away with no children

Editor;

My heart goes out to the young couple who had to give up their children due to hard times. Here I am a World away with no children. I was married 28 years ago in Bangkok.

I could easily provide for children but my wife who cannot have children will only accept a Thai child of which their are none for adoption in the USA.

To adopt thru an American Agency costs 20,000 USA dollars per child of which an agency in Thailand would get $7,000. The rest is for background checks, compatibility checks, home studies and a mountain of paperwork. Not including air travel.

We no longer sell adult human beings but selling children seems to be a hot commodity. It is called adoption.

If you question the cost; a local agency told us we should focus on the child and somehow raise the money.

Sincerely,

Richard R. Rayburn

Who is controlling this serious health hazard?

Dear Sir,

A great deal of money is being spent in beautifying Pattaya and Jomtien, committees have been formed to look into certain problems in the city, and municipal police are busy making sure that deck chairs are lined up.

But who is looking into a major health problem in Pattaya, namely garbage and its efficient removal? As Pattaya thrives on tourism this should surely be right at the top of the agenda.

One only has to veer off the main highways down sois to see the problem. Piles of rotting, fly-blown garbage and even discarded builder’s rubbish. Just as an example walk down the nice, wide Soi 5 off Jomtien Beach Road, past the post office and the Jomtien Thani Hotel, and there it is. Or Thepprasit Road Soi 17. There are many other examples. To make matters worse this garbage is often burnt, releasing toxic fumes into nearby housing.

Sometimes rubber-coated or plastic-coated wire is burnt by itinerant, unofficial garbage collectors to extract the wire underneath. Again toxic.

Surely all this is against the law? Who is controlling this serious health hazard? Part of the problem may be that some people refuse to pay the official garbage collectors their monthly tip; so garbage is left uncollected.

Why not take some municipal police off deck chair duty and get them to police the garbage problem, or find a permanent solution to this health hazard.

Yours faithfully,

Observer

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