Editor;
I have been coming to Pattaya three times a year for the last 15 years. During my stay, I have been horrified at the escalating problem on Pattaya Beach.
Fact 1. I walk on this beach for about 2 hours daily in the afternoon.
Fact 2. I see 2-3 altercations between jet ski operators and farang during this walk.
Fact 3. Police are invariably called to this dispute.
Fact 4. Jet skis are designed to operate across waves and this means paint will flake off in time and mouldings will loosen.
Fact 5. This is regarded by everyone as normal wear and tear, except it seems, local jet ski operators and police.
Fact 6. Owners are commercial operators who charge big money for a service. (I estimate they earn more in one day than a supermarket employee makes in a month.)
Fact 7. None of the situations I witnessed involved the jet ski hitting any solid object like another jet ski, boat, hard plastic buoy, etc.
One can confidently predict that the average per month at even just one every hour I was on the beach would exceed 300. Can you imagine the waste of police personnel and resources to manage these stupid complaints? Owners should be chastised by the police if the jet ski has not hit any object and refuse to participate in such nonsense. I surmise that the bias of any resolution is not in favour of the tourist.
This scam if neglected will seriously damage the tourist industry. It will soon end up on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. I intend taking some phone footage of the histrionics I see when farang rightly refuse to pay compensation. I witnessed one angry young lady demanding 10,000B from some Middle Eastern chap only the other day.
Concerned tourist,
Pasha T
