Editor;
Re: City Hall should have been placed on the boardwalk (PM Mailbag Friday, 18 January 2013) – This is not Sunset Blvd, The Mall or George St Sydney; this is Asia. Why do you “Jonny come Latelys” spend your time whinging of what might have been and enjoy the way things are? Correct me if I am wrong, but if I own a shophouse my property begins at the edge of the road (in Thailand). This means that if a vendor wishes to trade in front of my property I am entitled to charge them rent. I can build the approach to my property as I wish. It may not be in tune with the abutting properties but it’s mine.
In retrospect it would have been better if the government had a master plan 30 years ago, but what’s done is done, other then buying back all land within a few metres of the kerb and spending millions laying sidewalk so you can jostle with motorcycle taxies taking short cuts. Learn to live with it or move on.
Pattaya is a modern day Dodge City. It sprang up over night with little thought of the future. I suppose you could pray for an earthquake so we could start afresh. Love it or hate it, this is Thailand and if you can’t stand the heat then get out of the kitchen.
Sean
Ed’s note: The shop house begins at the numbered markings which show on the title deed, not the edge of the road. There is usually a round stone buried at every corner of your land to mark the boundary. The municipality or department of highways owns the pavement (width can vary) which begins at the edge of the road to the boundary stone of your property. The pavement (sidewalk) always belongs to the municipality or department of highways, not the shop owner.
