Editor:
I have been in India – it never stops raining you know – and missed your well-deserved 20th anniversary celebrations. Although it is many years since I wrote a regular column for PM, I recall the connection with fond memories.
I also owe PM a debt of gratitude for baptizing me by fire in 1997. I had just been appointed by the British embassy to try and deal with Brits in the Pattaya area. My very first case was the sad tale of Thai-British national Mrs Young and baby Lena who were destitute in Pattaya after the sudden death of her British husband.
Subjected to a grilling by your reporters and TV crew about British welfare benefits for dual nationals, a subject about which I knew absolutely nothing, I somehow managed to pull through the extensive publicity both here and in UK. This valuable experience made a man of me in 24 hours flat and enabled me successfully to deal in later years with the insidious attentions of the British Sunday tabloids and the magazines which specialized in attacking Pattaya.
Having said all those nice things about you, I hope you will do a review of my fascinating book Honorary Consul Pattaya which is now seeking a publisher and should be universally available by Christmas. An excellent idea for the stockings of everyone.
Barry Kenyon
