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Respect for Thai law
and custom
Editor;
Re: How much baht is lost? (PM Mailbag Friday, 26 July 2013) - It’s out of
respect for Thai law and custom that I follow whatever direction it takes.
As for others diagnosing alcohol dependency on merely a post, such a
diagnosis is quite extraordinary, miraculous to say the least. Live and let
live.
Ben Martinez
Time to care about Samet
Editor;
Re: Koh Samet oil spill effects to be felt for weeks (PM Friday, 02 August
2013) - Maybe it could be time for really caring about Samet Island. Deemed
a ‘natural reserve’ with a 200Bht admission fee, I could witness (2005) a
lot of building materials left in open air along the way to the hilltop
behind my resort. And dozens of mofa bike tires (= thin ones, that cannot be
used as boat fenders, so why are there so many?) lying on the seabed...
which is, by the way, very poor in terms of marine life. PTT has to repair
the initial & subsequent damages, but Thai administration has to really do
its duty too. May Thailand get out of infancy and be governed as a modern
country.
Mike
Find out root cause
Editor;
Re: 10% of oil slick left at Phrao Bay (PM / MCOT Saturday, 03 August 2013)
- It’s easy to say the pipe leaked, but what is really needed is to find out
the root cause. Was this human error? Lack of training? Did someone open the
wrong valve? Please try to get to the root cause. Any pollution must have
solution to ensure this does not happen again. More questions on safety
needed. Was the pipe old? Was there a lack of maintenance? With the world
press watching for the truth, please don’t let the oil company brush the
cause under the carpet. This can and will happen again. If nothing is found
wrong then suspect human error. So please publish the real investigation
facts.
Concerned
Sad I missed it
Editor;
Re: Carabao thrills fans at the Hard Rock Pattaya (PM Friday, 12 July 2013)
- Too sad I have missed this event! I love Carabao and the many styles and
blends of music they play. I am trying for years to attend one of their
concerts - so far without success - too sad! I am planning to visit Thailand
in December/January this year and I hope I can see and hear Carabao live on
stage this time! A big fan!
Hans
Zurich and Korat
Why syphilis?
Editor,
Within the past year or so, people wishing to renew their one year work
visas are required to take and pass a syphilis test. My kow jai. Why
syphilis? I’ve been here a long time and I have never read anything in the
press, or anything in any popular literature, that has indicated that there
is either an outbreak of syphilis in foreign workers here, or an outbreak of
foreigners coming into contact with the local populace and causing the
locals to be infected with syphilis.
So, I repeat, why syphilis? I’ve looked it up on line, and syphilis is
curable. Now, I hesitate to write this as I don’t wish to give immigration
any ideas on how to make this already complicated process even more
unbearable, but I could almost understand if they required foreign workers
to take and pass an HIV test. After all, HIV/AIDS is not curable. But they
don’t. They want us all to take and pass a syphilis test.
Maybe someone in immigration can let this newspaper know why, and this
newspaper can then inform the public. I, and I’m sure the thousands of
workers who have had to suffer the indignity of having a needle stuck in
their arm, then wait around for 2 hours to get the results, might like to
know.
Conversation in hospital waiting room, Person 1: “What are you here for?”
Me: “I have to take a syphilis test.” Person 1 slowly gets up and moves to
another seat.
Paul Millard
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Soi Chaiyaphun
broke up again
Dear Editor;
City hall failed again. As stated earlier, Soi Chaiyaphun was resurfaced on
July 9th which failed again soon after, patched up again 26th and today 30th
all broke up again. What a total disgrace.
Regards TG
[Tax payer]
Can live here cheaply
Dear Sir;
Re: letter ‘Don’t expect to live here on nothing’ PM 19th July from Robert.
A realistic rent for low end decent accommodation is not 12,000 baht per
month but more like 6-8,000 baht.
You state “western food cannot be had (even a hamburger) for less than 100
baht unless it is a breakfast which can give two eggs, cold toast and fatty
bacon plus coffee for 99 baht to 180 baht for a good breakfast.
Rubbish! I can get a buffet breakfast for 125 baht or alternatively a set
breakfast consisting of 2 sausages, 2 eggs, 2 bacon, fried bread, toast,
beans, tomato, black pudding, mushrooms, tea or coffee, orange juice for 99
baht. Monday to Saturday a decent lunch/dinner 120 baht. Sunday lunch eat as
much as you like. 5 meats and 7 vegetables. Baht 190.
Yours faithfully,
Neil Surtees
Great thing for Thais
Editor;
Re: Pattaya passport office celebrates ‘official’ opening (PM Friday, 02
August 2013) - What a great thing for Thais. Whenever my wife had business
with Immigration we had to devote a whole day to it. Getting up early to be
there when the doors opened in Bangkok. Having to take the children with us
as we were not sure to be home before school was out. Wouldn’t it be good if
immigration set a like office in Pattaya for foreigners, where we could drop
our paperwork for visa extensions, etc. Not to be finalized but just scanned
to see if it was in order, and then sent to Soi 5 for review. I am sure most
foreigners would cough up 1or 2 hundred baht for this service. I remember
how easy it was when we went to Soi 8 in the morning and picked up our
paperwork after 4 p.m.
Aussie Bill
Congratulations Pattaya Mail
Congratulations to the Pattaya Mail on its 20th anniversary! I would like to
take this opportunity to thank the publisher of the Pattaya Mail, Pratheep
S. Malhotra, a dedicated Rotary member, with great gratitude for the
magazine’s favorable coverage of Rotary over the past two decades.
Rotary is one of the world’s largest international humanitarian
organizations. Our top priority is the global eradication of the crippling
disease polio and Rotary clubs in Thailand also work to provide clean water,
promote literacy, and fight hunger. We can only do this work with the
support of our communities and appreciate Pattaya Mail’s efforts to focus on
how everyone can help address these critical issues.
I wish Pattaya Mail continued success and many anniversaries to come.
Sincerely,
Ron D. Burton
President, 2013-14
Rotary International
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