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Should clear up the confusion
Editor;
Re: UK visa needed (PM Friday, 24 January 2014) - The Irish Minister for
Justice and Equality Alan Shatter announced that from 18 November 2013,
citizens of Thailand will be able to avail of the Irish short stay visa
waiver programme. This will allow visitors from Thailand who have lawfully
entered the UK (including Northern Ireland) on a valid UK visa, to travel to
Ireland without the requirement to obtain an Irish visa, and without any
additional paperwork or fees.
I think that should clear up the obvious confusion created by the original
article in the Pattaya Mail.
Thai people will not be able to go to S Ireland without a visa and
subsequently travel to the UK without a valid UK visa. Even now, if you take
a ferry from Ireland to the UK you need to show your ID that shows you are
eligible for entry to the UK before you board the ferry.
Geordie
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It’s the law
Editor;
Re: Don’t like someplace that allows smoking? Go someplace else (PM Mailbag
Friday, 24 January 2014) - With all due respect to Michael, it is *not* the
choice of some bars to allow smoking or not. It’s the law. I have said
before that if you want to smoke, please do. But it is your obligation to
control your habit and smoke in a fashion that your smoke does not impinge
on anyone else. Ever. If you are in a situation where you cannot smoke
without forcing others to smoke with you, then don’t smoke. This is your
habit, your choice and the responsibility is yours. Don’t tell others to
like it or leave. Simply don’t do it.
John
Loud music help line
Editor:
I wish to congratulate the City of Pattaya and all responsible for the
“Telephone Complaint Line” - # 1337.
I sent two phone calls, on two different evenings to their service at
approximately 1 a.m. this last week. I complained about extremely loud music
in my area.
The discussion was handled in a very professional manner and the agent spoke
very good English. I was told that the police would look into the matter.
Within 30 minutes of the call the loud music stopped.
I am not against late night entertainment; however, it should not be so loud
so as to keep other people from sleeping.
I congratulate the City of Pattaya for taking these calls seriously and for
their rapid response.
Respectfully,
Steve Mascari
Stuck in the UK
Editor;
Re: Old guys in Pattaya (PM Mailbag Friday, 24 January 2014) - Hi Barry -
I’m the writer of the ‘No Country for old men’ letter, stuck here in the UK.
I don’t have any income I can count on, only my state pension and small
savings. I don’t drink anymore and don’t want to use the bars. When I have
enough saved to cover my retirement visa I hope to come back to Pattaya for
the health benefits of the hot weather, and maybe I’ll meet a nice lady to
settle down with. Here I’m just one more surplus to requirement old guy
waiting to die.
Phil Fletcher
Aussie Democracy
Editor;
Almost every day we hear about Pattaya police behaving badly. This would
never happen in a squeaky clean Democracy like Australia. I read today where
1 in 40 serving police officers in Australia are on criminal charges, a
total of 437. The article doesn’t state if this is a state total or is
country wide. So let’s be a bit easy on the local bill as they have a rough
row to hoe.
A country where a state Premier can rip off billions of $’s and is still
regarded as an elite business man. Where an MP with an area of land he wants
to mine pays millions of $’s to the relevant minister to change its
classifications. The same man has a ski lodge he rents out at $7000 a week
but allows sitting MPs to use free of charge, even picking up their meal
tabs. (No favors asked?) A country where an MP can fly interstate to watch a
football game or attend a friend’s wedding then charge it all up to the tax
payer. Where a MP can use an air force VIP jet to fly him interstate so he
can watch his daughter play netball.
In this day and age of the computer MP continues to travel the world on so
called “fact finding missions”. Take the wife or girlfriend along also, no
charge. Where a pensioner has his pension reduced if he takes on part time
work, but a MP after serving 7 years will be given a lifetime 6 figure
pension and is not affected if he works. Plus free air travel & other perks.
I am not naive enough to think the UK or USA are any different.
Several years ago a Thai MP was castigated for performing on a TV cooking
show. Is this the democracy the Thai People want?
Aussie Bill
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Abide by the law
Editor;
Re: Don’t like someplace that allows smoking? Go someplace else - (PM
Mailbag Friday, 24 January 2014) - It’s the law of Thailand, made by Thais
and for Thais and non Thais to abide by. If you can’t, maybe you should be
the one to go home.
Rock
Makes me laugh
Editor;
Re: Smoking and the law (PM Mailbag Friday, 17 January 2014) - I’ve been a
passive smoker for 40 years running bars. It makes me laugh when I see these
people walking round wearing white masks. Build up your immunity! Smoke a
cigar every day.
John Player
Just get a letter from your embassy
Editor;
Re: Old guys in Pattaya (PM Mailbag Friday, 24 January 2014) - Just get a
letter from your embassy. No problem, just sign a statuary declaration
stating you receive over B65000 (small charge). Start a Thai bank account
B400. Receive a letter from bank stating you have funds invested (no large
amount needed). Letter B700. Then off to get a medical certificate, approx.
B800. Now off to Soi 5 and make application for retirement Visa. About
B1500. If you don’t have a Non Immigrant Visa you can update your Tourist
Visa. I think about B1000. Now you are “home & hosed. You should now have a
Visa for the next 15 months.
Report every 90 days (No Charge). You think you are on cloud 9.
Here you are in Paradise but in actual fact you can not afford a toga let
alone feed yourself on about B24000 a month pension. Glad it’s you and not
I. After the first month your rent becomes due and you are out on the
street. Nights are spent searching out bars staging parties.
You can spend some nights in the waiting room of the hospital. Coffee is
free & some times fruit also. Soon you are told to move on. Now it’s down to
the beach every day. No money for laundry and even the girls there make fun
of you. You learn the word “men” is not a form of endearment. If you are
lucky your family may get you home or an NGO will arrange for your fare
home. Back in the old dart you spend time at the local pub picking up
glasses, cleaning the bog and saving like hell for your next adventure.
Aussie Bill
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