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Beautiful Thailand
Dear Sir,
It is quite likely that in the past, Pattaya Mail has published articles
about attractions and history of various regions in Thailand. I have just
returned from Mae Hong Son and waiting for me was the Pattaya Mail. On the
Travel page, “Visiting the beauty of the region” Malaysia, Bali, India, Sri
Lanka, and Cambodia had short write ups.
I fully believe that here in Thailand, we can offer tourists the equivalent
and even better, “Value for money in the world of travel”. Throughout the
kingdom, historical and cultural artifacts can be inspected and admired. For
instance, it would surely be safer and more enjoyable to visit the Grand
Palace, where a model of Angkor Wat stands proudly near White Elephants in
the cloister of Wat Phra Keo. One can also drive towards Khon Kaen, with a
stop-over in Kao Yai, then be impressed with the superstructure and delicate
carving of the Temple of Phimai, which is of classical Khmer architecture.
Jungle hiking and trekking through forests by foot, elephants or raft, can
be ventured in several regions, especially up in the north of Thailand.
Accommodation is available all over the kingdom, from deluxe hotels, guests
houses or staying with a Hill Tribe.
“Charity begins at home”, is a proverb, so why not promote this beautiful
Thailand more, for both resident and visitor. May I suggest that each month,
a region is selected. Places of interest: Temples, historical, handicraft,
festivals, etc., be made known. Quite a few smaller towns are passed by,
which have their own culture and places of interest.
Yours sincerely,
Mai Ben Arai
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Catch a bite?
Dear Sir,
Well, the good old USA has done it again. Along with many other records,
they now have the record for the world’s most expensive snack, namely “Ear
of Holyfield”. Three million U.S. dollars for two small helpings.
Sincerely,
Don Morrison
Editor’s note:
We believe that Sylvester Stallone said it best when asked by reporters what
he thought after being ringside at the infamous “fight”. “He (Holyfield)
should have fought a vegetarian.”
Older than Ariyada
Dear Sir:
As a person of Australian descent, I would like to point out that Ariyada’s
article referring to Australia as ‘the youngest continent’ is not true. It
is also misleading.
Australia is the oldest of the continents geologically. It also has many
life forms which are considered to be some of the oldest on earth.
If by ‘youngest’ continent, the writer means the last to be taken over by
Europeans, this is quite insulting to the Aboriginal people who have
inhabited the continent for tens of thousands of years.
Mathilda
Poem for the month of July
There are many fine things which you mean to do some day,
under what you think will be more favorable circumstances.
But the only time that is surely yours is the present,
hence this is the time to speak the word of appreciation and sympathy,
to do the generous deed,
to forgive the fault of a thoughtless friend,
to sacrifice self a little more for others...
Today is the day in which to express your noblest qualities of mind and
heart,
to do at least one worthy thing which you have long postponed,
and to use your God-given abilities for the enrichment of some less
fortunate traveler.
Today you can make your life... significant and worth while.
The present is yours to do with it as you will.
Grenville Kleiser
Scandinavia contra Nordic
Editor;
From time to time I see that you use the term Scandinavia when the meaning
is Nordic. Scandinavia was originally the name of the Scandinavian peninsula
(Norway and Sweden); later Denmark joined. Finland and Iceland have never
been part of Scandinavia; they form “Norden” (the Nordic countries) together
with the three Scandinavian ones.
I doubt that you would include Japan in Indo-China or let Tibet be part of
Southeast Asia so please do not let Iceland or Finland be part of
Scandinavia. Just take a look at the map and you will understand. To clarify
even more, SAS (Scandinavian Airlines) comprises of the owners from the
three Scandinavian countries. Iceland and Finland have their own national
carriers.
I know ignorant English writers do not bother much about geography and names
outside their archipelago, but you are not English. You are Thai and should
know better.
With kind regards,
Jon Tellefsen
Thanks for
the coverage
Dear Editor,
I am just reading your latest issue with the hotel disaster as the headline
story. Let me express my excitement about the frankness and the depth of
these comprehensive reports. To me it is by far the best coverage of the
tragic event that could be read, seen or heard in all medias.
I am sincerely grateful about the existence of Pattaya Mail as it is a
unique and very important institution to get an insight to our untamed city
resort. The Pattaya Mail gives a hold for numerous desperate and helpless
people who cannot handle the recklessness of this place.
Go on like this and thanks for all the trouble and sleepless nights you have
to bear to keep your publication a very lively one.
Kind regards,
Stefan Matter
Der Farang
A company
who cares
Dear Editor:
Perhaps you should start running a ‘scoreboard’ showing good comments on
safety items of hotels, apartment buildings, stores etc., along with a
listing of negative comments. With the comments we have all been making
about poor building safety, I have a good comment to share with you.
The company I work for has office space in the Eastern Suites Apartment
building. This building is a 10 story apartment building with office space
for an architectural firm and our company. On Tuesday, after the disaster in
Jomtien, I started noticing special activity on the part of the building
staff. First, I saw them checking fire hoses in the building. (Removing them
from their cabinets, checking the hose and re-hanging the hose.) Next, I
noticed them checking the battery operated emergency lights. Then I heard
them checking the fire alarm. Then I saw them adding new ‘EXIT’ signs to the
stairways. On Friday afternoon, as I was leaving work, I saw the building
staff outside with a representative of the fire department and many fire
extinguishers. They were apparently having a class in proper use and care of
the fire extinguishers. My congratulations to Eastern Suites for their
obvious concern of our safety.
One of those who cares about Pattaya
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Dirty beaches everywhere
Dear Sirs,
I thought you might be interested in the enclosed newspaper cutting (from
the observer magazine, published here last year) which features an article
about pollution in British beach resorts. (editor’s note: sorry, we don’t
have room to print the articles - however, we can say that they write in
graphic detail and show pictures of polluted beaches in Porthtowan in
Cornwall, three beaches in Blackpool, etc.) ..., some resorts leave a
lot to be desired. This type of pollution, however, is not uncommon, and
similar reports can be found throughout most of Europe.
I lived in Pattaya for 3 years, and was aware of the criticism from
foreigners complaining about the pollution in Pattaya. This is not an excuse
for the state of the beach and sea in Pattaya, but simply a reminder to
those who think that “pollution is a typical third world problem”, and “we
don’t have a pollution problem at home”. I hope this will stop some from
slagging-off the resort, and make them realize that, yes, Pattaya does have
a problem, but so do a lot of resorts in the so called first world.
Criticism itself is one thing, and in Pattaya’s case would appear to be
justified. The slagging-off however, is unwarranted and simply not fair.
Yours faithfully,
P. Atkinson
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Penang tightens visa rules
by Barrie Kenyon
The Royal Thai Consulate General in Penang has announced,
effective July 15, that non immigrant “B” and tourist visas will no longer
be issued to applicants who have three such recent stamps in their
passports.
An official leaflet circulating in Penang clarifies that the purpose of a
non immigrant “B” visa is to apply for a work permit in Thailand. Three
single entries is regarded as sufficient for this purpose.
A spokesman said that tourist visas were not designed as permits for living
indefinitely in Thailand. Genuinely retired foreigners aged 55 and over
could apply for a one year visa at Thai immigration offices provided that
they obtained a non immigrant “O” visa first. Proof of independent financial
resources, such as a bank book and a letter from the previous employer, was
necessary for this visa.
It is believed that the crackdown on visas is designed to weed out farangs
who are working illegally in Thailand. However, there was a similar scrutiny
eighteen months ago which was later relaxed.
The computerization of visas, with Penang, Jakarta and Singapore sharing the
same database, is likely to produce problems in the near future for farang
applicants in Pacific rim countries. The best advice, if you can’t return to
your home country for a Thai visa, is to arm yourself with paperwork such as
a letter from a Thai bank confirming a healthy balance and a copy of any
electronic transfer of funds into Thailand.
Pattaya Mail will provide periodic updates of any changes to the recently
announced regulations, which are surprising given the country’s present
economic woes.
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