LETTERS

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HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]: 
 
A conversation at the bank
 
Another look at Baht Buses
 
Maddeningly loud disco
 
Is it a scam?
 
Kindly permit me this comment
 
Advice for Mr. Bob
 
Closet Pedophiles?

Monument should be erected at Royal Jomtien

Letters published in the Mailbag of Pattaya Mail will also be on our website . 
It is noticed that the letters herein in no way reflect the opinions of the editor or writers for Pattaya Mail, but are unsolicited letters from our readers, expressing their own opinions. No anonymous letters or those without genuine addresses are printed, and, whilst we do not object to the use of a nom de plume, preference will be given to those signed.

A conversation at the bank

Editor,

The other day my Thai wife, two kids and myself were at the Government Bank, Pattaya Branch, to inquire what documents were needed to obtain a housing loan.

The following is the short conversation between my wife and the female bank employee:

Banker: Excuse me, is that your husband? (pointing towards me)

Wife: Yes.

Banker: Are you married with him?

Wife: Yes.

Banker: Legally married?

Wife: Yes.

Banker: So, now you have his family name?

Wife: Yes.

Banker: Oh, sorry, but we do not loan to foreigners...

Myself: Excuse me, but as far as I know, my wife has Thai nationality and is not a foreigner in her own country.

Banker: (A big smile on her face).

End of the conversation.

Oh well, what a nice experience...

Filip and Family

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Another look at Baht Buses

Editor;

Once again the Mailbag seems to be filled up with an anti BB (Baht Bus) driver campaign. I first came to Pattaya 20 years ago and I have had a few hundred rides with the big blues. I have never - NEVER EVER - as a passenger had any bad experience with a bus driver. The worst thing that has happened to me is that a driver about 15 years ago wanted 10 baht instead of the usual 5 baht, but he did not protest when he got only 5 (together with a nice smile).

Why do all these allegedly ugly, impolite, budding criminals avoid me for 20 years? Is it because I prefer to sit in the cockpit chatting with the skipper? Is it because I normally am dressed as a resident and not like a tourist even when I actually was a tourist? Is it because I am never intoxicated when I ride with BB? Could it be that I wear a (hopefully) friendly smile and not a devil’s mask if the driver is trying to squeeze more money out of me? Could it be that I always have the right amount with me so there is never a need for change? At the (Ekami) Bus station in North Road many people seem to have a problem with the rates. I always let one driver give me a fantasy price before I approach the driver on the corner out in the North Road. By then he knows I will not go for anything higher than the "normal" 50-60 baht which I offer him.

Consequently, I feel quite safe in a BB.

Quite another thing is the skipper’s driving habits seen through the eyes of a pedestrian or a fellow driver. It seems quite clear that nearly all of them - like most Thais - have never had any opportunity to learn how to drive. Most Thais learn by the trial and error method. They copy other people’s erratic way of driving.

The Pattaya BB drivers tend to occupy two lanes as they love to drive with the white lane divider between the wheels. I suppose the purpose is to prevent competitors from passing and thus picking up possible customers. Changing lanes without the use of the indicator is of course to save the car battery. The taxi opticians have obviously adjusted their eyes to ignore zebra crossings - even those with fresh paint (Oh, yes, some of them are really repainted every 3 or 4 years!) You hardly see a BB without collision evidence; they are probably regarded as insignia of experience?

Consequently, I do not feel quite safe outside a Baht Bus.

With kind regards,

Jon Tellefsen

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Maddeningly loud disco

Dear Sir,

We write to you out of near desperation. We live near the very popular Hollywood Disco, across South Pattaya Road, in Center Condo. Every night, usually between 3:00 and 5:00 a.m., we are awakened by the unbelievably loud music from the Disco. It is odd that for most of the night we are not disturbed, but at intervals in the wee hours it seems that the Disco turns up the music to truly incredible volumes and seemingly throws opens the doors and windows! I am not exaggerating when I saw that the windows vibrate due to the thumping of the bass tones at these times.

Unfortunately the police do not seem at all concerned and are of no assistance. Could you please publish this letter in the hopes that the management of the Hollywood Disco would see it and perhaps let us sleep thru the night? We don’t want to restrict others enjoyment at the disco, but we would like to be able to get a full night sleep! Surely the music can be kept at a level that is loud enough for the patrons in the Disco but not so loud as to disturb people living in the area.

Thank you for your help.

Very sleepy!

P. Tischen

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Is it a scam?

Mailbag,

I have been in Pattaya now for 1 year and am curious about a possible scam. I would like to know about the deaf people asking for money outside of Royal Garden. They show a card that looks legitimate for some sort of deaf organization, but I always wonder if this is just a big tourist scam. Can you shed any light on this for me?

Just Wondering

Ryan Smith

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Kindly permit me this comment

Sir,

Since you mention my name and brief circumstances in your article (Bavaria House owner faces deportation), kindly permit me this comment:

1. There may certainly be numerous foreign ‘elements’ in Pattaya in the past and present who did not ‘invest’ in conformity with the laws of the country, and some maybe have been or are criminals. But:

1. Mr. W. Ullrich is surely not one of those, and his investments are genuine. His money originates to my knowledge from strictly legal sources. Mr. Ullrich has no case either in Germany or elsewhere, and nor did and do I myself.

2. What constructed ‘legal’ charges’ apply now to Mr. Ullrich, did then (1991) apply to my person.

3. Mr. Ullrich ‘takes up the fight’ (as did I) because he did no wrong. Nor did I. Both of us invested in all kinds of businesses related to the tourism industry, as we were advised to do by our Thai (!) friends (?) and business partners. Some of these friends (?) held or hold high governmental positions, and benefited from these investments.

4. Numerous Thai citizens were and are involved in the same lines of business as Mr. Ullrich is (and I were), without having problems.

It is sad to see how Thailand treats ‘beside-the-official-line’ cash investors, i.e. those who practice ‘direct cash’ investment sidelining ‘BOI’ and other official governmental departments.

I myself had more than 1,000 Thai employees - in restaurants, hotels, bars and manufacturing. They all lost their jobs within a year after my forced departure. Ironically, a group of Pattaya Police Officers took over my bar businesses, but were not able to ‘keep it up’.

The same fate will certainly apply to Mr. Ullrich’s numerous businesses and employees.

What good does this do to the country? Why are the police not chasing after real criminals, but scapegoats? You will know the answer, I’m pretty sure.

It may be worth to mention that Thailand is continuously creating a ‘be more than careful attitude’ amongst some laymen guys with money in the international community, who will go elsewhere with their cash. Maybe Thai officials don’t care less, but then... what is Thai tourism all about?

Kind regards

Lothar Kroehn

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Advice for Mr. Bob

Sir,

I’m just passing through Pattaya after an absence of 27 years and took notice of Mr. Bob’s letter defending pedophilia. Mr. Bob might benefit from a castration and a history lesson. Sex with children is indefensible anywhere in the world, and Ben Franklin was never president of the U.S.

Sincerely,

Mike Flemming

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Closet Pedophiles?

Dear Editor,

Peter Ellert and John Hopkins write their letters of indignation and disgust with regard to "Mr. Bob" and his letter "Planet Pedophile". It is interesting to consider this in light of the ongoing developments in the Clinton-Lewinsky affair. Lewinsky may not be 7 or 8 years old - indeed she is of legal age- but in comparison to the most powerful man in the world, surely she can only be regarded as a child.

Clinton, as the husband of the world’s foremost feminist, has been very much a part of the women’s movement that has been "edu