Latest Laos lowdown

Dear Mail Bag,

Eight of us set off by minibus, organized by Samon Bar 9, Road 2 (tel. 225830) at 9:00 p.m. last Monday and arrived at the Thai/Laos border at 8:00 a.m. Tuesday. The bus cost 10 baht to cross the bridge. A Laos visa was $30 US. Immigration took only 1 hour. Thais with only ID cards can visit Laos for 3 days. Photos for everybody were required.

A minibus to the Thai consulate in Vientiane cost 450 baht. Even with marriage papers, birth certificates, etc., only single entry tourist and non-immigrant visas are issued. We collected ours Thursday morning.

The Royal Hotel very near the visa office cost $30 US for doubles, $25 for singles, which includes breakfast, swim pool, sauna, gym and transfer to bridge or airport. We negotiated a 10% discount.

The Laos - Paris Hotel, Samsenthai Road, is excellent value with $10, $15, and $20 US rooms.

The morning market is open all day for local products. One baht gets you 118 Kip in banks or up to 180 Kip from the ladies at the market clutching shopping bags full of Kips. I just paid in baht or dollars.

There are plenty of eating places, from Uncle Fred’s to local Laos food, not expensive. Wines from 280 baht up. Good selection of cheeses and French bread.

You may think Pattaya’s road works are bad, but a joint venture from China & Japan is resurfacing all Vientiane’s roads. At the same time, clouds of red dust are everywhere.

The best find was the French restaurant Cote D’Azur on Fahgoum Road by the river, run by Jean Marc from Provance. Fantastic food and wine, four dishes plus wine was 680 baht for two.

A most enjoyable visit. We arrived back at No. 9 Bar, 2nd Road at the top of Soi 6 across from Bangkok Bank for a beer on Thursday evening, where Samon will give out Laos info as required.

The beer in Lao was good, too, at 50 baht a large bottle.

Happy visa hunting!

From the boys at Bar 9

Dodging traffic

Editor,

I visited Pattaya in February 1999 and I had a very positive experience, except for the local traffic.

For instance on Soi 8, it is my opinion that, I, as a pedestrian, risked my life in the evening amongst all the cars and motorbikes that were travelling at high speed, handled by more or less drunken drivers.

My advice to the authorities would be as follows: close the cross-streets between 6:00 p.m. and 6.00 a.m.

I will visit Pattaya in July this year and I hope that I will be able to walk along Soi 8 without endangering my life.

Ola Fredriksson
Aarsunda, Sweden

Striving for human rights everywhere for everybody

Dear Editor,

It was my sincerest thanks to the Mail Bag for publishing my article on "The Vital Role of the Women in Society". The Philippine Women’s Club Organization has striven to fulfill its main objective by promoting the establishment of human rights everywhere and for everybody, so that every man, woman and child will be able to enjoy life and liberty and to find equal justice, equal opportunity and equal dignity without racial discrimination.

According to its aims and objectives, our organization has also endeavored, with a considerable measure of success, to secure the removal of all disabilities of women - economic, legal and social - to promote the effective participation of women in the life of the society. It has long been that the only way women can control their own lives is by being financially independent. Being independent infantilizes one and many men still like to think that "WE" women need their protection. In return the women get a roof over their head and a standard of living, generally speaking, they could not afford on their own. The question is, should women be paid for a service they have always provided for free? Do women dedicate work towards their family as an act of love and duty and therefore need only the satisfaction of keeping the family contented, providing food, clean laundry, a comfortable home, and a shoulder to cry on?

The idea of women rage is not a new one. Women at the time reacted against the notion, saying it is not the answer to ensuring that women attain equality. Of course it is not the answer... But until we find the solution it is an excellent stop gap. Women then saying that nothing much has changed, there has been no revolution. Women are still doing paid work outside the home and unpaid inside it.

Mostly, women of today in society are much more independent than before. One of the resource person says during the annual convention.

Best regards,

Ruby Miguel
Banglamung, Chonburi

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