Whinging about non-whinging

Editor,

I would also like to have a word in response to the letter of 22 October where one farang of “the non-whinging species” actually is whinging himself over whinging farangs. That letter was answered by Thomas Moore in the 12 November issue of PM. I appreciated that answer much but I would like to reflect upon the “the non-whinging species” letter from partly varied angles.

In short, this letter in essence asked why don’t farangs go home or somewhere else instead of complaining about things that has happened to them in Thailand - “This is not their country, it belongs to the Thai People” and so on.

Unfortunately, this attitude seems to be relatively common among some “under-species” of “Homo Farang” living in their very relaxed and degenerated subculture. That letter from “the non- whining species” of farangs represented the most lamentable state of ignorance and selfishness. Sure, it is easy to understand why some never or seldom complain about anything here... Why complain when life in Thailand is so wonderful? You can hang around half naked on your Honda-Dreams, the liquor is cheap, the sun is shining, you can live relaxed on a pension... Thailand is only heaven and there is almost never any reason to complain about anything.

To complain and do that constructively, urging for a change, striving to have a better world and environment is actually a very sound human reaction. To fight against inequalities, mistreatment, abuse, exploitation and corruption is a blessing and a sign of integrity and connection to very important moral values and ideas. If this is done by “whinging farang species” with a letter to Pattaya Mail so much the better. Why not? What can we do? The actual scene and settings is that as we tourists and farangs living here... are many times systematically the victims of dishonesty, greed, foul play, and corruption on every level. And for those farangs who have better references and ideals, it’s 100% natural to seek and get their voices and opinions heard. Often that’s all they can do.

As to “this country belongs to the Thais”, I would agree with “non-whinging species”. If Thailand went out of the United Nations, closed their border for all visitors including “non-whinging species” and aimed at total isolation and self sufficiency. But the world is not that spacey anymore, inter-action and mutual influences are unavoidable and very important as to any kind of development - economically or morally.

And what about us who for professional and personal reasons have to stay here? Shall we also degenerate into non-whinging species? It’s bad enough that we often are victims of foul play and corruption.

Lastly, I will sum up with the opinion that “homo farang - the non-whinging under species” is the kind we all best can do without.

N. A. Ankelind

Anti-smoker

Mailbag,

California has a law that prohibits smoking in any public building, bar, or restaurant. By last reports it is working well. I’m sure the people of CA. are better off because of it. I have read somewhere that Bangkok, if not all of Thailand has a similar law. If there is such a law it is almost completely ignored in some quarters in Pattaya. Some shopping centers prohibit smoking while others go there merry way and allow people to puff away and blow second hand smoke in your direction. Some post “no smoking” signs on their entrance doors, but put ash trays on display throughout their building. In the restaurant area ash trays can be obtained for the asking. Some people even sit there and dump their butts on the floor. I have yet to see a security guard tell person to stop smoking even when there are children playing in the area.

I have written to the manger of one shopping center two or three times. I even talked to him about a year go about cleaning up his act. When I talked to him he said they were considering having no smoking areas (perhaps like California he found that no smoking areas do little or no good.) He also made the statement that Pattaya was not like the rest of Thailand. Might I be so bold as to ask what he meant by that statement? Are the people in Pattaya illiterate? Do they know how to read? Do the red-necks, alcoholics, prostitutes, have to have their fix? Have they been raised differently than other people? Are they inconsiderate slobs? I do know that none of this applies. I do believer most people will do what they are asked to do without argument if they are approached in the right way. Management needs to push security in the right direction and most of our pollution problems will be solved.

I like to meet friends, eat, and shop in South Pattaya. Here lately however, due to the influx of tourists the pollution problem has only gotten worse. I’m rather tired of smelling somebody else’s and having to (move) every time someone sits near me and lights up. The stink in the restaurant area is much worse that what you encounter on the streets. Pollution of one form or another is the order of the day. It wouldn’t be all that difficult or “unprofitable” to make things better.

Sincerely,
A Californian

Well done Wat Poo Tong

Dear Sir,

My wife and I celebrated Loy Krathong at the Mabprachan Reservoir amid hundreds of people, food and drink stalls. Everybody was enjoying the occasion.

Next morning I had a very pleasant surprise - not one polystyrene krathong to be seen on the water as in previous years. Also, I witnessed at least 50 children with 2 teachers from Wat Poo Tong School with plastic sacks picking up all the rubbish left over from the celebration. I passed again one hour later and the area was spotless and clean.

Well done teachers and staff at Wat Poo Tong School.

Sincerely yours,
Dennis Stark

Billy’s gone

Editor,

I would appreciate it if you would print the following letter for me in the next Mailbag. It is very important to me.

Dear friends in Pattaya, I feel I must write and apologise to you all for letting so many people down. Close friends of mine know the reasons why I had no option than to disappear. I thought I knew better than most after all the years I’d been there. I gave a lot of good advice to people I met, but never looked in the mirror when I was giving it.

All of you be careful - you haven’t got the exception you might think you have. All my best to you all,

Billy

[email protected]

Final tally for Care 4 Kids Charity Drive

Dear all,

I am happy to announce FINALLY, after the collection of all the checks minus commissions, plus all the cash taken in, including the last 34 K recently received from an auction item, the amount for this year’s Care 4 Kids Charity Drive has amounted to a whopping 1,179, 235 baht. For a drive that was not expected to come close to last year’s proceeds, this year’s drive exceeded the former by approximately 177,000 baht.

Well done, everyone!

Woody

Agrees with Stan, but...

Dear Sir,

I agree entirely with reader Stan Feldman (Pattaya Mail Nov 26th). Manchester has indeed many marvellous restaurants of international quality. On my many visits to Manchester, I remember the city also had people with a great sense of humour. Obviously Mr. Feldman isn’t one of them. I think you’ve been away from Cheetham Hill for too long, Stan!

Mick Cockroft

Had enough, going home

Dear editor,

I have just returned from my annual visit. What is going on? Have the police left town?

The new footpath is used by motorcycles, and even cars. Already it has broken up in front of Pattaya Park.

The police station is surrounded by a junkyard of smashed cars and motorbikes, on a prime site right on the water.

New toilets are being built on the sand only a few meters from the sea.

Dogs will be shot if they come on the beach because they use it as a toilet, yet all day men openly urinate all over the path.

Beer bars have opened all along Jomtien beach road, usually empty, and the burnt out hotel is about to reopen. Aren’t there any zoning regulations? Don’t they realize people come to Jomtien to get away from the bar scene?

Yes, I’m negative and angry, because for 15 years I’ve holidayed here and watched it deteriorate. Please try to do something next time you’re socializing with the thugs who run City Hall.

I will not be back.

Graham Seagrove

Stray dogs

Dear editor,

A few months ago you published a letter of mine regarding the problem with the stray dogs. Of course I was very pleased to read that a new stray dog policy will start in Jomtien. A brilliant plan I must say! Of course starving them to death by not feeding them is a much more humane way of getting rid of them than shooting them off or putting them to sleep. Why didn’t we think of that before! And now I’m actually wondering why we want to get rid of these mongrels as it now is becoming apparent that these Thai stray dogs are a very intelligent breed. They could actually lure visitors into bringing them to the beach and pretend they had an owner! But now that there will be Pattaya City Security Officers patrolling to prevent these superdogs from doing so, news is out that they are learning to read the signposts themselves so they won’t wander into a restricted area. I sincerely hope that the city administration will also coordinate with Chonburi Provincial Animal Control Center to hand out leaflets to the dogs informing them where to get neutered so they can hop on a Songtaew to get there.

But seriously folks it is an impossible job to stop people from feeding them. Fining genuine dog owners has nothing to do with the stray dogs; a stray dog does not have an owner that takes them to the beach (or to the vet). Shouting “pai, pai” to them will make them roam elsewhere. Round them up, put the bad cases to sleep, neuter and vaccinate the rest if possible on the spot and the problem will solve itself in time to come. And while they are at it please ask them to pass by in Naklua as well.

With best regards,
Mr. Jan Abbink

Seaside Villa, Naklua

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