It’s simple, common courtesy

Sir,

It should be easy to clear up the argument about smoking vs. non-smoking.

First, smokers have the right to smoke. That’s fairly self-evident. We can all agree that it’s not an unlimited right (you can’t smoke in an area where open containers of flammable liquid is stored, for example), but it is a right. If smokers choose to smoke, it is not my place to tell them that they can’t. True, it’s a health hazard, but it’s their own health they’re risking. And they have a right to do so.

However, let’s talk about what right smokers DON’T have. They don’t have the right to force other people to smoke against their wills. Ever! One of the reasons that so much friction exists in this issue is personified by Captain Jens Ronning’s statement saying that non-smokers should “stay away from this smoking oasis”.

Sir: Thailand isn’t a “smoking oasis”. Your contention that smokers normally obey the rules is quite silly. Walk through the Royal Garden mall any day and you’ll see lots of people smoking in direct defiance of no-smoking signs. One reason that there is such friction is that smokers (for the most part) ignore no-smoking signs unless someone with authority forces them to obey. And I note that in Thailand, 90% of the smokers I see violating the rules are farangs, not Thai.

But let’s put the issue in its simplest terms. It’s an issue of courtesy. Any time a smoker decides to light up in the presence of other people, he should check with those people and make sure it’s all right with them. If it’s not, he doesn’t smoke. That’s simple, common courtesy. Laws like those in California only come into existence because smokers refuse to follow rules of common courtesy.

Smokers: Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em. But not in a place or in a manner where you force other people to smoke with you. If you’ll follow that simple rule of common courtesy, there will NEVER be any laws restricting you. But if you don’t, the laws are inevitable. Your choice.

John Nielson

More answers to 20 questions

Dear Editor,

I have just returned from a twenty-two day holiday in the Beloved Kingdom. It was my thirty-first visit; my first was in 1989. I have much to say, but will offer just a few answers to Mr. Mac-Foggert’s query - “20 Questions”.

The answer for many of your questions is simple; money. Your experiences must have led you to relationships in which money is the lynchpin of communication. Where it does not exist, you seemingly do not either, or so your comments would lead me to believe. Why do so many losers travel to Thailand? I can only guess; do tell Mr. Mac-Foggert.

...Buddhist Culture. Embrace it to understand it, Sir. ...”Up to you” is generally used in lieu of genuine thoughts because your behaviour has demonstrated selfishness. The Thai people are probably wondering, “Why is he asking me this question when he doesn’t care about what I want, he obviously has his mind set on something already.” And as for the shopkeepers being dense...why do Farangs insist on communicating in their own method, their own language and in the very least in their own style, by waving their arms and shouting. Really! It is an embarrassment. The Thais are quite sharp and can discern your meaning if you speak gently and directly to them. Mr. Mac-Foggert, do you speak the language of your guests when they are visiting the UK? How is it that you have come to love Thailand? You sound much like many a tourist who comes only to exploit the Thai people and push your way around with your money and imperial attitude! You don’t love Thailand and you are angry about these 20 things which somehow reduce your power and control over these good people. Shame on you. Why don’t you gain situational awareness and learn something of the Buddhist Culture? It is my genuine experience to have met my most genuine and generous friends and lovers in Thai People.

Very Respectfully,
Jim Hervey

Not liking any local ISP

Editor;

You’ve had lots of mail to the Computer Doctor concerning ISP’s and quality. Perhaps you’d like to help everyone by taking a little vote from those who’ve sampled several of the locally available ISP’s. For my contribution to such a vote; I have used all 3 main ISP’s in Chonburi & Rayong. The results? All are awful!

I’ve worked in several third world countries, and Thailand comes bottom for quality of service. The best of the weak line-up is Loxinfo. It is by far the quickest, so long as you use the local 56K number (238000).

Trailing by a long way comes KSC. If you’re an English speaker avoid this one like the plague; not only is the line slow but the support is virtually non existent. I also had a query over the billing from KSC, they had continued the service after I had cancelled it and expected me to pay them. They also seemed to have more hours shown on their bill than I had used. I am sure there is nothing crooked going on, as KSC are as honest as their owner (the same chap who owns that big school in the area).

The slowest is the cheapest per hour, CS Internet. If you can actually get a connection with this ISP (the phone often fails to pick-up) you will normally find blistering rates of less than 0.3k/s when trying to download anything. As the service is so slow CS Internet actually becomes the most expensive, as it can take five times as long (or more) to download anything.

The quality of support is another issue. CS Internet do not speak English, few in KSC do, and Loxinfo is hardly better and will normally pass you around until someone is found who can string a sentence together, or you get fed up and put the phone down. Should you be able to communicate in Thai (my wife is Thai) you will find the quality of advice deplorable. Loxinfo comes bottom of this list. The operators have little understanding of computers or TCP/IP settings; I believe they have a book in front of them and labouriously work through it to find an answer (typically the wrong answer).

The main problem when I have contacted support has been the non-existence of service; I check to see if they are actually on line. I am always told everything is working perfectly, and that it must be the telephone lines. Whilst the local lines need improving this is a false claim. If I can connect to one ISP but not another, then the one which won’t connect is surely to blame, not the telephone lines. Sometimes my line to Loxinfo has been very slow, so I’ve switched to KSC or CS Internet, and found KSC working faster. Again, quality of telephone lines will not account for this difference.

In summary, if you are looking for an ISP, grit your teeth, and expect long downloading and unhelpful staff. Anyone else had similar experiences?

Steadily Yours,
Slow Surfer

Round the world in 60 days

Dear Sir,

Re: The America’s Cup. Prior to WW2 this was unsuccessfully competed for by Sir Thomas Lipton, the British Tea Millionaire, on several occasions with his famous Shamrock series of boats, but never won. However, in those days the challenger had to be capable of crossing the Atlantic under its own power (sail), fully manned and of course victualled for the voyage, whereas the defender could be constructed as a pure day racing yacht, to its advantage.

Only in the late seventies was the ‘Cup open to international competition rather than only the US/UK.

On other yachting matters, later this year there is to be a Round The World race to challenge the fastest RTW time yet of about 72 days. The ‘Race’ is to be a head to head sprint non-stop round the world for huge cash prizes, and record circumnavigations in the order of 60 days are anticipated by the contenders, these being purpose built 120 foot catamarans!

This should be quite some race as no-one has yet had any significant sailing experience with 120 foot Cats. However, some answers will be known in the Jules Verne Trophy Race early his year.

Speaking of big yachts, one of the world’s largest super-yachts is to be launched next month by Yantai Raffles shipyard, Yantai PRC. This is an 88 metre steel vessel based on a Polynesian outrigger canoe design, with an overall beam of 42 metres to the 21.2 metre outrigger. Powered by a single 2,000 HP Caterpillar diesel it will have a range of over 10,000 miles at 10.0 knots. It also has a 600 HP bowthruster, which alone can be used to propel it at 7.0 knots.

It has superbly appointed accommodation for 22 guests and is manned by a crew of 18.

Sinbad

Time to police Soi Yamoto?

Editor;

I have lived in Pattaya for nearly 2 years, and since living here I have never missed one week of getting a copy of your paper. For me it is a great paper, and I can hardly wait for the next edition. Keep up the good work.

I am a Scot, and I have a 50% share in a bar in Soi Yamoto. My question is about road safety.

As you possibly know, Soi Yamoto is a one way street, but it is used as either end is accessible. Not only that, the drivers (Falang & Thai) wheel up and down, and I am sure there will be a fatality or at least a serious accident one day. I have done a little research, and Soi 11 has bumps in the road (sleeping policemen?), but little or no traffic. I think it would be worth thinking about to have something similar in Soi Yamoto.

Another point I cannot understand and is, why do large buses come down Soi Yamato from Second Road to Beach Road. I honestly do not see the reason.

I have written to you on behalf of residents in Soi Yamoto hoping for some kind of action on the above matters. Maybe pass on to someone who deals with such things.

Thanking you in advance on behalf of the residents.

Yours faithfully,
Ray Gaitnie

Thank you Leslie Wright

Dear Editor,

I would like to thank Mr Leslie Wright for an extremely prompt reply to an E-mail question I put to him.

Although he could not answer my question as it was not in his area of expertise, he still replied to my inquiry within 24 hours. This kind of service is not equaled in many businesses today.

Thank you Mr Wright,

Mike

Gun-shy politicians

Editor;

Thailand, often at great expense, seeks and often gets world wide attention for many stunts and feats of dubious distinction such as tom yum soup, the most sky divers, etc. Thailand also won bragging rights for the largest number of Mercedes owners, not highly touted or advertised was the fact Thailand now holds the record for the most Mercedes cars repossessed during the economic downturn.

Now Thailand is working rapidly on yet another world’s record. Since local and national elections are coming up throughout the Kingdom, I predict Thailand will hold the record worldwide for the “Most politicians currently in office and aspiring candidates wearing or owning bullet proof vests.”

Signed

Simply Amazed

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