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Why do they permit it?
Dear Sir,
I have just returned to the UK from a week in Pattaya.
It was Songkran week and I shall definitely never return during that time.
Neither will a number of other Europeans with whom I spoke.
How the city fathers and the business can agree to such
idiotic and irresponsible behaviour is beyond our comprehension.
Not pleased about getting soaked, we were confined to
our hotels for nearly four days. When we twice tried to go out for a meal
in the evenings we were soaked within minutes and had to return to the
hotel. When we did manage to reach a restaurant - normally very well
patronised - we found that we were the only customers. Many business
premises found it necessary to close, with the resulting loss of revenue.
It also leads to violence (see your report in your
issue for weekending 27-4-2000). Also the previous week in Koh Samui I
witnessed a very large, young and fit European throw down his motorbike
and do severe damage to at least half a dozen Thais before his anger
subsided.
The water spraying was much worse in Pattaya. Why do
you permit it?
J. Milne
UK
Beware, katoeys on
the prowl
Dear Editor,
I just heard a story with a “katoey” involved which
I would like to share with your readers.
One early evening, a gentleman is walking in Soi
Pattayaland on his own and decides to buy a hamburger at the Danish Burger
stand. While ordering his hamburger, three katoeys approach him and one of
them asks him if he wants to go with her (him) for a quick “pampam”.
The katoey immediately informs him that he should not be worried because,
“I already cut off my d... and have a nice p... now”. The gentleman
tells the katoey that he is not interested in the proposal and pays for
his hamburger and wants to leave the scene. Another attempt is made by the
katoey but still the gentlemen refuses to go with her (him). After some
pleasant talk back and forth, the gentleman asks the katoey why he did cut
off his d... as this seems not so convenient... Upon this question, the
katoey takes scissors out of his handbag and tries to hit the gentleman.
During the struggle, the gentleman falls down on the street and the katoey
fell on top of him. The katoey was able to stab him three times and then
all three of the katoeys jumped on a motorbike and disappeared into the
crowd. A lot of people witnessed this act but nobody seems to bother.
The gentleman is able to catch a taxi and is brought to
the hospital. Result: 6 stitches and a 3000 baht hospital bill.
It seems that katoeys (both in Pattaya and Bangkok) are
becoming extremely violent during the off season when there are only a few
tourists. As there is not much to earn for them during this period, it
seems that they try to survive using other “charms”.
Be warned all of you, watch out when you are approached
by a katoey while purchasing a hamburger!
Filip Corneillie
Pattaya
Agreeing with John
D. Blyth
Dear Sir,
I wholeheartedly agree with John D. Blyth’s letter in
Mailbag on 12th May. Pressure must be brought on the mayor and his staff
at City Hall to end the lunacy of the week-long waterlogged misery of
Songkran.
By all means celebrate the traditional day of Songkran.
By all means have a Pattaya Festival. But not at the same time. The
general thuggish and loutish attitude displayed by water sprayers of all
nationalities each year is an absolute disgrace and steps must be taken to
return to the original gentle and good natured family celebration enjoyed
by the rest of Thailand.
The word has been out in Hong Kong for a number of
years now and travel agents openly advise their clients against visiting
Pattaya during the anarchy of Songkran week. So the tourists stay away,
Pattaya is losing out financially and getting bad press as well. An urgent
change is called for.
Tom Browne
Hong Kong
Tourists need more
protection
Editor;
I have been a regular visitor to Pattaya because it has
affordable and good entertainment. The Thais, generally, are courteous and
gentle. Yet there are some Thais who mar the good image of Pattaya with
petty crimes and lately of violent crimes. The tourists have helped
Thailand in recovering from its economic crisis in no uncertain way, and
the TAT should realize this. It should allocate funds and tourist police
personnel for the safety of tourists, not only in Pattaya but all Thai
tourist destinations. If this is not done or ignored by the TAT, tourists
will be flying elsewhere for safer holidays. For Pattaya, the tourist
police need a wake up call. Tourists need your protection, and extortion,
robberies and theft should be eliminated!
Love Pattaya Tourist
Looking for
Scrabblers
Dear Sir,
I have spent many happy hours in Bangkok playing
Scrabble (called ‘Crossword Game’ in Thailand for trademark reasons)
with the Thailand club members - both farang and Thai. Since moving to
Pattaya, however, the only few games I have had were at the now changed
Pleasure Dome Bar last year or so.
I am sure there must be at least a few keen Scrabblers
lurking around and itching for a game.
Either on a ‘just for fun’ basis or more
competitively. Perhaps we could even get a little club together with
regular meetings at some convenient coffee shop, pub, etc. I myself have
one new Scrabble set here and a set of Scrabble Dictionaries can be bought
inexpensively from Central Dept. Store in Bangkok or maybe even here.
Would you please ask interested guys or girls to
contact me by phone or fax to talk about this. I’m even willing to have
a game on Jomtien Beach if necessary but my condo could accommodate 4
players (2 tables) if someone can bring an extra board.
J.R. Gibbs (Jimmy)
That elephant fence
Sirs,
Could it be that the elephant fence at Nong Nooch that
has been the subject of correspondence of late was erected to protect the
elephants from the farangs?
In Bangkok I have seen elephants teased with food,
children kicking their back legs, camera flashes set off in their faces
and adults pulling their tails.
If elephants are routinely treated in this manner, then
it is little wonder that they occasionally run amok?
D. Griffith
Rape in Pattaya
Dear Pattaya Mail,
I just found out about the rape in Pattaya by those
U.S. Sailors. Please, somehow, encourage His Majesty the King and the Thai
Government not give up control of these five men. If Thailand does not
maintain physical control over these men, Thailand can not prosecute these
animals.
Please, publicly execute these bastards!
Faithfully,
Terry-ajossi
Thank You
To all Pattaya Mail employees;
It is great for me to have such a newspaper on the web.
Because it is important for me to see and to now what’s happening in
Thailand, especially Pattaya. I tried to stay there, but it carried on
only for 2 years. Now I live again in Germany and try not to lose contact.
That makes the www and your site important for me. Thanks for all the news
and don’t change the style of your site!
Reissenweber Heiko
Campaigning for
U-Tapao
Sirs,
Cabinet orders to the Budget Bureau to support the
navy’s plan to upgrade U-Tapao airport to serve 1,000 passengers at a
time is good news (Bangkok Post 17 May). Not nearly as good, however, as
the previously touted grandiose and economy inspiring plan to also develop
the airport as a world cargo hub.
Do I remember the Pattaya Mail campaigning for
the promulgation of the plan in the distant past? Where has all the
fervour gone, as Marlene Dietrich might sing?
Theerayut Ua-fua
Quit complaining
Dear Editor,
I just returned from my 3rd trip to Pattaya, staying a
month. In almost every Pattaya Mail I read letters from foreigners (some
tourists, some expats) complaining about almost anything. Personally, I
love Thailand - the people and the country. If I get duped out of a few
baht, it is generally my fault for not being familiar with local customs.
The occasional ‘conman’ I run into is no different in Thailand than
any other country. The toilets at Jomtien Beach? What is not perfect in
every country? Quit complaining. Be thankful for the warm climate,
hospitality of Thais and every other asset Thailand offers.
I look forward to my next trip.
Skip Burgess
Las Vegas, USA
What can we do
about the buses?
Editor;
Slowly, over the past year or so, more and more tour
buses have been crowding into Pattaya, clogging up traffic with no regard
to common road courtesy. In the mornings, they let off crowds of people on
Beach Road to board tour boats to the islands, then return in the
afternoons to pick them up. At night they hog the road dropping off hoards
of tourists at the go-go bars. It may look good to the bar owners to have
their places full, but surely they can’t be making any money off these
people, as they only have one cola, watch the show and then leave.
Isn’t it time we designate an area for tour buses and
leave the rest of the roads to regular traffic, which gets bad enough on
weekends without the buses jamming things up.
Yours,
Frank Lee D. Scusted
Copyright 2000 Pattaya Mail Publishing Co.Ltd.
370/7-8 Pattaya Second Road, Pattaya City, Chonburi 20260, Thailand
Tel.66-38 411 240-1, 413 240-1, Fax:66-38 427 596; e-mail: [email protected]
Updated by
Chinnaporn Sungwanlek, assisted by Boonsiri Suansuk.
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noticed that the letters herein in no way reflect the opinions of the editor or writers
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whilst we do not object to the use of a nom de plume, preference will be given to those
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