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Some suggestions for
city hall
Dear Editor;
We read in the Pattaya Mail that the so-called
“Pattaya Reputation Salvaging Committee” is to be set up to look into
certain problems. I do hope that this committee will constructively assist
Pattaya’s city council further to improve the city, as they are already
doing a good job in continuing to make Pattaya a pleasant place to live in
and visit.
It does seem that the masses of people who have decided
to reside in Pattaya or to visit it as tourists, whether they be Thais or
foreigners, are happy with the way it is, and would not want it to be
changed in basic character.
Of course every city or town has its problems, and so
does Pattaya, but it does have a reputation for being a wonderfully lively
and joyful place, utterly lacking in hypocrisy, which I suppose in itself
can create envy, irritation, and annoyance to some people who come from
duller, more puritanical parts of the world and hate to see others
enjoying themselves too much.
May I respectfully suggest that this good committee
concentrates on the real problems faced by this rapidly growing city, some
of which are:
1. The public transport system. Pattaya should have a
good bus, meter taxi, and motorcycle taxi service. The last is already in
place.
2. The road system. Many roads are seriously potholed
or unmade up (dusty). A major investment should be made here.
3. The drainage system. Although much has been done it
does appear that more is needed. Heavy rain still causes considerable
havoc and damage to the roads.
4. The garbage collection system. This should be such
as to cover all areas and to enforce the collection of garbage rather than
the burning of it, which can be very damaging to health and unpleasant to
neighbours. The illegal dumping of garbage must be minimised.
5. Public parks. Now is the time, before it is too
late, to assign land or purchase it for the creation of public parks which
Pattaya will need in the years to come.
6. Crime. The continuation of the campaign to rid
Pattaya of really serious crime, drugs, etc., including the removal of
‘unwelcome visitors’.
And finally, Pattaya would not be at all what it is
without the wonderful local people, whether they be from this area or
further a field in Thailand, many of them quite poor and only wanting to
make a reasonable living. These people include beach vendors and market
vendors who are often targeted for unfair harassment by the authorities
when all they want to do is to make an honest baht in very difficult
economic times. These people generally do not annoy the average resident
or visitor of the non-volatile type and should be allowed, Thai style, to
earn money for their rice bowl. Compared to many other tourist
destinations these people are pleasant and polite and do not harass at
all, but are sometimes harassed themselves which angers many visitors when
they see it happen or hear about it.
Long live Pattaya! As now being promoted by the Tourism
Authority of Thailand - “Pattaya has now become everyone’s ideal
destination, providing non-stop fun and entertainment - catering to every
taste and persuasion.”
Yours faithfully
Observer
An Idea for Beach
Road
Editor;
 This
photo shows how the traffic problem was solved in Golden Beach, Bulgaria.
This may be a good idea for Pattaya. Ban all cars from Beach Road, have 6 to
8 trains going in all directions with about 8 to 10 stops. Price: 5 baht.
Regards,
Peter Philipp
Traffic on Beach
Road
Dear Sir,
There has been much correspondence lately about the baht
buses and their non occupancy and frequency of use. The resultant pollution
would put most people off their food so I guess those that eat frequently on
Beach Road have already lost their taste buds. Maybe an answer is to send
those baht bus drivers that profess to support Man United to that very city
to study the ultra modern tram system that works very well and is pollution
free. Pattaya Beach and Second Road would be ideally suited to such a
scheme, being fairly flat, and other than delivery vehicles could become
traffic free! Surely worth a thought and look at the benefits!
K. Rochester
Be careful before
buying a beer bar
Dear Sir:
Your newspaper’s classifieds section “Business
Opportunities” regularly features a multitude of ads inserted by beer bar
owners who want to sell or lease out their property. Invariably, the ads
state how terrific the location of the bar is, how enormous business has
been, and how well-established the place is, enjoying a constant stream of
customers. Then again, the key money and/or monthly rent sometimes seems
incredibly low for such a terrific deal. Why would anyone give up a business
which generates handsome profits? Even relocation back to Europe or illness,
as often mentioned in the ads, don’t justify such a move, as one can
assign a trustworthy caretaker to continue running the venue on a
profit-sharing basis or similar.
Operating a bar involves a considerable overhead and, as
long-time owners can tell you, has always been an extraordinarily tough
business. The sheer mirage of becoming the “King of the Local Nightlife”
by investing in or even buying such a venue might be luring for some na๏ve
foreigners but, sadly, this sweet dream can quickly turn into a real
nightmare.
While the Pattaya Mail certainly isn’t
responsible for the truthfulness of its classified ads, I think it would be
a benevolent idea if you’d regularly print a little box on the respective
page warning prospective buyers that they’d need to carefully check the
bar’s balance sheets, consult a lawyer, and generally refrain from getting
into the bar business altogether if they don’t have any previous
experience. Unfortunately, it is often people who cannot afford losing money
who put up their life savings lured by promises of quick and easy cash and,
therefore, are prime targets for all sorts of crooks, whether in Thailand or
anywhere else in the world.
Thomas Schmid
Bangkok
Updated every Friday.
Copyright 2001 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
Updated by Chinnaporn Sangwanlek, assisted
by Boonsiri Suansuk.
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