HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]:

Butchering trees more fun than removing refuse

Another cool 68 million to bury Beach Road cables

Pattaya Guide Book is very helpful

Gold rush to bubble bust

Burying cables should ensure continuous employment for at least a year

Pattaya beach situation

Thank you Dining Out Team

A ‘pat on the back’ for taking initiative to bury cables

Butchering trees more fun than removing refuse

Editor;

Re “Beaches Closed Today” in Mail Bag 6th June. I too was astonished to find the beach closed as it was the last Wednesday in the month, ostensibly for cleaning. At noon there was no sign of any cleaning or any other maintenance going on. I now live here but were I on a two-week holiday I would be a bit peeved.

Can any of your intrepid reports get to the bottom of the idea behind the closure? Meanwhile, on Dontang Beach the trees have been systematically butchered. Apparently the original thinking was to trim the branches overhanging the electric cables, but with chainsaws in hand the original idea was lost in the frenzy and a vast number of trees have been massacred, and the branches overhanging the cables remain intact. Another example of the city fathers daftness.

Jomtien is a great alternative to Pattaya. Why can’t they do something sensible like addressing the open drains on Thepprasit Road and open, stinking refuse containers? Perhaps that’s not as much fun as closing the beach and butchering trees!

Love your newspaper.

Yours,

R. Walton.

Another cool 68 million to bury Beach Road cables

Dear Editor;

Here we go again, more money to be spent on Beach Road, this time another cool 68 million! We have had new surfaces for the last few years on a regular basis ending up in the concrete we now have at great cost. Even though we are still waiting for the dangerously missing drain grills in many parts of town. Get it settled and up it comes for electric cables to go under - then it will be up again for telephones - then again for more cables like cable TV - the list goes on and on and the mess left behind will be awful not beautiful. Who does the planning of these things? And another bet is that they will do it in high season. Just watch!

BBW

Pattaya Guide Book is very helpful

Dear Editor;

The Pattaya International Ladies Club held their book launch for the “Living in Pattaya and Rayong” Guide, 5th Edition. It was held in the peaceful settings of the Art Cafe and was fully catered for by the Art Cafe who is one of the many sponsors of the guidebook.

The guidebook is the end result of two years of hard work, perseverance and commitment by the editor, Gundi Clement-Setz. As Pattaya and Rayong are such transient places with many people coming for short stays Gundi’s sub-committee has changed many times during the production of this guide with many months of Gundi working alone. As you could well imagine after spending two years researching a place such as Pattaya and Rayong by the time the guide is published many establishments listed in the guide are obsolete.

The main advantage I found with the Guide was in the invaluable information at the start of the book with regard to the medical advice that all mothers need to know when bringing families to a new place. A chapter on Thai culture and courtesy is a must as nobody wants to offend their new countrymen and woman with ignorance and what is acceptable and what is not. The book also covers things such as visa information, housing requirements, where to live, advice regarding employing maids and drivers, postage information and a telephone directory. These are the things that are vitally important to newcomers to Pattaya and Rayong.

A large chapter of the book is dedicated to education and is a benefit for any couple wanting to get a perspective of what facilities are available both in Pattaya and Rayong. The chapter on transportation is a must read as anybody who has lived here for more than one day can appreciate how difficult it is to navigate the roads in Thailand and to learn what is acceptable and what is not although most things are accepted!

The guidebook has taken up a lot of Gundi’s time and energy as one can well expect, she has spent many hours on the roads navigating various venues and distances and times to be included, particularly with Chapter 8 which includes various places of interest and sightseeing spots. She has tirelessly worked on the Guide for over 2 years with the help of many of ladies and she deserves a huge applause for all her hard work.

As the 5th edition Living in Pattaya and Rayong Guide book is now complete we have been earnestly searching for a replacement for Gundi but to no avail. We hope the 5th edition will not be the last with a place such as Pattaya and Rayong the need for the ever-changing pieces of information are invaluable to any newcomer to the area.

A substantial amount of money was raised by the 4th edition of the Guide and was used to provide full vocational training for many handicapped people through the Redemptorist Vocational Schools for the disabled. Recipients of the funds raised were also the Street Kids in helping with food and education. All proceeds from this 5th edition will be used in a similar manner.

Well done Gundi and thank you.

Yve Kernick

Vice President

Gold rush to bubble bust

Editor:

Khai Khem has been writing a string of excellent columns, he deserves a raise. June 13th was again on the mark. For over 10 years now I’ve been watching seemingly intelligent men, and a few women, come to Thailand and act like they don’t have a lick of common sense. Amazingly, it seems the more they get burned, or the longer they stay, the more they ask for it.

But then, I’ve seen the same thing in other Asian countries. Westerns just don’t get it. In Asia, everything is about money, more pointedly, relieving you of yours. Basically, the westerner comes to Asia playing by western rules and western standards and in no time at all finds himself living a 2nd world existence at 1st world prices and convincing himself that he’s got the tiger by the tail. He gets hooked on overwhelming attention and everyone telling him that he’s getting a “special” deal.

It’s heaven, he has a “supported” girlfriend who tells him exactly what he wants to hear; truth is irrelevant. Unlike women in the West, Thai women really do love overweight men, who go out and get drunk every night, then pass out; just ask her. In Asia it isn’t lying, it’s telling you what you want to hear. The truth might create conflict which could affect cash flow. (Unfortunately for Thai businessmen this “Enron” type behavior does affect cash flow, but that’s another subject all together.) The westerner is lulled into a dreamland and as the money is quickly drained away, so are his standards.

I can’t remember ever meeting a Thai who was educated in the West and who wanted to go back upcountry and work on the farm. Why is it that westerners come to Pattaya to downsize? Are we really that screwed up? Do we really want to go to “holiday camp” for the rest of our life? When traveling around Thailand I get the distinct impression that Pattaya is something of an embarrassment to traditional Thais. It’s just not a place they’re really proud of. It seems like Pattaya to Thais is like New Orleans is to Americans, great place to visit and go slumming, but you really don’t want to live there.

The bottom line is that Pattaya is basically a “gold rush” town. Thais came to Pattaya to make fast money, foreigners came to Pattaya looking for sleazy and cheap excitement. Well, the crime rate says Thais aren’t making money and sleazy can be found elsewhere cheaper. Going after the family and junk tourist hasn’t worked. “Big Men” know Pattaya is just about “dried up” (literally) and have been looking to create the next Phuket (or Pattaya) for years. OK, try gambling, that’s usually the last desperate move of a dying city. There are “ghost” towns all over the world that at one time were “gold rush” towns. The trick is to make the transition from a “gold rush” town to an urban center. It’s not done with low standards, double standards, go-go bars, corruption, a lack of infrastructure, and high crime. Those who love Pattaya just the way it is need to take their sunglasses off at night, the glitter is fading fast and with the glitter goes the money and the honey. Which, come to think about it, that may not be a bad thing after all, maybe it’s Pattaya that needs a little downsizing.

Pattaya Bum

Burying cables should ensure continuous employment for at least a year

Dear Sir,

Reading your article on “Beach Road power cables to go underground soon”, it states that this procedure will take place later this year. That makes perfect sense; wait until the high season to dig up the road and pavement, and re seal it. The sub heading, “Others to follow suit” means that to ensure continuous employment this procedure will be repeated at about two monthly intervals by TOT, TT&T, CAT, Sophon Cable, and Banglamung Cable. With luck it should last about a year, and demonstrate to tourists that we are really doing something.

Gwyn Parfitt (Mr.)

Pattaya beach situation

Editor;

Can someone please explain this? A new pier was constructed for the ‘hundreds’ of powerboat operators but they refuse to use it because it’s not convenient? Instead they still choose to clutter up all available beach area and make any attempts to enter the water unsafe? Is no-one in charge of regulating this industry? Now, jet-skis also are parked all over the place. The umbrella vendors have set-up their artificial palm-trees by the ‘thousands’ and monopolized every square meter of beachfront area? Someone had the sense to build the new billion baht pier now use it. This beach is in fact ‘public property’ not the domain of umbrella squatters who arrive in the morning and insist every tourist who tries to enter the area pay an ‘excessive charge’.

Signed,

Ever been to Phuket?

Thank you Dining Out Team

Attention Dining Out Team;

Re. your article in the P.M. of the 13th; I wish to thank you for your kind words.

One point which may be of interest to you concerns the feedback. Currently, many of my regular customers are on home leave and over the last weekend, most visitors were “ new faces”. Talking to these guests revealed that all of them had read either, or both, the small piece recently written by Colin Hastings in the BKK Post and the article written by your goodself. The power of the press!

Once again, many thanks.

Regards,

David

Bangsaray Club

A ‘pat on the back’ for taking initiative to bury cables

Editor:

I want to give kudos to the civil administration of Pattaya for burying the power lines along Beach Road.

Being a numerous time visitor, I can attest few things spoil a view more so than an ugly power line!

And a suggestion: Why not lay fiber optic cable with the new power lines for future high speed Internet? Many businesses and hotels, I am sure, would be interested in tapping into fiber at their front door.

Again, Pattaya’s officialdom should be given a ‘pat on the back’ for this initiative.

David Carr

Jacksonville, Florida, USA

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