HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]:

Thousands here year round can’t all be wrong

A radical cure to the problem of baht bus overcharging

Surprised to find out that the death penalty still exists in Thailand

Never coming back after ladyboy attack

Careful planning next time Mr. Huston

Loved Pattaya and will be returning soon

Have I missed something here?

Thousands here year round can’t all be wrong

Dear Editor,
As a golf professional living and working in Pattaya for over a year now, and as an ex UK-based tour operator selling golf holidays mainly to Myrtle Beach and Pinehurst, I feel very able to offer a fair and creative response to John Huston’s letter complaining about expensive golf here in Thailand.

Firstly, if Mr Huston really wants to make a valid point, he has to tell the whole truth. Quality golf in Myrtle Beach, and in particular Pinehurst, is much more expensive year-round than he is letting on. Most people do not realise that Myrtle Beach has about 11 ‘seasons’ during the course of a year and it may be true that for him as a local he can seek out a deal in the cold lowest season (early January) or at the time of year when it is uncomfortably hot and humid (July); however, I can categorically state that a compulsory cart at nearly all the ‘tourist friendly’ courses in these areas costs $22 per person per round on top of the green fee. In addition, for most of the year, golf starts at an average $30-$40 per round at what most people would consider the lowest quality courses acceptable for a competent golfer. Now take equivalent courses to the likes of Khao Kheow and Natural Park Hill and you’re talking up to about $100 most of the year.

As someone who has both business dealings and personal friendships with some of the main local golf tour operators in Pattaya, I can assure our readers that far from ‘peddling expensive golf’, the cost of pre-booked golf here is much cheaper than most other recognised golf destinations around the world, especially the coastlines of Portugal and Spain. A typical round of good golf in the Algarve or Costa del Sol in high season costs a minimum of B3500, in addition to this you have to get to the course in your tiny hire car that you’ve already paid extra for.

Similar/better courses here cost a UK customer around B2500 including transport when booked through most tour operators and although on some days this is available cheaper locally this still represents a fantastic deal for a newcomer to Thailand. And lets not forget, the time, investment and priceless local knowledge of the local tour operator is all included in your package. Tour operators are astute people, they all know that eventually their customers may indeed seek out their own deals in Pattaya; however the successful ones have long friendships with their (ex) customers who appreciate that although they may now pay less for some items, they were still given a tremendous introduction to the quality golf in Thailand at a comparatively much lower price than they would have paid elsewhere in the world.

Transport from anywhere in Pattaya to most of the local courses is normally around B1200 in a minibus, and although this is normally shared by the many occupants, it is the going rate. If, unfortunately, Mr Huston found himself travelling to his requested golf course on his own, he has obviously born the whole cost of something which is normally shared, although it is important that he knows that this is the normal charge. His comparison with the Thai Airways minibus service to Don Muang does not take into account that B200 is paid by all the occupants, not just one person.

Finally, a couple of words in Mr Huston’s defence. Yes, a compulsory caddy is a pain sometimes, as is the compulsory tip for what in some cases is just a hindrance. Yes, a compulsory cart is a pain, especially if you would happily never use one. Yes, turning up at the golf course and being told that if I was a Thai professional I would play for free but as I’m not Thai I pay full rate often induces a feeling that is unprintable! Baht bus complainers eat your hearts out!

Golf expensive in Pattaya? All the thousands of us here year round can’t all be wrong Mr H!
Ian Ashenden,

Resident Teaching Professional
Pattaya Golf Academy

A radical cure to the problem of baht bus overcharging

Dear Editor,
The baht bus ‘overcharging’ debate makes for great light-hearted reading every Friday, and with trepidation that the following suggested cure might take away a weekly bit of light relief from some of the strains of running a small business in Pattaya, I hereby offer up a fool-proof system that will almost certainly eradicate any more overpaying by those brave enough to follow my method.

Upon spying a baht bus approaching, you ensure that you are dressed respectfully, i.e. no beer belly hanging out and you aren’t wearing a vest. As the driver pulls up, you quietly lean into his window, ensuring that his wife and young child are not suffocated by any stale alcohol fumes, and in your best Thai you ask him the following:

“Excuse me Sir, as I have lived here for a number of months/years and live on a very modest income, do you think it would be possible for me to pay the 5 baht charge that the Thai people pay? I’m not on holiday, if you could allow me to do this it would be very much appreciated.”

Fault the Thais as much as you want, but one thing they will normally do is respond to a calm, polite request, especially, perish the thought, in their own language!

One word of warning, this may not always work if your latest ‘Tilac’ is wearing gold worth more than the baht bus driver’s monthly income and she starts speaking fluent English on her new Nokia phone when it rings half way through your request!
Ian A
Pattaya

Surprised to find out that the death penalty still exists in Thailand

Dear Editor,
I read with great interest the report in your newspaper about the arrest of Russian nationals Felix Cheremnykh, Renat Udarov and Marat Mimlikeev who killed a policeman while committing a robbery in your city (“Suspects Say Nyet” — www.pattayamail.com/475/news.shtml).

Judging by their names, the perpetrators are from Bashkortostan, a Russian region located not far from the city in which I was born. While Felix Cheremnykh is an ethnic Russian, Renat Udarov and Marat Mimlikeev seem to be ethnic Tatars or Bashkirs. Tatars and Bashkirs are Turkic-speaking ethnic minorities in Russia. As a Tatar, I am appalled and ashamed by the gratuitous act of violence perpetrated by my compatriots. Without any doubt, these criminals deserve the harshest possible punishment under the laws of your country.

However, I was surprised to find out that the death penalty still exists in Thailand. Most advanced countries in the world have long discarded this inhumane kind of punishment. The experience of many countries prove that the death penalty is not a deterrent to crime. Governments that have enacted the death penalty continue to have higher murder rates than those that do not. That’s why I hope that the government of Thailand will reconsider the death sentence given to one of the three perpetrators mentioned above. It would be even better if the death penalty were completely eliminated from the legal practices of your country.

With best wishes from Tatarstan,
Tomindar Galeev

Never coming back after ladyboy attack

Dear Editor,
I am writing in response to a letter you published by Mr Michael Griller. I would just like to say to Mr Griller that whilst I have not studied the ladyboy situation in Pattaya, I have however experienced the harassment they can cause.

I object to being attacked by one of these confused people as I simply make my way back to my hotel after a night out!

I was fortunate in that I managed to fend off this unprovoked attack, but it was not thanks to the watching baht-bus drivers and motorcycle taxi drivers who were close by and quite happy to watch it all happen.

Anyway that’s me finished with Pattaya, I will not be coming back here again. All the good memories I had of Thailand have been removed after this one incident, and I feel sorry for all the good people of Pattaya of which I know there are many who I will not have the pleasure of seeing in the future.
Adam Walker

Careful planning next time Mr. Huston

Editor;
Living in Pattaya and playing golf appr. 140 times during the year, has given me some basic knowledge of how much to pay. To Mr. Huston I can only say one thing: “Come back and join one of the golf venues and be happy with some cheap (and good) golf.”

Being a computer fan I put everything into my computer, that includes all my costs for every round I play, and so far this year with 108 rounds played, my average cost is 1622 baht per round. In Mr. Huston’s currency it will be appr. 38 US dollars. And we are only half way there, because now Mr. Huston, I will tell you what I get for my money.

Transport in air-con minibus 200 baht, competition-fee 200 baht, caddie tip 200 baht, drinks during play (no beers) 150 baht, that leaves 872 baht for green fee/caddie fee.

For this amount you may play all the best courses in Pattaya, as I did in June. A total of 10 rounds on 9 of the top courses and still I was not above the 1 622 baht mark.

I have played golf many places in US, medium courses and very good ones. Of course I could save money for caddie tip and caddie fee, but here in Pattaya I am only happy to have a good caddie around me (just like the pros).

The next time, Mr. Huston, I would be more than happy to see you at the place I play from, I am too modest to tell you the name, but it is in Soi Pattayaland 1 and there is a picture of a very famous Monica on the front window. (Please bring your handicap card).
Welcome back!
Best regards,
KS, Pattaya

Loved Pattaya and will be returning soon

Editor;
My wife and I just returned home to England after an 8-night stay in Pattaya Oct 25 Till Nov 3. I would like to say how much we enjoyed our stay and how it saddened us to leave. Our friends have been there over twenty times now and after showing us around on day 1 we quickly got the layout of the place. Everyone we met was so polite and seemed happy.

We made some nice friends and could you give a big mention to all the staff in One Bar 11 (no1) especially a lady called Pung for making our stay so enjoyable. I do not think holidays anywhere else are an option now and I felt so safe and happy there that we are planning a return and this time bringing our teenage daughter with us as I feel she will be well looked after by all the girls.

Thank you so much.
Mr and Mrs Williams
Middlesbrough, England UK

Have I missed something here?

Editor;
My wife tells me there are now many more ladies of the night in Bangkok and Pattaya (I myself wouldn’t know!) but I must concede she may have a point.

Last week on my way back to our beach-side hotel we were accosted not once but to my reckoning five times, my wife counted ten, to the point where she now refuses to go out after dark - I’m talking of eight o’clock in the evening. We both wonder why this large influx of predatory females (along with a few of uncertain gender), much more than we have seen in our previous visits during the late nineties, has come to pass?

I firmly believe that these activities should be legal but not so blatantly obvious to those not looking for their services - surely the bars and clubs, of which I see many, should take the responsibility of servicing those clients that feel the need, have I missed something here?
Dr. and Mrs. Archer
California, USA