HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]:

Why can’t they fix it?

Scary Asoke

Solutions to dirty beaches

Save money, learn to speak a little Thai

Investing in English football

Why can’t they fix it?

Editor;

The traffic light on the corner of Thappraya Road and Thepprasit works great (sometimes) and solved the problem of a very, very dangerous intersection. It solved a basic problem because local drivers don’t have a clue about who has right of way.

The light was there for years before it was turned on about six months ago. The problem is that the light is broken more than it works. This has happened regularly for six months. It works for about a week and then it is broken for two to four weeks.

There have been about six failures in six months. Is the system so poorly constructed that it needs to be replaced or is it that the workers are so incompetent they can’t do a proper repair with correct parts? Why does it take so long to fix? I would call and complain if I had the phone number. Does anyone know where to call someone who cares?

Myke in Pattaya

Scary Asoke

Editor;

Some Pattaya Mail news for you: Today as I was walking down Rachadaphisek Rd back from lunch to work (area running parallel to the new underground MRT subway stops N13 and N12), I heard a loud bang crashing sound then saw a bus go screeching out of control into the center medium without any rear axle. Upon further investigation, seems the roads here in Bangkok are mysteriously plummeting beneath our driving wheels. Very scary.

Kindest Regards,

Ron Grigaras

Klongtoey, Bangkok

Solutions to dirty beaches

Sirs;

It was a lovely day yesterday so I decided to take a trip to the Pattaya Beach, Soi 8, my usual sunning spot. After getting settled down for a nice day, I looked over the beach within eye distance and was saying to myself, what a filthy beach for such a beautiful place. I asked myself, what could be done about the filth. I have come up with two solutions that could be done with enforcement.

1. The venders who have the chairs and umbrellas on the beach should be required to clean from the sidewalk to the water’s edge from left border to right border. This should be done on a daily basis and no compliance would result in a fine.

2. Any person seen or caught littering the beach from walking on the beach, sunning on the beach or from any boat, will be subject to a heavy fine.

Lets keep Pattaya beaches clean and beautiful.

Beach and Sun Lover Richard

Save money, learn to speak a little Thai

Editor;

I read Extremely Annoyed’s letter about his problem with a sawng thaeo (aka baht bus) with much interest. My first thought was a question - does Mr. E. Annoyed speak the local lingo? A little bit of Thai goes a long way in avoiding such incidents.

When you take a sawng thaeo, it doesn’t take rocket-scientist Thai to first ask the driver “Are you going to X” (khun ja pai X mai kap - or ka for ladies). This serves two functions. Firstly, you’ll find out if he is or isn’t going to X. Secondly, by doing the driver the courtesy of speaking his own language you will gain face (and he’ll also know you’re not a greenhorn that could be ripped off). Remember, the fare within Pattaya is five baht and the price from Pattaya to Jomtien is 10 baht (except very late at night).

Some people have complained that when they pay the proper fare they get hassled (especially by driver’s wives in the front seat). The simple solution is to pay your five baht (10 in Jomtien), smile and say “Thank you. Good luck.” (khup khun kap [ka] chok dee na) and walk away. Since I started doing this, I never had a problem - even once when the tourist paying in front of me was told in English the price was 20 baht for the same trip.

There are many good reasons for making the effort to learn Thai. One of the best is that it’s the only farang hobby in Thailand that the more you do it the less money you spend enjoying life.

Jack Kirwan
Pattaya

Investing in English football

Open letter to Mr T Shinawatra,

If the Thai PM has ambitions to own or hold a stake in an English football club, then perhaps he has set his sights too high going for Liverpool. Is the Thai money not good enough for the football snobs at Liverpool who always seem to be a cut above the rest and seem to live on glory days in their history?

I think Mr Shinawatra would be better off looking at a progressive, well run and forward thinking outfit in the Premiership. I give one good example of this, West Bromwich Albion. Come on Mr Shinawatra, ever thought about a challenge like this? I’m sure Mr Peace and WBA would make you feel more than welcome!

Baggie East

Letters published in the Mailbag of Pattaya Mail
are also on our website.