HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]:

Daily minimum wage

1 a.m. closing

Daily minimum wage

Editor;

Daily minimum wage may be hiked on Jan 1, so published the Bangkok Post on Wed, Oct 26. In this article, it shows the current min. wage at 181 baht per day, with labour groups calling for a 233 baht daily minimum wage across the country.

In the Friday, Oct 28 Pattaya Mail, there is an article “Cabinet approves more than 40,000 jobs for southern residents”. In this article it states that “All those employed under the job creation project would each receive a monthly salary of Bt 4,500” or about Bt 150 a day.

Please tell me how the government can only pay 150 baht/day when you have a minimum wage law that states 181 baht/day? Does anyone understand what the word minimum means?

Charlie Brown
Soi Nernplubwan
Pattaya
Ed’s note: The minimum wage is different in different parts of the country, hence the labour groups calling for a national minimum wage.

1 a.m. closing

Editor,

How pleased I was to read the letter “Sustainable Tourism” by K. Sirikanyan Wongsriratanakul in your paper dated October 28. At last a letter by a local person on this issue. He was so right in everything he said.

I know people come to Pattaya for many things but they do not come here to be told all entertainment should be closed at 1 a.m. But is this the case - no it is not. We are told that this is the line of the government yet many times in your paper you say it is 2 a.m. in Walking Street. Just a couple of nights ago I was having a great night with friends in a go-go bar which was very full when I said I had to go. After all it was 3 a.m.! Walking up the street to get a taxi most bars were shut but there were one or two open and doing very well. You may wonder where were the police. They were just walking around keeping the peace - as they should. But why not leave all entertainment open? Even in European resorts places are open most of the night.

The interior minister said no to any zones and that places should shut ay 1 a.m. So what is going on? Why should we have to go to certain places in Walking Street to get late night entertainment? Pattaya is the biggest attraction in Thailand and should reflect what most of the tourists want - to be able to stay in bars with music later than 1 a.m.

Cannot the powers that be see they are killing the place? Look around the world. You do not close at 1 a.m. to encourage tourism!
Michael

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