HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]:

Another one for Mott

Count your change

BJ’s on the move again

What a sad situation

Post the legal baht bus fare

Booze in UK same price for any nationality

Lost potential

Lion dance not Dragon dance

Another one for Mott

Editor;
This is the first time I am writing to a newspaper, but Mr. Douglas Laird’s letter (mailbag Feb 10 2006) re: YES prodded me into action. First of all I applaud Douglas’s letter, I salute you bro. YES are one of my favourite bands and hold a special place in my heart. Mr. Mott, if you do not appreciate their music it means you look but you do not see in this case. And for this I pity you for not getting the feeling that big fans of this superband feel whenever we listen to any of their magic.
About the lyrics, whatever tickles your fancy and makes you happy is more than acceptable I state. Example in point: I sometimes listen to Buddhist monks’ chanting because it makes me relax, in the meantime I have not the slightest idea what they are chanting about.
To conclude Mr. Mott you have been a bad dog. Your free rein to write is no more and from now on you are going on the leash. I will give you a chance to redeem yourself if you were present at the Heep concert tell us what you thought of it.
Bow Wow
Capt. Pierre Casha
Ed’s note: Mott’s review of the Uriah Heep concert appears on page 48 this week.

Count your change

Dear Editor
The first time this happened I thought it was a “one off”, but the same scam was attempted on me yesterday for the second time.
I visited a popular chain fast food restaurant in the shopping plaza on Beach Road. I received my food and offered a 1000 Bt note as I wanted some change. The serving girl handed me 80 Bt as change and just stood there. When I didn’t walk away without the remaining 800 Bt, after some seconds, she handed over the cash.
I asked why she had only given some of the change and she clamed she was “sort cash”? So why give me some change and not all?
She, as on the first time this happened, had written her name on her badge in Thai. I asked for her name (very politely) and was given the full formal name of my little thief in very strong “Issan” which I could not understand even though I can understand a lot of Thai.
I expect such scams now as a matter of course, but not in a big company like this, and it would seem, not a “one off” but involving other staff.
I had a word with the manager who seemed to think it was not possible to get cash out of the till without being seen so staff would not benefit from the theft. It doesn’t take a mastermind to work out that a quick call to a friend and the issuing of extra change with a small order by that friend would get the money out of the till and into my little thief’s hands!
Still ... She had a lovely smile.
Stu Roscoe
Jomtien

BJ’s on the move again

Editor;
As you know, we closed the old BJ Bar in ’99 after 25 years on the South Beach Road, the place they call “Walkin’ Street” today. Well it appears the same thing is gonna take place at BJ Guest House & Restaurant come May 31st. Would you believe we had a 33 year lease on the premises and 2 years ago some company representative came to us and took the remaining 13 years, givin’ us a 3 year contract? We accepted the deal, in good faith that we’d be able to reside in the present location for, at least, a few more years.
Rather than wait for the inevitable, we made a plan to find another location on the North end of the beach. We settled on a spot on Soi#3 and only about 200 meters off the Beach Road. It took over a year to build the BJ Holiday Lodge, opened in May of last year. By July we were doin’ great business, under the professional management of my kids. They are truly the next generation of the BJ trademark.
Anyway, back to the story. A few months back we were told that, yet another company had taken over the Regent Marina Compound and we would have to leave the premises after 23 years in business at the end of the present contract. It’s a good feelin’ to know that we are already established at the new BJ Holiday Lodge, thank the Lord for small favors.
Now it look’s like the writing is on the wall, the final day is May 31st. I don’t have a problem with it, but honestly, I’ll miss the view. For anybody that’s interested in droppin’ by before that, you might wanna take advantage of a good thing. I always feel bad when I hear about other people’s loss of a business. The reason I’m tellin’ the public? I’ve had more folks come to me over the past few years and tell me how bad they felt when we closed BJ Bar in ’99. Now they can’t say I didn’t tell them so. From May 31st onward, if anybody should wanna see me for anything, I’ll be found at BJ Holiday Lodge, maybe doin’ some underwater Tai Chi in the pool.
Till then...
Your man on the front,
BJ

What a sad situation

Editor;
What a sad situation: a small beautiful forested area on Soi Wat Boon Jomtien has now become an unofficial rubbish tip. The rubbish is now smouldering, and I can see it one day setting alight the small forest around it. Please mayor take notice, you could have a forest fire soon, threatening property.
This is not a Thai thing, everywhere in the world lazy uncaring folk dump their rubbish, with no-regard of the consequence.
If this continues, the old blue planet will become the dirty old smelly planet. Should keep the aliens from visiting us.
Matt Anderson

Post the legal baht bus fare

Editor;
May I humbly have an opportunity to reflect on the letter “A quick and easy solution” from “Resident Taxpayer” (Mailbag 24 Feb. 2006)? First, I thought the letter was “funny” - very probable that the writer did not intend it to be so. I imagine that “Resident Taxpayer” was able to come forward with the splendid idea to install a coin drop in the “baht-buses” and nobody has thought of it before - not even the clever guys at the Department of Land Transport that (should) supervise that public transport is done with honesty and fairness and according to law and order?
From this letter we could be led astray further to believe that “overcharging foreigners” is a legal practice and a “policy”! Well, actually it is not! How come the legal price is not advertised aboard the pick-ups / baht buses or at least informed about anywhere else? Is it possible - or impossible - for the Tourist Authority, the Pattaya Expats Club, the tourist police or even that Baht-Bus Cooperative itself to inform everybody about prices and once and for all get rid of that problem?
Mr I.M. Pert-Inenth

Booze in UK same price for any nationality

Sirs,
In reply to R. Thompson’s response of 24th February to my letter concerning double charging in the U.K. versus Thailand. Firstly, he will be glad to know that our local shop (part of a national chain) is selling San Miguel at 1 pound per bottle and also have 5 X 500ml bottles of Czech lager for 4 pounds - well within the 70 baht per bottle should Mr Gates or Thompson care to visit. The price I believe is the same for any nationality.
Extortionate pricing practises do exist in the U.K. with unlicensed taxis being a major culprit, but in terms of entertainment, food, drink and entrance costs, prices are legally obliged to be displayed. Can you imagine the uproar if two prices were displayed, one for foreigners and one for British citizens? And, just how would we agree who was British given the multi ethnic make up of our society?
I am extremely perplexed by Mr Thompson’s statement which reads, ‘...at least everyone knows that farangs are charged more. This doesn’t make it right, but at least it is honest’. Over charging is cheating. Cheating is dishonest. Therefore if it is dishonest it is not right. How in this life can any person justify such a thing as ‘honest cheating’?
Perhaps it is time to pursue my Ladybird Book of Used Car Sales and gain further enlightenment on the subject. Should the Baht Bus Gougers Inc. wish their sales manual translated into English for overseas sales markets then I am currently open to offers in return for a reasonable percentage of sales income.
Yours,
C. Jamieson

Lost potential

Editor;
Since 1996, having been a regular visitor to a tourist destination not so far from Thailand, I have inevitably seen many changes. However, no changes have been quite as significant as my most recent trip revealed, after two years of absence.
I had always predicted that this cross border destination would rival this fabled (international?) resort, but I would never have guessed that it would not only surpass, but completely outclass Thailand, in such a very short period of time.
I put this down to freedom ... businesses in Thailand are under constant pressures and (autocratic) harassment / corruption ... so much so that they are hardly able to work efficiently ... with continued reduced opening hours, and negative police involvement, money talks, so many entrepreneurs have decided it is just not worth the struggle and are indeed looking to relocate to more welcoming (foreign) locations, (many have already done so).
Times are changing and change waits for no man, not even Thailand! As tourists vote with their feet, elsewhere, so too must the businesses follow. Thailand needs to decide whether it wants to be a follower or a leader; a ‘has been’ or a ‘tourist hub’. If it wants to maintain its tourist income, then it needs to act now while it still has a vestige of the reputation as ‘the playground of South East Asia’ and before this crown is lost to others.
So, wake up Pattaya, wake up Thailand and lay claim to the only true hub you’ve ever been - you are being left behind by the other previous ‘minors’ - in the race for the tourist dollar - and are paying the price of an increase in crime and social disorder. Easy to lose, difficult to reclaim, so take note!
David Hawkins (by email)
Weymouth,
Dorset.
U.K.

Lion dance not Dragon dance

Hello,
I am a frequent reader of Pattaya Mail but also a Lion Dancer. The article in edition no. 7 is about the Dragon Dance championship at Royal Garden Plaza. The Dragon is actually a Lion. Actually there is also a Chinese Dragon. This mistake is commonly made, but both are actually a bit different from each other.
While a Lion is being performed by two people, a Dragon is performed by a group of 10 people, each holding a pole in their hand which supports the dragon. Also there is someone walking in front of the Dragon holding a pearl. The Dragon follows the pearl with its movements.
Regards,
Sip

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