HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]:

Lost horizons

Beach Road aggression

Inter-galactic tourism?

Sick and tired

Recent murder

Lost horizons

An open letter to the ‘City Fathers’;
Well, I think you have finally succeeded in turning a once renowned international tourist destination into a less than average holiday disappointment – tourist numbers / spending has fallen dramatically - crime has become endemic and the place closes (such excitement as there is, and that’s not much) at 1 a.m. - (Phuket opens till 4am+).
The ‘sanook’ factor has been all but extinguished - heavy handed official harassment - and the whole city (why not ‘Beach Resort’) has an air of hopelessness - and all this has been achieved in less than ten years - “Hearty Congratulations”!
Dr. Leon Palmer - email
Sydney, Australia

Beach Road aggression

Editor;
Have you seen those middle-aged joggers huffing and puffing down the Beach Road? Well I’m one of them and what’s making me huff and puff the most is the lack of awareness and consideration exhibited by some other promenade users.
If you’re reading this you are probably a farang so my problem isn’t with you. Usually farangs see you coming and will step aside if required or I’ll move over if that’s appropriate. A nod of appreciation, a breathless ‘Thanks’, a bit of give and take and it usually works out.
Thais are less decisive. They usually see you coming but don’t move or give any indication of their intentions. That’s the ones moving up or down the promenade. The ones crossing it into your path don’t look at all.
It’s the other Oriental groups I have a problem with. They congregate in large groups completely blocking the path, never establish any eye contact and absolutely refuse to move.
Cultural differences? Maybe, but what about some common sense please.
I’m not arrogant enough to think that everybody has to get out of my way. Far from it, I’m constantly thinking ahead and taking avoiding action. I don’t want to injure myself in a collision but it’s difficult to avoid an immovable mass of tourists who seem to be in a world of their own.
Nigel Oakes
Pattaya

Inter-galactic tourism?

Dear Editor,
Like the thousands of others, I thoroughly enjoyed the Pattaya Carnival last Friday! I couldn’t help noticing in the procession an extra-terrestrial. I didn’t know that TAT (Tourism Authority of Thailand) was now sponsoring inter-galactic tourism. I was very pleased to see this visitor to our planet and delighted that this was another ‘first’ for Thailand. Does anyone have any more information on this?
Regards,
Jomtien Hotpapa

Sick and tired

Editor;
I am sick and tired and fed up with people complaining about baht bus fares, closing times, being charged extra for not being a Thai and many other things that get complained about. The answer is very simple: don’t take the bus, rent or buy a bike, rent or buy a car, or walk.
The vast majority of people don’t care about an extra few baht. On closing times, if you haven’t had enough to drink by closing time you’re never going to have enough. Many complaints about closing times start from the bar owners who come here and think all they have to do is buy a bar and watch the money come rolling in when in reality they have no idea how to operate this sort of business and are looking for someone to blame for their failure.
There are many places in the world, why pick one where you are going to complain all the time? I am only a normal person who likes to take a drink. I’ve spent most of my working life going to sea. I have been everywhere in the world. Nowhere is perfect but this will do for me.
Yours,
C Hoseason

Recent murder

Editor;
The recent horrific knifing to death of an American tourist was sadly only to be expected - Pattaya’s finest have long targeted bars and nightclubs (quite unfairly and often for dubious reasons) the engine of that fair city, at the expense of adequate policing of the other 99.9% of the city - so who really is to blame for this sad incident? Is it a question of Nero fiddling while Rome (Pattaya) burns? (And as for clearing out the prostitutes from Beach Road as promised ... well, there are more now than ever before...)
Leon Palmer
Cambridge, England
via email

Letters published in the Mailbag of Pattaya Mail
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