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What does it take to get some peace and quiet?

Doh!

What’s the problem?

Yes Leon but…

Not well done Andy

An every 90 days visitor of the immigration offices

What does it take to get some peace and quiet?

Editor;
What is it going to take to curtail noise pollution? Letters to the editor, visits to the police department, and phone calls don’t help. Nobody wants to interfere with established practice and custom, but when health information surfaces that proves that excessive noise interferes with mental and physical health then authorities should make every effort to make things as quite, peaceful, and sane as possible. In this age there seems to be absolutely no consideration for others.
I live in a condo next to a wat that includes a school and a crematorium. No noise is kept undercover even though large assembly halls are available. Funeral music is persistent, the morning exhortation from teachers is much too loud. Boom boxes and loud speakers are spread throughout the wat grounds. All this noise interferes with sleep and ordinary activities and makes one irritable, angry, and certainly neurotic. If this isn’t enough most stray dogs are housed in the parking lot near the condo. These poor animals fight, bark, and howl all night.
It is not only in the school, the wat, and the crematorium. Noise pollution can be found in many areas of Pattaya. If I may quote Mark Twain: “Noise proves nothing. Often a hen who has merely laid an egg cackles as if she had laid an asteroid.”
Ray Standiford

Doh!

Editor;
Seen on 3rd road yesterday. What do those lines in the middle of the road mean?
Regards,
Kevin

What’s the problem?

Dear Editor;
When I’m not in Thailand I call up the Pattaya Mail on my computer and the first page I turn to is the Letters. Some of them make for very interesting reading and always bring a smile to my face.
Particularly I have to smile each time I read the complaints regarding ‘double pricing’, ‘two-tier’ pricing which regularly appear on your letters page. The biggest smile I reserve for those who complain about the baht bus fares. Can these people not read? On every baht bus I’ve travelled on I have read the notice behind the driver’s window facing into the bus which indicates that the fare within Pattaya is ‘not more than 10 baht’. Okay, so a Thai might only pay 5 baht, surely no-one can complain about a 25cent journey. When I go to Jomtien, getting on in Pattaya I pay 20 baht as I don’t consider 10 baht a decent remuneration, whether the bus is full or empty. That’s 50 cents give or take. Taxis in America cost almost five bucks just to open the door and sit down, if you are lucky, and then it is about $1.25 for a fifth of a mile making $6.25 for that journey. With the hike in gas prices at almost $2.50 a gallon, taxi rates will rise. So don’t complain about having to pay a pittance for a decent journey.
I must live in a cocoon, though, as I cannot bring to mind any request for me to pay ‘over the odds’ for things enjoyed by farangs or Thais. Some suggest that visits to Nong Nooch or similar charge the farang more than the Thai, so what, I generally book my trips through a wonderful agency in Pattaya and I’m treated with kindness, courtesy and respect and am prepared to pay the amount indicated for a wonderful experience.
I am in the fortunate position of being able to afford to pay for my entertainment, travel, food, drinks and flights whereas some Thais have to work all the hours in the day to make baht 100 ($2.50 a day!). Would we work for that ? I think not!
So come on visitors, get the smiles back on your faces and show all those greenback presidents to the exchange offices/banks and consider yourselves well off in this beautiful Land of Smiles.
Timothy Gooding

Yes Leon but…

Editor;
Mr Leon Palmer made some accurate points about the influence of the Thai government on tourism, although the hotels I stay at have always had water, and power was never off for longer than a few minutes at most. I accept the dual pricing as it is because it’s still cheap for me to stay in Thailand.
I also accept that crime is on the increase but it seems to be everywhere. The only time I nearly became a victim was when confronted by a drunk farang from the UK who thought he could go off with my girlfriend.
I know there is corruption all over the place and I get annoyed at the bars closing when the Thai people have an election or something. But I can always be prepared and stock up or drink in the hotel. If the bars shut early, start early, etc.
However, it’s a pain when ‘once a year tourists’ push up the prices because they have no idea of what things should cost. This is much worse in Samui and Phuket than in Pattaya.
I will continue to visit Thailand 4 or 5 times a year as I have for the last 12 years. I love it, I love the people, I have friends I want to see and I like the climate and the food and the diving and the nightlife and, and, I could go on.
It would be better for me if some tourists who want to turn the Land of Smiles (LOS) into a cheaper version of a western destination stayed away. Go to Spain or Blackpool. Leave LOS for those of us who can cope with the difference. That’s what we are here for. What you lose on the swings you gain on the roundabouts.
Peter
York
UK

Not well done Andy

Editor;
Not well done Andy (Well done Jim letter to editor, Pattaya Mail -Vol. XI). Pattaya it seems will never run out of its endless supply of fools like Andy and Jim.
In twenty plus years as a visitor to Pattaya and part-time ex-pat I’ve never paid more than 5 baht for a 5 baht ride. Why would I? (rhetorical) My finely tuned system for avoiding confrontation has served me quite well for a long time. Besides it is clearly stated on decals posted on most of the baht busses that 5 baht is the legal fare.
As for the double pricing at various tourist sites and activities, I have no problem with the ones that clearly state the price for farangs as double the local citizen rate. That’s just the reality of the situation and I accept it. If, however, a baht bus driver wants to throw a temper tantrum and show his arse that’s his problem. After all, “losing face” means a lot more to him than me. He should always feel free to call the local tourist police to sort it out. That has happened twice to me with positive results both times. Staying cool and pleasant while standing my ground seems to always serve everyone involved well. They make plenty off of the numerous drunken and sober, ignorant tourist that will gladly pay 200Bt. for a ride from Pattaya Klang to Pattaya Tai.
The reasoning you used in your letter is completely flawed. The price of a taxi ride has no correlation whatsoever with my level of income, even as compared to Thais. Furthermore, I have “looked around” plenty and seen how some of the Thais “have to live”. Obviously you have not “looked around” with much depth at all or you would recognize that for the most part they live the way they do by making ridiculous choices rather than by circumstances beyond their control. “Putting an end to this embarrassing topic of conversation” is wishful thinking on your part. As long as there are those who won’t and those who will ... it will never cease.
Max
Rayong

An every 90 days visitor of the immigration offices

Editor;
Jomtien Beach Road, Soi 5, is now an important thoroughfare because of the post office and immigration offices, so is there anyone who can explain to us why all the shops, bars and restaurants on this soi are allowed, not only to use the pavement (sidewalk), but also one lane of the road as their private property, to place all along it, day and night, their potted plants, chairs, tables, signboards, etc., as if they were part of their business? As a result, it is a one-way soi, and take care if you inadvertently try to park your car on the business side.
Maxime

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