HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]:

Thanks for the whinge about whinging

Recognise the difference

The final analysis

Are they smarter than a 5th grader?

Water shortage or not

Women with a Mission look to help Myanmar citizens

Thanks for the whinge about whinging

Editor,
May I thank ‘Guy Smiley’ for advising that he’s noticed my letters ‘over the years’. He’s right, of course. Much as I like to think I’m a fairly positive and sunny chap, like other Mailbag contributors I am occasionally moved to have a whinge when someone oversteps the mark and gives the impression that all farang are Moaning Minnies. It is only occasionally, though. Truth is, some people moan sometimes, others a lot of the time and then there are those who, like Don Aleman, seem not just to wake up every morning and desperately seek something to moan about, but insist on broadcasting it when it will achieve absolutely nothing. I mean, the guy suggested canceling a centuries-old festival because he couldn’t cope. Is that rational? A moan should have a point, you see Guy, and the point of my occasional salvo is to correct where correction needs to be made, as with ‘Mickey Finn’, or land a sock where a sock apparently needs to go, as with Don Aleman. Nothing seems to work with latter, however. He’s at it again this week and even the editor has needed to make comment. The answer to most of his gripes is: So what!? As to being on a balcony with him Smiley, that would be just too tempting.
Tony Crossley

Recognise the difference

Editor,
I refer to ‘Whinging about whingers ... again (9th May). The writer, Guy Smiley, can’t seem to differentiate between a whinger, which I see as a person who moans about just anything, and someone who is making a point. Tony Crossley did not ‘whinge’ about Don Aleman’s whinge about Songkran, but pointed to Mr Aleman’s “week after week moaning missives” and asked why, in view of these, he lived in Thailand.
This person moans about things that no one who can do anything about them will see. He knows this too, as he actually mentioned it in one letter. Someone else rightly asked if he sent a translated version to city hall, and also asked if he wasn’t just an attention-seeker.
Don Aleman will likely have seen Mr Crossley’s question (and the supporting comments of other people), so those letters make a point rather than ‘whinge’. So I hope in future Mr Smiley will be able to recognise the difference in sense and nonsense. It will help if he reads what a letter actually says and asks.
J. Tighe

The final analysis

Editor;
It must now be assumed from the overwhelming majority of opinions on the relation of Songkran to tourism that a prolonged nine days of Songkran with no control whatsoever is disastrous for tourism.
Opinion also supports that Songkran is a wonderful Thai tradition that must be sustained and that a good old free for all water fight is not necessarily a bad thing for tourism if it is all confined to one weekend only. Of course it will be necessary to exercise strict supervision of the idiots who have created this tiresome extended problem of drenching unsuspecting visitors for the week prior to the main festival. Disregard any statistics that suggest tourism is up particularly in Songkran. My hotels are popular and defeat the trend of a 20% drop in tourism from Jan to March on the previous year, as reported in last PM by World Travel Services. We can report a rise in trade for that period but a disaster for April highlighted by the week of Songkran where bookings fell dramatically to 30% occupancy.
The other, rather bizarre phenomena that really gets up the nose of visitors is this need to prevent the serving of alcohol on the days prior and during elections with the ban being blanket and even affecting hotels where there is no clear definition of what is the law. We are even unclear if we can serve alcohol to customers by room service. How in the name of common sense can such a situation be correct? The only official answer I get is that if Thais cannot drink why should farangs be allowed to ... uh, hello, what about tourism!
Also I believe this edict is an insult to the Thai voting public. What’s the thinking here? The voter looks at the date and realises he has to vote next Sunday so decides to go out on Saturday and get so utterly wiped out that on the day he is unable to stand or walk, let alone read and write?
This ruling has led me to have to cancel large events arranged nine months in advance and to explain to customers that we cannot serve them for up to 3 days in some cases. It is embarrassing to explain that this is because of an election. How can you explain that to a group from Finland who are here for a week only and have come to spend money and party? It seemingly serves no purpose other than to cause annoyance and distress and for sure customers do not come back.
There is an oversupply of hotel rooms, there are hundreds of unsold houses, hundreds of unsold shop houses, thousands of unsold condominiums which are now being rented which simply exacerbates the problem of too many hotel rooms. This is a potpourri for big problems and these matters must be addressed now, together with the problem of dirty and mismanaged beaches.
We have a new young and dynamic mayor. I congratulate him on his victory and wish him luck. Hopefully he can put back on track what is the greatest little city in the world.
Richy

Are they smarter than a 5th grader?

Dear Sir,
Well, what do you think? Ask any business owner what drives Pattaya and for what reason did the tourist come. The answer must surely be, for the nightlife/entertainment.
And yet, this sector is being constantly harassed and destroyed (they even come up from Bangkok at weekends to join in the feeding frenzy).
Don’t expect the things to improve anytime soon. I just feel sorry for those that built their lives in what was Thailand’s premiere holiday centre.
Best regards,
John Jacobs
Tennessee

Water shortage or not

Editor;
Hi Scott Benson - How can you be so naive to think there is a water shortage in Pattaya? You said in your letter that there must be one as there are so many water trucks on the road. Where do you think they get the water from? If the town hall stop all these trucks filling up from the taps there might be enough pressure for everyone else to get some out of the tap.
Soaking Wet

Women with a Mission look to help Myanmar citizens

Dear Friends,
As you will be aware, on May 4 Cyclone Nargis hit the coast of Burma, with similar effects as the December 2004 tsunami.
The people of Burma (Myanmar) are desperate for help. As of today, their government is giving minimal assistance and is still refusing visas for most aid organizations to enter the country.
We have contacts for bringing funds and supplies into Burma. A Rotarian who has business contacts in Burma, and holds a business visa was scheduled to fly to Rangoon on Monday May 12. He has had a long association in Burma and can bring in fairly large amounts of cash which he will use for immediate emergency cases in the Rangoon area
We have the opportunity to give immediate assistance, but we need your help now. Cash is urgently needed to buy medical supplies and water purifier tablets to take into Burma and for the purchase of food and fuel within the country.
More funds and supplies will be needed, as we are working on a supply chain from Thailand to the relief areas in Burma. The damages are immense and funding will be needed for many months to follow.
The Good Shepherd Sisters, from the Fountain of Life Centre, have offered the use of their bank account for the deposit of donations, which will be then sent on to the Good Shepherd Sisters in Rangoon to assist the people there. These funds will also be channeled into Burma through the Rotarian. All funds donated will be accounted for. Where possible feedback of how the funds are spent will be sent back to you, if you provide your details.
Fountain of Life
Bangkok Bank, Pattaya Branch
78/47 Nth Pattaya Road, Pattaya
Acc no: 484-0-457446
Swift Code: BKKBTHBK
We ask you to be generous!
“Women with a Mission” (previously Helping Hands Pattaya) are also working with the Burmese migrants and refugees living in Thailand in the Mae Sot region. Two schools were destroyed in the same cyclone.
Donations to assist the rebuild of these schools would also be greatly appreciated, along with donations of used clothing, teaching materials for the school, books, etc.
Mae Sot is also the main border town in Thailand to the cyclone stricken Irrawaddy Delta area and Rangoon.
Thank you for your much needed support for our neighbors in Burma,
Yours Sincerely,
Rosanne Diamente

Letters published in the Mailbag of Pattaya Mail
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