HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]:

Water main leak on Pattaya Central Road

Mind numbing

Why Obama is unpopular

Lost trails

Looking for stolen bicycle

Looking for brother

Re: Dr John Ronald’s travel woes

Water main leak on Pattaya Central Road

Dear Pattaya Mail;
Below is the photo of a water main leak on Pattaya Central Road. This dates back approx six months, meaning all businesses in the vicinity have had no water supply for ages. One business owner made three six kilometer round trips to the Nongprue water authorities, requesting them to check out the reasons. They said they would, but each time did nothing.
When that failed she called the city hall authorities, who indeed sent workers to investigate the very next day. After excavating adjacent to the S.S. Hotel, they then excavated forty metres in the down the road direction from the first excavation at the edge of the pavement, and found a six inch main spurting water from one of its clamped joints. They worked late into the evening to repair this; however, it still leaked slightly, and it could have been assumed that it would make itself up.
However, it has gotten progressively worse, until has you can see from the photo, it is now leaking hundreds of liters of water twenty four hours a day, undermining all foundations in its vicinity, which in the long term could create an accident. The city hall authorities have again been informed 28/04/09, and have said they will send someone to check it.
Yours sincerely,
K. Bebbington

Mind numbing

Editor;
Imagine my surprise when a friend of mine said he was walking home from a night on the town in Burnley when he was accosted by a lady of the night. He gave in to temptation and spent the night with this professional lady. He had a good time, but then came the scam: she said the reason she was doing this business was because her family in Manchester was poor, she struggled to even go and see them because public transport was so poor, and they lived in a small council flat in Cheetham Hill.
She asked if he could help. First thing was, even though he had only known her a day, move her into a nicer flat, buy her a motorbike so she could get around easier, then bought her family some farmland in Cheshire so he could have a house built for them and they could farm the land. Obviously it’s a joke! I mean, who would be daft enough to do something that stupid? Enter the mind numbing farang who leaves his brain at Suvarnabhumi when he comes to Thailand. Mind numbing!
Mickyfin Burnley

Why Obama is unpopular

Editor:
President Obama’s media cheerleaders are hailing how loved he is. But at the 100-day mark of his presidency, Mr. Obama is the second-least-popular president in 40 years. According to Gallup’s April survey, the most respected polling company in the USA, Americans have a lower approval of Mr. Obama at this point than all but one president since Gallup began tracking this in 1969. The only new president less popular was Bill Clinton, who got off to a notoriously bad start after trying to force homosexuals on the military and a federal raid in Waco, Texas, that killed 86.
Mr. Obama’s current approval rating of 56 percent is only one tick higher than the 55-percent approval Mr. Clinton had during those crises. Five presidents rated higher than Mr. Obama after 100 days in office. Ronald Reagan topped the charts in April 1981 with 67 percent approval. Following the Gipper, in order of popularity, were: Jimmy Carter with 63 percent in 1977; George W. Bush with 62 percent in 2001; Richard Nixon with 61 percent in 1969; and George H.W. Bush with 58 percent in 1989.
Some of the press point out that Pres Obama’s lower rating has to do with his expanding the size of government and increased spending, something they say he promised to do during the campaign for the Presidency. It was these members of the press who weren’t paying attention during last year’s campaign. In all three presidential debates, Mr. Obama promised to cut government spending and reduce the size of the deficit. He blamed the economic crisis on excessive deficits. At no time did candidate Barack Obama say that more deficit-spending was the solution.
Mr. Obama’s low popularity after 100 days is the second-lowest for a simple reason: He is more partisan and divisive than his predecessors - including Richard Nixon.
Bob,
Pattaya

Lost trails

Editor;
Many moons ago I lost contact with Martin Potter after he left Hong Kong heading for Thailand. Last I heard he was running a business in Pattaya. If he is reading this or if anyone knows him and can pass on a message contact Stuart Neilson, e-mail [email protected] in the UK.
Stuart Neilson

Looking for stolen bicycle

Editor;
On 28th April I went to Soi Buakhao Market on my bicycle, locked it, and looked the market. Yes sure it was not there when I came back. Someone stole it.
The bicycle was an asset to me as it enabled me to get around Pattaya. I cannot walk too far because of an arthritic hip. The bicycle I shipped over from England and it has a seat for my 3 year old son. It is the only one in Thailand. The description is an American Kona Mountain bike, gold in colour, with front and rear suspension.
Any information gratefully received. Police have already been informed. Here is my telephone number +66 8950 59424.
Richard Stanley
<[email protected]

Looking for brother

Editor;
I am Janice Battison, sister of David Woodhead. My brother lives in Pattaya and is a member of the expats club. His is a keep fit man and is a ‘personal trainer’. David gives advice for fitness, etc.
I have not heard from him for some time - please could you ask him to contact me. Either by e mail, phone or letter.
I have been trying to contact him for many days by mobile phone, and I only keep getting voicemail to leave a number - but sometimes there is no time to do this, and the phone goes dead.
I have also sent a letter and Easter Card. Also sent e mail’s the last one about 3 weeks ago.
He can phone - either land line or mobile; or email, text or write. He does have the phone number and my address! Sorry if he has been ill or any misunderstanding on calling me.
<[email protected]>
Thank you again for your help.
Mrs Janice Battison
Nottingham England

Re: Dr John Ronald’s travel woes

Dear Editor;
May I respond to Dr John Ronald ‘s letter? As a resident of Pattaya for several years I know very well what the traffic is like at Songkran. Did he not realise what the Sunday would be like? I stayed at home. My wife went out with friends to play Songkran. They left our house and returned three hours later. They had travelled from our house to Sukhumvit Road, normally a five minute journey. They could not reach Pattaya Klang and returned without crossing Sukhumvit. This short trip (distance) took over three hours.
As I say, I knew what the traffic would be like so avoided it. I can imagine what the driver of the bus felt like. He had a job to do, couldn’t stay at home like I did. I am sure his patience was wearing thin, and perhaps his knowledge of English was limited too, knowing only the words necessary to perform his job. He appears to have used some common sense by trying a detour. Personally I would have got off where he turned off down Highway 36 and walked. Yes, it seems a long walk but you would have passed all the traffic stuck on Sukhumvit.
My wife never asks me to go anywhere over Songkran as she knows very well how bad tempered I will become, even when I try not to. I have some sympathy for the driver. Perhaps you will give prior thought to next Songkran.
Finally, you write, “We give up our Sunday to teach Thais who cannot come during the week and this is our reward for doing so.” Why is it the bus driver’s responsibility to reward you for what you choose to do?
Bernard W

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