HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]:

Yet another fiasco?

UN Global Warming Hoax has taken hold over the world

Pattaya is fantastic

Equally disgusted

Thai Proverbs for Farangs

Yet another fiasco?

Editor;
The powers that be have arranged the next meeting for ASEAN Foreign Ministers to be held in Phuket from the 16th to the 23rd of July. My humble opinion tells me that this is not a good idea, as Phuket will not be as easy to police as, for example, Koh Samui, simply because Phuket is connected to the mainland by a road bridge and Samui isn’t!
After the serious problems with the protesters in Bangkok (especially the unacceptable events of the closure of the 2 airports) and then the invasion of the hotel in Pattaya, which resulted in the termination of the Summit there, maybe it’s a good time to think of a safer place for the next venue?
The police and army, when dealing with crises in other parts of the world, have sometimes been called “heavy-handed”, especially by the protesters and sometimes, even by the media! This was certainly not the case in Bangkok or Pattaya. It seemed to me that that the hands of these forces were tied by certain powerful people.
The guests coming to Phuket are some of the most important people in this part of the world, so, I’m very surprised that they still want to meet in Thailand, knowing that they may well face danger again. Perhaps the 4,800 policemen in Buriram for the prime minister’s visit will be shipped down to Phuket next.
Surely the perfect choice of venue would have been Koh Samui, a great location for a conference and what’s more important is that it would be easier to police than Phuket. The checking of visitors would be limited to the ferry terminals and the airport. If the protesters can’t get on the island, they can’t cause any trouble.
Looking at the positive side for a moment, assuming all goes well in Phuket, it will be great for Phuket and Thailand as a whole and I’ll be as pleased as anyone because I love this country and I want to continue enjoying my retirement in peace. On the other hand, if things go pear-shaped, there is another meeting planned for “other dialogue partners” from the 23rd to the 25th October, also in Phuket. Maybe they could bring that to Koh Samui?
So, for the good of Thailand, I hope I’ll be eating my words on 23rd July and the foreign ministers return to their respective countries singing Thailand’s praises and the media doing the same thing. Then, I’m sure we’ll start seeing the tourists coming back!
Des Gillet,
Koh Samui

UN Global Warming Hoax has taken hold over the world

Editor;
In the July 3 issue of Pattaya Mail, Wayne wrote a letter to the Mailbag and tried to show that those who believe manmade global warming are walking around with their heads in the clouds. Wayne does make numerous statements that are, to say nicely, quite outlandish and not backed by any scientific facts. Wayne, there are no reports of any islands in the South Pacific being covered by water due to your idea that sea water levels have risen. Wayne, the Arctic seaways in Canada are not and have not been open all year round as you have stated. More sea ice has melted in recent years, then frozen over again in the winter to levels higher than before the seasonal melt.
Canada has also seen colder temperatures during the winter and summer months over the past 10 years. A Dr Arthur of the Canadian Wildlife Service stated that caribou herds are large enough to meet the demands of the local villages for food and for the limited sport hunting that takes place. In and around Prudhoe Bay, even with the oil drilling and so called global warming, the caribou herd is 5 times larger than it was 30 years ago when the oil drilling started.
The polar bear population was supposed to be in decline because of global warming, but there are more now than 10 years ago.
In Dec 2007, the US Senate published a report stating that there were over 400 scientists that challenged the view that global warming was caused by man. In 2008, 31,478 Scientists, 9,029 of them with PhDs, presented a petition to the United Nations and the US Senate stating that they rejected the Kyoto Agreement, and said “there is no convincing scientific evidence that human release of carbon dioxide, methane, or other greenhouse gases is causing or will, in the foreseeable future, cause catastrophic heating of the Earth’s atmosphere and disruption of the Earth’s climate”.
The scare tactics presented by the “Greenies” are largely for financial gains for the major actors in that movement. Al Gore, already discredited for most of his views, and Cofi Annan have financial interests in companies that are making millions over the “Global Warming” hoax. Remember Annan, who headed the UN while, he, his son and others made billions off the fraud ridden Iraq “Oil for Food Plan,” and was in the UN when the UN Global Warming Hoax took hold over the world. Wayne, until you can present some facts to back up your absurd statements, you should look and see cloud your head is presently located.
Bob,
Pattaya

Pattaya is fantastic

Dear Editor;
I have been visiting Thailand, in particularly Pattaya regularly for the past 12 years. I would like to say the city is absolutely fantastic, the infrastructure is great. Nowhere in the world can you find such a fun city, restaurants, pubs bars, discos, women and yes more women. Sure there are small things that could be better, hey but who cares. If any of the moaners and whingers out there can find somewhere better then let us all know and we can visit.
Regards
Andy

Equally disgusted

Dear Sir;
I read with interest the letter from ‘Disgusted UK Expat’ in which he outlined his views on various issues arising from living in retirement in Pattaya, particularly on how this impacts his income from UK pensions together with his lack of free access to NHS treatment in his native country.
Firstly, can I say how much I agree with his general sentiments and fully understand and support his outrage at the apparent clear double standards, best illustrated in the recent revelations about MP’s ‘expenses’, a matter I will return to in a moment.
To best illustrate the NHS position, it is worth noting that technically an illegal immigrant into the UK who is awaiting a ‘decision’ - that could take several years - on whether or not they will be deported, has full and unrestricted access to all UK NHS services, consequently giving such an individual more ‘rights’ than a ‘fully paid up’ British citizen, who just happens to be an expat. Fortunately, any UK citizen whether resident in the UK or living abroad, would not be denied free emergency treatment by a GP or a hospital. Indeed, it would be the decision of the hospital, on a case by case basis, to determine whether any charges for follow up treatment would be incurred. It is unlikely such charges would be made to a UK pensioner, as the law is designed primarily to target the system of foreign health ‘tourism’ that has exploited the NHS system for many years.
On pensions, it is a fact that a private pension that is paid at source in the UK is subject to UK income tax, even if that pension is paid into an offshore or foreign bank account. It seems incredibly unfair to have to pay such tax and then be denied the ‘rights’ other UK taxpayers enjoy, notably unrestricted NHS access. Of course, HM Inland Revenue would argue that the individual would have received tax relief at source on such contributions to the private pension, but that seems little consolation even if there is some logic in the argument.
Turning to the MP issue, I was in the UK recently and followed the day to day revelations with growing interest and disgust, but not surprise. This type of exploitation of the public funds has been going on for years, not only by some MPs but at local government level as well, not to mention Quangos and other such quasi political bodies. People who enter the system soon learn to sail ‘as close to the wind’ as possible and hope to get away with it. In fairness though, we should not tar everyone with the same brush. There are many honorable MPs who are in Parliament for the right reasons and any examination of the modest, if not frugal expenses of such members highlights this fact. They are all on-line.
No, the real villains for ‘Disgusted’ and indeed myself are without doubt the bankers and city slickers. They are the ones who through years of irresponsibility and reckless lending have created the massive credit crunch which turned sterling almost into a ‘junk’ currency and forced the Bank of England to reduce interest rates to almost zero. This might be good news for UK house-buyers but is calamity for expats living on fixed incomes abroad, who have seen the pound fall 25 percent against the baht and any interest from savings almost disappear. At the same time prices here are rising all the time. A ‘triple whammy’ indeed. Yet the bankers still get their bonuses and huge pay offs and no doubt move on to new posts with other financial organisations. No police investigations there!
Mind you, I would rather be in Pattaya than the UK, even though I love my home country. It’s just that I despair at times as Thais still think we are all millionaires. Oh I wish!
“Equally Disgusted”
Nongprue

Thai Proverbs for Farangs

By Thai-lish
Are you interested in Thai culture, mentality, and language, but find it hard to understand and get to the hearts of the people?
Learn these Thai proverbs and you’ll have a deeper understanding of Thais and even impress a few.
Thai proverbs are centuries old, and are widely used among the Thai people to explain situations and matters so to give a clearer picture about what they are conveying.
Some of the proverbs have words that usually rhyme the end of the first clause with the beginning or the middle of the second clause.
It is an artistic and fun way to communicate. Try it!
Adage 10
น้ำตาลใกล้มด ใครจะอดได้ (nám-dtaan-glâi-mód….krai-jà-ohd-dâi)
nám-dtaan = sugar
glâi = near
mód = ant
krai = who
jà-ohd-dâi = can resist
Meaning: “to put sugar near ants… how can they restrain themselves from it?” So to prevent ants, one should not tempt them with sugar.
It explains how when a man and a woman are near each other, shoot happens. So either you remove the man from the scene or put the sugar in a tightly sealed bowl, or, leave the sugar be and stomp on the ants. Life is full of choices.
Sawatdee

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