HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]:

Noise around Soi Buakhao

Attn UK Homeowners

Stray dogs

Stop dropping your butts

Thappraya road works

THAI flies humanitarian freighter flight to Haiti

Long-time Pattaya resident Karen Sengel to show work at ISB

Noise around Soi Buakhao

Editor;
I have just returned from my final trip to Pattaya. The place has gone downhill greatly - I was living in an estate on Soi Buakhao but found it impossible to sleep almost every night due to a seriously noisy beer bar and a go-go next door in the small side street opposite the Sawadee hotel. I had the worst trip I have ever had. My apartment backed on to this spot. The noise was unbearable from before midnight till 6 or 7 a.m. It is shocking this is allowed to go on when other parts of the city have to at least turn the volume down at 1 a.m.
We called the police and the Pattaya City Call Centre on 1337 but they do nothing - it is a joke.
I don’t know who owns the bar in question or who he is paying but it is disgusting this can go on every night all through the night. I know of many others who suffered this noise and are also of the same mindset about the dregs that are now ruining Pattaya. I will spend my money elsewhere.
Takki

Attn UK Homeowners

Editor;
I have recently received an email from the Royal British Legion for the attention our members who live overseas. I feel this should, via the media be passed on to all UK expats who have property in UK.
Fraudsters are targeting properties they know are owned by elderly people who live abroad. They are forging documents and impersonating owners to gain mortgages. Once they have the money they disappear leaving the real owners to foot the bill.
The best way to stop this is to ensure your overseas address is held by the Land Registry Office. You may pick up more information and registration form from Tropical Bert’s on Second Road opposite the Bangkok Bank
Kind regards,
Bert

Stray dogs

Dear Editor:
Although I felt angry at John Liddell as I was reading his letter of Jan 22 for calling for the eradication of stray dogs, by the time I finished his letter I agreed with him.
Unfortunately, it is probably necessary to euthanize some sick strays who can’t be placed in homes, which was all Mr Liddell was trying to say. I also agree with him that it’s the owners who don’t get their dogs spayed or neutered and then let them wander around by themselves who should be “put down”!
Once again let me remind the public that one dog can indirectly cause 67,000 dogs to be born in six years. There needs to be a major crack down on pet stores, kennels and breeders and we need laws requiring dogs to be spayed and neutered. Until that happens it is a complete waste of time to complain about the stray dog problem when nothing constructive is being done about it.
Eric Bahrt

Stop dropping your butts

Dear Editor;
We were at the Thai Immigration Office on Soi 5 in Jomtien Friday the 22 of January to get our 90 day stamp. As we were walking into the office, we saw many farangs smoking at the entrance, making it full of second hand smoke and hard to walk through, making our cloths smell like an ash tray and hurting our lungs. We also looked around and saw toxic cigarette ends (butts) everywhere, flicked on the ground, stuck in plants, everywhere.
We have always been told by expats that we rag too much on the farangs about leaving toxic butts behind, that it was the Thais. At Thai Immigration on Soi 5 in Jomtien, 99% of the people there are farangs. It was a shame to see so many uncaring farangs leaving dangers behind for the wind and rain to take their bad habits into the roads, storm drains, into our ocean, contaminating our water, killing our seafood and sea life, also drifting back to shore for unknowing babies to ingest, choke, become ill and could die.
We put up a poster in Thai and English from Pattaya City Hall at the entrance to the Immigration Office and spoke to the front desk. One would think that expats would have a little respect at the place that allows them to remain in the Land Of Smiles.
We will continue to rag on the uncaring farangs and Thais; we will do our best to have stiff fines imposed on the people that continue to be butt heads. Thai and farang.
We also know that there are many “concerned smokers” that do not leave their bad habit behind ( toxic cigarette ends / butts that take up to 12 years to decompose), and we thank you very much.
Please understand that the Pollution Solution Group doesn’t enjoy verbally slapping people, but some really need to grow up and realize that life is not just about them. There are many voiceless living things out there that daily cry for help: children, wildlife and all natural waterways. Toxic butts are not our only problem, but it is one of the most littered things on the planet, along with plastic bags, bottle caps, and camera batteries.
Please think outside of the box when you smoke and think about others.
Mahalo Nui Loa (Thank You Very Much)
The Pollution Solution Group with the help of Pattaya City Hall

Thappraya road works

Editor;
As a regular visitor to Pattaya (on average 3 months each year), I am excited to learn that the city have promised the road works to be completed by April this year. I always stay at View Talay 1 and have suffered for years on my daily trips by songthaew into town or to the beach. But I regret I have little confidence in the city’s promises. I return again on March 5 so things should be substantially complete by then. Well - let’s wait and see.
Cav
London UK

THAI flies humanitarian freighter flight to Haiti

Press Release
Thai Airways International Public Company Limited announced that it will conduct a humanitarian freighter flight, transporting rice that has been donated from the Government of Thailand to the Republic of Haiti, on February 1, 2010.
Piyasvasti Amranand, THAI president, said that THAI is supporting the transport of 100 tonnes of rice from Thailand to Haiti. THAI’s humanitarian air shipment will be transported on THAI’s cargo freighter Boeing 747-300F aircraft, which the company obtained for cargo freight transport, on the route Bangkok - Incheon Airport - Alaska - Miami - Dominican Republic.
THAI’s freighter will depart from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport on February 1, 2010, operating at approximately 36 hours flight time.
Once THAI’s humanitarian freighter flight lands at Santo Domingo Airport in the Dominican Republic, UN humanitarian assistance teams will dispatch donated goods to those in need of relief aid in Haiti. Haiti was struck by severe earthquake on January 12.
THAI’s humanitarian support is valued at the equivalent of USD 632,000 dollars.

Long-time Pattaya resident Karen Sengel to show work at ISB

Long-time Pattaya resident Karen Sengel started quilting about ten years ago, but only recently abandoned the geometric designs typical of most quilts. “Art quilts,” as they are often referred to, are collages of fabric. One quilt may contain hundreds of pieces cut from dozens of different fabrics.

Karen Sengel’s Khwai.

For Karen the process starts with a search for the right photograph. Many of her quilts have come from pictures taken on travels to northern Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and Bali. She begins by making an enormous drawing mapping out the shape and position of each piece. Lines extend to cover the entire paper.
Karen’s quilts are pieced, not appliquéd. Whereas the traditional quilter goes to a store and picks out three or four fabrics, art quilts require a large collection of fabric. Sometimes dozens of fabrics are auditioned for one piece.
Asian fabrics, old and new, add another dimension to Karen’s quilts.
Her work is on exhibit at International School Bangkok’s Chevron theatre from January 30th to February 19th, and can be viewed online at www.karensengel.com.

Letters published in the Mailbag of Pattaya Mail
are also published here.