HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]:

Suggestions to improve traffic flow

Observation

Rights of smokers stop where health of nonsmokers starts

Suggestions to improve traffic flow

Dear Sir,
Traffic is a major concern around Pattaya - following are three suggestions to improve traffic flow. Traffic policy should be maximum facilitation; restriction, such as the restricted access from Naklua Rd to Beach Rd at the Dolphin Roundabout, etc, should be an absolute last resort.
Extend Jomtien Second Road to NaJomtien 6
It is recommended that the southern end of Jomtien Second Road (currently being constructed) not make a new T intersection with Sukhumvit Rd. Jomtien Second Rd could be extended south to join NaJomtien 6, then joining Sukhumvit at the existing NaJomtien 6 / Thanon Hua Yai intersection.
Suggestions:
• Hold work on Jomtien Second Rd, south of Chaiyapruek; this is not urgent.
• Transfer workers and equipment to expedite Thappraya Rd (Stage 1) then to expedite Jomtien Second Rd north of Chaiyapruek (Stage 2).
• Stage 3 - Redesign south end of Jomtien Second to join NaJomtiem 6 as shown. Do not make a new ‘break’ in Sukhumvit; though access to and from northbound Sukhumvit (west side) may be provided, without lights; this road can be completed for ‘local access only’.
• Lights at Hua Yai / Sukhumvit intersection change to two phase - North / South green, followed by East / West green. Also Chaiyapreuk / Sukhumvit intersection. Currently, 3 phase lights - North / South Green, East green, West green - hinders traffic flow.
Benefits: The above changes will actually improve traffic flow along Sukhumvit, which extra traffic lights would hinder; and provide full access to the Jomtien Second Rd area. Also in the future it may be necessary to extend Jomtien Second Rd further into NaJomtien; this design makes it possible.
Extend Nongkraborg Rd north, to new Highway 7
It is suggested that Nongkraborg Rd (also called Mapyailia 28, and Phatanakarn Rd) be extended northward on its existing alignment to intersect Chaiyapornvitee Rd. This intersection will occur just east of the new Highway 7 / Chaiyapornvitee Rd intersection.
Nonkraborg Rd is long and straight, extending as far south as Sukhumvit Soi 87, and will provide improved North / South access for all those living on the ‘dark side’ - East Pattaya. Most existing roads in this area are generally ‘east west’, and the new road will complement those roads.

This connection will reduce traffic on Sukhumvit, reducing the need for drastic measures such as tunnels etc on Sukhumvit. Of course this will require that all 4 connections between Highway 7 and Chiyapornvittee be built - not just the 2 connections suiting ‘Bangkokians’, as pointed out by the letter last week by Hans Peter Mack.
Phoenix to Sukhumvit
The main intersection at Ban Amphur is a T intersection, controlled by traffic lights. To the south, Phoenix Country Club Rd joins Sukhumvit, in another T intersection, only with south bound lanes of Sukhumvit. A small lane which joins Phoenix intersects Sukhumvit just south of the traffic lights.
Suggestion: It is recommended that the small lane become the new start of Phoenix Country Club Rd. An apparently unoccupied weatherboard house on the corner of the lane could be moved, to allow four lanes to meet Sukhumvit at the traffic lights. While the intersection would be slightly offset, this would be of little consequence; offset intersections are known to work very well. Phoenix has probably seen a doubling of traffic in the last 5 years; new developments are always going up.
Advantage: The main advantage would be eliminating the dangerous mixing of high speed and low speed traffic as one exits Phoenix, accelerates southbound to the high speed lane, slows down, U turns, accelerates again northbound to the high speed lane, in time to stop for the traffic lights - which we could have already been at.
Benefits. This change will save time, save fossil fuels, and save lives.
It is also suggested that significant infrastructure works be advised to the public, in Thai and English, with a 90 day comment period, to ensure that optimum results are achieved re effectiveness, value for money, and sustainability.
Stuart Saunders,
Pattaya Progress Association

Observation

Hello Pattaya Mail,
I would like to congratulate Elfie Seitz on the article she wrote about Rev. Corsie Legaspi at St. Nikolaus and his miraculous healing powers a couple of weeks ago.

Yes, the Rev. has been coming to Pattaya for years. The only complaint I have is: he never seems to go up to the Redemptorist Center or the blind center and work his magic on those unfortunate souls. Is there a reason for this? Why? If his healing comes from God, it’s obvious that God could heal those people too. And then afterwards if he still has the healing touch lets take a trip to the place they keep all the crazy people. I’ll make sure the media is there to give him all the credit and headlines he needs.

For any of those blind people the good Rev. heals; I would be willing to donate 50,000 baht to any good worthy charity for each one of them.
Yours truly,
Apple Sinstack

Rights of smokers stop where health of nonsmokers starts

Editor;
Re John Arnone, Mailbag Feb 19, “If you want to be a humanitarian”: He referred to my letter on the 400,000/yr and 100,000/yr deaths in the U.S from smoking and second hand smoke exposure as, quote: ‘anyone can say anything they like but that doesn’t make it true.’ Then later in his letter, ‘If people like you would try a little logic instead of making up statistics…’ Like I originally stated, the source of this information was the science journal, Scientific American. The complete article was called “Preventable Causes of Death in the U.S. per Year.” There were 6 categories with the #1 cause being heart disease. Followed by smoking and then second hand exposure. Other categories were drugs and alcohol, and also gunshots. Gunshots was 35000/yr.

This journal has about 40 PhDs in the various sciences, mostly physics chemistry and biology to research and confirm the validity of every article printed. You can be sure if the study states 100,000 deaths/yr from second hand smoke that evidence would be just as convincing as the 35000 deaths/yr from gunshots. Scientific American is a journal of the various sciences for those who believe in facts. It is not for those who do not want their beliefs contradicted by facts.

Ill take this opportunity to once again inform John Arnone that the rights of smokers stop where the health of nonsmokers starts.

Oh and also, if I’m at immigration in Jomtien and someone is smoking at the doors, I’m not going to wait for an inspector to say something.

Lawrence Remington
Pattaya

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