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South Pattaya gas station

We can’t blame the Easter Bunny

Congratulations Pattaya Immigration

Stick a fork in this one

Excellent idea spoilt

Thank you for the support

Smoking pestilence

South Pattaya gas station

Editor;

Avoid this gas station or make sure the meter is reset before pumping: After all these years a gas station on South Pattaya Road is still ripping off customers, mainly unsuspecting foreigners, continuously. Especially the older attendant is very good at distracting customers and not resetting the pump, cars and bike pumps alike. He gets very angry and starts screaming when he gets caught. We did a little test this week, 3 different friends went to pump with that guy being at the first bike pump within 30 minutes and he tried to cheat every single one! How the (main company) who are aware of this scam for years, let this go on, is a mystery!? Best avoid!

Anders Larsen

We can’t blame the Easter Bunny

Editor;

Re: the letter from Lawrence Remington in the June 4-10 P.M. Dear Lawrence, most likely the reason that you have so “many negative and hostile confrontations with smokers”, is most likely because you still believe in the Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy and that second hand smoke is lethal for as far as 200 meters, depending on the wind. We can’t blame the Easter Bunny or Tooth Fairy for these confrontations, but I would imagine that it is not too difficult for the readers of this paper to discern which party initiated the “hostile confrontation”, although it is left to our imagination to try and guess from what distance most of these confrontations took place.

As for most local and state governments in America banning smoking in parks, it would stand to reason that they would do exactly that when one considers that it was the United States Surgeon General that issued the original contrived report on second hand smoke that started all of this insanity about smoking. A report that was deliberately contrived in an effort to vilify smoking and smokers. Why was it contrived? Because if you can put fear into the majority of the population and convince them that smokers are a threat to their existence, then it follows that you can increase taxes on cigarettes to any level you choose and be certain that you have the support of a majority of the population that it is permissible to do so.

Do you have any idea of exactly how much tax there is on a pack of cigarettes in America? Do you have any idea of how much tax is collected from tobacco companies, distributors and retailers in America? Not to mention Thailand and the remainder of the world.

It was about money from day one and if I am incorrect and the surgeon general really thought that second hand smoke was killing people, he would have just recommended that the manufacture of cigarettes be banned altogether.

About six months ago I read a letter in one of the English language newspapers from Bangkok that was written by some foreigner that has passed through the Bangkok Airport. He was appalled that he had to walk by the smoking rooms. He felt that the smoke had to be seeping through the cracks and endangering him. Now last week I read in the same paper that the Thai Health Minister is getting ready to ban cigarettes at the airport. Okay, fine. I didn’t question his decision but I did write a letter to one of the Bangkok newspapers acknowledging that I did read the article and asking one simple question; “Will the sale of cigarettes at all of the duty free shops in the airport also be stopped at the same time”?

My letter was never printed, I could speculate as to why but most likely it is because of a book that I wrote entitled “Confessions of a Serial Letter-Writer”, about my experience writing letters to the Bangkok newspapers that wasn’t too kind to them. I was pretty much black-balled after that so despite the fact that the question that I am asking is pertinent and begs an answer, the question will never be answered. So let me take this opportunity to answer it myself. No; cigarettes will still be sold at the duty free shops in the Bangkok airport exactly as is done at the Taiwan airport, which also banned smoking rooms.

Lawrence, if you can not see that this entire 21st century smoking inquisition is about money and that you have been falsely convinced that you are in danger, then I feel sorry for you. But please spare me any more of your “contrived” facts about second hand smoke such as it being lethal at two hundred meters.

John Arnone
Yasothon

Congratulations Pattaya Immigration

Amazing Thailand

I had to visit immigration for my 90 day visa renewal today and since I last visited the entrance hall as been enlarged, there is no longer the scrambles and shambles to get the required queue number, the man giving out the tickets actually smiles, the front doors are kept closed so the air conditioning has a better chance of working and the staff seem a lot happier.

There is even a very pretty fish-tank under the different time zone clocks.

Congratulations Pattaya Immigration.

For someone who remembers the old Immigration in Pattaya it’s like comparing the Rocky Horror Show to Swan Lake.

Sincerely,
RW

Stick a fork in this one

Editor;

Re: the 4 June letter by John Arnone, today/tomorrow. I would understand the points in his letter (that no one wants a Pandora’s box or slippery slope to government restrictions on freedom of action, myself included) if he could understand the difference between harmless actions by others, like skydiving, drinking strawberry milkshakes, or for that matter any of the so called vices, as long as no others are harmed. And on the other side of this solid line, those actions by people that do have adverse effects on others. Ok, lets stick a fork in this one.

Lawrence Remington
Bangkok/Pattaya

Excellent idea spoilt

Dear Sir,

Just a brief letter regarding the two day market along Beach Road last Saturday and Sunday, designed to help traders who had suffered through the recent troubles.

I went with my wife around 7 p.m. and initially it was great. But as thousands of people descended on the stalls and were watching the music on stage it became increasingly difficult to move at times.

Why? Because the authorities and police allowed normal traffic on Beach Road and it soon became congested with SUV’s, baht buses and other traffic, forcing pedestrians to take evasive action. I actually saw two double decker coaches with a combined total of 13, yes 13, occupants creep down Beach Road with the occupants pressed up against the windows looking at the stalls as though they were at Khao Kheow Zoo, observing the animals.

Why could the police have not closed Beach Road to normal traffic except for baht buses?

If anyone is wondering, yes, I came to Pattaya by car but we left it the other side of Second Road and walked down to the beach. Did anyone else experience the same problem I have outlined? Such an excellent initiative somewhat spoilt.

Disappointed

Thank you for the support

Editor;

The Pollution Solution Group would like to thank all the wonderful people at Pattaya City Hall and the beach chair vendors, that are involved in the supporting of the Pollution Solution Group and KOTO, Keeper Of The Ocean, with their ongoing efforts, in making Pattaya and the rest of Thailand a environmentally clean and safe place for all to live, play and visit.

Without the support and friendship of Deputy Chief Administrator Apichart, Department Of Environmental Quality Promotion Umnat, Mayor Itthiphol and many others at Pattaya City Hall, the Pollution Solution Group, Gerry T. Rasmus. aka KOTO, would have never been able to continue doing their best, to educate the children and adults that live or visit Pattaya and other places in Thailand and would have never received an award from Governor Pracha Taerat of Chonburi in 2007 for KOTO’S and TPSG’S ongoing efforts, to educate the Thai’s and farangs to leave only footprints examples and smiles behind.

The Pollution Solution Group wishes all at Pattaya City Hall and Thailand, health, inner-wealth, happiness and peace.

With Aloha and Mahalo,
The Pollution Solution Group

Smoking pestilence

Sir;

It was rather whimsical of Mr. Arnone to claim that I missed the point of his letter since my response not only addressed his point but actually agreed with it. However, whilst deploring unnecessary government control I tried to explain that we need legislation when it comes to being protected from those who would harm us; such as smokers.

I absolutely agree with those who cite vehicle exhaust as dangerous but this has nothing to do with smoking and is simply a ruse to divert attention from the issue under discussion. Moreover, I have yet to find a Vauxhall or a Honda at the next table in a restaurant.

Mr. Arnone hides behind his reasonable argument about government interference to propagate his well known view of unrestricted smoking. That is why I responded to his letter and is probably why Mr. Remington did the same.

The fact remains that smoking constitutes a pestilence promoted by an empire no less evil and antisocial than that of the drug barons, except that it is currently legal. We should certainly refrain from trying to justify it or to undermine government legislation to restrict it.
Dr. M.

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