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Regarding closing times

Editor;

Regarding “Closing times” by Peter Forrester, United Kingdom: You say that closing the bars at 02.00 will increase tourism in Pattaya? What a na๏ve person you are. Myself and many friends have been visiting Thailand and in particular Pattaya for nearly 30 years. Since the bars started to close at 02.00 many of my friends (including me for some time), stopped visiting all together.

We use to really enjoy the nightlife and the freedom to socialise without being told to stop at certain times; we never got “wasted” or caused problems. Despite being out in the early hours of the morning and spending some serious cash in the process!, we never “slept all day” and enjoyed the freedom that Pattaya had to offer.

Now the opening hours seem to have relaxed a little, I have seen more and more “ex regular” visitors returning to Pattaya together with people who wouldn’t visit before because of such legislation. The last thing Pattaya needs now is another clamp down on the times bars close. It may have escaped your notice but Pattaya and Thailand as a whole needs to entice the tourist not put them off. If you think it’s too noisy in the town, then stay outside where it’s quieter, but please don’t ask for the individual’s choice to be taken away again!

I am approaching my 50’s now but do not feel the need for co-co and biscuits before bedtime just yet!

Just enjoy yours, somewhere quieter perhaps?
Glen
England


Caveat Emptor (buyer beware)

Hello Pattaya Mail,

I would like to send this along, and hopefully this will be printed in an upcoming edition. This is a warning for future home buyers that want to add a swimming pool. We, my wife (Thai) and I bought a home in Pattaya, and wanted a swimming pool in the garden. We contacted several companies in the area that do this type of work, and chose one that was recommended by the builder of our village.

The pool company man, with his proposal, stated that we would have a salt chlorinator, filter and pumps made in Australia installed. The pool was completed in February 2010. I requested he provide when the pool was completed, the owners and maintenance manuals for the equipment, electrical schematics for the control box, and general layout of the piping for the pool, and to date I am still waiting for these items.

I had been working out of Thailand, and have recently retired, so I did not pay close attention to the people that came to do the pool maintenance and cleaning. I had noticed the sand wash and tiles around the pool were starting to discolor. I contacted the pool company to come and look at this, as they have been contracted to maintain and clean the pool, and after several broken appointments, I am still waiting for them to come, and now they will not take any calls or answer any text messages from my wife or I either.

I have recently found on the web, the owners and maintenance manual for the salt chlorinator (made in Australia), but could not find the pertinent information for the sand filter or pumps. I sent an e-mail to a friend that lives in Australia, to help me source this information, since I have stopped the pool people from coming to the house. I received an e-mail recently with the information, and found out the filter and pumps are made in China. Now I am stuck with inferior products that were not in the proposal or to my wanting.

This is a warning to people to make sure they gather all the facts before hiring anyone to do this type of contract work. Caveat emptor, or buyer beware!

Robert (Bob) De Angel
Pattaya


Goodbye garbage, for now

Dear Editor,

I must admit to being pleasantly surprised today while heading in to Pattaya along the new section of the motorway between 36 and Sukhumvit Rd; there on either side were small groups of persons, including an officer in brown and a pickup truck with each group; harvesting some of the plethora of garbage that has accumulated since the road opened not so long ago; go for it please but it needs it every day. You can even see rotten rubbish furniture dumped along there.

I was almost equally surprised to be welcomed to a green light at a “right turn” onto Sukhumvit Rd; they have finally opened it; wonder how long that lasts.

Keep up the good work.

Cheers,
Fallangpakwan


Human Rights - A central concern for the global HIV response

On World AIDS Day 2010, the global community focused attention on protecting human rights of all people affected by HIV.

Health, HIV and human rights are inextricably linked. HIV responses need to ensure that human rights are protected and promoted. At the same time, the promotion and protection of human rights reduces HIV risk and vulnerability and makes HIV programs more effective. Those populations most vulnerable and at risk of HIV are often the same populations prone to human rights violations. HIV policies and programs in the health sector must promote human rights and empower individuals to exercise their rights.

The right to health is central to the HIV response. While we are encouraged by news that HIV epidemics are stabilizing in most regions of the world, it is clear that too many people still do not have access to essential HIV services that can prevent HIV infections and save lives. Antiretroviral treatment is still only available to one third of people in need. Even with the expansion of programs to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV, in 2009 only 53% of pregnant women living with HIV were able to access treatment to prevent their infants from becoming infected.

Populations most at risk of HIV infection, including injecting drug users, sex workers, men who have sex with men and transgender people are also those populations who have the least access to much needed HIV prevention, treatment and care services. For example, coverage of harm reduction programs remained limited in 2009. Among 92 countries that reported, 36 had needle and syringe programs and 33 offered opioid substitution therapy.

People living with HIV should not only enjoy their right to health but also their right to access crucial social services such as education, employment, housing, social security and even asylum in some cases. Ensuring the rights of people living with HIV is good public health practice, by improving the health and well-being of those affected and by making prevention efforts more effective. A wide range of countries have enacted legislation to prevent discrimination against people living with HIV. However, in many cases, there is poor enforcements of such laws and stigmatization of people living with HIV and most-at-risk populations persist.

HIV-related stigma and discrimination continue to undermine HIV responses. The fear of being shunned by their families and friends, marginalized in their communities or denied employment and other services is often the reason why people do not present for HIV testing or attend HIV services. All too often it is the negative attitudes and behaviors of health workers that make health services inaccessible and unacceptable to those people at greatest risk of HIV infection and in greatest need of prevention, treatment and care services. People living with HIV, drug users, sex workers and men who have sex with men should be able to attend health services where they feel safe and are ensured the best possible and non-judgmental care.

The failure to promote and protect human rights increases vulnerability and can drive HIV epidemics. In sub-Saharan Africa, women and girls are particularly vulnerable to HIV; 80% of all women living with HIV are in this region. In Eastern Europe, over 50% of HIV cases are among people who inject drugs. In France, Netherlands and Spain, between 1/3 and 3/4 of new HIV infections are concentrated among migrants.

On the eve of a new decade, we need to address laws, policies, and regulations that increase HIV vulnerability and risk, impede access to health services or infringe on human rights, particularly for vulnerable and most-at-risk populations. In nearly 80 countries, same-sex sexual relations are criminalized, with 6 countries applying the death penalty. In over 50 countries and territories, there are restrictions on travel and residence for people living with HIV. In many countries drug users are sent to prison or compulsory rehabilitation programs rather than being provided with effective treatment. The health sector has a critical role to play in promoting public health approaches and arguments when laws are made and strategies developed by other sectors.

Today, I call on all sectors to protect human rights, including the right to health, and to combat discrimination. Working with people living with HIV is critical for an effective HIV response and Member States need to be mindful of the commitments made in the 2006 Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS to promote better legal and social environments for people to access HIV testing, prevention and treatment.

WHO is firmly committed to the goal of achieving universal access to key HIV services. However, this will not be possible unless we make sure that the human rights of everyone, everywhere, are protected and promoted.
Dr Margaret Chan,
Director-General, World Health Organization


HEADLINES [click on headline to view story]

Regarding closing times

Caveat Emptor (buyer beware)

Goodbye garbage, for now

Human Rights - A central concern for the global HIV response


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

It is noticed that the letters herein in no way reflect the opinions of the editor or writers for Pattaya Mail, but are unsolicited letters from our readers, expressing their own opinions. No anonymous letters or those without genuine addresses are printed, and, whilst we do not object to the use of a nom de plume, preference will be given to those signed.

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