 |
|
 |
| Mail Bag |
|
|
|
Noise control act needed
Editor;
Just off Soi Wat Boon Jomtien, a carnival/fairground & market has moved in
about 100 meters from my condo. The noise is horrendous, from afternoon till
after midnight, and let’s not forget the road is dangerous now, with all the
traffic making it difficult to get across.
I accept I am a guest in your country, for the past 10 years, and have very
few complaints about living here. But, the lack of control of noise has
always puzzled me. Why do Thais not complain? It must bother them as much as
me.
With pick-ups wandering around streets with loud, loud speakers, these kids
in there over the top Harley tractors, open bars & karaoke places playing
loud music till the wee hours, we all need our sleep, has there ever been a
noise control act passed by previous government?
Matt Jomtien
What postal service?
Editor;
Last week, I went into the post office on Sukhumvit Rd, Jomtien to ask why I
was not receiving my mail. I asked to speak to the manager, and was shown to
his office. I asked why I had not received my TOT bills for the last 3
months, and now my True Vision bill was missing. Documents from the UK had
not arrived either. Why? He asked me to follow him into the sorting area,
which was absolute bedlam. It amazed me how anything ever got delivered.
There were TOT envelopes, and stacks of True Vision magazines everywhere.
There was more mail than floor. He then pointed to a wall, a very large
wall, and covering that wall there were dozens, and dozens of sacks full of
mail yet to be sorted, never mind delivered. He said, “Oh madam, Thailand
have big problems.” He wasn’t kidding.
He proceeded to tell me that they had been there many weeks, and judging by
the delay in my post, and many other people’s, I reckon he must have got the
words, ‘weeks’, and ‘months’ muddled up.
If you are a resident of the Huay Yai district or Na Jomtien area, and you
are not getting your mail delivered, then this is the reason. I have
complained, but one voice is not enough. If more of us complain to them, and
to the main postal service in BKK, then maybe, just maybe, someone will do
something about it, because it’s very obvious that the post office on
Sukhumvit Rd couldn’t care less.
E. Denning
|
|
Pets in condominium
Editor,
I’m living in one of the condos in a huge compound located along Chaiyapruk
Road in South Jomtien. Lately, the manager and his committee have decided to
prohibit pets inside the condominium. I have received, included in the
monthly bill, a 1000 baht fine for my dog, on the same document than the
other service charges, water, etc… and I’m practically sure that this fine
will also be monthly. What am I supposed to do?
It seems to me that the first set of regulations issued at the time of the
constitution of a condominium should be forever the law concerning the
presence of pets in this condominium. If these first regulations say no, a
owner has every right to be angry if dogs appear after a few years in
numbers. On the other hand, and precisely in my case, a pet owner who has
checked that nothing was said about pets in the first regulations, should
not be compelled to give up his dog, because some rogues in a committee,
whose elections are overdue, by the way, have said so.
My poodle does not bark and I carry him when crossing the compound, so no
noises or faeces to complain about. It’s not a fine about nuisances, but
about the presence of the dog. I’m a co-owner and cannot move. Has anybody
seen this kind of situation in any other Pattaya condos? Any legal advice is
welcome, please.
Francois
|
|
Don’t allow drunks to drive jet skis
Dear Sir;
For the last 7 years I have enjoyed holidaying in Pattaya several times each
year, and during the festival occasions, including the New Year Songkran
water capers. While this is an occasion of great fun for the local people,
with many foreign tourists joining in, some people on holidays, as expected,
do over-indulge in alcohol, and while this is generally harmless, accidents
can happen.
On Wednesday 18 April I had beachfront chairs about 100 metres south of the
music & foam stage in Pattaya, where the ocean was occupied all along by
hundreds of young swimmers, unprotected from any wayward jet ski, by any
barrier there, for swimmers only.
In front of me were two very intoxicated young males of perhaps Indian
appearance, lying fully clothed with shoes on, in the water, and unable to
stand up or walk straight. They staggered to a moored jet ski, tried to
mount it, then removed the life jackets.
They then spoke to the lady in charge of jet skis, seemingly to hire it, and
at this stage I intervened to say they were too drunk and an accident could
happen to swimmers which I would report. The lady agreed. An older colleague
of the two drunken foreigners also seemed to discourage the two young
foreigners without success, as they then managed to hire two jet skis to
self drive from another Thai male jet ski hirer.
Details of the hirers seemed to be recorded by the hirer, but I doubt they
had jet ski experience. From watching them on-shore their older colleague on
shore also looked anxious, and also the boats’ hirer. When they were coming
back in about 15 minutes later on their return one of the drivers passed me
and I said, “Well Done, you did not kill anyone,” – No reply from him!
My point in writing this letter to your paper is intended to be as a warning
that drunk patrons do not intend any damage, and while chances of accidents
may be slim, they can and do happen.
In Australia severe licensing restrictions would prevent operators hiring as
above, with severe penalties for both hirers and users breaking the law, and
in the case of a serious accident, possible jail term.
Thailand is very friendly and tolerant of excess behaviour by foreign
tourists, but operators should take care for their own citizens too, to
avoid accidents. My view is the male operator who hired the jet skis to the
two drunken foreigners, should have his rights, or license to hire, reviewed
or suspended.
Also, if a serious accident had occurred who would (or could) pay
compensation to victims of a serious accident?
I hope you find the info herein of interest for a news article even if only
to protect innocent swimmers. I do note the jet ski operators boat crew
themselves are good drivers, not necessary the customers.
Yours Faithfully
K. Reid
|
|
Soi Chaiyapoon is a disgrace
Dear Sir,
In relation to the absolute disgrace of the road surface in Soi Chaiyapoon,
that road was resurfaced prior to 23-12-2010. Since then it was patched up
23-12-2010, 22-6-2011, and 14-12-2011. Today it looks like a bomb has gone
off. What a total waste of council money. Someone in city hall should be
held accountable for this. The only good thing, it slows the motor bikes
down.
Regards,
TW
Bikers in Thailand
Editor;
I would stress that my options in this letter are purely my own. It was with
some surprise and regret I read the recent statement by Kim Kiver, head of
National Investigations centres of the Danish police, with reference to
bikers in Thailand. He stated in the newspaper Politiken, “Motorcycle gangs
can forget setting up their criminal activities in Thailand. There are no
motorcycle gangs in Thailand as far as I know; however, there are some 500
MC’s or motorcycle clubs ranging from young rider classic clubs up to the
full on Harley Davidson clubs.”
Mr. Kiver appears to emulate the position of a new sheriff in town
determined to clean up society and get rid of the bad guys. It would appear
that the MC’s he has in his sights are the Hells Angels and Bandidos.
Firstly the Bandidos have to think back some 10 years to recall setting up
in Thailand. With chapters in Chiang Mai, Kamphangphet, Pattaya and
Chumphon, they are principally a Thai club by membership. I have always
found them to be polite, intelligent and fully integrated into the Thailand
biker community. The Hells Angels have indeed set up a chapter this year but
have been coming here for years and it may surprise or even dismay Mr Kiver
to learn that here in Thailand the two clubs appear to co -exist rather
well.
I doubt Mr Kiver attended or even knows of the superb Burapha Pattaya Bike
week festival in Feb. Over 2 days some 50,000 people attended this festival
which included both Bandidos and Hells Angels and I can report that Burapha
MC the organisers reported not one single case of violence or bad behaviour.
This celebration involved some 26 different countries attending and bikers
from all over SE Asia rode to Pattaya to attend. It was a festival of peace
designed to bring together bikers of different nations, races and creeds. It
was the 15th such festival and achieved its aims quite brilliantly and can
be considered a credit to the biker community, to Pattaya and indeed
Thailand. The event is also attended by dignitaries from various countries.
Bikers in Thailand are proud of the integration of foreigners and Thais
within their numbers and also the integration of members from differing
countries. Riding is the name of the game and Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia,
Laos and now even Burma have opened their doors to bikers from Thailand who
further spread the message of camaraderie and peace.
Thailand is not like Europe and America. It has some of the best riding in
the world and a good free feeling about it. Bikers like it and don’t want to
lose or screw around with what they have. The bike scene is no more than
fifteen years old but has developed in this peaceful way and I feel their is
a respect and desire to keep things as they are, by every biker that comes
here to settle. Some “Lone Ranger” figure from Denmark with his warmongering
approach is not needed here. I am sure the Thai police are perfectly capable
of taking care of business where necessary. The biker clubs themselves can
police within their ranks quite adequately if need be.
Let us not forget that Thailand has the Siam Union of Motorcycle clubs which
also keeps an overall eye on things. Finally, it is dangerous to judge the
book by the cover, to stereotype people who have a different lifestyle.
Bikers don’t brag about their charity work they just quietly get on with it.
If Mr Kiver wants to raise his game from National to International Crime
Investigator may I suggest taking a good look at white collar crime in
Thailand where I am sure he will soon find some big fish basking in the
shallows!
Richy
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
