Reader's Opinion
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Help Please (18/07/2008 10:41:23)
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Author: Chris Walne
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Please help me. I am trying to contact my brother Michael Walne who is poorly and then I can return him home to the UK. He was in hospital and I understand that he walked out of the hospital on Thursday last and was trying to make his way to the airport. He is a good man and vulnerable. Please help me to find him. Chris Walne.
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Beach Toilets (07/07/2008 08:27:31)
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Author: Don Aleman
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People, particularly foreigners, have been pleading for public toilets for many years so I was pleasantly surprised to read that the local government was "planning" (translation = #36 on list of things to do), toilets on the beach area. I guess if you are on 2nd Road you could walk (swiftly) over to the beach but why "underground" which is 2 to 3 times the cost of above ground facilities and potentially dangerous? Leave it to the Government who, after doing nothing for years, will now (maybe) build palaces instead of standard facilities. Maybe they could co-ordinate with the Mayor's underground pedestrian tunnels plan or put the toilets overhead to connect up with his "Monorail" idea. I can see the construction companies lining up to submit bids on these projects now. Successful bids will guarantee work for their grand children in 2020! Don Aleman.
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Speculation (07/07/2008 08:22:18)
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Author: C. Elliott.
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I read the article in Pattaya People Weekly of 21/28 June with some interest and found the idea of a Think Tank very interesting. However your list of possible subjects for the Tank to consider seemed mostly trivial. The essential issue facing Pattaya is the future development of the area as defined by land development policies. If permission is given for continuing high-rise building, the place will simply become a soulless zombie land similar to other seaside disasters in the Americas. There are some high-quality and very attractive one or two storey resorts in Pattaya and Jomtien but these are dwarfed by a series of hideous 40 storey cement columns made up of small cement boxes. Pattaya has to stop the very rich becoming even richer at the expense of the normal citizen. C. Elliott.
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visa services (30/06/2008 22:52:53)
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Author: mark
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Just a warning for people wanting to get a visa for there Thai partners,i used a service in Pattaya and it seemed great until the visa was refused and on the add it said .no visa no fee ..no conditions?what a load of crap that was,i tryed to get my money back but as we all know in Thailand you have no chance of that,just an easy target we are for a con and nothing you can do about it,waste time talking to the British Embassy as they dont care they got the 30,000 baht fee and there are proberly taking a back hander off it anyway,better off doing it yourself rather than use one of these so called No Visa,No Fee,This is the second time ive wrote in about this and it wasnt published???why not??have i hit a nerve?? Mark
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Stray Dogs (27/06/2008 11:11:02)
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Author: A Reader.
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The endless sight of stray dogs on the roads is getting way too much. I am a very big dog lover and can’t stand them being on the roads – especially when some drunken Thai man walks by to kick it just because it looks dirty and stands in his way. There is one dog in front of the apartment that I am staying in temporarily while I am in Pattaya that is abandoned by his family. Even though his skin is not nice anymore you can still see that he used to be a Golden Retriever. I feed him everyday but that is all I can do because at the apartment pets are not allowed. Late at night, you can sometimes hear him being attacked by some drunken person. This is awful and hard to take in because I can’t go out to help since I don’t want to get into any trouble with them myself. All I can do is pray that one-day this dog would be loved by someone and give him a good home, and show him the true meaning of the word “family” again. I just wish that there were some kind of community coming in to take care of something like this for these poor loving animals. When I rented a house, I have been trying to find a dog for my children. I went through some of the places that call themselves “dog homes” and wanted to adopt a dog but what I saw was “dog jails”. They didn’t care for the dogs and leave them starving and biting each other. There is no separation of the puppies and the older dogs so the puppies were starving because the big dogs ate all the food. Those dogs are also not cured. Actually, in my opinion, these places should cure the animals when they take them into shelter – like their skin and wounds for example. I was very disappointed with what I found. At that time I was told to go to the temples because that’s another place where cruel hearted people abandon their dogs. The monks could only give them food, an area to walk, play, and sleep in because there’s no budget to do more. There were so many stray dogs and cats at the temple than I imagined. And luckily, there I found 2 puppies, which I adopted and until now have grown into lovely adult dogs that have grown up with my children. I just think that if there is a good dog’s home here, that truly love and care for dogs in the right way, it would be so helpful to these dogs and nice for all dog lovers like me.
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Thank You BHP (27/06/2008 11:10:00)
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Author: Ingrid Cunliffe
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On Monday 16th June I had a call from khun Wan, a resident from the Redemptorist Center and librarian at the North Star Library. She had a tooth complaint and thought to ring me due to me being the TOOTH FAIRY for the children at the FOUNTAIN OF LIFE CENTRE! A call to Bangkok Hospital Pattaya led to an appointment with Dr Porndee, who quickly realised that she needed to perform a root canal treatment and crown to stop the aching pain Khun Wan was experiencing. So over the next week and with 3 visits Khun Wan now has a dazzling smile, as the tooth was a front exposed tooth. The crown is the exact match and she is one very happy patient! I would like to thank Dr Tassanee, the Dental Director and Dr Porndee for the excellent service provided by the dental team and for the generosity in the assistance in paying the fees. As I visit the dental department on a regular basis, with the FOL kids and sometimes with my own children being in the hot white seat, I would just like to say thanks on behalf of the Fountain of Life for the wonderful service we receive. Some times it is not easy bringing the kids from the center but the great staff at the reception always makes it easy for me and has a helping hand or smile to help. We also recently had a visit from the dental team to the center to check all of the children and this was a great day with NO tears from any child, was great! Once again, thank you all so much. Ingrid Cunliffe.
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Thank You Don (27/06/2008 11:09:03)
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Author: Koto, Keeper of the Ocean.
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Aloha Khun Don Beckerman. In regards to your letter on 20/06/2008, First, Mahalo Nui Loa. (Thank You Very Much), for also being a concerned Individual. Like the Hump-Back Whale we are an endangered species in the Jomtien, Pattaya area, I have been dealing with City Hall for some time, talking about Storm Drains, Water Treatment, Jet Ski Operators changing their "OIL" into the Ocean or on the Beach, which gets into the Ocean. Boat Operators throwing trash overboard and many smokers flicking poison where children wildlife and waterways are at risk. You see Don, I'm a party of one. Now and again people assist me, which I'm grateful for. I have invested what baht I had into laminated posters which I have posted on both Jomtien and Pattaya Beach and other parts of Thailand. I wish I could say that I have moved mountains; all I know for sure is that I have changed the minds of many in the way they now think about flicking their toxic butts or leaving trash behind, Thai and Farang! If I can ever get City Hall to back my play, we will put a stop to the dumping of toxic garbage, polluting our waterways, keeping the Storm Drains clean and stenciling them with WARNING AND PICTURES, Imposing fines or impounding sea going Vessels. I'm starting to feel like that old song, “16 tons and what do you get, another day older and deeper in debt”. I ask myself would I do it over again and I find that you can be old and broke. If you exercise have your health and hear the cry of Mother Nature, you can push the envelope as Buddha and God walks with you. Tam Boon = Doing Good Deeds. We need people like you to assist in what ever way you can. Sorry to hear about your son. Also now with Digital Cameras, we have people throwing away lead and acid leaking batteries into the ocean, on the beach, parks, wherever pictures are taken. So now we must worry about unknowing children and wildlife ingesting toxic cigarette filters and acid with lead leaking batteries. Wow! we sure are looking out for all living things without a voice. Every place that sells Cigarettes and Batteries should have a large sign posted with warnings in Thai and English to protect the Children, Wildlife and Waterways. Thank You for your letter. One Beach at a time input, Khun Don Beckerman. May Health and Happiness be with us All. "The Life of the People is in the Heart and Land". Koto, Keeper of the Ocean.
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Think Tank (27/06/2008 11:08:17)
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Author: Richy.
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Hello PP, I was pleased and enthused by the "Think Tank" article and wish you every success in this endeavour. From my point I am the CEO of Nirvana Resorts which has hotel interests in Pattaya and Koh Chang and have lived in Pattaya for 10 years and owned property here for 20 years. I love this town, warts and all, and want every success for it. I am a regular letter contributor in my own name and also pseudonyms on some occasions where suited to most of the periodicals and weekly's. I am an experienced speaker and comfortable with interviews. I am an experienced biker and much associated with the Jesters charities and the organisation of Pattaya bike week with the Burapha M.C. I would like to be involved with the T.T. and regardless will send some input. All the best, Richy.
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Oklahoma Credit Card (27/06/2008 11:07:21)
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Author: G.R
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Oklahoma Credit Card Ah yes, back in the US we would call it the Oklahoma Credit Card, It consist of approximately 2 meters of hose, one end goes into your gas tank, other end into a gas can. At this time in life it is not a bad idea to invest in a locking gas cap. It is easy to pop the lid to get to your gas cap, double protection never hurt. A stitch in time saves nine and with the price of gas now, you can never be too safe. Also if you are a smoker it would be very nice of you if you would keep a small water bottle in your vehicle with a bit of water in it, then when you finish smoking you can put the toxic filter into the water bottle, cap it. Fire is out and no smell! Happy trails. G.R
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Keeper of the Ocean (20/06/2008 06:54:11)
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Author: Don Beckerman.
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Sir, I have been following your correspondence of concern about the condition of the Gulf of Thailand and share your desire to clean up the beach and water of the wonderful resource with which we have been blessed. I would like to suggest you expand your approach and focus simultaneously on the much greater problem of endemic pollution which is ignored by all of us. Last week my son and friends went fishing with poles and a net on the beach in front of our condo in Jomtien. They had a wonderful time cavorting in the water and, although I suggested they not put their heads under the water, they simply couldn’t help themselves and did so continuously, cavorting as only the young can do. Several days later my son developed a nasty stye in his eye and, so far, has had to see a doctor two times. His stye had to be lanced and he had to take antibiotics. This little escapade has cost more than 5,000 Baht. I asked the doctor if this was a common occurrence for people swimming in the Gulf and she said that it was. While they were swimming I noticed that the water was full of plastic and other garbage that fouled their net and their fishing lines. I had thought that the buildings along the beach no longer put raw sewage into the water but now I am not sure that this is the case. I do know for sure, however, that there is no facility in Pattaya that is set up for boaters to pump out “black water” (sewage). That means that every fishing boat and every boat catering to the tourist trade is in the practice of dumping their sewage overboard. This is also true for those boaters who are not conscientious enough to bring their regular garbage back to port to dispose of properly and merely toss it overboard. Thus we have waters in which we swim and fish contaminated by every nasty bacteria the human species is capable of producing with our waste products. So, it is not enough to pick-up the butts and bottles that contaminate our beaches. We need to address the larger picture which causes a truly significant amount of illness directly through water contact. Best wishes in your endeavors. Don Beckerman.
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