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Understanding English (07/12/2007 04:15:11)
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Author: Don Aleman
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I don't know why I, and other foreigners, send "letters" as our comments/questions/complaints and yes, even compliments, are in English. Most Thais cannot understand English in spite of some 300 English teachers here and notwithstanding the fact that 97% of us foreigners speak it. The new police chief cannot, the Mayor cannot; most of the people providing services cannot. Since the only ones who our letters are directed to, do not get the message, why write at all? Not once, in spite of some great suggestions and ideas, have I ever read about a Thai authority figure say "Wow, that is a great idea!". Nor have I ever seen one of the submissions implemented. Remember that not all of us are beer swigging, bar hopping, "butterflies". Many writers are university educated, some industry leaders, educators, and professionals in many fields. I will be forming a new club soon who will address this and other problem areas and will be comprised of action people; that is to say, people who get things done. Our present clubs are mostly social gatherings. English speaking Thais and foreigners will be welcome and meeting results/minutes will be translated and distributed to those who can bring about change. Don Aleman.
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Pickpockets! (07/12/2007 04:13:26)
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Author: Cees Hoeboer.
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I was sitting alone in a baht bus when two ladies joined the bus. One of them sat down next to me and the other one opposite her. I thought: “How strange that she does not step into the bus to take an empty seat but instead was pushing herself on the little space left next to me”. She carried a black plastic bag which she placed partly on my lap. At the moment that I reached for the bell to stop the bus I felt a hand touching me. I grabbed the hand just when she opened my pocket. She started screaming as if I was attacking her! (It seems it is their standard trick). I was shocked and got nervous but noticed that her hand was empty and I felt that the folded Baht notes were still in my pocket. I went to the driver and told him that there was a lady pickpocket in the back seat. I accepted his offer to bring her to the police station and walked down Soi 5. Then I realized that he probably would let her go rather than having her arrested. Therefore: Put your money in a safer place and move away from people that are getting too close to you.
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Attention Beachgoers (07/12/2007 04:12:20)
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Author: Koto
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Aloha and Attention Beach-goers. If you are one who goes bare foot in the sand, "Attention beach-goers", Be aware of all the banana leaves on the beach, as many if not most have rusting nails, pins and staples in them, from our Loy Krathong party. Most of the Krathongs were made from banana stalks for the floating part, instead of foam which pollutes our water ways, (Thank you)! But almost all of the leaves have rusting nails, pins, and staples (No thank you)! And if you step on one, you might get an infection. What I have been doing each day, as they continue to wash up on the shore line, is to pull out all of the danger and let the leaf stay as it is biodegradable. Children are at most risk, so when you put your footsteps in the sand, would you please reach out and remove the danger. Let me be the first to wish you all a Mele KaliKimaka and have a Hauoli Makahiki Hou, (Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year). May health and happiness be with you and yours! Your friend, Koto.
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Visa Woes (30/11/2007 07:11:55)
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Author: N.-A. Anakha-Lindh
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With a view to the page VISA & IMMIGRATION: VISA CHANGES AND NEW PROCEDURES. I hereby try again to draw attention to the serious visa problems many foreigners got recently because Thai immigration laws and policies and practices are insufficient, too simplistic and money-utility-oriented with too little consideration to individuals and humans. I could mention many types of cases here of foreign immigrants unjustifiably suffered while there must be some solution to their problems. But for the sake of clarity I will very briefly describe my own such troubles. I have been 12 years in this country with 8 years on a continued marriage visa. After necessarily having to divorce, the only possible visa for me was a retirement visa; but suddenly that means a demand for altogether 800,000 baht a year in capital and income. It would be interesting to hear a sound explanation why somebody that’s been married to a Thai for 8 years should have any money left or capital saved? I'm misfortuned in the way that I have a relatively low pension for being a farang living here, but still it surpasses the average income of a Thai about 4-5 times. That money was good enough as soon as it was helpful to Thai nationals but not enough; so I was in practice kicked out of the country! I was denied any kind of one-year-visa because of formal, and real of course, lack of money on a bank account and nobody could lend me money in this time of need! To put this short, I want to protest against all this. It's wrong, immoral, inhuman and disgusting! There are insufficiencies in Thai immigration laws and policies that strikes hard, as to a foreigner, his closest and dearest which may be children for instance! It seems like there does not exist any kind of acceptance of immigrants on basis of how they are adjusted and integrated and responsible in their living here! Where is justice? It looks even hard to get letters published about this! Why? And then we have the national armada of private visa-consuls. Nobody like that has ever been able to help me even though they boast wildly! And what do our own embassies do? Nothing! And why can't the expat organisations try to put these problems on their agendas?
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Noisy Construction (30/11/2007 07:11:14)
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Author: D. Aleman.
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Why do the authorities allow the noisy construction work on Soi 1, reportedly a Holiday Inn, to continue until midnight, sometimes even later, 7 days a week? One cannot sleep or even spend an evening on the balcony and this will continue for at least another year! D. Aleman.
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A Clean Beach (26/11/2007 03:37:35)
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Author: Koto,
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Aloha and Wow! My name is Gerry aka Koto, keeper of the ocean. I earned that name due to the fact that I clean the Jomtien Beach daily for the past 5+ years and posting signs, in Thai and English, along with pictures, and I have found that these past few weeks, the beach at Jomtien has been almost perfect as far as trash is concerned. It was normal for me to pick up 200+ kilos of trash in a 2 - 3 hour period, which was mostly plastic, cigarettes and bottle caps. Now it only takes me a little over an hour and I pick up about 20 kilos of waste mostly cigarettes, packages that they came in and bottle caps. Very little plastic! I ask myself, is it due to the fact that I have won? Except for the smokers, whatever the case is. (It’s a wonderful thing). The water is also cleaner than has been in the past. If you have been thinking about going to the beach, now is the time. I want to thank all of the people that have decided to use the dumpster (dust bin) instead of leaving it on the beach. I still need to educate the smokers. Again I take my hat off to Mayor Niran Wattanasartsatorn, with his promoting environmentally friendly "Green" Krathongs and other items such as cups, bowls and plates at the international food festival, I pray to Buddha and God that, what the Mayor has said, will also be heard by the people that make and sell them to everyone else, not just for the baht, but for taking care of our environment, make them with Tam Boon in mind. All living things will thank you, also think about the next day after Loy Krathong and do you part by (Waster-Sizing) Bending at the waist to pick up the waste and getting rid of both. Loy Krathong is for love and friendship and we also need to have a love and friendship with Mother Nature, as she makes it possible for all of us to be here and now, May health and happiness be with you all. "The life of the people is in the land" Koto, Keeper of the ocean
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Computer Virus (26/11/2007 03:36:32)
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Author: CNN.
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A warning to all readers with computers and laptops! A new virus has just been discovered that has been classified by Microsoft as the most destructive ever. This virus was discovered yesterday afternoon by McAfee. This virus simply destroys Sector Zero from the hard disk, where vital information for its functioning is stored. This virus acts in the following manner: It sends itself automatically to all contacts on your list with the title: “You've received a Post Card from a Family member”. As soon as the supposed virtual card is opened the computer freezes so that the user has to reboot. When the ctrl + alt + delete keys or the reset button are pressed, the virus destroys Sector Zero, thus permanently destroying the hard disk. Yesterday in just a few hours this virus caused panic in New York, according to news broadcast by CNN.
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Congratulations From Bangkok Post (26/11/2007 03:35:35)
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Author: Bangkok Post
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November 16, 2007 Dear Mr. Colov, On behalf of The Post Publishing Company, we would like to congratulate Pattaya People Newspaper as the Number 1 Choice for the most read newspaper in Pattaya. In addition, we would like to thank you for your appreciation that we are part of your success in this. Even though the first printing operation in terms of technical issues of the new machine made a lot of troublesome matters which we would like to apologize for that period, we eventually can pass it through very well with our both sides cooperation. At this moment, we are proud to inform that our new web printing machine is one of the most advanced technologies located in Thailand. The quality of Bangkok Post Newspaper and Post Today including Pattaya People Newspaper can be truly proved. Finally, we are very pleased to provide the printing service for printing Pattaya People Newspaper and also looking forward to having more chances for further projects from your company. Cheers!! Best regards, Pichaya Chulasiri General Manager Allied Printers Department
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The World is not your Ashtray (15/11/2007 12:44:38)
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Author: Koto
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This is not directed to the few of you that smoke and dispose of your toxic filters in a proper manner. Thank you for that, it means that you understand that you’re killing yourself and you don't want to impose your problems on others, again thank you. This is directed to the people that know that they are killing themselves and want to pass their killing, dirty habit, to the rest of us. "SHAME ON YOU". Every time you flick your toxic cigarette filter into our streets, storm drains, water ways, beaches, countryside, you are passing on your poison to the rest of us. Baby's that play on the beach, in the park, wherever, your toxic filters are on the ground and some children not knowing better put this poison into their mouths and many get sick, or even die. Do you want that on your mind when "YOU" flick your poison? Many (trillions) of filters find their way into our waterways from the rain, or people flicking them into our storm drains. Killing all types of fish, dolphins, crabs, clams, plants, birds and on and on, "YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE". Get a life and quit upsetting ours, we don't care if you can't quit killing yourself; that's up to you, but we do care if you’re contaminating our oceans, lakes, streams and so on. Long after you’re dead, from smoking, we still must put up with your toxic filters, which will outlive you. Please get a life and quit messing up ours. Keep your butts to yourself. The world is not your ashtray. Don't be a girlie boy and say there is no place to put my butt, PACK IT IN, PACK IT OUT, Bring a zip lock bag with you. (or just quit). In Bangkok, it is a 500 baht fine for flicking their toxic cigarette filters into the streets. I pray to Buddha and God that they start imposing that type of fine here in Pattaya. If they did, we could feed all of the poor and give them all safe motorcycle helmets. Wake up City Hall! You smokers have also contributed in making all of our water unsafe to drink and many people can't afford bottled water. I have picked up hundreds of thousands of toxic filters, when are you going to? It’s not too late to change your stinking bad habit. All living things will thank you. You will thank you. May health and happiness be with you and yours. "JUST DO IT"
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In the Dark (15/11/2007 12:43:52)
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Author: Bob, Pattaya
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Global warming still is a hot issue around the world. In Thailand, the Scientific Community of the World have allowed the people of Thailand and other countries, believe that turning off 1 or 2 light bulbs in areas not needing light, will help control Global Warming. But that is not true! Turning off a few light bulbs in every household in a country like Thailand has not been scientifically shown to slow down Global Warming. Common sense shows that the sources of Greenhouse Gases are enormous, especially when compared to the savings of turning off light bulbs. For instance, a modern coal burning electric generating plant of 385 megawatts, using the latest technology to make it climate friendly, will emit 3.7 million tons of Carbon Dioxide and other gases in the air. That is millions of tons, compared to what a few million light bulbs use. Coal burning generating plants are being built worldwide in an effort to save on costs and oil use. In China alone, newspaper reports say they are opening a new Coal Powered Generating Plant per week. So there is no need for the people in Thailand and rest of the world to live in the dark until the Scientific Community gives us some perspective as to how much greenhouse gases will be reduced by turning off light bulbs.
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