Reader's Opinion
post opinion
|
A Day in Pattaya (14/07/2007 06:25:00)
|
|
Author: John.
|
|
This is to warn people about an incident that happened to me recently. After parking my new Honda CVR bike, worth 70,000 baht, at a famous temple in Pattaya and paying the security guard and receiving a yellow ticket, my girlfriend and myself left to go to shopping. However, forgetting something we returned 20 minutes later to find the bike missing. The ignition had been locked but not the wheel lock, thinking it safe with a security guard there. After talking to the guard, he suddenly got angry and hit me to the ground and started kicking me until I passed out. I did not hit back. As my girlfriend was phoning the police, the man dragged me outside and tried to take the parking ticket. Of course, when the police arrived the guard denied everything and even brought forward a witness, who wasn’t present at the beating, and claimed that I hit out first. I had a black eye and couldn’t walk and spent a week in the Memorial Hospital. The long and the short of it is that the guard still works at the temple and I have heard no more from the police in the case. Another thing to be careful of is to check your insurance policy. As mine was written in Thai, I soon discovered that the dealer had botched it by giving me 3rd party instead of full cover.
|
|
|
Dont Count Your Chickens (14/07/2007 06:24:13)
|
|
Author: KOTO
|
|
Aloha I'm sure there are some of you over here that are waiting for a loved one to pass, as they had made a will and you are on it. I find when we move out of our Country, family members tend to forget us. A good example is when my parents made out their will 20 years ago. I was to receive everything except 5% which would go to my niece. My father, rest his soul, at the age of 94 changed his will 2 months before he went to that island in the sky and I got the 5%. Don't count your chickens before they hatch, or wait till the fat lady sings. Better yet, when the baht is in your, or in most cases, her hand; remember the life of the people is in the land. Waster-size, bend at the waist to pick up the waste and get rid of both.
|
|
|
Irish or British? (14/07/2007 06:22:52)
|
|
Author: John Chiang Mai.
|
|
I must object to the comment made in your recent Quiz Page (issue 88) that no self-respecting Irishman would call themselves British! I can immediately think of at least a million. Not only are these Irish men and women proud to be British, but they have recently gone through a 30 year war with the IRA to make sure they stay British.
|
|
|
Fierce Dog Attack! (14/07/2007 06:21:52)
|
|
Author: Wieringen. Amsterdam.
|
|
Regarding the fierce dog attack on the German resident in Jomtien! This is a very serious crime! Why don't the Police act? If you wounded somebody with a knife you can go to jail. This is the same! Where are the Police in this case? R. van Wieringen. Amsterdam.
|
|
|
Beaches/KOTO (22/06/2007 17:58:10)
|
|
Author: Beachgoers
|
|
Hi Koto: Thanks for your efforts of cleaning our beaches. You are so right. The beaches are deteriorating daily. It is disgusting what you can find in and out of the water. From dead rats, excrements, any kind of garbage to lots and lots of broken glass, mainly from beer bottles. There is a German that is picking up broken glass within the tidal area along the far end of Jomtien daily. He fills a plastic bag daily! The same situation on Samet beaches, where a friend was told by locals, that the glass was thrown in the water so Falangs cut their feed! Lovely hosts. Best of luck to you, unfortunately yours is a battle impossible to win. "Beachgoers"
|
|
|
Public Transport (16/06/2007 04:47:28)
|
|
Author: ARAYAH & TIDA
|
|
I just read recently in local papers about the yearly meeting of "Pattaya Baht-Bus Drivers". Even though there were representatives of Chonburi Transport Authority Office, Tourist Police, City Hall administrators attending that meeting I guess that still (after about 30 years) nobody can or want to do something about the very unsatisfying conditions the public are suffering from the "public transport". We can still notice the very "special" circumstances under which those "baht-bus-drivers" can work (almost all are turning a blind eye because of shortsighted self-interest etc). Remember that, especially, foreigners/farangs/tourists have complained justifiably in local media for decades that these baht-bus-drivers regularly, systematically and daily cheat, defraud and steal money from foreigners 1) by charging them a higher fee on regular routes (which is illegal), 2) by taking advantage of their general ignorance of taxis and public transport costs in the country and 3) by many other dirty tricks like driving away without giving change etc and besides they still dare to be rude to foreigners living here permanently who just pay the legal fares. Anyone with some experience and a brain can easily conclude that "The baht-bus-system" in Pattaya 1) goes on high-speed to cheat foreigners; 2) does not allow sound competition between different modes of public transport; 3) refuses to use taxi-meters or let metered taxis work in Pattaya; 4) are "allowed" to run public transport without announcing the fares clearly in Thai and English (which is against the law). The backward and corrupt public transport in Pattaya is a burden for both Thaïs and foreigners; the public is cheated out of their money. They are ignored the right to normal comfort and worst of all the baht-bus dominance is a risk to people’s health and life. Please give Pattaya people their right to proper corrupt free public transport! Let's fight against ignorance, greed and selfishness on every level to the betterment of society and individuals!
|
|
|
Silence Is Not an Option (16/06/2007 04:41:17)
|
|
Author: KOTO
|
|
Aloha, I would like to share with you some points of interest that you should be aware of. I am known as KOTO, "Keeper of the ocean". I clean the beach at Jomtien daily, which gives me hands on information. I have watched this ocean get worse every month in this past 5 years. Garbage is being dumped into our ocean, some jet-ski owners are changing the oil into the ocean; some vendors rake the garbage into the ocean. Our ocean is one of the main players in keeping us alive; when it dies, we follow. We have a major problem in the Jomtien and Pattaya area. I clean a small area, 2 kilometers and at times it takes me 5 hours to clean 1 kilometer of plastic bags, toxic cigarette filters, batteries from digital cameras, rope, nets, dead fish, crabs and clams to list a few. The plastic bags get buried in the sand and kills above and below, clams, crabs, fish, plant life, and so on. The toxic cigarette filters which have doubled due to more bans on indoor smoking is polluting our water ways, also killing our sea food. Many people cannot afford bottled water and are getting sick from polluted water, not to mention our children playing on the beach with rotting fish, crabs, star fish, toxic cigarette filters and acid leaking batteries. I have put up posters in all of Pattaya and Jomtien Beach area. I now ask for your help. I have the power to put this all together, but I''m running out of Baht. We need to have large cement ash trays, with sand, sign and a picture. We need more garbage cans, with signs and pictures. We need to impose Fines and educate those that: 1. Dump garbage into the ocean and storm drains. 2. Leave garbage behind. 3. Flick their cigarette filters, all trashing our Planet. Help me jump start this and the people that we Fine will support the rest of it, I have some people interested at City Hall, now if I can get your interest we will have a game plan. If you’re ever going to walk the walk before you die, now is the time. The life of the people is in the land, Reach out and give me a hand. Mahalo Nui Loa, (Thank You Very Much). Is any body out there? KOTO pollutionsolutionthailand@yahoo.com, 089-8977816
|
|
|
Calling All Irishmen (16/06/2007 04:38:58)
|
|
Author: Andrea McCartney
|
|
I'm writing from Double Band Films, an award winning independent film company based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. We make documentaries for Channel Four, BBC, and RTE. I'm currently researching a programme idea about the Irish in Thailand. We hope to feature businessmen and expats but, in particular, we're looking for Irishmen who are looking for or have found love in Thailand. Maybe they have a girlfriend; maybe they are soon to be married. We'd love to hear from any Irish man who is following his heart to Thailand. If you are an Irish man and interested in an initial casual chat about the programme, please contact Andrea McCartney at amccartney@doublebandfilms.com or 02890 243331. Any help would be appreciated. Andrea McCartney Double Band Films www.doublebandfilms.com
|
|
|
Jomtien Condotel (16/06/2007 04:37:11)
|
|
Author: John
|
|
Your article on the construction of an 8 floor condo by Indochine asset
management at Jomtien Condotel drew my attention. I have read many
reports about this and looked at the public notice on their website
and I have concluded that the residents will not be able to do
anything to stop them. This company is in the process of building
another condo in Na Jomtien which is right on the beach and is 7
floors high, so is this one legal? According to the law, NO; yet it is
nearly finished! I believe this should be looked into by City Hall as
well, as it seems this company can do anything they want. Why are they
allowed to break the law?
I wish all the residents good luck and hope they stop this project on
Dongtan beach.
Regards
|
|
|
Teacher Pensions (02/06/2007 05:47:33)
|
|
Author: Robbie
|
|
Are you a British expat and in receipt of both a Teacher’s pension and a State pension? If so, then you are almost certainly losing money and it is important to correct this now before the situation compounds itself. E-mail Robbie on rbnwills@hotmail.com to find out how to reclaim. Thanks very much. Phone/fax 038-426153
|
|
|
|
|
|
