axact

Does anyone think the film festival would have happened if bribes were not paid ?

The contract would have probably gone to Thai who even if well connected would probably have to share the profit.

Does any business in Thailand get away with not having to pay off someone I wonder ?

I found this on Lt cambodia Blogspot, Same problem, different country. but it is exactly the sort of situation greyman seems guilty of promoting

"One evening last year I was relaxing over a beer after a late dinner at a bar & grill on the riverfront here in Phnom Penh. It was about 10:30 or 11:00PM. At the bar sat a 50-something Western tourist and a Vietnamese taxi girl chatting and laughing together. Four young tourists strolled in and sat at a table near the open front of the restaurant - two couples, 20-somethings I think. I was sitting at the near end of the bar between the two groups and after a short while noticed that the tourists at the table seemed to be grumbling about the guy at the bar. They were leaning in together, speaking in low raspy tones, shooting occasional sharp glances and other pointed little gestures in his direction.

Distracting their attention momentarily, a pair of tiny 'flower girls' wandered in from the street - perhaps 8 or 9 years old, barely tall enough to see over the tables, ragged but clean and laden with doughnut-shaped flower rings and broad Cambodian smiles. They approached the tourists and began their sales chant, pleading "flower, 1500 riel, 1500 riel, flower, OK?, mam, OK?" The tourist women were immediately captivated by the little girls. "They're so cute," one of the women commented, stroking the girl's cheek. "How old are you?...What's your name?" they queried in cutsy sing-song tones. The girls leaned into the women, giggled, batted their eyes and repeated their sales chant. The couples inspected the flowers and gently bargained them down to 1000 riel each (25 cents), eventually buying a couple of the flower rings.

After admiring their purchase, the tourist women quickly fell back to talking about the guy at the bar, now a bit louder but still difficult to understand over the usual pub din, "blah, blah, sex...blah, blah, older than ...blah, blah, disgusting..." Meanwhile, the males at the table had begun bargaining with a Vietnamese shoeshine boy who was about 12 years old. The boy wanted $1 to shine their shoes. They were only willing to pay 50 cents (the 'right price' is 12 cents, but I am not saying anything). They struck a deal. The boy took the shoes outside where he squatted next to a puddle in the street for a little water to clean the mud from the soles.

As I was watching the boy work, my attention was jarred back into the bar by a loudly-spoken "CREEPY!" echoing across the room. The guy at the bar had his hand on the taxi girl's knee and one of the tourist women was glaring at him intently, talking loudly to her friend, her face turning red with anger. As she spoke, her volume progressively increased so that everybody in the bar could hear, "...CREEPY ...sick ...HER FATHER ...police ...children ...SEX tourist ...ped..." The guy at the bar ignored them, or didn't hear them, and carried on. Continuing to talk amongst themselves, the people at the table seemed to get more and more agitated. Finally they called over the bartender, pointed at the guy at the bar and made some sort of demand. The only words I heard clearly were, "sick old bastard," "police" and "sex tourist." The bartender shrugged and looked like he was trying to explain something to them. Abruptly, the tourists stood up, threw a twenty on the table and left in a huff, forgetting the flowers in their haste.

These young tourists, particularly the women, were absolutely blinded by disgust for what they saw - an 'old white man' with a 'young Asian girl' in an apparently sexual relationship. They completely missed the plight of the 8 year old flower girls, working 10-hours shifts, late into night, hawking 1000 riel flowers for some unknown flower girl pimp. They did not think to ask why an 8 year old is working at 10:30PM. Or why an 8 year old is working at all. Or who is controlling these children. Or where the money is going. Or whether they were indentured servants or abused or even slaves as they might very well be. In fact, these tourists happily contributed to the plight of these child laborers, buying their trinkets (and bargaining them down 12 cents,) ignoring their situation and sending them on their way into the night.

Nor did they raise any questions about the 12-year-old shoeshine boy, who is probably an illegal immigrant living on the street, not going to school, not getting enough to eat, perhaps sniffing glue to pass the time and assuage his hunger, and certainly paying tribute to a street gang for the privilege of shining shoes in a tourist area. Where will these children be after 5 or 10 years working the street for pennies? These tourists didn't think to ask, let alone do something about it. They were preoccupied with sex. They were blinded by revulsion and rage at the sight of a middle aged man with a much younger woman.

In fact, I've known this particular taxi girl for more than 4 years. I've never used her sexual services but I have played pool with her at the bar dozens of times, we've had drinks together a few times and we occasionally share a plate of noodles on the street at the end of the evening. She is at least 25 years old, divorced and has a three year old daughter. She's not particularly young looking for a Vietnamese girl, but to the unaccustomed eye she may look younger. She works as a prostitute because she needs to support herself and her child, because it's what she knows, and because she has no other options if she wants to make that kind of money. And these tourists preferred to try to 'save' this adult woman from the 'old man,' and perhaps from herself as well, rather than give one thought to the 8 year olds that sold them the pretty flowers or the 12 year old that shined their shoes so well.

One has to wonder about the motivation of many of these westerners who seem so focused on the SEA sex scene. If asked, these people would probably say that they are against the exploitation of women and children, or trafficking, or pedophilia, or slavery, or some such worthy ideal. Yet when confronted with actual cases of child exploitation and even slavery, they ignore it in favor of the 'creepy' sexual practices of consenting adults. Some might say that it can be blamed, at least in part, on their ignorance, though IMO it shouldn't take too much thinking to realize that there is something seriously amiss about 8 year olds hawking flowers in tourist bars in the middle of the night. No, it's not ignorance. It is their fixation on sex and the sexual behavior of others that distracts them from the real problems of real people. Yes, of course there is exploitation and other horrible things going on in the SEA sex business. But the focus on sex is so intense for many (if not most) of these western do-gooders, it is to the exclusion of real abuses and exploitation, and to the reasons that all of these people end up in these difficult and exploitive situations."

I said I would be willing to go to a hospital for a prescription. I am well aware of the UK classification as I have been taking it for over 3 years.

It is widely prescribed in patch form to patients in the UK which as I stated is what I have...No one said anything about it in liquid form . Of course that would have to be accounted for at a hospital just as I am sure liquid morphine would have to be also.

The original license holder makes the patch in a form that would be very difficult, if possible at all for a drug addict to abuse !

Please, I asked for people in Thailand where I could purchase at a reasonable price only to save myself a flight home every three months where of course they will happily supply me.

I also read on THIS forum that Cambodia was much more relaxed at supplying drugs over the counter & I will be visiting when I renew my visa which is the only reason I asked about that country, not to circumvent obtaining a prescription.

I would love to think the 'Greyman' Organisation really do not get paid for their work and pay out of their own pocket for the upmarket hotels and airfares.

This I suspect does not happen.

NGO's are the often the dregs of society usually doing little, running around in expensive vehicles pushing their beliefs on a population who are not interested...Usually worse than missionaries.

The organisations reply of funding from the media blinded public and usually afford themselves massive paychecks when they are probably unemployable in the commercial world.

I also wonder if the person from the organisation who has been posting should really be involved as he is doing this work on the back of a guilt trip over a partners death, hardly a detatched voice of reason ?

Yes child exploitation is disgusting but if people think that exposing a few more westerners as travel pedos does anything more than provide you with funds then they are seriously mistaken. The problem is endemic in Thai society and there is no way the Thai government is going to let you stick your nose in that.

Child exploitation is rife but you choose to only pick on the sex exploitation is that because it brings in funding quicker or can you explain why the organisation focuses just on that area ?

A previous poster is correct in saying the Thai's let organisations like yours root out a few western bad apples because it takes the spotlight away from them and the real problem.

I really do get annoyed at NGO's holier than though attitudes. Most are driven by religion, yours is not but seems to be driven by the fact you are washed up ex army trying to find a reason for your existence or from guilt but I may be wrong

Please wipe out child abuse in your backyard before saving the rest of the world though.

To save me searching would the op please inform us of the salary the head of your organisation gets paid for his good works ?

Hi,

I use Fentanyl patches and brought with me 3 months supply, the most UK doctors are allowed to prescribe.

I have a doctors letters confirming that I am prescibed the meds.

I tried farmico but they shook their heads and said no can do. I also emailed the Watson Pharmacy chain but no reply.

I emailed Bancock Pattaya Hospital who only had 1 (yes 1 ) patch in stock and that was a 50 mg/hr whilst I use 100mg/hr. For that single patch they wanted 2500 Baht. The patch lasts me 2.5 days ! At those silly prices it would be worth me flying home every three months as I would be over a £1000 better off !

I did speak to a UK Pharmacist who gave me the equivalent doseage of Morphine Sulphate should I be unable to get Fentanyl in Thailand, so info on that or availability of similar strength medication would also be useful although I would prefer not to use MS.

I am aware I will probably have to get a prescription from a doctor.

I posted the above so that people can see I am not trying to do anything illegal.

I suffer from chronic pain and the source of the problem has not been found despite 4 MRI's and 16 years of medical attention so please no advice about finding the cause.

I am looking to source further supplies and am seeking advice where to find.at a reasonable price or at least an address of a pharmacy preferably in Pattaya who speaks English.

I will go to Cambodia if necessary to fill prescription so if anyone there can offer advice also it would be appreciated.

Apologies for the long post

Going Downmarket ? I do not think so.

The easy sex may have brought Pattaya this far but with the Western economy is shreds it is moving away from that to survive.

I see a lot of the Resort Hotels way out of Pattaya but still marketed as Pattaya with clean private beaches & upmarket Condo developments.

If package holidays work for them why not. I see the future of Pattaya City purely as a shopping destination and weekend get away for Thai's

Go to any of the busy tourist attractions in the locale, mainly Russian or Asian origin tourists, they certainly are spending the money in those places.

For a lot of posters it seems they assume Pattaya is failing just because the beer bars and gogo bars are not where the new money is being spent, I think this is an incorrect assumption.

Russians do spend money, why do you think an increasing number of hotels and restaurants have signage only in Russian ? They certainly have been buying a lot of Condos.

The Tourist Board has spent a lot of money on marketing Pattaya as a family destination and I think suceeded.

I am new here and the above is just my opinion, I could of course be wrong.

This is in the Pattaya forum because ???

For books I always use the bookdepository.co.uk, free shipping worldwide and always cheaper than Amazon uk

You can also pay in euro's, US$ & AUD$

Has anyone got the ECTACO Partner ETh900 or other models ?

I was wondering what it was like to use for learning thai as I was considering purchasing.

I'm not sure of Thaivisa's policy on including web links so if anyone is interested in the device its the company name.com

Thank you all for the advice.

For those who tell me to give up, good idea, as soon as you stop drinking I will be happy to follow the advice.

I don't drink but I don't come on here and preach about how bad it is for ones health as well as looks, nor do I complain about the bad name all the mongers give to this beautiful country so kindly keep your thoughts on smoking to yourselves and I won't critize you !

Obviously 3.5% now seems a small amount to pay for peace of mind !

If you have the time you could stand outside the shop and warn every customer entering his shop. I am sure that would soon get him either paying up or out of business.

As a further step you could post the information on all travel forums without naming but making it clear exactly which premises you are referring to.

It gets me when people complain about flight costs to fly halfway around the world. If you don't like the price stay at home for a holiday and generate some income for your home countries businesses. Prices vary at different times of the year. Stop whining and consider yourself lucky to be able to afford to travel the world as there are many who can't.

Re cheaper to fly from other parts of europe than UK ? Not so in my case, I did the comparison and flights from France were a £100 more expensive for the same carrier than flying from the UK

Why is it some people are never satisfied and feel the need to complain.

Hi,

Where can I get some decent cigarettes in Pattaya, all I can find is L&M or Marlboro. I understand BAT no longer supply Thailand but there must be something worth smoking available somewhere ? Preferably British ones

Anyone point me in the right direction please ?

Ask a number of people that question then as with most questions there will be a multitude of answers.

If the generally held view is that farangs living in Pattaya are here just for the sex then they may well consider us as scum.

Why not do a poll in a national newspaper if it bothers you that much ?

I would guess, if there is such a thing as a Fundimental Christian Thai, then the answer would probably be yes but a young woman from Issan living here would have a different answer

For the sort of money the last poster is talking about you can get a room guest house with all the features you don't want and have the added bonus of security for your possesions.

For even less than that you can rent an apartment !

I would suggest that when you arrive at your chosen destination you book into a guest house for the 1st night and then go hunting for the sort of place you require for far less than 500 bht a day.

Flying from the UK the airport information says check in 3 hours before any international flight departure.

Having said that, I took that information and was one of the 1st people to check in, many did not check in untill way after that !

It sounds like the 1st poster has a problem with people who have money... Jealousy is a bad trait !

Clever girl, not too many 13 yr olds would even know how to sue, I smell parental involvement

Let me start off by saying I,m British [Welsh] but unfortunately the low life scum that get involved in this type of behaviour have been ruining Pattaya for a good few years now . What do you expect when they are catered for by wall to wall football , cheap booze and women and a police force that will turn a blind eye to their drunken outrages . The only thing they understand is the big stick and this needs to be wielded in no uncertain fashion to sicken these louts . The UK is a hel_l hole thanks to these refugees from the Jeremy Kyle show and everywhere they set foot in Europe , they have caused mayhem too . Basically they have no respect for themselves or anyone else and the sooner the better the Thai authorities start handing out draconian sentences , the better ...It really is the only thing they understand . Who in their right mind goes 6,000 miles around the world to do the same as they could do any weekend in their own cess pit of a city back home ? The mind boggles .

What a load of sh_t

One has to much to drink and immediately becomes a low life scum because he is British and should be locked up for ever... I assume you were at this incident and the British obviously were to blame especially as other europeans would never hit someone from behind and of course it never takes two to fight.

I am unsure what the Jeremy Kyle show is or where the refugees are from but I guess you spend all your time watching it so perhaps you could enlighten us, you watch it because ???

The cess pit in every city in the UK has girls available for 500 bt, a beach, cheap booze and constant hot weather.... you must have lived in a different place called the UK than I do, my UK is an island off the coast of Europe, where is yours, I suggest you are a Sun or daily sport reader who actually believes the crap they print..

The UK is a He-l hole ? Not from my experience and i an sure most Britons would disagree with you, perhaps you lived in a slum and never travelled out of your area or maybe you are just a blinkered old horse who would be better off as glue

Your post must be one of the most moronic I have seen on a forum and to other readers I can only apologise and stress that the Welsh in general are nothing like this idiot poster.

Hi,

I read this post with interest as I am heading for Pattaya next week and was looking for a studio apartment or similar.

I have found one at 8500 per month online which I was considering taking. It is a high rise studio.

in Jomtien.

#would I get similar much cheaper if I waited until arrival ?

My requirements are simple but do want wireless internet.

Any idea's ?

Thanking you in hope of lots of good info

What happened to your 4000 baht per month search?

Well, Pattaya is noisy, busy, crowded, etc. If that is what you want, go for it. Jomtien is much less like that and more like Pacific Beach, CA (the best I can describe it, anyway.) Right now, I am paying 8000 for a nice studio AC room with WiFi. Downstairs I have little pool to play and cool off in, a great lounge area, Play Station, and bar, yet this place is quiet since it is on Thrappaya Soi 15. Just 2 minutes walk to a Songtau either direction. Don't get fooled - it's 10 Baht no matter where you go, not 20, unless you try to take a long scenic ride or something. Check out Pattaya Garden Apartments online.

I'm afraid I kind of hi-jacked the post, original poster asked about the 4000 per month.

Just to follow up the place I found advertised on Thai Vista at 8500 is fine, very clean and has all I need with a very helpful owner / manager ? (owns some manages others in the Jomtien Beach Condos) who speaks english very well and has a French partner

David

Wow that seems high, I pay about the same in the UK & see a very good one..... Why so expensive ?

Hi,

I was wondering how reliable the postal system is in Thailand with regard to incoming post from abroad ?

Also I wanted to know which mobile phone operator is cheapest for making calls to the UK.

Thanking you in anticipation of some great advice :-)

David

What does this have to do with Pattaya?

If you go to Stickmans weekly blog he often talks about Pattaya

Hi,

I read this post with interest as I am heading for Pattaya next week and was looking for a studio apartment or similar.

I have found one at 8500 per month online which I was considering taking. It is a high rise studio.

in Jomtien.

#would I get similar much cheaper if I waited until arrival ?

My requirements are simple but do want wireless internet.

Any idea's ?

Thanking you in hope of lots of good info

Hi,

I arrive at the airport at 1900 and was wondering if there are any buses to Pattaya at this time. I see Bell Travel's last bus departs at 1900 hrs.

If there is no availability I presume I have to go to the Eastern Bus Station ( Ekkamai )

What would transportation from airport to Bus station cost approx ? And is there a particular bus company that is recommended for the Pattaya route ?

Thanking you in anticipation of helpful replies

David