Pattaya Turns To Religion For Rain

[britmaveric]

Pattaya turns to religion to bring on much needed rainfall.

As we continue our coverage on the Pattaya water crisis, it appears that officials are now turning to more traditional methods to bring on the rainy season as Pattaya’s water supply remains almost non-existent. We joined this religious ceremony conducted in the center of the dried-up Maprachan Reservoir, attended by Khun Chanyut, Member of Parliament for Chonburi Province, Khun Sansak, adviser to the Interior Minister and Khun Worawit, the Chief of Banglamung District. Offerings of food were made to Buddha and a short ceremony requested the Buddha’s help in providing Pattaya with much needed rain. All eyes are now on the sky to see if this religious ceremony was successful or not.

-Pattaya City News

Tuesday 30th August 2005

[Pattaya_Fox]

Pattaya turns to religion to bring on much needed rainfall.

 

As we continue our coverage on the Pattaya water crisis, it appears that officials are now turning to more traditional methods to bring on the rainy season as Pattaya’s water supply remains almost non-existent. We joined this religious ceremony conducted in the center of the dried-up Maprachan Reservoir, attended by Khun Chanyut, Member of Parliament for Chonburi Province, Khun Sansak, adviser to the Interior Minister and Khun Worawit, the Chief of Banglamung District. Offerings of food were made to Buddha and a short ceremony requested the Buddha’s help in providing Pattaya with much needed rain. All eyes are now on the sky to see if this religious ceremony was successful or not.

-Pattaya City News

Tuesday 30th August 2005

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

May their prayers be answered and let it pour from above

[johng]

May their prayers be answered and let it pour from above

" Amen " and " Sartoo " to that.

The water comming out of my tap today looks like they pumped it straight out of a muddy puddle ( in fact that's exactly where it came from ) put me off having a shower this morning...but did in the end

[Pattaya_Fox]

I feel for you people there in Pattaya at the moment.

There`s nothing worse than filthy water coming out of the tap ( except of course no water at all).

When I was last in Pattaya in May the tap water was starting to go brown but was still reasonable for washing in.

Next Friday I leave for Singapore and Phuket and will be getting up to Pattaya in October. I hope by then that these prayers have been answered and the heavens have opened.

[monty]

There's two businesses to have right now:

Water delivery trucks

Drilling wells.

These guys are doing a roaring trade

I do hope it's gonna poor down soon, it's getting to be real bad publi for PTY

[Khun ?]

This goes back to the visa issue. When you allow tens of thousands of foreigners

on low income live as residents it is very expensive to provide for the infastructure that will be required to support such.

A country like Thailand that can be distressed in so many ways needs to be more prudent in its policies.

One foreign resident that has disposable income of $2500 a month is worth 5 foreign residents of $1500 disposable income.....

It is just a fact that many possible higher income residents will stay away or move

on and will be a loss in the end with Thailands lax policies and no enforcement of the policies that do exist .

They do not have to play to the high rollers, but they do need to set the standards where it will most benefit them. 3 or 4, 30 day entry permits per year should be max, more than that you need a special long stay visa with the 800K baht deposit in the bank with verifiable income.

What the locals live on or earn has nothing to do with what a foreigner should be required to have for long stay. Just My Honest Opinion

[johng]

This goes back to the visa issue. When you allow tens of thousands of foreigners

on low income live as residents it is very expensive to provide for the infastructure that will be required to support such.

What a load of nonsense... the problem has been caused by lack of planning /foresight and lack of rain...

Next you'll be saying that it's all those low income foreigners

building the new shophouses all over Pattaya causing the problem...No I think you'll find it's the Thai's who are building, wildly without any ( doesn't seem to be any ) planning or infrastucture considerations that has caused much of the problem...

What the locals live on or earn has nothing to do with what a foreigner should be required to have for long stay

you lost me ...please explain how the amount of money a foreigner has can help with the water situation...maybe a special water tax.. but wait, don't the foreigners allready pay at least double for most things allready ?

One foreign resident that has disposable income of $2500 a month is worth 5 foreign residents of $1500 disposable income.....

Just because someone has disposable income doesn't mean they spend it !!!

Edited August 31, 2005 by johng

[Khun ?]

when tourist decide to go else where than spend large amounts per month on vacation and you are stuck supporting the thousands of low income foreigners with your resources you just might understand.

Not much you can do about locals even though many of them are attracted to the low ROA ( ROI) individuals...... The city is over burdened

you want people that spend more and use less and maybe a few rain makers.. People that stay shorter term such as tourist and use less actually spend more, much of the time ( chinese not included and don't think many live in Pattaya full time anyway) compared to the 30 day boarder hoppers and low income foreign residents. They have plenty locals that eat off 50 baht a day and don't need the basement bargain type foreigners do they. The ones that complain about 10 baht taxi rides

, I had to pay 2000 baht visa fee and what is the cheapest visa run types. JMHO

[Pattaya_Fox]

This goes back to the visa issue. When you allow tens of thousands of foreigners

on low income live as residents it is very expensive to provide for the infastructure that will be required to support such.

A country like Thailand that can be distressed in so many ways needs to be more prudent in its policies.

One foreign resident that has disposable income of $2500 a month is worth 5 foreign residents of $1500 disposable income.....

It is just a fact that many possible higher income residents will stay away or move

on and will be a loss in the end with Thailands lax policies and no enforcement of the policies that do exist . 

They do not have to play to the high rollers, but they do need to set the standards where it will most benefit them.  3 or 4, 30 day entry permits per year should be max, more than that you need a special long stay visa with the 800K baht deposit in the bank with verifiable income.

What the locals live on or earn has nothing to do with what a foreigner should be required to have for long stay.  Just My Honest Opinion

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I cannot find any logic in this statement.

What you seem to be saying is that foreign residents with large sums of money in the bank are more beneficial to Thailand than thousands of foreigners who come frequently to Thailand and spend their money here.

This I cannot follow as money in a bank account is just that and does not sustain the local community and small businesses upon which the country needs to supply income in the form of taxes.

[Khun ?]

You definitely do not need foreign residents that have a foreign income of $1500 a month ($18000 a year) that save money out of this income.

As the city is short on resources and infastructure you want to get the best return on the assets you do have.

You cannot always have ice cream on your cake.......

The place is over populated for the infastructure to support both local and foreign residents. Being that you can't kick the locals out what else can you do with what you have........ If I was a tourist I wouldn't spend my $5K a month to go to Pattaya and have the sewage and water problems it has today, regardless what the cause of the problem was........

How many foreigners with more than $2500 a month to spend would not come because there is less foreigners living in Pattaya?

[monty]

Khun,

You seem to have lost the plot don't you...

The main problem here is all the money spent, by either low or high spending individuals be they local or Farang, is simply not finding a way to the tax boys...

Of whatever makes it into Pattaya's account. most will dissapear into deap pockets, instead of being spent on development of the area!

This is not exclusively a Pattaya problem!

The whole Eastern Seaboard's industry might have to reduce production because of the water shortage, what do you propose?

Throw all the partly Farang owned multinationals out(after they invested billions of $,maybe hundreds of times more then all the 5k$ tourists in the last 5 years spent here) so the local village around the corner has some more water???

The whole of Issaan has a terrible water problem, hardly any Farang resident there, so I guess your solution would be to throw out the poor Issaan farmers so at least the Thai middleclass has enough water???

Oh Boy, blame the 1500$/month Farang (=18000$/year), and let the 2 times per year 5000$ farang (=10000$/year) solve the whole problem

[wrestler7902002]

Perhaps a direct pipeline from the flooding waters of Chaing Mai down to Pattaya/Jomtien would be in order.

[Khun ?]

I have been going there several years and have spent bunches more than $5k a month on vacation and never bought anything to take back with me and never stayed in expensive hotels.... Spent a sh*t load on the locals though.

If there was any taxes it must of been included in the price.

I think you guys may be right just don't do anything and blame everything after all the water table at present must of happened over night. Two years ago the visa issue was front center, I guess the locals must be blind and it was only one reason, terrorist and nothing to do with the burden of resources of today.

I guess the old saying goes be part of the problem if you can't be part of the fix.

[johng]

If I was a tourist I wouldn't spend my $5K a month to go to Pattaya and have the sewage and water problems it has today, regardless what the cause of the problem was........

Well ok that makes sense nobody want's to spend good money for bad services,

So you agree then that it's hurting Pattaya's tourist industry ( the industry that pattaya depends apon ) and that something should be done to solve the water problem ???

I honestly believe that even if they kicked out every foreign resident...even in the whole of Thailand..it wouldn't make the slightest ( positive ) difference at all !!!!!

to the water situation..and most likely to any other situation...

If they want to attract high spending tourists ..then they must improve infrastructure and services first..not wait for the high spenders to arrive then decide to do it..because that will never happen..

[johng]

I think you guys may be right just don't do anything and blame everything after all the water table at present must of happened over night

Yes that's exactly what the poeple with the authority and power to do something about it ( while there was time ) have done.... ie nothing,...it's been obvious for at least a year now that the water level in Maprachan Reservoir was at all time low...but "the powers that be " did nothing... except dig up beach road again ( still not finished ) and let the relentless development continue..

To say it's the fault of foreign residents is IMHO stupid..

[Khun ?]

you have start somewhere and the best place to start is by maximizing

on what you do have and relieve part of the burden. Try to keep the tourist which is much more beneficial and restrict foreign residents

until a viable solution is accomplished.

Basic, when you cannot provide service for what you have get rid of what is least beneficial ( locals are off limits)... It is a start and each remedy will add to getting to the solution.....

[Khun Larry]

This goes back to the visa issue. When you allow tens of thousands of foreigners

on low income live as residents it is very expensive to provide for the infastructure that will be required to support such.

A country like Thailand that can be distressed in so many ways needs to be more prudent in its policies.

One foreign resident that has disposable income of $2500 a month is worth 5 foreign residents of $1500 disposable income.....

It is just a fact that many possible higher income residents will stay away or move

on and will be a loss in the end with Thailands lax policies and no enforcement of the policies that do exist . 

They do not have to play to the high rollers, but they do need to set the standards where it will most benefit them.  3 or 4, 30 day entry permits per year should be max, more than that you need a special long stay visa with the 800K baht deposit in the bank with verifiable income.

What the locals live on or earn has nothing to do with what a foreigner should be required to have for long stay.  Just My Honest Opinion

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I want to comment on this but it is hard to figure which point is the stupidest.

Certainly "One foreign resident that has disposable income of $2500 a month is worth 5 foreign residents of $1500 disposable income..... " makes no sense.

Sorry Khun?, the whole post is idiotic.

[Khun ?]

Sorry Larry

No one accused you of being able to analyze the situation and making

viable solutions without creating a complete disaster to the economy.

In 97 through 99 in dry season you could of been one of just a dozen

people on walking street any given night and most of locals went back home because they could not make a living... There was no people to include tourist and no water problems or many other problems as of today. why such the problem now........ Resident population has exploded both with locals and foreigners....... And several more tourist also now. Toursit pay more for what they use and use less...... 5 businesses were closing for everyone starting up if you want to call a beer bar a business....

It is a guesstimate but I would believe for every foreigner than has become a residents of an income of $2500 or more to spend, there has been 5 with an income of $1500 or less become residents....

By raising the rate of requirements it may of stopped 5 lower income people of becoming full time residents..... The amount of resources these 5 people use, 3 tourist could stay spending twice as much using less than half as the 5 low income residents........... They have to keep what they can of their economy of tourist which they get the best return for asset................ less smog on fuel usage, less water consumption and less sewage is just a few things... wait until they start double pricing on fuel for foreigner owned vehicles and taxi use.

Johhny

Really good idea build a 700 KM pipeline with imaginery funding to a place that may be in a drought itself the next few years....... Fight with the farmers all the way there why they are not getting the water also.

like they say with the world oil problems you cannot drill your way out of it so that leaves you to cut consumption in the most meaningful way.....

so be it lower income foreign residents. You may even have one local for each two foreigners go back home....

Desilenation is very expensive and will only be a partial solution that will only delay the problem at a very high price of tourist income. They will end up shutting it down many times due to cost. The waste problem is just as bleak as the water problem....

[wrestler7902002]

Just an idea:

Would it be possible to use "cloud seeding" in which depositing microscopic crystals of silver iodide onto existing clouds to stimulate rain? I don't know how well this works, just maybe it's worth a try.

If not, then maybe the Native-American Plains Indians' practice of a "rain dance" just might be the ticket to bring much-needed moisture to Pattaya.

Edited September 1, 2005 by wrestler7902002

[Khun Larry]

Sorry Larry

No one accused you of being able to analyze the situation and making

viable solutions without creating a complete disaster to the economy.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I believe my previous comments continue to apply.

Keep up the good work. Is there any possibility you acn come to New Orleans to help out?

[Humphrey Bear]

This goes back to the visa issue. When you allow tens of thousands of foreigners

on low income live as residents it is very expensive to provide for the infastructure that will be required to support such.

What the locals live on or earn has nothing to do with what a foreigner should be required to have for long stay.  Just My Honest Opinion

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

But most of the residents (foreign) are soap dodgers. The only water they require is that in their beer.

[snoophound]

Or another Crackdown.

A few thousand Service girls showering 5 times a day must use lots of water...perhaps only once a day now

Seriously its bad planning,Pattaya survives on the budget falang tourists and retirees,and has done for years.

The development of the eastern seaboard and associated foreign investment at risk should be a major concern.

Heads should be rolling in the Planning and Infrastructure departments,if such things exist.

Perhaps a direct pipeline from the flooding waters of Chaing Mai down to Pattaya/Jomtien would be in order.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Khun Larry]

Perhaps a direct pipeline from the flooding waters of Chaing Mai down to Pattaya/Jomtien would be in order.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Downhill duai

It's a no brainer

[TizMe]

Khun ?

I think that the "?" says more than you think...

I think Thailand should change its visa requirements also. I believe that all foreigners entering Thailand with the intention to visit Pattaya, should be required by law to bring with them 200 litres of water for each and every day that they intend to stay in Pattaya.

Then for each soapdodger, there should be about 190 litres left over to distribute to the local residents.

Problem solved.

[Pattaya_Fox]

Khun ? this one is really going to please you.

Pattaya has just signed a Tourism exchange with Laos. whereby Pattaya will be promoted to Laos Nationals in an attempt to increase tourism.

I suppose they`ll all want to wash as well

[Khun Larry]

Pattaya has just signed a Tourism exchange with Laos. whereby Pattaya will be promoted to Laos Nationals in an attempt to increase tourism.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why would Pattaya, a dumpy town (hohouse really) have authority to sign anything with Laos which is a country.

Wonder if it allows the Lao girls to work?

[Pattaya_Fox]

It`s a tourism exchange promotion....so I suppose it`s really easy....not like signing a trade agreement for jet fighters.

This would definitely need authority.

[Humphrey Bear]

Anyway - you'll all be pleased to know that the prayer thingy worked.

Here in Singapore it is raining every day.

[Jai Dee]

Anyway - you'll all be pleased to know that the prayer thingy worked.

Here in Singapore it is raining every day.     

Would you believe it bucketed down this morning at Laem Chabang... but Pattaya didn't get a drop...

Maybe those prayers are misdirected...