Is The Pattaya Mail Developing A Sense Of Humour...?

[Noel]

From today's Pattaya Mail letters:

The sky is not falling

Letter to the editor:

We represent a group of prominent real-estate agencies in Pattaya. This (email) is sent to a number of property magazines and related media publishers.

There is a lot of commotion and confusion over the new property regulation (issued this month by Suraart Thoingniramol, deputy permanent secretary of the Interior Ministry) that requires all partly foreign-owned companies to prove the source of their funding before purchasing properties.

We expect quite a bit of media response with readers’ letter and articles of columnists covering and judging this above mentioned event.

Now we strongly recommend being very selective and quality conscious with the content of all related articles and write-ups that you will accept to publish.

Obviously everyone is liberated to express his/hers opinion(s) but none of us is served with information that is incorrect and misleading.

This could lead to an even greater confusion in the market whereby unprofessional parties and bystanders start to panic in response to a “new regulation” which is actually an enforcement of Thailand’s existing laws.

It would sincerely harm our (and your) business if the “want-to-be” section of our small community sees a clear chance to spread a panic response.

Professionals are already aware of perfectly genuine ways to serve its (foreign) clients with no reserve. There is absolutely no need to upset the market as it already is.

We consider your editors’ opinion and professionalism integer enough not publish opinions such as this columnist recently wrote:

“The Party is over … Well, it looks like the property boom is over, at least while they enforce the law to the letter. I feel sorry for the thousands of Thais who will be thrown out of work or lose money by this heavy-handed application of the law. It doesn’t inspire confidence in Thailand as an investment destination for foreigners either. But I wonder how long they will continue to enforce the law after they see the catastrophic consequences? It may be too late by then. I just don’t see foreigners having any confidence in Thailand after this.”

Pattaya Realtors

Nice one, Pattaya Realtors, talk about shooting yourself in the foot...

[Mobi]

It seems too crass to be true, although on balance I bet it's genuine

At the risk of upsetting the estate agent community, I would add that nothing really surprises me from that quarter.

There was even a very crass letter from a farang in the Bangkok Post the other day which was so full of self importance and high dudgeon and by implication insulting to Thais, that I thought if I was an official and had anything to do with the land laws I'd ensure it was some time next century before any farangs could own even a square inch of Thai soil.

It seems that there are some who don't understand that if you're guest in somebody's country, and you're doing something that at the very least may be questionable, it might be a good idea to keep your head down and your mouth closed.

[Artisan]

That letter in the Pattaya Mail was not only very crass, it was so pompous and flambouyant that I had to read it many times before I was able to understand it. I detected defensive damage limitation with a suggestion that these realtors will find a way around the law or, at least, a loop hole.

When this law was first introduced some years ago, one of the criteria was, to put it very simply, that these so-called "Companies" would have to either show that they produced something or that they provided a service. Like some other aspects of this law, this criteria was never subject to enforcement.

That is NOT YET! Should the statute be enforced to its full, including the requirement to supply a product or a service, then that's when the pooh will hit the fan!

As Mobi says, if you're doing something that, at the very least, may be questionable, it might be a good idea to keep your head ,and your mouth closed, when that pooh does make impact with the fan......and it will, sooner or later.

[taxexile]

We represent a group of prominent real-estate agencies in Pattaya. This (email) is sent to a number of property magazines and related media publishers.

Now we strongly recommend being very selective and quality conscious with the content of all related articles and write-ups that you will accept to publish.

It would sincerely harm our (and your) business if the “want-to-be” section of our small community sees a clear chance to spread a panic response.

There is absolutely no need to upset the market as it already is.

We consider your editors’ opinion and professionalism integer enough not publish opinions such as this columnist recently wrote:The Party is over … Well, it looks like the property boom is over

the fact that these "agents" feel the need to grovel to the free press and ask them not to publish opinions that may derail the gravy train upon which they ride shows just how scared they are.

until the whole law regarding property ownership by the company route is CLEARLY spelt out by the government , in such a way that leaves no chance of confusion or does not leave the purchaser at the whim of an officials sudden new "interpretation" of the law then anybody buying other than by a 30 year lease or a condo legally in their own name is taking a risk.

and before confidence can be fully restored in this shabbily run trade ,(it is a long way from being called a profession) , agents and those who dispense legal and financial advice should regulate themselves so that those agents and lawyers that give misleading and incorrect advice are called to account for their ignorance and deception.

Edited June 9, 2006 by taxexile

[Pattaya_Fox]

I could hardly believe my eyes when I read this letter.

The first thing I thought of was that it must be a joke!

After further consideration I think that it is probably genuine and the people calling themselves Pattaya Realtors must be in a real panic...... Is the proper interpretation of the existing law now beginning to hurt?. It sure looks like it.

Although going off the subject this situation reminds me of the position Ford were in many years ago when the salesmen just sat in their dealerships and merely took orders as the demand for their cars was so great. Then the competition came in...and now they have to work hard for a sale.

Now it`s not competition merely the law being correctly interpreted that should create a better balance of price and demand. A necessary adjustment to the property market in my opinion.

I think that the Realtors are going to have to work even harder if they are to maintain their comfortable lifestyle.

It will be very interesting to see the reactions to this letter in next week`s Pattaya Mail....I await with interest.

[Artisan]

....and before confidence can be fully restored in this shabbily run trade ,(it is a long way from being called a profession) , agents and those who dispense legal and financial advice should regulate themselves so that those agents and lawyers that give misleading and incorrect advice are brought to account for their actions.

Hear!! Hear!!....very well said.

[Pattaya_Fox]

....and before confidence can be fully restored in this shabbily run trade ,(it is a long way from being called a profession) , agents and those who dispense legal and financial advice should regulate themselves so that those agents and lawyers that give misleading and incorrect advice are brought to account for their actions.

Hear!! Hear!!....very well said.

In my opinion it would be better if they did not regulate themselves, but were accountable to an independant body who had the muscle to impose substantial fines where misuse of any regulation(s) was proved and suspension of the agent should they be persistent offenders.

The public should be able to feel at the very least that the agents with whom they are dealing are acting in an honest, ethical and legal manner.

[britmaveric]

Load of rubbish - surprised they printed that, extremely insulting towards Thai(s).

[Jomtien]

Quote

It would sincerely harm our (and your) business if the “want-to-be” section of our small community sees a clear chance to spread a panic response.

End Quote

[Pattaya_Fox]

Quote

It would sincerely harm our (and your) business if the “want-to-be” section of our small community sees a clear chance to spread a panic response.

End Quote

By sending a letter to the Mail designed in such a stupid manner will do little to allay the fears of the public, not only involving current and future housing transactions, but the worry over whether individuals may be brought to task for simply complying with the ` normal ` recommendations with regard to the manner in which houses have been purchased in the past.

These purchase recommendations of course in many cases put forward by the property agents and the legal representatives of the purchasers.

[Phil Conners]

I think the letter was meant for the editor (personally) as an attempt to stop them from "damaging" their housing business but was printed by mistake or incompetence

[Pattaya_Fox]

I think the letter was meant for the editor (personally) as an attempt to stop them from "damaging" their housing business but was printed by mistake or incompetence

.........or just good reporting

[Chang_paarp]

I would have thought that the editor was merely doing as the realators wished and not printing material that "would sincerely harm our (and your) business if the “want-to-be” section of our small community sees a clear chance to spread a panic response"

Maybe the letter fellout of the editors in tray to the letters section.

[Prakanong2005]

"heavy-handed application of the law."

So they want light handed application of the law? ;-)

How about licensing estate agents and limiting it to Thai's only

[hughden]

I agree with Madsere; looks like a letter that was not intended for publication. Of course publishing it has had exactly the opposite of the desired effect. If the writer(s) had any sense they might have realised what could happen and worded accordingly.

How delightful!

[Noel]

I think the letter was meant for the editor (personally) as an attempt to stop them from "damaging" their housing business but was printed by mistake or incompetence

Yes, that could well be the case, or perhaps the Editor took umbrage at being essentially warned off as to what he should or should not publish by some pompous prick?

There again, he could have just taken the opportunity to show prospective investors the calibre of those intermediaries vying for their business.

The arrogantly defensive, poorly written missive was, at best, lacking an iota of substance, as witnessed by the unsubstantiated and therefore meaningless claim: “Professionals are already aware of perfectly genuine ways to serve its (foreign) clients with no reserve.”, followed by such poorly crafted prose as: “There is absolutely no need to upset the market as it already is.”

One rhetorically wonders if their contracts are written with similar clarity and unambiguity…

Oh well, if it was printed in error, I trust the Editor will have the good grace to republish their letter in full and apologise for his oversight…

[CGW]

I would have liked to have been present when the author re-read his letter?

[Artisan]

....perhaps the Editor took umbrage at being essentially warned off as to what he should or should not publish by some pompous prick?

Yes Noel, you're right....a pompous prick and if I was the editor I would take umbrage too. Next week's issue of the Pattaya Mail might be interesting.

[Minburi]

I have found that a lot of the humor I find in Pattaya Mail is in the crime stories reporting and is at the end of the story and is very tongue in cheek.

[Phil Conners]

....perhaps the Editor took umbrage at being essentially warned off as to what he should or should not publish by some pompous prick?

Yes Noel, you're right....a pompous prick and if I was the editor I would take umbrage too. Next week's issue of the Pattaya Mail might be interesting.

Having read PM on and off since it started I think I still lean more towards my first assumption.