I am sorry but what the letter writer is proposing would lead to a swarm of real estate investors descending on Thailand from the West. A swarm that would in fact put real estate out of the reach of the average Thai. As for his solution of "coupons or tax breaks" (to help poor Thais wanting to buy land), if that were to happen the government would be besieged by complaints from foreigners about another form of dual pricing.

Please consider that foreigners who retire here simply want to buy a single family dwelling to live out their years in. Those who are not yet retired and want to buy property in Thailand are speculating. Open this avenue to them and you will see a run on property such as you have never seen before because Western markets have been pushed to levels where almost no one can afford to buy a home any longer. What better place to invest in than Thailand, where prices are still low?

If you want to revise the law, allow retired foreigners to purchase only one family residence. If you open Thai real estate to foreigners, and Thais sell at inflated prices and take their money to "consume", they will be stuck in rentals for the remainder of their years. This is what has happened in the West. Why would you want to inflict it on Thailand?

John Arnone

Yasothon

--------------------------------------

Pattaya nowhere near to becoming a family tour stop

Re: "Time to clean up Pattaya", Editorial, February 27.

A while back I worked in Pattaya. At the time I was not particularly familiar with the place and after a few days there I asked my boss what had made him live there for so long. He replied: "Pattaya's a great place, if you've the stomach for it."

On reading the report about the murder of two Russian tourists my immediate thoughts were "Mafia" and "mistaken identity", as over the past couple of years I have seen a huge growth in Russian prostitution - so the thought of a turf war doesn't strike me as inconceivable.

In your editorial you stated that although Pattaya is positively booming, the authorities should keep a close eye on undesirable visitors, which means keeping an eye on almost everyone. The city council, along with police and business leaders, have been planning to change for Pattaya for quite some time - even to the point of rezoning the beer bars out of the city centre. I also know that they have made some headway in achieving some of their goals. But to me it is also one of the ugliest, sleaziest, most raucous, crude, nauseous, dirty and dangerous tourist resorts I have ever visited.

In contrast, last weekend I travelled with my family further down the coast to Rayong and spent some time visiting a few lonely pristine beaches, where you can actually swim and where the water and air quality is such it's definitely worth giving the city of Pattaya a miss. I doubt very much that things will change that radically to make it a tourist haven anytime soon.

Sucatash

Bangkok

--------------------------------------

Website comments on Russian murders 'racist'

The comments being posted on The Nation's website in regard to the Pattaya murders seem to reveal a deep resentment between Thais who are posting and resident expats. Bitter and vulgar language is being used between the two, insulting the former and telling the latter to leave Thailand. Well, what would Thailand be without foreign tourism? Would it be an insignificant developing country? On the other hand, those expats choose to live in this country and are the guests of the people they insult.

This is a developing country, guns are easy to get hold of, people are killed all the time, law-enforcement has limited funds and resources, and so on, but let's face it: the worst parts of Pattaya have been set up to cater to Westerners.

Since my family is half-Thai, I am disturbed by this animosity. The murder of those Russian women is sad, but for me that racist language is equally so.

Farang

Chiang Mai

---------------------------------------------

More policing needed to lessen crime in beach town

I have visited Pattaya often over the past 20 years. I have two suggestions: First, have pairs of policemen "walk the beat" along the Beach Road and Jomtien Beach during high-crime hours. Their visibility would really help. Secondly, "randomly" check the passport status of seeming undesirables, even if they must return to their apartments to retrieve the passports. I am amazed at how many arrested criminals are in the country illegally.

Paul E Leaverton

Bangkok

-------------------------------------

'Sex destination' shames Thailand internationally

As someone living in the United Kingdom but having been born and raised in Thailand, seeing this news on the BBC's website made me think more than ever that Pattaya is no place for young women to visit.

Sadly it's just a money-making degrading sex destination that is becoming more and more controlled by corrupt local people and international gangsters. I don't see how Thai people can change this situation now. Just take a minute to conduct a search on Youtube for Pattaya and you will see there what kind of tourist videos they make of Pattaya. It's 90-per-cent women/ prostitution. No happy family holidays! Listen Thai brothers and sisters, our image is being flushed down the toilet by the outside world. Wake up and decide what image you want for your country!

Average Somchai

Bangkok

-----------------------------------------------

City has its problems but 'life is good' for some residents

It sure seems there are a lot of moralistic opinions about Pattaya's nightlife and how tourists and Thai employees working in Pattaya conduct themselves by people who have either never been here or shouldn't come here because they are too good for the rest of us mortals. My family's history with Thailand goes back to before I was born. I live in Thailand, I have a Thai wife, my son has a Thai wife, and we both met our Thai wives in Pattaya. They are wonderful women, and my life here is good. Does that make Pattaya a perfect place to live? No. It has lots of problems, but what place doesn't? What place has no crime? That having been said, Pattaya's police force needs an overhaul.

What amazes me is that Pattaya has experienced phenomenal growth but apparently the tax structure hasn't put money in the city's coffers to pay for more policemen and city inspectors. How can this be? As Pattaya grows, so should the money pot to pay for vitally needed services. I don't have any problem with the style of nightlife Pattaya has to offer. The problem is a police force that goes home at 6pm and arrives back at work the next morning. The problem is a police force that doesn't have prescribed priorities.

Web Reader

Bangkok

--------------------------------------------

Long airport queues not solely a Thai phenomenon

Re: "Airport arrivals shocker for tourists from Europe", Letters, February 27.

Good grief! Who is John B of Bangkok to complain about airport queues, and put Thailand at the bottom of the Third-World category because of it? If he were in his own country, he would have to queue everywhere! How would he explain the four-hour queues passengers at Heathrow Airport have to put up with just to get out of Britain? Not only do they have to queue, but they also have to put up with body searches, restrictions of personal belongings, bullying and haranguing from security officers. No good saying it is for the safety of all passengers because these checks have been outsourced to private companies and they couldn't care less.

The crime rate in Phuket and similar tourist destinations has increased because of visitors who are here only for the cheap drinks and dope, so don't try to patronise by chanting the tired old cliche that tourists are propping up the Thai economy. They are more trouble than they are worth, and most are third-rate backpackers who are jobless in their own country, anyway.

Sunida

Bangkok

-----------------------------------------

Time for media to call for interim government to resign

Re: "Surayud has power and clout, now he needs the will", Opinion, February 27.

The media should be calling for Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont's resignation, along with that of the junta. Almost every opinion piece over the last two weeks draws the same conclusion - that the junta is incompetent. What's at stake here? Thailand's new constitution and the fairness of fresh elections.

The government has refused to tell the people just what charter we will get if the referendum fails. So far, all we are getting from the media is lots of hand wringing, but as yet no clear alternative has been offered.

What is the alternative? It's the resignation of the junta government and the installation of a new clean, military-free interim administration to manage the nation until we can have fresh elections. The 1997 charter should be immediately reinstated. Keep the Constitution Drafting Committee members, but throw out the military appointees. Get them to amend the 1997 charter and hold a referendum, and then hold fresh elections. Political gatherings should be legal and the media should be allowed to present the news without censorship.

How do we get to this point? By popular will, via public protests and media pressure. It's the media's responsibility to do more than state the obvious.

Real Politik

Bangkok