[right]Your say is an open forum for you the reader to express your opinions. Write to: editor@chiangmaicitylife.com, subject: Your say. Letters can be on any subject and priority will be given to letters under 200 words. Letters may be edited for clarity or conciseness. Name and contact details must be supplied.[/right]
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• Street Fighting
What I don’t understand is why the people of Chiang Mai are allowing the Rak Chiang Mai 51 buffoons to run roughshod over us all? They are now speaking, threatening, and causing civil chaos on our behalf, at what point are we going to stand up to them and tell them to shut up and that they do not represent us? Come on people of Chiang Mai, next time the RCM51 mob does something stupid, let’s all take to the streets and give them wot’s wot.
Red Rage
• Respect
Some fascinating interviewees this month [Dec 2009], especially the Thai lady writer and Lanna expert.
I wished I met Thai people like this in my daily life? I am not being rude, but why are the Thai people I meet – neighbours, colleagues – not of this ilk? We never talk philosophy, politics or anything of depth or interest. The women tend to stick together and talk to my wife, not to me, and the men just drink heavily and talk nonsense (sports, women, sports).
I think it is important for Citylife to feature these great minds as it teaches many expats that there are depths and layers in this culture which we have not yet penetrated.
Respect.
Stuart Allen
• Vet-o
The following incident soured my otherwise wonderful time in Chiang Mai. I am now back home in the UK for Christmas and I would like to put this behind me and seek closure on this very unhappy episode so that I can move on when I return in March. Thank you so much for your consideration in publishing the following:
I was recently advised by a vet in Chiang Mai that my beloved pedigree dog had an incurable disease and he insisted that she be destroyed without delay together with my other dog with which she shares kennels. A series of thorough subsequent tests by a more qualified vet revealed that my dogs were perfectly healthy and indeed the girl gave birth to a very fine litter of pups shortly thereafter.
It later transpired that the vet who made the original tests misread the instructions and failed to read the results in the correct time-frame. This vet is currently taking further studies at Chiang Mai University and has again made serious errors to a friend’s dog which amount to gross incompetence.
I have written over a dozen letters in Thai and English to Chiang Mai University including hand-delivery to the dean’s office. This establishment has not even dignified itself with an acknowledgement. I have also written several letters to the Thai Veterinary Association who has refused to reprimand the vet concerned or to take any remedial action ‘against one of our own’.
So beware all you animal lovers out there! Check any tests results very carefully. The inaction of both these establishments is a blemish on Thailand’s reputation and is more akin to third world veterinary practices. These cowboy vets, who are churned out in droves by
Chiang Mai University, are a slur to those other professional and capable vets in Chiang Mai and in Thailand generally.
Peggy Longford,
Dorset, England
• A Refreshing Attitude
Wow!! Your article on Lakkana Punwichai was excellent. Maybe the best I have read in your magazine ever. Her views on just the few subjects you touched on made me proud to be a human being. I mean I get so tired of Thai conversations that revolve around food… ‘What you eating? What did you eat? What are you going to eat?’ Or other small talk issues. Finally someone who thinks and can vocalise it. I love Thai people but there does not seem to be much depth. I am glad someone came along to dispel that myth.
I dated a Thai girl once who asked me why do I always ask, ‘why this?’ and ‘why that?’ I told her I want to know. She said her mother told her ‘why’ does not matter and she totally accepted that.
Maybe in the next generation Thais will realise being Thai does not mean being so socially conservative, they have no real identity.
I have a feeling Lakkana will be a major force to change all of that. I really would like to talk with her to learn more about what she thinks about a number of other issues. It might very well be my first in depth conversation with a Thai in 25 years of living here.
Keep up the wonderful work.
Regards,
Bob McCormack
• Lovely Lakkana
Interesting interview with a very radical Thai woman. I like. She is very impressive and I would like to read some of her writing. Does she write in English? Are there translations of her books or columns? Please advise.
A new fan
• Bored with Billboards
The past few years have offered us a refreshing break from the billboard madness. The moat area was devoid of ugly, tasteless, useless, waste of space bill boards and advertisers were forced to put up their horrid signs around the ringroads where they belonged. Lo, the arrival of the new mayor and suddenly the moat has a proliferation of tacky signs advertising silly nonsense. I see that this is how the new mayor wants to start his tenure, littering our city with ugliness. Someone tell him to go and get a lesson in taste please.
Annoyed
• Schanapping it Up
Looking forward to tasting some of the Prachensky schnaps. Can Citylife keep us posted please when they come onto the market here in Chiang Mai. I have a restaurant and think that it would add a nice local touch to our after dinner drinks list. I hope you don’t mind if I keep the name of my restaurant unpublished at this time.
Gratefully,
Anon