The Thaksin government in 2001 promised to introduce some sort of restriction to slow down the ex... Odds stacked against the s | Asian sex
Home

The Thaksin government in 2001 promised to introduce some sort of restriction to slow down the ex... Odds stacked against the s

The Thaksin government in 2001 promised to introduce some sort of restriction to slow down the expansion of the Big Boys but abandoned all attempts at control in 2002. It's not just an economic issue as there's a social aspect too. Many of the people who own small retail businesses are from the lower rungs of society or low wage earners trying to supplement their wages. Owners of such businesses on, say, South Road or Pattaya Klang claim their incomes have plummeted in the last few years. One suggestion is that new hypermarkets should be built only on the outskirts of cities, a form of zoning. In theory it's an attractive idea – traffic jams and additional air pollution would be less likely if the mega stores were well away fromcity centres. It's a model which to some extent has worked in Europe, especially in parts of the UK. However, for Pattaya, it may be too late. Huge new malls and stores are in process of being erected on Second Road as well as elsewhere in the downtown area. The assumption is that the city will continue to grow population wise for the next 20 years. But it will be tragic if we end up with a wonderfully glitzy city, with a huge range of first class shopping facilities, but nowhere to park and roads so overcrowded that there's no pleasure left in spending your money. Local police come in for a fair degree of stick. But it needs to be recognised that, when the chips are down, they often deliver the goods. The case last month of the 23 year old Londoner who was framed by a rogue cop and an accomplice who planted drugs on him is a case in point. The duo were in court in under 48 hours and face a lengthy jail stint and the associated disgrace. Pattaya cops also have a good record in catching muggers who attack residents and tourists in the middle of the night. Again and again, use of mobile snatch squads and prompt arrival at the scene of the crime are strategies which have worked in their favour. Nobody can know for sure, but the street crime clear-up rate in Pattaya is probably better than in many European and American cities. A recent research paper argues that Europeans over 50 have excellent sex lives. Apparently this is because, unlike in Japan or Taiwan, Europeans are brought up on a diet of sex and gender equality. Don't believe a word of it. When asked about sex in a street survey, older guys tend to tell huge lies about their virility. In any case, the research was funded by the drugs company Pfizer. Speak to the girls in Pattaya's bars who ought to know. And they'll tell you that most older men are more interested in getting drunk, watching football or playing pool. Baby boomers of the late 1940s please note. Impoverished Cambodia is making inroads into the Asian tourist market. In 1999 there were 230,000 arrivals by air. In 2005 there were 860,000 and numbers are expected to jump 36% in the current year. Meanwhile, a French firm has opened a new international terminal at Siem Reap airport, the gateway to the Angor Wat temples which are a key attraction. The Cambodian government's aim is to have 3 million foreign tourists a year by 2010. A greying population is catching up on Thailand. In 2002, 9% of the Thai population was aged 60 and over. By 2020 the numbers will have grown to 18% with serious consequences for the social security system. So both public and private sector employers are considering a more flexible retirement age than the almost universal 60 years old. Social security contributions from both employees and employers are expected to double from the current 3%. Sounds familiar? Mark Twain once said that whisky is for drinking and water is for fighting over. Now the CIA, Pricewaterhouse Coopers and even Britain's defence ministry have joined forces to warn us of the spectre of future “water wars”. With water availability shrinking across much of the world – lack of it could undermine China's economic miracle – violent confrontation between states is increasingly unlikely. Here in Pattaya there has not been substantial rainfall for a couple of months and the reservoir levels, though still goodish, are not as high as they were. Oh no, not again! Amazing how the chaos in Thailand's internet system has attracted so little attention. IPSTAR, the satellite based system which does not require a telephone line, is rarely available for 24 hours without breaking down and is sometimes “off” for many hours at a time. It's an expensive system to buy to be so hit and miss. ADSL currently seems to be more reliable but, again, & less prone to periods of disconnection. Electronic communications have a long way to go in the Land of Smiles.

This is cache, read story here

admin – Fri, 2006 – 09 – 15 11:00