Hitler’s cartoons? iPhones crap at toast Local sports ABSENT WITHOUT LEAVE FOR THE EXPAT IN ALL OF US What’s happening, and might be happening, in Hua Hin
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‘PATTAYA-SATION’! Is Hua Hin in danger of becoming the ‘New Pattaya’? AWOL EDITORIAL On the face of it, Pattaya and Hua Hin are poles, or rather poledances, apart; they may share a similar latitude and climate, and a reputation as top class golf destinations, but beyond that the atmosphere, scale and clientele of the two resorts is vastly different…or so the people living in Hua Hin may think. Over recent years there have been some worrying incidents that might indicate the two cities are more alike than most imagine. The huge boom that engulfed Hua Hin in the last few years may have changed the face of the Royal Resort and the favourite playground of the Bangkok set for good. While no figures are readily available from the various authorities, anyone who has lived or visited regularly over the last 10 years will have seen some dramatic changes; many of them good, but inevitably some bad. The sheer number of people who now come to Hua Hin (latest estimates put that number at 6 million a year), whether they are weekenders from the Big Mango or holidaymakers from further afield, as well as the numbers of both Thais and foreigners who have made ‘Paradise City’ their home, has put a strain on a number of things, in particular the local infrastructure handling water, sewage and other utilities, as well as the police and rescue services; the increase in
A typical Pattaya newspaper headline (online version) traffic alone is in danger at times of bringing the city centre to a grinding halt, with residents and visitors circling endlessly trying to find a parking space near to the centre. This in turn puts added pressure on the police, the condition of the roads and the ever-failing traffic lights dotted around. And here is where the crux of the matter lies; whenever there are more people, you get more of everything, and this is where we come back to Pattaya; the local media there is full of horrific stories of suicides, murders, gun crime, mafia activity, drugs, Thai teenage gunfights and more. It would be foolish to think that none of this happens here, but in the past and presently the overall perception of Hua Hin is of a safe and peaceful place. But is this perception true? Certainly the local media do not have anywhere near the number of dra-
matic stories that appear daily in Pattaya, but is this because they are not occurring, or because no one wants to rock the boat? Local internet forums, such as Hua Hin After Dark, have seen a steadily increasing number of posts detailing a range of crimes, from bag snatches and petty crime, to more serious offences like assault and Continued on page 2
10 October 08
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