Your Say

 |  February 26, 2013

• Not Such Big Cheeses 

From your article The Illegal Entrepreneur [Jan 2013]:  “The average virtual entrepreneur often spends in excess of 50,000 baht a month.  It would not be remiss for them to claim that they actively contribute to the economy whilst taking nothing more from it than a gourmet coffee, a pad thai and a good time.” 

50,000 baht a month doesn’t even come close to the minimum 65,000 baht a month income…required by Thai Immigration for the One-Year, Non-Imm-O Visa (renewable) that is for those over 50 years old wishing to retire in Thailand. This visa prohibits any kind of work in Thailand (including volunteer work).

A Legal Expat in Chiang Mai


• Immigration Insight  

Very refreshing interview with the head of immigration in Chiang Mai [Feb 2013]. Let’s give him our support to make the long overdue improvements instead of gripes. He and his staff are as much ‘victims’ of the system as we are. In three years of visiting the office I have never known anything but friendliness and politeness from the staff there, but have been embarrassed on several occasions by the behaviour and rudeness of the clients. 

Wayne Edginton

[Ed. Please join our online petition requesting support from the government in improving CM Immigration at www.change.org/petitions/ demand-government-to-support-chiang-mai-immigration-office.] 

• Lost and Not Found

Citylife has great content and even the ads are great but finding the places that advertise can be very difficult for Thais and farangs too. I would encourage you/your advertisers to add a maps link and/or QR code.  

Tom Westheimer

• Editorial Fails

[The first sentence of your January 2013 editorial was] unacceptable: should read ‘fear of life-extinguishing death’. Critically important distinction (the fear is not ‘life-extinguishing’, it’s death itself). [Ed. Written as: the life-extinguishing fear of death.] Also note: page 25, last column, spelling error – ‘artifacts’ not ‘artefacts’. Otherwise fine magazine you have. Excellent article ‘The Last Executioner’.

Nicholas Edwards Park

[Ed. Thank you, you are quite right about the editorial. Mea culpa. However, Citylife uses and has always used British spelling. ‘Artefact’ is British English.]

• Bloody Citylife 

This email is constructive criticism of a publication which seems to be losing its compass and sight of its mission.  The last 2 issues have brought disappointment to this reader.  More and more social issues are being included.  Is this a conscious effort to address these issues which most foreign readers cannot affect in a serious, long term manner or merely content of a nature that is personal to the author?

As a reader for nearly 3 years, it is with hope that this drifting towards socio- economic issues about which we as foreigners living in Thailand hold little power to change, will itself change and provide content more pertinent to our lives here.

Being written exclusively in English, the broad overall readership must be targeted towards the foreign population, temporary or permanent. Topics to address for readership enjoyment could include travel…food and restaurant…housing and the status of rental availabilities…art displays with advance notice…tips for living, charitable activities to include hill tribe assistance, care and assistance for discarded animals etc. With some ‘brainstorming’, numerous locales, subjects and topics can easily be researched and become entertaining, informative reading.

Beyond the sliding towards inclusion of more socially divisive issues recently, the language utilised and the cultural innuendos including those considered ‘rude’, ‘crude’ or ‘vulgar’ has been seen more recently.  It has NOT occurred on any regular basis until just recently.  Miss Hilary’s (F – -King), Mai’s choice of the word ‘Bloody’, Sarah’s comment on long fingernails on pinky fingers of Thais all are very recent examples of comments and vocabulary TOTALLY INAPPROPRIATE in print….A serious journalistic publication offering anything beyond ‘fluff’ SHOULD NOT degrade its publication, the image of its writers and display in black and white, cultural crudeness printed for our host country citizens to read and draw conclusions.  

I do believe…that respect when residing and working in a country and culture not one’s own should be given respect.  MORE than one’s own country by a large degree.  Let’s keep the knowing smiles, sexual comments and snide remarks in the office and not publish it for all and perhaps a lowering of respect by our hosts and fellow foreign residents.

If Citylife is to continue to be a leader for advertising and providing excellent reader content coupled with responsive advertising, the content requires a review and the writers, interns and general staff must elevate their standards as well as personal code of conduct when it interferes with journalistic responsibility.

This has been quite long, yet it contained matters your publication should seriously consider addressing. Yes, this is a complaint.  But it is also written with respect for the media and with the hope the input may provide information which will be deemed beneficial if and when adopted.

Thanks for your time spent reading my words and thoughts re:  your magazine.

Terry Reardon

 • Neglected Web 

Congrats on another great editorial. As a cyclist I have many additional issues. The ‘Immigration’ article was extremely interesting and I look forward to signing the petition when it appears. However, the main reason for writing: WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE MONTHLY PHOTO GALLERY? I, like many others, enjoyed submitting photos for this, but the gallery appears to have ‘died’.

Comments please. It would be nice to see this section back and working – and couldn’t the monthly ‘winners’ be published in the paper magazine too?

Cheers,

Alan Puzey