City Hall and 7-Eleven Come Up With Good Idea

[Gaybutton]

Many of us view Pattaya's City Hall as an almost useless, inept organization. Be that as it may, in my opinion they have come up with an excellent idea. Tourists, and even resident farang, can find themselves in a predicament and don't know what to do, where to get help, how to handle a difficult situation, how to contact the police, etc.

 

One thing that's quite easy to do in Pattaya is to find a 7-Eleven. They're literally everywhere. I'll let the article explain.

 

The following appears in PATTAYA ONE:

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Press Conference Announces Police Emergency Contact Points for Tourists at 7-11 Stores

 

On Tuesday Morning at Pattaya City Hall, Khun Itipon, the Mayor of Pattaya chaired a press conference to announce a new Scheme which is being tested here in Pattaya and also in Bangkok and Ko Chang. The project created in conjunction with the CP Company, Pattaya Police, Banglamung Police, Immigration Police, Tourist Police and Pattaya City Hall will use 7-Eleven Convenience Stores around Pattaya as Police Emergency Contact Points for Tourists. Staff will be trained to contact the relevant authorities should a Tourist present themselves at the store with a problem.

 

144 7-Eleven Stores around Pattaya will take part in the program. The organizers tell us that Tourists can always find a 7-Eleven Store but may find it harder to find a Police Station should they have a problem. Depending on the problem, staff will either contact the Tourist Police or local Police or even Pattaya City Hall.

[Guest joseph44]

Of course a great idea, but if the police is as cooperative with the 7/11 stores as if they are with a direct phone call, well dear friends: Hold your breath!!

It's another action of solving a problem in the Pattaya area: Criminal behavior and disrespect for other people and their belongings.

[Guest lvdkeyes]

Also, try to make the 7-11 staff know what you are talking about can be a real challenge. These staff are not at the top of the educational ladder. I remember trying to pay an electric bill at 7-11 after the acceptable date. I understood my error and asked where the electric company was, the clerk pointed and said "there". She never could tell me where it was located and the 7-11 was only a short distance from the electric company office.

[Gaybutton]

Also, try to make the 7-11 staff know what you are talking about can be a real challenge.

 

I doubt that the average 7-Eleven employee will have much of a command of English, but I would think they can at least figure out that someone has entered under great stress and the police need to be contacted. They are going to be trained, so that ought to help considerably. I just hope there will be a requirement for new employees to be trained if they were not already employed when the first training session begins. I also hope they make sure tourists are made aware that they can go to a 7-Eleven if a situation arises.

 

It will be interesting to see what develops from this. I'm not going to be among the people who start putting it down before the idea is even tried. I think it's a good idea and will certainly be better than what exists now, which is virtually nothing. How many readers out there know the emergency number for the police or would remember it during an emergency? How many of you could even explain to the police where you are? How many of you who come to Thailand as holiday makers also carry a mobile phone with you when in Thailand?

 

Another source of help is often motorcycle taxi drivers. Many of them, especially when in groups, readily come to the rescue when a farang has a problem.

[Guest jtrack33]

I personaly like most 7-Eleven staff and put most of them on a par with McDonald's/KFC/Pizza Company[delivery boys] for cuteness and friendliness. I still believe Tesco-Lotus holds the record for highest percentage of unhelpful staff...they always appear to be just on the point of resigning.

I am sure most 7-Eleven staff would help if they could understand you.

I also experienced the "find the electric office" situation, when I had completed a bank direct debit form for my friends provincial house supply. You need to either submit at the bank and wait three months or else take to the Provincial Electric HO near The Mall, Ngam Wongwan in Bangkok and wait only one month. I asked the bank next door and they also didn't appear to know what I was talking about, but took me outside and put me on one of their courier's bikes who took me!

[Guest lvdkeyes]

I personaly like most 7-Eleven staff and put most of them on a par with McDonald's/KFC/Pizza Company[delivery boys] for cuteness and friendliness.

 

I didn't question their friendliness, likability or their looks. I questioned their ability to understand.

[Gaybutton]

Details are now in this week's PATTAYA MAIL. Click the link to view the article:

 

http://www.pattayamail.com/current/news.shtml#hd5

[Guest slackersam]

I wonder if there is a 7-Eleven anywhere in the world where the staff speaks English as a first language.

 

Perhaps in India.

[Gaybutton]

I wonder if there is a 7-Eleven anywhere in the world where the staff speaks English as a first language.

 

Certainly not in the USA.

[Guest slackersam]

I love the idea of there being a secret 7-Eleven exchange worker program where our government is sending all of our English speaking convenience store workers to India while they send their Hindi speaking ones to us.

 

It's all part of Bush's plan to confuse the masses and bring on the events foretold in Revelation.