For our many friends in Thailand -- students and teachers at Chiang Yuan Wittaya School in Nakhon Phanom and those in Bangkok -- we want to express our deepest gratitude for giving us the opportunity to learn about the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
We have lived and worked in Thailand for many years. We witnessed how the late King gave so much to so many in so many different areas. From how to live life well through sufficiency, to development in agriculture, forestry, transportation, the arts. He had so many different talents. Perhaps most important was how he served and led his people, how he guided his country through difficult times.
We served in Thailand during the reign of King Bhumibol. We are so grateful we had the opportunity to live and work in Thailand during this period. We were able to see how he led the Thai people forward for 70 years. His example and leadership has made his people strong.
We witnessed the strength of the Thai people during the past five days as you stood by your late King and celebrated his life of service to you, his people. The world has never seen anything like this. Thousands and thousands of people came out to show their love and respect for the late King -- in Bangkok, in the provinces, and all over the world. In the hot sun, in the rain. Standing strong for days for their late King. The world has never seen a funeral service like this before.
And we wish to thank the Bangkok Post for the wonderful reporting you provided of the cremation ceremony. We are back in New York now, but you made us feel like we were present at Sanam Luang. And we are very grateful for the "perspective" you provided for us -- on the late King's legacy, what the future holds, and the unbelievable outpouring of love from the people. Special thanks to Sanitsuda Ekachai for her writing, ("Retaining royal legacy after finale farewell", Opinion, Oct 25), to Kong Rithdee for his piece, ("Look ahead after a grand farewell", Opinion, Oct 28), and of course to Roger Crutchley for "Reflections on a love supreme", (Opinion, Oct 29).
Joe and Sandy Boys
Elite don't give a hoot
Re: "Beware the knock", (PostBag, Oct 30).
Lungstib makes an important point that Thai PostBag writers such as Kantanit Sukontasap who defended the junta are not the ones who are suffering. For the most part they are arrogant elitists who supported the Democrats who couldn't get elected as a dogcatcher if their lives depended on it. Then after losing to Yingluck Shinawatra they take to the streets, cause total chaos and then justify the coup which resulted from the chaos they created themselves!
These elitists are not the forest dwellers who are now suffering terribly nor the 28-year-old mother of two who was sentenced to 29 years in prison for lese majeste. They're not the sick old woman in Chiang Mai who I've written about who has to beg for money while the government is busy prosecuting political dissenters.
If these Thai elitists had addressed the social inequities in Thailand in the first place Thaksin Shinawatra never would have risen to power and there would not have been a coup. But these elitists do not give a hoot about anything except their own personal comforts. And then they have the nerve to call themselves nationalists. Give me a break!
Eric Bahrt
Elegance of dhamma
Re: "Buddhism's virtue", (PostBag, Oct 30).
Kuldeep Nagi writes "highly ritualised practices are big constraints in developing a better understanding of Buddha's teachings".
One of the most elegant aspects of the dhamma is that there are no constraints or limitations in understanding or practising it. In every circumstance, every moment, the teaching of the Buddha may be practised. The result of such practice is understanding, and the perfection of understanding is an abiding realisation of the truth.
Michael Setter
Contact: Bangkok Post Building
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