Perhaps the quote by Cambodian PM Hun Sen published in the Bangkok Post on Sept 7: "I have decided to continue my job for another 10 years" should have read "I have decided to continue my job running Cambodia as if it was my family business for another 10 years"?
Talking of which, the related Opinion page describes the demise of the largely opposition newspaper on the pretext of owing US$6.3 million in taxes.
The Washington Post once reported on July 6, 2016 that Hun Sen and his family had amassed a secret fortune of over $200 million and "perhaps five times that amount". It might be interesting to see the tax returns on his network of companies.
Martin R
Aim for the statutes
We have been reading lately regarding the statute of limitations for bringing crimes to justice. Let's start with the way things used to be.
Back in the early days of America, men like Wyatt Earp or Billy the Kid used to run around with a 44 magnum strapped to their leg, and if they pulled it and pointed it at you, they made you a quick believer, unless you were already quicker. Get me?
Now, let's move ahead a few years, like in 2017 Thailand, where we have a prime minister who has a 44 built into his right-hand forefinger, which if it gets pointed at you, can do as much, or even more damage than the old 44 of yesteryear.
Please, don't take this as ramblings from an old man, but I am simply asking why Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha can't just point his 44 finger, and declare under Section 44, that there are no statute of limitations for anyone charged with a crime who has fled the country, and it can only be reinstated when the person returns to Thailand to face the charges against him.
Plain and simple.
Charlie Brown
Lady full of excuses
"Our Lady of Myanmar" should be reminded of Benjamin Franklin's famous proverb, "He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else", in this case, she, not he.
Eli Melach
End the facade
Re: "A Potemkin village in Thailand," (Opinion, Sept 6).
The incident in which Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha presided over the opening ceremony for a tap water and power line which were just props in a district of Sa Kaeo province -- was embarrassing indeed.
Two things must be considered as a result of this:
First, transferring or firing the obsequious officials in this case.
Second, decentralising the government's powers immediately, to facilitate rapid and comprehensive rural development.
Vint Chavala
'Bad egg' at Chula
Re: "Chula denies Netiwit given a raw deal", (BP, Sept 7)
The report about Chulalongkorn University's defence of its ousting of Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal as president of the student council invites more comments.
First, it is questionable that the walkout warrants the sacking of Mr Netiwit. His bad manners in publicity seeking were already condemned by fair-minded individuals and cursed by many alumni.
The "unfair" sacking of gave him a cause to disturb the peace of Chula further. Condemnation of him by the elders of Chula with 24 points deducted, short of the 25 points required for sacking him, would have been better and left Mr Netiwit with nothing to chew on.
Second, the headlock by one lecturer debased the beauty of paying respect to the founder even more. Why was the punishment, if any, not meted out to the teacher at the same time as sacking Mr Netiwit instead of releasing the news that the lecturer is still under investigation? What is there to probe?
Third, the criticism of the elders was not over the lack of transparency and independence but their way of treating a bad egg. Mr Netiwit will soon be history.
The less one says about Mr Netiwit, the better it will be for Chula!
Songdej Praditsmanon
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