Re: "Regime is here to stay", (Editorial, May 22). While the Bangkok Post correctly points out that the "many Thais who initially backed the regime … should have come to realise now that a military coup can never be a real solution to a flawed or corrupt government", the reality betrays an even deeper failure to understand Thai affairs by those Thai citizens who supported the coup. The piously unfulfilled promises made up to justify the latest overthrow of the supreme legal pillar of the Thai nation -- the constitution, that defines every other official Thai institution -- should never have been credible to anyone given the decades-long history of coups that have served only to prevent the evolution of healthy democratic solutions to Thailand's endemic corruption and other political ills.
The repeated coups that have undermined Thailand's political development, have also corrupted the social and moral well-being of the nation, thereby creating the desperation that led the nation to repeatedly vote for Thaksin Shinawatra, who despite his failings, including an extremely dubious commitment to democracy, appeared to not only promise, but to deliver real reforms long overdue to correct long traditional injustices and inequality. Naturally, those traditionally against democracy cast him as a villain, but the Thai people had awoken enough to see that this was but a shallow and false accusation, of no more worth than the promises of happiness from a coup leader: the nation sensibly continued to support Thaksin. Dubious political charges were pressed against him, while the real crimes of his drug war killings, which mainly harmed the poor who had voted for him, were conspicuously ignored.
It is this same desire of the Thai nation for real reform that led to the stunning success of the Future Forward Party, the only party that has admitted to accurately learning the lessons of eight decades of Thai history. Correctly understanding the causes, Future Forward offered what millions of Thai citizens do now know to be the solutions that their nation desperately needs. Naturally, this is anathema to the forces against democracy, who blatantly abuse the rule of law made up for that purpose to attack the leaders of Future Forward, whom millions of Thai people judged to be good on March 24.
The true wonder is that any Thai could ever have so failed to understand Thai history as to believe that yet another coup could end the coup-driven cycle of political, social and moral failures of decades. As flawed as democracy might be, it remains far better than every alternative, as Thai history since 1932 too amply attests.
Felix Qui
Peeping drones
If you climb on an outside wall and peep into someone's house, you will be cautioned by the police. It should be the same for flying drones. Getting a detailed view of anything without proper permission is an unlawful conduct, more unlawful than peeping toms.
Also, stricter rules are needed for the construction and operation of drones to prevent the occurrence of disasters related with drone accidents, because drones have been and will be developed far more than toys.
RH Suga
Lamphun
Milking the argument
Re: "No good dairy", (PostBag, May 22).
Eric Bahrt asks why people don't drink rat or dog milk. I think both rats and dogs are too small to milk easily. I hope that answers Mr Bahrt's question.
Charcoal Ridgeback
CONTACT: BANGKOK POST BUILDING
136 Na Ranong Road Klong Toey, Bangkok 10110
Fax: +02 6164000 email: postbag@bangkokpost.co.th
All letter writers must provide full name and address.
All published correspondence is subject to editing at our discretion.
