The July 21 editorial "Eyewitness to injustice" and the letters "Slaves in fatigues" and "Thai-ness faux pas?" are all so closely linked that it seems that the editor responsible for the layout may have placed them together intentionally.
What unites them, of course, is that a key, if not the key, component of Thainess is that the less powerful must always submit to the more powerful or face harsh consequences. And, of course, the converse is equally true: the more powerful generally have immunity to do whatever they choose to the less powerful, as witnessed over and over and over again.
George Rothschild
Plastic raises air fares
The recent furore incited by the supermarket plastic bag ban parallels the thoughtless plastic waste generated by airlines.
Aside from being bad for the environment, the cost of manufacture of food and beverage packaging, transporting to landfill or recycling incur higher ticket prices. Do canned and bottled drinks really need to come with a plastic glass to be poured into unless those beverages need to be further chilled on ice? Is there a health risk from drinking directly from the lip of a can or bottle?
Worse still are the unused stiff plastic knife and fork in sealed envelopes that automatically come with finger foods such as sandwiches and brownies.
Joseph Ting
Government hypocrisy again
I was appalled, but in many ways not surprised at the government's criticism against foreign media in their role regarding the cave rescue saga (BP, July 21).
It said the foreign media's questions "would only serve to remind them of the trauma they went through, and may lead to further psychological issues in the future".
Yet, after the boys release from hospital, the government laid on an extensive press conference with TV cameras broadcasting to all parts of the world.
It was a very lengthy affair conducted by a Thai interviewer only, who discussed and questioned the boys in great detail, in what I agree was undoubtedly a very traumatic experience for them.
I fail therefore to see the difference between this press conference in the glare of TV cameras, and why it would not have reminded the boys of the trauma they went through, and even caused them possible psychological damage as had been suggested, and the foreign media's questions the government said should not have been done at all.
A rescue event of this nature watched throughout the world, was always going to attract enormous publicity and attention, but in this case I would suggest was necessary to allow the boys to express their thoughts and emotions before going back to their families and getting on with the rest of their lives, rather than attempting to "wrap them up in cotton wool".
Lawrence Tilney
Stop rolling out tanks
Former South Korean President Park Geun-hye is now facing at least 30 years in jail for scandals and corruption while prosecutors are seeking to add more years on her sentence (BP, July 21).
I always wonder why our legal system could not punish Thaksin and Yingluck, the way South Korea could with Park. Why did our military have to roll out tanks every time elected PMs are accused of corruption? Think of the chain reactions: putting the country on the treadmill that doesn't run, drafting new constitution with practically the same letters, setting up several superfluous alphabet soup agencies, planning a general election only God knows when, getting shunned by the world community.
Somsak Pola
Keep faith to yourself
To Eric Bahrt and all those other writers who seem to become embroiled with religion discussions from time to time, believers and non-believers.
There is a church somewhere in the American south with the following sign on its front lawn. "Religion is like a penis. It's fine to have one and it's fine to be proud of it, but please don't whip it out in public and start waving it around. Leave it behind your zipper where it belongs." Keep the faith, or disregard it, but remember, no one really cares what you believe. Spare us your thoughts and religious opinions, please. No one is ever going to win.
Vedr Mango
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