It is indeed good news to know that the Maya Bay closure will be extended until 2021. (BP, May 9). Last year's closure resulted in ecological recovery, which is a promising sign. To be frank, I previously did not think Thais could put short-term self interest aside and cooperate for long-term benefits. It's also good news that they will implement the online e-ticketing system for transparency purposes.
However, I caution that the main motivation for the closure should be for environmental rehabilitation, not for development to increase the number of tourists. We don't want to have to shut down the Maya Bay in 2025 again due to the overcrowding, excessive rubbish and pollution that can be seen in many other tourist hot spots in the kingdom.
As tourism contributes approximately between 10-17% of Thailand's GDP (over US$71 billion, or 2.5 trillion baht), it is vital we get it right. Early this year, I took a trip to Rayong and Koh Samet, and discovered that the conditions there have worsened compared to 10 years ago. The beach was unsightly, with assorted rubbish floating in the ocean and piling along the beachfront. Fishing boats and long-tail boats for tourists abounded, each competing to make a quick buck. The last thing on most tour operators' minds is the environment. Self interest is fine as long as it also serves the long-term collective interest.
Metaphorically, we are like a hot girl in town who relies only on her appearance to get by. We have abundant natural resources and landscapes from Doi Suthep in the North to beaches and islands in the South, to the envy of other nations. We mismanage the resources we have, selling it to conglomerates, ruining it, making it unsustainable. One notable example is the smog from crops burning in northern Thailand. Once our "beauty" fades, the tourists will vacation elsewhere to place like Malaysia, Vietnam, and Cambodia, as they are increasingly doing.
Is it then time to think about relying less on our looks and add value to our natural and man-made resources? Will we still provide Thai massages for $8 an hour in 10 years' time while South Koreans are making 5G gadgets at $1000 apiece? Will tourists return year after year to Doi Suthep (highly unlikely) or will they want to see an equivalent of a Thai Disney World with new themed rides and games using 5G technology?
There must be more to Thailand than som tam, Thai kick boxing, beaches, temples, Lost in Thailand and The Hangover Part II.
Edward Kitlertsirivatana
Throwing stones
Re: "Stateless saga one too many", (Opinion, May 9).
Your editorial states that the "US embassy deserves to be condemned for its visa policy". How many Thais are now fully fledged US citizens and how many Americans have been granted Thai citizenship? Thailand and the United States have signed an amity treaty, but does Thailand abide by its provisions completely?
Can Americans own land in Thailand in the same manner Thais are able to in the US? Immigration policy in Thailand, as pointed out by Ron Fleitman in his May 9 letter, "Making banks rich", is usurious, arbitrary and abusive. Before condemning others why not get your own house in order?
Michael Setter
Nasty road habits
Re: "Show some respect", (PostBag, May 9).
I share David Jackson's concern over the use of the highway shoulder. There have been numerous reports of people being killed while standing close to their vehicles after a breakdown, due to motorists abusing this emergency lane as their personal fourth traffic-busting lane.
Sadly there is zero enforcement of the law against this practice. For the few law-abiding drivers, we can only be aware of it, as well as other nasty habits like the doubling up on U-turn points in the second lane, or the constant left turners at red lights.
Unfortunately, we must make allowances for other people's mistakes by slowing down, swerving, and stopping, otherwise we're more likely to suffer an accident. Get a dash-cam, always avoid driver confrontation and hope that things will get better.
Nick
365 dangerous days
I have just returned from Thailand having avoided the "seven dangerous days" of Songkran by spending the holiday in Malaysia. In spite of all the publicity and mobilisation of police and other agencies, the death toll from road accidents remained inordinately high.
The fact is there are 365 dangerous days on Thai roads. I am amazed by the reckless and irresponsible behaviour of motorists and motorcyclists, particularly the latter, who continue to flout the law on a daily basis.
Anyone caught driving under the influence of alcohol, not wearing a seat belt or crash helmet, driving without a licence or insurance should receive a lengthy automatic ban, no matter what their status. While there is a systematic failure to enforce the law, everyone is at risk from the inconsiderate and undisciplined behaviour of such drivers.
The economic burden on public health and other services cannot be calculated. The emotional stress and loss for families of accident victims cannot be measured.
What is the price of a life?
Anthony Burnette
Lying to the people
Re: "The trade war hurts US more than China", (Opinion, May 7).
The writer is correct. Donald Trump must have been asleep when he tweeted late at night that China is paying for the tariffs imposed by the US.
In general, manufacturers from China or Southeast Asia who export to the US work on a very tight margin. For example, in the clothing sector, companies like Nike and Adidas would dictate the profit margin that a factory can receive, and most factories would be lucky to record a 5% to 10% net profit from executing the orders. When the US government levied a 10% tariff on the export value of the goods, it is unlikely any Chinese manufacturer, given the slim margin, could absorb the tax cost for their buyers. Therefore, to suggest that Chinese suppliers will pay for the 25% tariff is out of the question.
As the trade war drags on it poses uncertainty on both the buyer and manufacturers. By now, most big US buyers have probably moved part of their productions to other countries and the Chinese manufacturers must have stumbled to look for new markets to replace the US or set up new factories outside China to continue their business with their American buyers.
American buyers are the ones who have to bear the tariff costs, either by lowering their profits or passing the costs on to the consumers. If Donald Trump isn't ignorant of economics, he must be lying again to the American people, just as he always does.
Yingwai Suchaovanichd
Crackpot theories
After discussing politics with my friends and neighbours from the United States, I've divided them into two distinct groups; the informed and the seriously misinformed.
A significant percentage of Americans appear to be dwelling in an alternate reality of alternative facts, fake news and conspiracy theories which makes me wonder what process lets even the most outlandish misinformation or conspiracy notions survive and flourish?
Professors at Harvard and MIT developed a computer platform to analyse media echo systems using very large data analysis. Crunching millions of articles, they uncovered why some media viewers are pathologically insulated from reality. The three-year study uncovered a deep disequilibrium imperiling the nation's civic and public life.
Right-wing media, from Fox and the New York Post, all the way to Breitbart, and talk shows and conspiracy websites like Info Wars, all have a singular network where the producers intentionally misinform their viewers and link to each other to promote a corporate political agenda.
The viewers on the right are locked into a political propaganda feedback loop. By contrast on the left, the study didn't see anything parallel. The audience has a much more diverse media diet and reads much more broadly, largely sticking with media that adheres to the basic principals of journalistic codes of truthfulness, accuracy, objectivity, impartiality, fairness and public accountability.
Science has proven that the right has spun off into a singular media echo system.
The viewers dwell in an alternative reality, a fact-free echo chamber of misinformation, fake news and crackpot conspiracy theories.
Something is very wrong when a media ecosystem is able to intentionally keep more than a quarter of Americans siloed.
Larry Lindsey
Cash and leadership
Vint Chavala has raised the question of if billionaire politicians make bad national leaders. The answer is, it depends.
In America where a powerful business owner is used to throwing his weight around and getting his own way, that could be terrible preparation for being the president of the United States. One major problem with Donald Trump is that he doesn't understand that a president is not the boss, and he has to know how to work with people who disagree with him, or even detest him.
Even when he had a Republican Congress and Senate, he couldn't get any major legislation passed besides a tax cut for the rich.
On the other hand, if a successful business man understands the difference between running a private business and leading a country such as America, his leadership qualities could very well prove to be an asset should he become the president.
Eric Bahrt
Outrageous disrespect
With respect to the German television show disrespecting the Thai culture with its disrespectful skit on the monarchy, it's easy to turn the tables: Many Germans and Jews were outraged by Thai students wearing Nazi uniforms and carrying Nazi flags at a school parade. Or the Thai pop singer wearing a T-shirt with a swastika. How outrageous. How disrespectful to Jewish culture. Ban all Thais from entering Germany and Israel.
Jan Schauseil
Something is wrong
The New York Times reports Donald Trump's tax returns make abundantly clear that his business lost US$1.17 billion (about 37 billion baht) over a 10-year period. Mr Trump claims to have borrowed $1 million from his dad (paid him back) then to have grown it to $10 billion.
IRS records show Mr Trump is the biggest individual loser ever. Mr Trump says he is the best businessman ever. Reports say he is bankrupt and cannot even qualify for a loan from an American bank. He says he is really rich and will do for America what he did for his business.
People close to Mr Trump say he is a pathological liar and an unprepared, unstable hothead with mental problems. Trump says he never lies, knows more about everything than anybody and is a stable genius with a very smart brain.
Some think Mr Trump is an unethical, immoral, tax shirker out to con the average American. He claims to be a faithful, honest, good Christian man that cares about the average American.
Something is wrong.
Jeff Johnson
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