The paper constantly tries to address the increase in income inequality with relation to farmers yet nobody applies “business sense” to the situation.
If someone has a business where they cannot sell their product without government subsidies and pricing schemes such as with rice and rubber farmers, why are they allowed to continue? Every other successful business that operates without the benefit of government largesse is then expected to pay for failing businesses through taxation. Redistributing the wealth from competent businesses to support failing enterprises is not a functional business model.
What good does it do to the economy and society if literally, tonnes of a product are sold at a loss? Is it really good for accounting ledgers and GDP accounting to post millions of dollars of activity in the “Exports Column” if the activity costs more than it receives in compensation? If a retail store or restaurant is forced to close because of declining sales and the government stepped in and used tax dollars to maintain the operation, every other business that competes with these assisted shops would cry foul. They would be rightly upset if their tax submissions were used to allow incompetent and failed enterprises to continue operating.
Would it not be better to let dysfunctional businesses fail and cease operations than continue if we are concerned about income inequality?
How will so many of the population be expected to rise in socio-economic standings working in a market that is failed?
DARIUS HOBER
Let’s have rule of law
Re: “PAD protests went too far”, (Editorial, Feb 14).
I fully approve of the jailing without suspension of the six People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) yellow-shirt leaders who seized Government House in 2008. This helps show that rule of law is slowly coming to Thailand, for in 2015, 15 red-shirt leaders were sentenced to four years in jail for the 2009 storming of the Asean Summit in Pattaya.
But we need rule of law — not rule by law. Under the former, laws have reasons supporting them, the rationale for each law is open to questioning and debate by voters’ representatives, and revised if the representatives so decide. Laws apply equally to all, without exception.
Thus, for example, how can we have each junta declare itself innocent of the forcible overthrow of the government it had earlier pledged allegiance to? Or have Section 44, whereby anything that the junta leader says is, ipso facto, the law? Or, even if Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon had borrowed his 21 ultra-expensive watches from his classmate for decades, are we expected to believe that he did it purely out of love for Gen Prawit? Since Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is running for office on an anti-corruption platform, how he handles this probe is of paramount importance.
PM Prayut, show us that you believe in rule of law, not by law.
BURIN KANTABUTRA
Shame on ‘poisoners’
Re: “Board vetoes ban on hazardous chemicals”, (BP, Feb 15).
Words are inadequate to condemn the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives’ decision to allow the poisoning of Thailand’s environment, food supply and people to continue until new and more lethal poisons can be developed.
Greed, lack of decency, lack of common sense, profound immorality, and reprehensible selfishness characterises those responsible for making such a decision. Thailand and its children must have such poisons banned from use now. Is it not true that if justice were to be served, those who make a decision which will, without question, result in unimaginable suffering and death, deserve to be executed? Is this not right and true?
Shame upon the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives for this unconscionably profane act.
MR M
Motorcycle rage
Re: “Motorcyclist on footpath deliberately knocks man down”, (BP, Feb 15).
I read the news and my pulse was racing with anger. When I got to the part that said, “On Wednesday, police called the two sides in to settle their dispute”, my pulse nearly stopped.
What dispute to be settled? This was an assault with intention to maim. Do you know any expression to insult Thai police that is worse than “The Keystone Cops”?
Disgusting! But then again: This is Thailand!
SOMSAK POLA
Samut Prakan
Political riddles
Re: “EC must be firm and fair”, (Editorial, Feb 13).
I agree that the Election Commission (EC) must work for the good of all Thai voters — not just the military regime.
Further, the agency must be reminded that is not a judicial office, nor is it a place to seek retribution.
That being said, the EC must be honest and courageous in its investigation into how and why the Thai Raksa Chart Party was formed.
The EC should investigate whether the party was formed because Thaksin Shinawatra, who is alleged to control the Pheu Thai Party, wanted to have more than one party under his control in vying for most House seats in the March 24 election — solely for his benefit. Such an action is both undemocratic and unlawful.
It also looks like Thaksin assigned only political rookies as senior executives of this party, not his closest aides, in case anything untoward should happen to the party.
Last but not least, the designing of the Thai abbreviated name for “Thai Raksa Chart” is also weird.
Instead of using Tor Ro So Cho or Tor Ro Cho — the party opted to use the moniker Tor So Cho, which also can be read as: “Thaksin Shinawatra” in Thai.
VINT CHAVALA
Chiang Mai
Thaksin still popular
Has Khun Vint Chavala, (“Bye Thaksin”, PostBag, Feb 13), talked to country and poorer folks regarding Thaksin’s unpopularity?
I have been told that he still has significant support upcountry, and that red-shirt strongholds in outer Bangkok suburbs are alive and well and vocal. Are these comments true?
Thai Raksa Chart is not the only party that is pro-Thaksin, is it?
A QUESTIONING VOTER
Shame about Shah
Iranians seem a bizarre lot. They were happy to get rid of the Shah some 40 years ago.
Now they are individually in worse shape than before, and Iran is run by corrupt mullahs who are reported to have squirreled away fortunes in Switzerland while the average Iranian is having difficulty coping with food and other shortages and a currency not worth the paper it’s printed on.
Yet, they cheer on their imposed dictatorship, for that is exactly what it is. Iran has jumped from the frying pan into the fire. In compression to what Iran has now, the Shah was a babe in arms.
GENERAL GOLANI
Always tell taxman
Re: “Expat exploitation”, (PostBag, Feb 15).
Eric Bahrt and others rage against the supposed iniquities visited upon expatriate retirees by the immigration authorities, but in recent decades there has been a huge increase in the number of foreigners choosing to spend their retirement in Thailand. Some may not have made adequate provision for the medical assistance that will probably be needed as they age, and the Immigration Department are no doubt well aware of this.
The changes recently brought in regarding the income/wealth requirements for renewing a retirement visa might well seem muddled and confusing, but I assume the authorities are simply trying to ensure that expatriate retirees have enough financial means to support themselves, or to cover medical costs.
Confirmation letters from embassies did not, for obvious reasons, confirm that income was actually remitted into Thailand. Income credited to a bank account overseas clearly isn’t of any interest to the Immigration Department until it actually arrives in Thailand. That may seem harsh, ignoring useful things such as credit cards, but I can see their point.
Mr Bahrt claims that we would be fools if we assumed transferring funds monthly to Thailand would not attract the attention of the Revenue Department.
My understanding is that it would not, but I hope he is not advocating tax evasion. Trying to hoodwink the taxman is a ploy which often ends up very badly, so if in any doubt get advice from a tax adviser.
ROBIN GRANT
Like it or lump it
Will Eric Bahrt’s hysteria ever stop, I wonder. I agree that Thailand’s immigration rules concerning banking are somewhat archaic and draconian. But unlike Mr Bahrt who makes a “big tsimmes” out of it on a non-stop basis, (as if it will do any good, as if anyone cares, as if anyone will do something), all he has to do is relocate to a neighbouring country. Many of my expat friends who have lived in Thailand for 15-25 years have simply upped and moved to either Laos or Cambodia without fuss, hysteria, making a big to-do about nothing.
Mr Bahrt should follow the Buddhist belief that nothing is forever, whatever he owns is “borrowed” and will pass on after his demise. Rather than complain to an audience who does not really care, just relocate. Is your house, car, property, neighbourhood, etc, so valuable that nothing can be replaced? Come on Eric, stop it. Many people are in the same predicament. They act, you whine. Wake up one morning in Phnom Penh where there is no pollution, no traffic to be worried about, the streets are clean, residential neighbourhoods are beautiful, markets are full of food, prices are lower than Thailand, and people are friendlier.
DAVID JAMES WONG
Bahrt relocation?
Why is Eric Bahrt always so puzzled or frothing up about the continual tightening and enforcement of immigration rules?
Thailand wants your money, money, money, which Eric Bahrt does not understand. It is not about morality, whether or not large sums of money can be wired, transferred, or whatever.
Eric, get it through your head, neither you nor the rest of us are wanted here. Most people go where they are welcome. Retired folks are learning that, and many have already chosen Costa Rica, Laos, Cambodia, and other places where they are welcome. Your daily litany, really a rant, rehashing the SOS, (same old stuff ) is about as refreshing as you know what.
There is usually a simple solution to every problem. The solution is, relocate. Stop being so materialistic about your house, your possessions, your car. It’s all replaceable. Relocation is wonderful. I for one am already working on it.
YANKELEH
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