Re: "Government admits election delay", (BP, Jan 4).
How terribly unfortunate for Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam and his government that the latest permanent constitution that they had made up "is set in stone", thereby constraining them absolutely.
It would be fascinating to run a poll on which the Thai nation finds more credible: 1) that the politicians who smashed the previous permanent Thai constitution (clearly set in a more fragile type of stone) to get their own way to do whatever they wanted for themselves and allies truly did not realise that there would a coronation in due course and plan accordingly; or 2) that they had written this latest excuse for breaking a promise into their original roadmap as planned well in advance of May 2014?
Felix Qui
Reconsider 'Watchgate'
There's another angle to scrutinise the "Watchgate" saga of Deputy Prime Minister Gen Prawit Wongsuwon and the shameful decision of the National Anti-Corruption Commission on this case. I strongly believe that "accountability" and "conflicts of interest" were selfishly, irresponsibly and intentionally brushed aside in this long-drawn-out scandal.
Gen Prawit, the military junta and the NACC "must" seriously wake up and give these two basic and democratic principles a fair hearing.
Accountability and conflict of interests "must" figure very high in the fight against corruption -- isn't this a major reason for the coup d'etat in 2014?
Gen Prawit, please seriously reconsider this case for your own future as well as the future of the younger Thai generation.
Your accountability in this scandal will be a big plus in the Thai public's eyes and the international community and will surely contribute to the fight against corruption and conflict of interests. Your future days with your family and friends will be much happier.
CK
No Moon trespassing
Re: "Probe lands on dark side of the moon in historic first", (BP, Jan 4).
China has become the first nation to soft-land a spacecraft on the far side of the Moon.
The news surely drowned out news of Nasa's New Horizons probe which, on New Year's Day, successfully explored Ultima Thule, a celestial object located 6.4 billion km from Earth.
The next ambition for China is to put a man on the Moon, something the Americans accomplished five decades ago.
When JFK announced in 1961 that the US would put a man on the Moon before the decade was over, he stressed, "returning him safely".
Notice that China has never mentioned "returning safely", which makes it tough to find astronauts.
Also China has yet to announce a time frame, and only mumbled, "very soon".
So we don't know when we are going to hear, "That's one small step for Chinese, one giant leap for China."
Whether it is "Xichang, we have a problem" or "the Chang'e X has landed", if China did put a man on the Moon, I hope it wouldn't cite an evidence dated back to the Qin dynasty (221-206 BC) to stake its claim and put up no trespassing signs there.
Somsak Pola
White-flag diplomats
Re: "Vital role of diplomacy", (PostBag, Jan 4).
Regarding the UN adopting another day of celebration called, in typical diplo-speak, the "International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace", Ioan Voicu laments, "Unfortunately, this significant decision was ignored by the mass media."
Put straightforwardly this suggests we ordinary people, (members of "civil society" and individuals), should be happy because we have been invited to participate with the really important people, the multilateral globalists, (but of course only in an "appropriate manner"), in disseminating propaganda about how important they really are.
Absent the UN there would be no EU. Both are equally disastrous if their policy outcomes are evaluated, and both are becoming extinct. Diplomats are useful for hoisting white flags. For the rest we have the internet.
Michael Setter
Study, practise, drive
Re: "Make boozers pay", (PostBag, Jan 3).
I have long thought that Thai politicians and their entrepreneurial relatives have been overlooking an obvious opportunity to profit by remedying the deplorable lack of driving abilities in Thailand. Currently, virtually anyone with a few hundred baht to their name can obtain a driver's licence -- whether they have learned to safely drive a vehicle or not.
Authorities should pass legislation requiring all individuals seeking a driver's licence -- or renewing an expiring licence -- to complete a minimum number of hours of classroom study and behind-the-wheel training on proper vehicle operation. Before obtaining their licence, drivers would need to produce verifiable evidence of having successfully completed the mandatory hours of study and practice and mastered the skills and etiquette of safe driving.
Of course -- anticipating the introduction of such legislation -- connected friends and relatives of legislators would undoubtedly have the inside track in establishing the driving schools needed to meet the new requirements, and subsequently reaping the windfall of enrolees. Perhaps not the most equitable of arrangements, but at least the country's roads might become a bit safer.
Samanea Saman
Enforce traffic laws
In his Dec 23 letter, "Recipe for disaster", Alan Cooper highlighted the issue of highway safety. Let me say that, while studying at Chulalongkorn, College of Population Studies (demography), I researched this as a class project. As a long-time motorcycle user, I was surprised to learn that 76% of highway deaths in Thailand are attributed to use of motorcycles. My observation is that many motor scooters are in poor condition, appear to be used by young boys, and riders pay no attention to laws.
And, by the way, where are statistics for injuries? The number of maimed people who did not die must be very high too. A necessary change to motorcycle use seems obvious!
Motorcycles are important for poorer people. After allowing misuse of this transportation to go on for many years, it may be politically impossible to move quickly now. The only solution, in my opinion, is to take steady progress specifically about the use of motorcycles and boldly explain why it is necessary. Demand licencing at age 18 or 20 -- and enforce it. Severely tighten up parking requirements -- and enforce it. Stop talking about motorcycles riding on sidewalks -- and enforce it every day instead of in spurts. Police should be insulted, and act accordingly, if people ride on sidewalks or ignore traffic laws right in front of them.
John Kane
Blame bad drivers
A recent news item in local media claimed poor motorcycle brakes were to blame for motorcycle traffic accidents. It did not blame drunk driving, speeding or failure to wear helmets, but rather, poor brakes. All motorcycle manufacturers build brakes to conform with international standards, the same as with vehicles. If brakes are indeed a cause of accidents, which I am sure they are, the motorcycle riders should be blamed for not maintaining the brakes, and, perhaps for driving on bald tires. Police roadblock checks of course never check for either of these problems.
Grim Reaper
Raise the English bar
Re: "Corporate bosses weigh challenges and opportunities", (Business, Jan 3).
Khun Suphachai Chearavanont's remarks about the importance of education for Thailand to be a leader in the region speak volumes of Thailand's precarious position. With a rapid decline in the number of enrolments, most Thai universities are struggling to fill their empty seats, thereby compromising the quality.
Let me focus specifically on English education. Over the past two decades, English education has been faltering. Many a graduate cannot utter simple English, let alone engage in decent conversations. Much has been discussed about this chronic problem.
What appears paradoxical is that while state-of-the-art educational facilities are ubiquitous, most graduates do not fare well in English as compared to their predecessors. Universities in charge of producing graduates majoring in English must make sure to keep the English language quality of their graduates tightly in check. In fact, the teachers themselves must be required to take English exams every two years.
Proficiency in a language, especially a foreign language, ebbs and flows very quickly, depending on whether it is used or how it is used. Those who are teachers of English -- both native and non-native -- must strive towards achieving a very high standard of English. English education in Thailand will be better if and only if the teachers are more qualified than at present.
A Teacher
Get doping message
It has not been mentioned in the Post that Thai weightlifter Duangaksorn Chaidee who earned the Bronze Medal (87kg) in the recent World Championships has tested positive for banned drugs and is now suspended from any competition. Hopefully, the other athletes will get the message about not taking drugs. The last thing Thailand needs is a drug scandal for its athletes.
Brian Springer
Praise for Trump
Re: "Trump unites left & right against troop plans", (BP, Dec 30).
There is arguably no more salient sign of a bankrupt ruling class than that of one who engages in never-ending, pointless wars. Self-absorbed political leaders always become unconcerned with poor military outcomes; as long as those outcomes continue to finance the fat-cat lifestyles of the wealthy elite. Welcome to Washington.
It comes as little surprise to me that most Washington elites would condemn President Trump for attempting to withdraw America from endless conflicts because many of those elites either politically benefit from the conflict or simply never have to personally pay the consequences. As a result, they never really come face to face with the tremendous human toll that their pointless wars extract.
Indeed, if most American leaders have learned anything, it's that far-flung wars are a shortcut to political opportunity. For example, the Democrats used to be an anti-war party in the years of 1968-1988 and, in that time, they lost five out of six US presidential contests.
But, in 1992 Bill Clinton took the American Democratic party down an interventionist, pro-war path and the results yielded big dividends. Instead of losing five out of six presidential conflicts over 20 years, they instead won four out of six because Bill Clinton knew far-flung military conflicts often serve as an easy way to make people feel safe whilst simultaneously wallpapering over far greater issues.
Right now, President Trump has inherited an America that is stuck in a loop of endless wars because the country no longer really has a solid anti-war party and because many Washington elites are accustomed to handsome gains from the conflicts.
It took a bold US president to stand up against a ruling class who have no real incentives for these wars to end. President Obama was the first two-term US president to serve a tenure in which every single day somehow oversaw a war. I think President Trump should be commended for trying to make sure that he is not the second.
Jason A Jellison
Address guns first
Mr Trump, you want to build a wall to stop all the bad people from entering the US. Can I suggest to you fix your gun problem? You cannot stop that, because the gun lobby is too strong for you to fix. You boast and brag at all your achievements in the US and overseas, but the gun lobby will break you. If you can fix that, only then will I call you President Trump. Until then it will be just plain Mr Trump.
Barry Wallace
Broken taxi service
Saikat Kumar Basu in his Jan 1 letter commented on the taxi system being broken in Bangkok. I am writing to strongly concur! My family and I were in Bangkok for a couple of days and had horrendous experiences with the taxi service.
During our first experience we were overcharged for a very short ride. On New Year's Day we wanted to go to Wat Arun and our hotel advised we shouldn't pay more than 200 baht. As the taxi driver pulled out of the hotel area he stated 500 baht, to which we said no.
So he made a phone call, then made out there was a traffic problem and dropped us on an unknown street -- refused to go on with the service! At no time did the taxi drivers put the meters on; they simply covered them up.
I do think there needs to be a strong government intervention to sort this problem out. Following these experiences, we used the Skytrain which was a fantastic service.
I appreciate that a profit needs to be made but our taxi experience in Bangkok was unpleasant and frankly it is not a place I would return to in a hurry.
Nina Gibson
Australia
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