International media have reported that foreign scientists have mapped the genome of the durian.
What's next? Will a large corporation claim the patent on Thai durians and conceive a genetically modified version, and through trade pacts such as the TPP force Thailand to buy the new variety and its specially designated carcinogen pesticide?
Farmers in the North who used to make a living growing corn tell me that now the only seeds available do not produce seeds and that the only pesticide for this variety is very expensive.
Clara Holzer
Discourse with no end
It is useless to carry on a discourse with no ending. My Thai friends are not at all afraid to voice their opinions, neither are the Thai students, both secondary or university kids whom I talk to quite often. They do not feel threatened. So I guess my friends are not afraid. Keith Barlow's friends are afraid. Different strokes for different folks, I suppose.
Jack Gilead
Seeing and believing
Thais in the San Francisco Bay area and those in Little Thailand in Los Angeles tend to favour the present Thai government. They also indicate that their relatives back in Thailand are happier with the present government than the elected ones in the past that screwed them over. These people are from a diverse background in Thailand, farmers to professionals, from many Thai provinces. Past governments left many in debt. The present government does not distribute freebies, but tells it like it is. As for the fight against corruption, the same views prevail. Many people see no change, others do. So I guess it is what one letter writer wrote. We see what we want to see, we believe what we want to believe.
David James Wong
The enemies within
In Thailand people seldom vote for a government that solves economic problems. This creates a situation where one or the other party can fool the public to vote it in power but it has to deliver on the economic front to stay in power. To a large extent, the Thaksin regime was able to do that. And it paid the price for its populist policies. The opposition, instead of using the executive branch or judiciary often relied on military coups to oust the governments in power.
Most mature democracies have developed powerful institutions to manage their economies. This is where Thailand needs sharp expertise to cultivate checks and balances so that the regimes in power do not weaken such institutions deliberately. Coups instigated or pushed by Thai opposition parties have not served any purpose excepting to work as a band-aid to deal with enormous issues of education reforms, human rights, justice and democracy. Likewise, the task of dealing with human trafficking, corruption and money laundering should be the responsibility of the investigative agencies and the courts, not the government.
This can be accomplished easily by forcing police reforms along with having more courts with highly qualified judges in place. Without strengthening such institutional structures all the sloganeering about Thailand 4.0 will remain empty. The current government should also take steps to reduce wasteful expenditure on military hardware. Thailand does not have any external enemies; the enemies within are who need to be dealt with.
Kuldeep Nagi
Sticking it to cops
Contrary to what "Gold Plated Mango" said in his Oct 7 letter, "One rule for red plated", I was stopped three times over this past weekend. I drove from Jomtien to Korat and back. The first police officer checked my licence and the noticed there was no disc on the windscreen. His little face lit up and he said "200 baht!" I showed him my completed log book and the look of disappointment on his face was a joy to behold. I drove off with a wide grin. On the return journey I was stopped twice within 10 kilometres. The first stop was on the extensive roadworks where the police added to the traffic queues.
Jim Snow
Criminally Thai
Re: "Cops target Phuket in mafia blitz", (BP, Oct 8).
Maybe the police should focus more on Thai criminals because in my opinion they outnumber foreigner criminals and maybe look into their own force.
Mr Pete
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