Published on November 14, 2005
Critical editor deserves society’s support in effort to shore up democracy
Re: “Sondhi turns up heat on Thaksin”, News, November 12.
Our country is now at the stage when she is being led astray from democracy down to the road of dictatorship by Thaksin Shinawatra and his likes. A personality cult for Thaksin Shinawatra can be seen developing in every aspect of life. The only thing we’re missing is people shouting with tears running their cheeks “Long live Thaksin Shinawatra!” Everyone has a share of responsibility for the rise and fall of his nation. I appeal to people from all walks of life, the NGOs, the opposition party, and especially our young generation, to stand side by side with Sondhi Limthongkul. There are signs that a conspiracy is being brewed to put this outspoken advocate of freedom into prison to stop him from arousing the masses of people to their consciousness and seeing the true colours of Thaksin Shinawatra and his clique. The power of the people and wise tactics of Sondhi will prevent this from happening. We are fighting a tough fight because we are fighting an ever-stronger state apparatus which is based on a vast population of the worst-off peasantry, who are fooled by Thaksin’s populist policies (they are not to blame), and a large flock of running dogs groomed by their master Thaksin, who know how and when to act to help their master. This is a time in which we need the unity and courage to fight against the odds. Abee Bangkok ------------------------------- Govt’s harsh policies make Anand’s task impossible If there is a position with “impossible” written all over it, it is the chairmanship of the National Reconciliation Commission held by former prime minister Anand Panyarachun. His policy and procedural approach is the opposite of the militaristic approach and mindset of PM Thaksin, who is still groping in the dark when it comes to the Muslim South. Some Buddhist leaders in the South claim that Anand is impartial. His recommendations often fall on deaf ears. And support from mainstream Thai society for the commission is far from heartfelt. Undoubtedly his task will be less frustrating if he has full backing from the prime minister. Anand is much too valuable as a resource to be wasted like this, given the government’s position. I would support his resignation from the NRC. Down the road there will be a higher calling in a more productive undertaking for Anand. Netirat Intira Bangkok ------------------------------- University doesn’t really warrant so high a reputation Re: “Thailand’s finest university rests on its laurels and is not concerned about problems”, Letters, November 12. I have to say that I have to agree with A Concerned Teacher’s thoughts on Chulalongkorn University. What is the point of taking a test and just getting a number back, eg, 37 out of 100? That tells me absolutely nothing except a student did poorly and doesn’t know why because there is no review of the quiz, midterm, final, etc. Thai students begin their courses and finish their courses with no more knowledge than when they first walked into the door because the Thai teachers don’t have a general review of their exams, so Thai students can’t see where they made their mistakes. Now, one can see why this causes overly undue stress to university students, not just at Chula. Instead of doing the right thing and reviewing the tests with the students, the Thai staff of the respective faculties are too busy manipulating their grades to fit the university’s image instead of showing students what they did wrong so they can move forward. I’ve also been told by some students that Thai teachers write the tests at the most difficult end of the spectrum, which would suggest again that they lack proper testing and evaluation knowledge. In The Nation yesterday, I read of a medical student from Chula jumping from the 12th floor of a building due to study stress-related issues. The West doesn’t have this problem because we get a full review of our tests with an explanation about why the answer is right and the others are wrong. I believe that if the Thai educational system were to change and the teachers actually reviewed the tests with the students, you would see a decrease in the number of study stress-related suicides nationwide. In my opinion, any university that has a study stress-related suicide should be held fully responsible due to their mediocre academic administration and dereliction of their duties as administrators and teachers alike. Robert J Weiss Bangkok ------------------------------- We need to hear Muslim voices of peace and tolerance I applaud the governments of Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, the other Muslim nations and Muslim organisations, such as Jordan’s Muslim Brotherhood, for forcefully condemning the atrocities committed in the name of their religion – this time in Jordan. Islam is not the first religion to be twisted for evil (witness the Crusades and Inquisition), but it is the one in the news now. By speaking out, and helping the authorities apprehend the criminals, Muslims will help their communities to see the fight as one pitching peace-lovers against terrorists – not Muslims versus the rest. Similarly, I applaud the many Thai Muslim organisations and individuals who have condemned the terrorists in Thailand’s South, for they risk their lives by doing so. They realise that “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at moments of challenge and controversy” (Martin Luther King, Jr). I call upon Thailand’s Muslims to speak out more forcefully, to cooperate with the authorities through channels they trust, and to educate the rest of us as to how we can bring reconciliation and peace to this our beloved land. Burin Kantabutra Bangkok ------------------------------- For this smoker, overcharge doesn’t fit the offence I joyfully made my umpteenth visit to Thailand on October 20, only to be detained by a very polite and courteous Customs official on the concourse of Bangkok International Airport, while I was openly carrying a duty-free carrier bag from Heathrow Airport in London, which contained one carton of 1,000 cigarettes. He politely explained in quite good English that it was his government’s policy to ensure that duty on all such goods entering the country must be paid for and I would have to accompany him “to see his boss at the office”. I was duly taken in an official vehicle to his head-office complex (near Bang Lamphu, where I had conveniently booked accommodation) and was interviewed by the superintendent, who spoke no English, but based on his officer’s report informed me that I would be charged Bt13,125, and the cigarettes would be confiscated. There followed a brief telephone conversation with an apparently senior official who asked me my age (76) and whether I had enough money to pay the charge. I replied that I had enough baht to pay the charge but told him I thought the charge was outrageous, to which he didn’t reply. Since returning to the UK and giving the matter some thought, I now naturally regret the entire episode but consider the imposition of such a huge and exorbitant charge unjustified by anything other than punitive standards. The charge by today’s exchange rate represents 400 per cent more than the original cost of ?50 [Bt3,580] for the cigarettes. Evans UK ------------------------------- It’s self-serving to keep Burma off UNSC agenda Recently the Thai foreign minister stressed that the Burma issue should not be discussed at the UN Security Council at this time. The Chinese PM recently vowed to cooperate more with the Burma junta in economic and trade relations. It has been 15 years since more than 80 per cent of Burmese voters opted for a radical change and showed that they did not want the junta, which after three decades of military rule had brought the country deterioration in all aspects of daily life. When Thailand initiated the Bangkok process, we daydreamed that it could produce fruitful results. But after three or more years, there is no indication whatsoever that such kind of process would bring any change. The answer is simple: these processes or initiatives have no bargaining power in influencing the junta. The current situation demonstrates that the junta will not compromise in any way to change the status quo, except their organisational costume. There have been critics of the winning party, the NLD, that they are not flexible enough to deal with the junta in dialogue. However, the recent evidence proves that the junta is the one with the iron fist. Burma needs radical change to catch up with countries like Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam. Changes in political orientation and economic freedom would bring prosperity to Burma. But currently, China, India and Thailand are using the junta for their own purposes and delaying change by helping the junta. The point of the UNSC taking up the issue is not to enact more sanctions or propose an invasion. The damage is already huge. It is actually to let the world body assist in negotiations between the two leading forces of the country, the junta and the NLD. I would like to urge especially China, India and Thailand from here to please hold your own interest for a moment and help Burma and its people for the long term. Help both the junta and NLD in negotiating towards change. Help put forward the Burma issue to the UN Security Council and make a true change that will be meaningful to the long-suffering people of that country. Daghun Bangkok
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