Published on December 05, 2005
Thaksin shouldn’t use the media to air views on SEA Games officials
Re: “Talks needed to fix Games’ true spirit: PM”, News, December 1.
In the 1980s, when a world championship boxing match was judged in a doubtful manner and resulted in a Thai boxer losing, the then Thai foreign minister, ACM Siddhi Savetsila, lodged an official protest that led to a rematch, which the Thai boxer won. Thaksin Shinawatra’s recent remarks on what he calls the lack of a sporting spirit in the SEA Games in the Philippines shows that he obviously does not understand the principle of how one is innocent until proven guilty. Unless Thaksin has firm evidence proving unfairness on behalf of Filipino officials, I do suggest he behave in a civil and polite manner. And, if Thaksin does have such evidence, he should not use the media to air his views, but just lodge an official protest on behalf of the Thai government. To use the media to gain popularity is not the thing to do when it comes to such an event as these games. No wonder he was accused of ‘just sour-graping’ by locals in the Philippines. SSN Nakhon Ratchasima --------------------------- PM can focus his attention on corruption right here Re: “Talks needed to fix Games’ true spirit: PM”, News, December 1. Please advice your prime minister not to act like a child. If our Filipino athletes are getting more gold medals than your athletes it is because they train very hard. I watched all the competitions. What I’ve seen is that the officiating has been fair and square. If Thaksin Shinawatra is so concerned about combating corruption, he should concentrate on solving the problems related to the construction of Bangkok’s new airport. But don’t blame Filipino athletes. We train, we perform, we conquer. We are a great nation. Mr Clean Malinis Manila --------------------------- Playing the spoilsport won’t solve your real problems Re: “Judging is subject of probe: Arroyo”, News, December 2. I don’t think it is appropriate for the prime minister to make comments like this, then make denials and then blame the media for misinterpreting his words. He may have wanted to make us a scapegoat for the political heat being put on him by the Thai media in order to divert public attention to the criticism lodged against his government. He should refrain from making such unfounded accusations because this irresponsible criticism degrades us in the international community. I know very well that the spin doctors of politicians devise such schemes to take the heat off the boss, but please, do not do this at the expense of the Filipinos. Marlet Manila --------------------------- SEA Games smokescreen used to hide bigger issues If anybody is glad that the PM has taken up the issue of weird refereeing at the SEA Games, please be reminded that this is the old trick of blowing up a minor issue to cover up a major issue. We should concentrate on the graft and corruption issues surrounding our dear PM and his cronies. I think we all know that Sondhi is no knight in shining armour. But we should thank him for what he is doing right now – exposing the shady deals of the present government. If it were up to me, he would come out with new revelations each week until every last person realises what the PM and his crew are doing to this country and its future. Sam Munich Bangkok --------------------------- A classic case of getting exactly what you deserve Re: “Tale of the master manipulator”, News, December 1. You are right. PM Thaksin Shinawatra deserves Sondhi Limthongkul. Let the bell of freedom ring throughout Thailand until the last crooked politician has been driven out of government. Eighthehardway Bangkok --------------------------- The warning signs were there but largely ignored A lot of people are now complaining that their democratic rights are being violated by the government’s heavy-handed attempts to silence its critics. I wonder where these people were a few years ago when the government supported even worse violations of people’s right by condoning the killings of thousands of alleged drug dealers. Oh, I see: back then it was a matter of dealing with drug dealers, whose rights are not worth protecting, but now it is our rights that are being violated, and this we must not tolerate. As a nation of hypocrites, we certainly deserve to have a tyrant as our leader. Katha Bangkok --------------------------- Messenger’s faults irrelevant next to message’s relevance Re: “The good old days”, News, November 30. I have no doubt about the validity of the facts presented in the article, but I don’t see this as a matter simply of personal grievances between Sondhi Limthongkul and Thaksin Shinawatra. When thousands of Bangkokians gather in the Lumpini Park and maybe millions of people throughout the country at home watch and listen to this dauntless media militant exposing the true colours of the so-called wisest politician Thailand has ever seen, this is not longer a confrontation between two figures. Sondhi is just like throwing a stone into a pond of stagnant water, causing waves to surge in our society. How can we call Sondhi a “bad guy” only because he is doing something to our PM? Is our PM so great that he shouldn’t be criticised? Sondhi is trying to use the good faith of the Thai citizens to make himself rich? How naive this perspective is! Don’t you see that in fact he is running the risk of being done away with instead? Sondhi is misleading Thai citizens? No! The truth is that our PM is leading this country astray, down the road towards a dictatorship to be run by him and a handful of millionaires. Just think over the following facts: - He has made almost all our independent institutions dependent on him. - He has brought the media at large under his control. Only voices of eulogy are heard on the TV and the radio nowadays. - He and his government have tried by hook and by crook to cover up the worst corruption in Thai history. - He has appointed cronies in high-ranking positions. - He has spent taxpayers’ money like it is water on unproductive populist policies only to lure votes; introduced hubs and centres and mega-projects one after another, wanting people to live in a world of daydreams; and taken personal charge of conducting business with foreign countries, something that’s the duty of the commerce minister. And his squandering has emptied the state’s coffers! I don’t know what Sondhi was in the past. I think he is doing something good for our society, which will be recorded in history. Abee Bangkok --------------------------- In a lather about the lack of hygiene in local washrooms Re: “Not enough Thais wash hands: study”, News, November 28. I have lived in Thailand with my husband for almost five years. We are both Westerners. In my time here, and in my many visits to public washrooms, I have rarely seen Thai women washing their hands. I have visited a private hospital on many occasions and only recently noticed soap in one of the many washrooms. I have never seen the nurses wash their hands after using the washroom. I recently saw a man and a woman washing their baby’s bottom of faeces in the sink in the hospital’s female toilet and leave without washing their hands! People need to start teaching their children to wash their hands after using the toilet, before cooking, eating, etc. If people start now, then hopefully the next generation will have a little better hygiene and less diarrhoea, dysentery and typhoid. Concerned Songkhla --------------------------- A lyrical tribute to the nation’s Guiding Light This poem of mine is dedicated to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Monarch of Thailand, on the occasion of His Majesty’s 78th birthday. Arrayed in History’s finest robes You stand Radiant above the aeons of this age The Chosen, Victorious sage-king of Thailand Your Kingdom in overwhelming unison pays You homage: While we Your jubilant subjects accolade You In cosmic realms seventy-eight scintillating stars Crescent themselves into a celestial crown anew Bathing You in their light. Revered King of this persevering land by far Dominions and plenipotentiaries all sink into silence Before Your wisdom. Benevolent King Your hands work wonders, Your mind encompasses science You inspire these birthday lyrics for You we sing. May the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts Eternally be in praise of You, the inspiration of our minds and arts Glen V Chatelier Director, Office of International Affairs Assumption University Bangkok
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