Will our esteemed prime minister go back to the countryside and hand out some more money to buy popularity? Doesn't he realise that for once he could have done something worthwhile for the nation by stepping down?

The Nation reports that "Business leaders are generally positive" [News, February 25]. I understand that, as it would be to their benefit if this populist, would-be dictator returned to power.

Where are we going? What is to become of us? Is there no one with an ounce of integrity who could steer our nation towards real democracy and prosperity for all, not just for the corrupt entities?

We haven't even got an impartial legal system, as has been shown during this time of turbulence.

Nothing will change, as we haven't got the fortitude nor the people at the top with the integrity to make it happen.

We need a father and mother for our nation.

Noppadon

Bangkok

-----------------------------------------------

House dissolution merely another self-serving ploy

Only a few days back our PM vowed solemnly that he would neither resign from office or dissolve the House. On Friday night he solemnly announced to the public his decision on the dissolution. This was a most cunning manoeuvre by a most cunning man which kills two birds with one stone: he slips out of the predicament of possibly being ousted by the ever-growing power of the people, and he can stage a comeback after a quick battle.

It is questionable if he will successfully escape the mass movement seeking to get him out, but it seems out of the question that he will lose the snap election for two reasons. First, he has enormous wealth at hand from the recent sell-off of Shin Corp. Second, the state's power is also in his hands. Because of the badly weakened mechanisms of checks and balances, very little can be done to stop him from buying votes with money and populist policies.

Abee

Bangkok

-----------------------------------------------

PM has never shown any statesmanship

Re: "Voters' mandate was given to TRT Party, not Thaksin", Opinion, February 24

Tom Lloyd tells us in his letter that "there are many problems facing the country that have to be addressed, such as the southern violence, bird flu, tourism ..."

He forgot (?) to mention problems regarding massive corruption, impunity regarding extrajudicial killings and disappearances, business deals with the dictators of Burma, the millions of refugees and illegal immigrants, the citizenship of hill-tribe people, the oppression of freedom of speech and the press, the poverty and low minimum wage etc.

The gap between rich and poor is widening in Thailand more than in any other country in Southeast Asia. I have two questions: 1) What are the many achievements that the PM can be proud of, as alluded to by Tom Lloyd? 2) How can the PM "show statesmanship" by merely resigning after governing a country without any show of statesmanship?

Saranjai Nick

Bangkok

-----------------------------------------------

Divide and rule strategy will lead to country's ruin

Khun Thaksin has said he can't find anyone else in his party to replace him? So reluctantly he agrees to continue as its leader?

To call an election at a time when his party has a large parliamentary majority and three years still to serve is nothing but an arrogant move to prevent his own demise at the expense of his party's Bangkok MPs, some of whom will definitely lose their seats even though the TRT should prevail in the polls.

The calling of the election now will ensure ongoing dissatisfaction with his style of leadership, even after he returns following the election.

However, continuing unrest and demonstrations will allow him to use force to put them down, trumpeting his "legitimacy" by claiming a mandate again.

This scenario does not bode well for the country and its citizens. There will be a polarisation of opposing forces, leading to the destabilisation of a fledgling democracy.

While in the short term Khun Thaksin may believe that he'll win the battle with his opponents, in the long run he will lose the war.

In the provinces he may be able to convince people to vote for him, but the middle-class voters, supported by academics and students, can see the real motives of the prime minister, which is to personally hang onto power at whatever the cost.

The point is that a prime minister should be a uniting influence for his country and govern for all the people, irrespective of whether they voted for him or not.

He has already proved by his statements that he only looks after his supporters, ignoring the rest. This has been one of his biggest blunders during his second term, and unless he can change his attitude, he'll be recorded in the history books as a self-centred, divisive prime minister whose personal ambitions got the better of him.

The strategy of the Democrat Party now should be to unite all opposing forces under one banner, which could be presented to the voters as a viable alternative government.

Tom Lloyd

SYDNEY

-----------------------------------------------

Time for Thai people to reclaim their country

Do the Thai people love Thailand enough to reclaim it from those who have bought it?

I have lived in Thailand for 10 years; it is where I live and will die. I love His Majesty the King and the Thai people more than my country of birth.

I've been in many countries, but Thailand is the one I love. The King is my hero, for he takes care of the people - all the people, good and bad.

So I ask the Thai people: do you love money or the King? Do you love money or Thailand? Do you love money or yourself? I said when the present government was put in place, and say again, that the fact is that money has bought the Thai people and Thailand.

I'm afraid Thailand was bought then and is still being bought. What happened to Thailand?

What happened to the Thai people? What will happen when the money tree dies? Will the Thai smile turn to a frown?

The money people can leave any time with their ill-gotten gains, but what will you, the Thai people, have?

An Ole' Stick

Lamphun

-----------------------------------------------

Let's hope next Cabinet is finally free of the 'yee'

If the next Cabinet reshuffle is to deflect public dissatisfaction with the government, it needs to be one that finally puts into practice the principle of the best person for the right job.

This was the promise made by Thaksin to urban and educated middle-class voters in two election campaigns. He has not kept his promise to them over the past five years.

It has been kitchen Cabinets of the willingly servile, purse-holders, hatchet men and allies of convenience. Thaksin had said no yee (undesirables or the obnoxious) would ever be appointed to his Cabinet. But each of his cabinets have contained several yee.

He asked for more votes and more seats in Parliament in order to get rid of them. He was given both. But still the yee remain, and they have grown in influence. This is one cause for the dismay now being felt by many of his former supporters, and one reason for Thaksin's increasing lack of moral authority to govern.

Larry Clive

Chiang Mai

-----------------------------------------------

US mission to free the world is doomed to backfire

In theory, prospects of promoting global democracy should awaken idyllic sugarplum visions encompassed within the all-American Dream. In practice, however, the mistaken belief that any superpower can transform, reshape and "fix" demonised so-called evil regimes smacks of good intentions carried to coercive extremes.

Self-proclaimed virtuous saviours cannot forcibly impose reform or demand change. Outsiders' efforts to democratise for "holier-than-thou" moral purposes, without due consideration to intrinsic socio-cultural values and vested domestic interests, are bound to fail.

The intense global reaction to the misconceived and misled Iraq war has united much of the world in an uncommon cause against perceived unilateral exclusionism, coercion and hegemony, with neo-con-policy opponents openly exhibiting hostile anti-American feelings.

Lesser powers cannot understand why the US is allowed extrajudicial status and favoured-nation exceptions, critical of the conduct of others, while being unwilling to have its own humiliating torture abuses and black-hole detention spy policies questioned.

The New World Order must emphasise good governance, which involves not only democracy but also the rule of law, fair play and economic development, leading to desired outcomes such as alleviating poverty, dealing with pandemics and controlling violent conflicts by instituting legitimate, universally accepted human rights.

The fast track to progress and modernisation threatens many traditional societies and cultures, and in the short run will probably mean more alienation, radicalism and terrorism.

Hopefully, once their own chosen, democratically elected leaders are forced to cope with the realities of governing, support in terms of reorganising, refinancing and securing genuine reform will result in some semblance of pluralistic peaceful coexistence, with no more polarising illusions of ethical, self-righteous superiority.

Dr Charles Frederickson

Bangkok

Send us your views in an instant E-mail your opinion, with 'Letters to the Editor' in the subject box, to: letters@nationgroup.com