Had it not been for our beloved monarch, we would still be mired in deep division and recriminations between opposing forces of whatever persuasion. Now His Majesty the King has shown the world that Thailand is alive and well. It would not have been his wish that after so many accolades from the world over were lavished upon our nation we go back immediately to where we were before June 9.

I wish that the temporary truce that existed from June 9-13 could somehow become a permanent truce. The opportunity that opened up for our nation during the celebrations should be obvious. This opportunity is so much more than being symbolic. And especially at this time, when we are in the down cycle of the economic equation due to our own actions, the recession in the United States and the rise in oil prices, we will have no one to blame but ourselves if we allow the stalemate and confrontation to continue.

Someone has got to make some sacrifices. Who I cannot say; there may be more than one. What is sure is that if His Majesty's wondrous work is negated by anyone just because they foolishly choose to cling to or acquire power no matter what, Thailand and its people will not forgive them.

Prachyadavi Tavedikul

Bangkok

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Lack of facilities for public to watch barge procession

'Very disappointing" is the best way I can describe the lack of riverside viewing facilities provided for the Royal Barge Procession.

Why was there no government initiative to make the riverside accessible to the public for such an important event? It's such an obvious no-brainer given the large attendance expected, yet not a single member of the government or organising committee appears to have foreseen it. They must have already organised their own VIP areas and never mind the rest of us.

The public had to rely on their fellow Thais to open their riverside homes to strangers. Thankfully, many did just that, providing a glimpse of what others may never see in a lifetime. My heartfelt thanks to these wonderfully unselfish people.

Thaksin, as prime minister and chairman of the organising committee, this was another opportunity to demonstrate the leadership skills you claim to have. You failed to deliver yet again. We know you won't take any personal responsibility for your failures, but would you care enough to offer the hundreds of thousands of people who stood crowded shoulder to shoulder for hours an explanation for your oversight? Or since the majority of Bangkokians rejected Thai Rak Thai in the last election, did you choose to ignore their needs?

Why were temporary stands not erected at riverside public buildings instead of leaving them locked and empty? Thaksin, if such simple needs of the people escape you, it's understandable why people have rejected you as a leader.

Sibeymai

Bangkok

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Sustainable development more than a buzzword

 Re : "China's powerhouse contemplates a strategic shift", Opinion, June 15.

Suthichai Yoon's excellent and well-documented article refers several times to sustainable development, describing it, finally, as "the buzzword". In fact it is much more than that, for China and for all 191 countries which have endorsed by consensus Japan's initiative at the United Nations to proclaim the period 2005-2014 as the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development.

The decade's programme is expected to help both developed and developing countries to find valid solutions to move away from resource-intensive industries through innovation, while avoiding an environmental disaster. The point of departure is offered by the very concept of development, which in the UN's view is sustainable if future generations inherit a quality of environment at least equal to that inherited by their predecessors. It presupposes the simultaneous application of three fundamental principles: the precautionary principle, adopting a preventive rather than remedial approach; the principle of solidarity between all peoples of the world and between the present generations and those to come; and the principle of people participation in decision-making.

The UN's basic philosophy and strategy are very clear. Sustainable development includes such diverse aspects as peace, ecological integrity and human rights, and requires us to reassess even the concept of "progress". We urgently need an ethos of global solidarity, because all of us are interdependent and coexist in the same cosmos. Many diplomats, ecologists and scientists assert that "Solidarity allowed the jump from bestiality to humanity".

Ioan Voicu

Bangkok

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Free-trade deal with US could never be fair

 Re: "Window for sealing free-trade agreement with US is closing fast", Business, June 14.

Thailand may be better off without a "free"-trade agreement with the United States. Anyone who has dealt with the US knows nothing is "free". The US is known as a trade bully, refusing to put such important items as agricultural subsidies on the table, acting imperialistically and always reserving anti-dumping laws that, as Thailand should know from the outrageous duty placed on Thai farmed shrimp, have no relationship to fairness and is just thinly disguised protectionism.

Thailand would not be the first country to sign such an agreement only to discover its disadvantages later.

Michael Greenwald

Bangkok

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Comparing April elections to football demeans the sport

 Re: "World Cup has lessons that Thai opposition parties should learn", Letters, June 13.

The World Cup is not the best analogy to use for the debacle of the Thai parliamentary elections in April. In the World Cup, referees are chosen impartially, and there is a level playing field. But as revelations come to light almost daily of bias and partiality on the part of the election commissioners, it seems the April elections were not conducted fairly.

If, before a football match, it becomes apparent that the referees were siding with one team, the schedule was fixed to favour only one team and the referees were assisting in the composition of one of the teams, then the other team has justifiable grounds for refusing to play.

A more appropriate analogy is the match-fixing scandals in the Italian football league being investigated now by independent magistrates, even though all of the matches have been played and which could lead to the stripping of the title from Juventus, the team that "won" the league. All of the football players, the team managers and owners, the fans and the referees will be expected to abide by the ruling of the magistrates.

Indeed, both democracy and football are long-term processes, both are ways of life. Democracy is more than one election, and football is more than one match. In both worlds, decency and fair play must be enforced at all times.

Natika Chairat

Songkhla

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Political dialogue is always better than lawsuits

 Criminal defamation charges and libel lawsuits are being overused, misused and abused as political tools in Thailand.

The over-use of these legal measures deprives the country of proper political dialogue and discourse.

One would expect that our learned and articulate political leaders would simply bring their case to the people and participate in an open dialogue instead of hiding in their offices and instructing their attorneys to file lawsuits against political opponents.

Cha-am Jamal

Prachuap Khiri Khan

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Correct English from native speakers 'noh bloomin' loikly'

 Re: "Native speakers are best suited to teach English", Letters, June 13.

Are you trying to tell us the Brits speak flawless English, write fully grammatical sentences and can all teach? Noh bloomin' loikly! Y'ca' coo' i' wif a knoife, too, Guv luv.

Apart from the Scots, what about the Welsh - north or south Walian accents also differ - the Irish, the Geordies? But at least they are regional accents, all perfectly respectable. But what about the Brummies, the Tsoomersets near Glaaaastershirrre - and many other odd languages in the industrial Midlands or the farming north?

Being "proh-uh" nai-ive uenglish speakers don't mean they make equally proh-uh uenglish ti-chus. Not even when they can say 'issew' and 'tissew'. And be they aitches or haitches, that "H" letter in the alphabet, ai?

Granted, Thai students are lagging behind in the English language compared with those in Singapore and Malaysia, Hong Kong and the Philippines. Well, that bain't our bloomin' fault, guv. We just didunt useta belong to the Hinglish loike our naibours, pour soh. And Singapore forgot their own language entirely and decided to make English their FIRST bloomin' language loike, eh, roight?

Just leave the students be. If they can't learn English, chances are they are no good at other subjects either. You'd be surprised to find that the linguists among them speak, read and write fluent French, German, Spanish, Japanese, and Chinese as well. And, they learned these languages from Thai teachers.

Native English-speaking teachers, indeed! Blo'dy think it's blo'dy stupid, Oi blo'dy well do.

Sunida

Bangkok