When street protests and the People's Alliance for Democracy burst on the scene earlier this year, the people who participated in the quest to eradicate the "Thaksin regime" vowed civil disobedience as their course of policy, or what is commonly known as ahingsa (non-violent protest). Now, more than half a year later, ahingsa may not be so ahingsa after all. The important official functions at Siam Paragon and Central World Plaza that caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra presided over have changed all that. The results may well usher in yet another new and ugly chapter in Thai political history.

Call it "guerrilla tactics" or whatever you wish, but if you intend to blame it all on the anti-Thaksin protesters, it amounts to only one thing: more violence. The question is not who instigated the violence. The actions of both Thaksin supporters and anti-Thaksin protesters are not to be condoned.

Many political analysts have predicted further and more dangerous conflagrations. After all, anti-Thaksin protesters have clout. Surely what happened to their members on these two sad days will galvanise them into a more united and forceful front, and they will be prepared not only to defend themselves, but also to hit back. While for the moment, it is Thaksin who is the main target for the protesters' network, this could soon spread to his cronies. Thaksin has suggested not only that those in his circle are "helpers", but also that they are somewhat dispensable. Therefore, they would be more vulnerable if the cries of "Get out!" were to be directed at them instead of just Thaksin alone.

Restraint is urged on both sides by those who do not wish to see the present fragile peace shattered now. Common sense tells us it is those who are in the seats of power that will have to do more. At the height of the Cold War in the 1980s, President Ronald Reagan called the Soviet Union and its satellite countries an "Evil Empire". Soviet President Leonid Brezhnev shrugged it off. And with that, the Cold War never developed into a Hot War. Maybe Thaksin should follow Brezhnev's example in the present situation.

Prachyadavi Tavedikul

Bangkok

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Thaksin dividing the country in a bid to cling to leadership

Re: "Alarm grows as protesters bashed", News, August 22.

Democracy is by no means governed by "yeas" only, but also by "nays". Thaksin's supporters have the right to encourage him to fight on; likewise, his protesters have the right to demand he get out. The protesters, who have expressed their opposition to Thaksin in a peaceful manner, are now accused of being "hooligans", while his supporters were the ones who clearly behaved in this manner in recent scuffles and several past incidents. We have every reason to anticipate that more and increasingly severe such incidents are in store for our nation if Thaksin continues to be high-handed towards protesters. Thaksin is dividing our people to protect himself. To avoid any furthering of the violence, it is high time for him to quit!

Abee

Bangkok

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PM's cronies must be kept away from diplomatic service

The end-of-budget-year season for appointment, promotion and reshuffling of civil- and military-service posts has come around again.

Widespread concern has been expressed about the caretaker government moving quickly and surreptitiously to appoint cronies and lackeys to key posts. More serious are the appointments now being contemplated to key ambassadorial posts abroad, according to news reports quoting sources in the Foreign Ministry. Ambassadors are supposed to be apolitical and represent the head of state and the country as a whole. It would be messy and bad for the country's image if ambassadors had to be reshuffled every three or four months.

The caretaker government should leave such appointments to the in-coming government. It's the only decent thing to do. There is no need for haste. Diplomatic practice accepts the role of a charge d'affaires with full powers to act if an ambassadorial position becomes vacant.

But according to Foreign Ministry sources, this caretaker government is doing exactly the opposite. Key ambassadorial posts in London, Beijing, Brussels, Washington, Rangoon and elsewhere are being parcelled out to family friends of the caretaker prime minister, as well as to lackeys and pliant officials who have served him without a murmur of dissent or any sign of integrity for the past five years. Presumably, they will continue to serve his personal and business interests when posted abroad as ambassadors. This is a very bad precedent to set. It would also be an internationalisation of the "Thaksin order" that would be difficult to uproot.

The last line of defence to prevent this impending catastrophe from happening is the press. Please help Thai society by exposing what is taking place before it's too late.

Nisanart Pumpanwong

Bangkok

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Numerous candidates quite capable of serving public well

Re: "Don't like being a 'sex capital', then do something about it", Letters, August 21.

Thomas Burkenham's letter hit the nail on the head regarding this subject! I am Thai, and I am in full agreement with his comments. Most men around the world whom I know or have just casually met will start to talk about Thailand and its women - some neo-conservatives call Bangkok the "sin city" of the world.

As a matter of fact, I can't deny Burkenham's statements and am sick of it.

This is a wake-up call for the next leader to concentrate on ethics and moral principles and focus on getting rid of dark influential figures - gambling dens should be outlawed. Compulsive gambling will destroy families! Dealing with these problems would help eliminate many other illnesses in our society. Our current leader has done nothing concerning these problems.

Purachai Piumsombun should return to set an ethical and moral standard for the country. Police inspector-general Pol General Seriphisut Temiyavej could return to take on figures of dark influences. Chuwit Kamolvisit and Suthep Thaugsuban could tackle graft and corruption. Caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak could take the economic helm. Auditor-General Jaruvan Maintaka could keep her eagle eye on government spending. Alongkorn Pollabutr could serve as the government press secretary. And former Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam could serve in any post required of him.

There are so many other good men and women that I cannot mention them all here. A CEO is a person who runs a company and uses the bottom line to justify the means employed. Thailand is not a company, it is a country, and the bottom line does not always justify the means the CEO uses.

Therefore, the CEO concept does not apply to the governing of a country the same way it does the running of a company - it doesn't work.

As we know, so many lives have been lost during the past five and a half years under this administration. The problems in the restive South, drugs, the traffic all point to the fact that the quality of life has not improved like the current leader promised it would.

Whoever becomes the next leader should select those who are suitable for their posts in terms of professional skill, experience and knowledge and not only limit their choices to those closely aligned with his or her own political party.

Surasak Piputtana

Bangkok

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Dreams of life under a Somkid administration

Re: "Thaksin's undoing may come at the hands of his 'helpers'", Opinion, August 22.

After reading this article, I had a dream that Thaksin did not take up the premier's post again and that caretaker Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak took over the helm of Thailand with a 50-per-cent majority. The nation returned to normalcy, the Stock Exchange of Thailand Index rose 50 points, and local and foreign investors threw caution to the wind and invested largely in Thailand after past delays. Shopping at the malls resumed with full activity, and all of the pro-democracy movements dissipated into thin air. Military and police officers and civil servants breathed freely and were no longer in a quandary.

Then I dreamed it took me only five minutes to drive from Sathorn Road to Soi Chidlom - that scene woke me up, as I realised that even in a dream, this was impossible in Bangkok traffic.

Songdej Praditsmanont

Bangkok

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Editorial on Mideast repeated fallacies on basis of conflict

Re: "No peace unless Hizbollah disarms", Editorial, August 17.

The comforting adjective on the front page of every edition of The Nation is "independent", but in regard to this recent editorial, The Nation has delivered a commentary that is "independent" of understanding and intelligence.

The editorial failed to discuss Hizbollah within a historical context (formed as a result of Israel's 1982 invasion of Lebanon and linked to Palestine's refugee problem and its fight for self-determination) and why they can't disarm (Israeli history reveals repeated aggression against Lebanon).

The reader is instead given a rehash of the US and Israeli political line, which either blames or makes demands on everybody else - Hizbollah, Hamas, Syria and Iran - but never on Israel.

Moreover, The Nation, by calling Israel a "Jewish state" (where 20 per cent of the population is Arab - dispossessed Palestinians) it has ironically exposed the double standards of Israel in one of its subordinate clauses: "... which denies the Jewish state's right to exist". Being an Israeli is not synonymous with being a Jew; therefore, one might wonder why it is okay for Israel to discriminate against ethnic minorities like Israeli Arabs - denying them the right to citizenship, thus "existence" - but it is not okay for neighbouring countries to deny or question Israel's right to its legitimacy and existence. Funny that, but then again, I thought The Nation was "independent".

JFW

Bangkok

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