He is quite right. But then, no British ambassador overseas would ever dream of writing letters to The Times, though foreign ambassadors in London frequently do.

I have no doubt, however, that my current successor in Bangkok, who has years of expertise on Thai affairs, would have reported through diplomatic channels honestly and fearlessly what was happening in Thailand, and his assessment would undoubtedly have had its impact on British government policy. Their muted response is evidence. The public forum to express their own personal views is a luxury ambassadors can only enjoy in retirement.

With the laudable exception of the Financial Times and the BBC, comment in the British press has indeed been stereotyped, shallow and waspish, totally failing, as Andrew Drummond said, to capture the mood in the country. There has been no blood in the streets. The Council for Democratic Reform has set out a rigorous timetable for the return to democratic government. Civilian participation is already impressive. Comment in the local press is even freer than it was before September 19. This good news, however, is unlikely to get an airing in the British press. They have moved on to the next story.

I am glad my old friend Rodney Tasker has written the way he did ("Former FEER journalist urges UK to remember how Thaksin dealt with outsiders", Letters, September 26). I would hope that if had I been in Bangkok when Rodney had his problems, he would not subsequently have had cause for complaint.

Derek Tonkin

Guildford, England

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Endorsing Surin for UN's top post could assuage int'l critics

Re: "Surin gets backing for top UN job", News, September 28.

This is the greatest news, Surin Pitsuwan receiving US support for the United Nations secretary-general position. General Sonthi Boonyaratglin should take this opportunity to support Surin, as well. Without a doubt, Surin is well qualified for the UN's top job. This would also help show the world that the coup d'etat is a coup de grace!

We all know the coup was needed in order to reunite the people, root out systemic corruption, answer human-rights violations and deal with the ongoing troubles in the South.

The negative response of the West towards the coup is understandable, because the term coup d'etat is not acceptable to people living in a democratic society. General Sonthi, don't let this golden opportunity slip by; go all the way. Good luck.

Surasak Piputtana

Bangkok

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Dismantling TRT's finances key to staving off rural unrest

Unless the Thai Rak Thai Party's financial structure is dismantled at the level of local administration, Thaksin's money might yet wreak havoc to the hitherto peaceful coup, if not to the civilian government to be installed by the Council for Democratic Reform (CDR). The military could be forced into acts of violence, making them unpopular and damaging the nation's progress towards democratic reform. Thaksin could come back to challenge a new election as a self-proclaimed protector of democracy.

As Amnesty International has attested, Thaksin's policies in the war on drugs were the antithesis of democracy. That this man was a fake was clear ever since he announced he would solve Bangkok's traffic problems in six months. If his intentions were pure, why did he need to subvert the democratic process in Thailand so resolutely when he commanded an absolute majority in Parliament?

While the CDR can be accused of being undemocratic, it can argue that it is doing what it does because it has to be done for the greater good. Did Thaksin's actions to subvert democracy have the same justification?

During his term as PM, Thaksin fostered an air of zero tolerance for anyone who thought differently, who thought new. His hard-hearted attitude spawned events like the Krue Se Mosque and Tak Bai atrocities. Unfortunately, the ugly right-wing elements in Thai politics who want nothing but absolute control are still waiting in the wings, ready to cow the population.

Unless the coup leaders show the same level of skill in dismantling the Thai Rak Thai Party, particularly its financial structure, as they did in mounting the coup, Thailand could still end up a failed state. The CDR must tread a very fine line.

North Watch

Bangkok

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Let's not forget the maids and drivers in assets probe

I am very pleased to hear the Council for Democratic Reform has arranged for a probe to look into whether Thaksin or any member of his party or any wives or children made dubious financial gains during Thaksin's stay in power. Could I please suggest this "probe" be extended to the maids and personal drivers of these people? We can forget, of course, the minor wives, because Thaksin saw to it that anyone merely entertaining the thought of this was banished!

Nigel H-J

Bangkok

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Democratic abstractions bowed to practicality in ouster

When Sonthi Limthongkul said in a press conference, "The People's Alliance for Democracy welcomes the coup d'etat", it just made me smile. When former senator Kraisak Chonhavan paraphrased Vladimir Lenin - "You have to take a few steps back in order to take a step forward" - to describe our democracy, I just gave up trying to make sense of the whole thing. Meanwhile, ironically, as the soldiers holding M16s roam the streets, tanks and armoured personnel carriers are parked prominently in front of strategic sites, people smile, and the tension of a few days earlier has vanished from their faces.

While foreign media slams the coup as something Thailand does not need, Thai people seem to think it is the only solution to the situation. We do not mind the coup so much because it has been a part of our political landscape ever since there has been democracy in this country. We do not mind the coup because we survived 18 of them and one more is nothing to email your foreign friends about. Democracy is a foreign concept that Thais do not fully grasp. It is supposed to be good, and at times it is, but our brains are still wired to appreciate the patron-client, master-serf model. We still like to be told what to think and what to do, be it by the media, the government, the so-called "opinion leaders" and now the Council for Democratic Reform (CRD). We dislike conflict, and now that the tanks have rolled and the rift in our country is gone, we are thinking the same way again, because the CRD tells us what to think.

Thais are very practical, and we drop abstractions like democracy and freedom like hot coals if they interfere with our daily lives. Democratic processes got in the way of us getting rid of Thaksin, so we ignored the fact that he was legitimately elected and set the country on the path that ended up here. We can live without freedom or democracy for a year, maybe longer, if we can have our peace and unity. Who knows? The junta may be able to solve our southern-violence and corruption problems. If they can, we may be willing to live happily without freedom and democracy for years to come.

Salin Pinkayan

Bangkok

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Past dictators have clung to power citing charter concerns

It is surprising to hear people say drafting a new constitution could take up to a year to complete. Thailand does not need a perfect constitution, considering it could be voided by a future coup, but rather a working constitution.Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat used the process of drafting a constitution to hang onto power at the expense of people's liberty and freedom of speech. This is the 21st century - it would be a mistake for the coup leaders to think they could do the same.

While many political analysts would call it a honeymoon period, I would call it a shocking period seeing Thais' acquiescence to the recent coup.

It is an aberration to see people taking pictures with tanks and soldiers. Those people don't seem to take the matter seriously. However, it is serious that their freedom of speech, freedom of the press and liberty to associate politically have been taken away.

It is a matter of time before people realise it, and thus it is prudent to have a permanent constitution and election in place soon. The country should be operating under the rule of law, not just in accordance with what is dictated by a small group of elite and semi-retired soldiers.

Aroon Suansilppongse

Bangkok

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Importance of early education must be stressed in Thailand

Re: "Princess to write first royal blog about English", News, September 26.

The position of English-language education in Thailand has much more to do with the current state of local teacher qualification and training. As a graduate student of early-childhood education, I see the need for educators to be provided with not only better training and certification programmes, but also constant and continual access to professional development. In Thailand, teachers in the primary years need fewer qualifications compared with those teaching in the upper secondary levels. Yet years of research have indicated the early years are important because it is the best time to lay the foundation for future academic success. James Shipton's statement is correct that importing native English speakers may not be a practical solution to English-language education in Thailand. It is not only costly, but also sends a message that Thais are not good enough to educate their own youth. More effort needs to be placed upon improvement of training programmes and providing consistent professional development to teachers across the nation.

Pana M Asavavatana

Teachers College, Columbia University

New York City