But thankfully there is an inquiry underway. This is a chance to view matters in an objective way, which was not previously the case in the foetid atmosphere of fear and intimidation that pervaded the Thaksin regime. If this is done fairly, then there are bound to be many casualties in the "clean-up" to mark the end of this loathsome era.

It would appear the first piece of collateral, self-inflicted damage is Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who declared the Shin-Temasek deal "professional" and "proper". We can see clearly from Korn's article that Temasek sought "special" treatment from the SEC, set up needlessly elaborate share-buying structures and denied minority shareholders equivalent rights, no doubt in the certain knowledge that the "seller" would ensure, through "influence", that all their "requirements" would be met.

And as he so eloquently develops in his article, this behaviour cannot be seen as "professional" or "proper". It draws the question of what standards Prime Minister Lee is using to make this pronouncement.

John Jermison

Scotland

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Britain seems to understand the coup better than the US

The British once ruled the world, and they appear to have a "been there, done that" wisdom that is harder to find on the other side of the Atlantic.

Just a few weeks before 9/19, a political observer of Southeast Asia at the University of Leeds penned these incredibly insightful and prophetic words. Referring to the Thaksin administration, he wrote that its members "tend to assume that their status is inherently legitimate, not understanding that such legitimacy must derive from active popular consent on the part of the citizens. In Bangkok, they are in office but not in power. In the South, they are officially in control, but unable to function". He concludes that the government in Thailand lacks legitimacy.

So we find that the same administration in Thailand is seen as a failed and illegitimate government on one side of the Atlantic and as the light of freedom and democracy on the other. Regime change in this case was a sigh of relief in Thailand and well understood at the University of Leeds, but grossly misinterpreted in Washington DC.

Cha-am Jamal

Cha-am

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Ministers' ages should be the last thing on people's minds

I am surprised at the stance your newspaper has taken over the average age of the new Cabinet. You even referred to it as a "cabinet of old men" on your front page and on page 4 [October 10], reporting with apparent glee the thoughts of a "retired lawyer" on the Cabinet. Ho ho ho!

Does this reflect the present mentality of The Nation, a responsible newspaper read and quoted the world over? Would you be happier with a Cabinet of young pop stars and bright-eyed television presenters, perhaps throwing in a transvestite or transsexual or two? Would your readers be more approving, do you think? Let us go and ask a taxi driver, shall we?

What about the Cabinet of Silent Sidekicks we had to endure for the past five years, whose honeymoon period with the media lasted for all of Thaksin's reign? I never heard a squeak about that.

And how about past prime ministers, who were also the people's choice, who took forever to make any decisions, if they made them at all, and feisty Cabinet ministers roaring around on their motorbikes? Would that prove any better?

I would also like to say that Thai Rath is, at present, my choice of newspaper for sane coverage. It is reporting news and commentary designed to heal the rift that has resulted from the recent upheaval, and is doing its best to offer balanced thinking for the public, which has been thrown into hysteria during the past year. I would say that is the role of a responsible newspaper in Thailand.

We are not amused

Bangkok

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The government appears to be in good hands so far

As a Thai, I support the coup with reservations. But given the situation prior to September 19, the coup was probably the only answer.

So far, General Sonthi has shown that he is sincere in solving the issues, and anyone who has lived through past coups will understand what I mean. But again, it has been only two weeks, and we probably have 50 weeks more to be sceptical about his true character. I, for one, am optimistic.

The appointment of Surayud as prime minister was the result of extraordinary politics. Which is actually good. The nature of this set-up will also ensure that no one could corrupt or manipulate reform efforts that will take place within the next 50 weeks. (General Sonthi himself would not dare interrupt his ex-commander, General Surayud.)

The key now is the performance of the new Cabinet, the finalisation of various independent checks-and-balance mechanisms and the appointment of people to draft the new Constitution. The good news is that Surayud and General Sonthi are good listeners. As long as they listen, there will be flexibility. The x-factor here is "who" they are listening to, but so far, it hasn't been too bad.

Shimushimu

Bangkok

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Thailand should eliminate price controls on fuel

The well-researched article "Ministry to reconsider phase-out of octane 95" [News, October 10] contained several excellent solutions that all car-owners face. Possibly the best solution to "price controls on all petroleum products" would be to consider removing all price controls on such products at the earliest possible date, while keeping all present choices available to the consumer.

The immediate result would be a market-controlled supply and demand environment wherein prices would adjust themselves, for each product, to a natural level based on demand.

The government would stand to save vast amounts of money and headaches on lower administrative costs associated with controlling prices (in line with the on-going reorientation and restructuring of the Thai bureaucracy).

The consumer would benefit, in the medium and long run by paying prices that reflected the actual production/distribution cost for petroleum refiners and distributors.

And, as a side benefit, any former officials involved in efforts to corner petroleum products would lose out on their expected profits in the medium and long run - a move which the Thai public would surely welcome.

Petroleum products that suffer from low demand would probably be discontinued by all refineries. Products with increased demand would benefit from lower costs and prices all around.

Gasohol, which was artificially created by edict by the former government, would certainly have a future - but one based on actual demand. The market would eventually adjust to the available goods at a cost based solely on demand, which would be beneficial to all parties concerned.

Hopefully, the days of inappropriate edicts have passed. Thailand should remain free of encumbrances to the operation of its free market.

John D Williams

Bangkok

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Don't overlook the speed and convenience of new airport

There are many negative aspects to the recent opening of the Cobra Swamp airport, an event which surely was aimed at massaging the considerable ego of a "recently retired" prime minister.

However, the situation is surely not as bad as the many public beatings the airport has taken since its opening would suggest.

I stepped off the plane at 4.10pm last Sunday. Thirty minutes later I had gone through passport control, collected my bags, passed through customs, convinced the touts that I was not going to Pattaya to have fun with young boys (some things never change) and that I did know there were public taxis, and then found myself sitting in one.

At 5.16pm I was in my apartment, which is close to Victory Monument. Seventy six minutes to get from your plane to your home with 33 kilometres in between has got be worthy of Ripley's Believe It Or Not.

Nigel Hywel-Jones

Bangkok

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N Korea is just defending itself against US aggression

It is very understandable to me that North Korea decided to join the "old boys" nuclear club. North Korea feels threatened by the United States, which has a very aggressive and intimidating foreign "policy" towards this country by, for instance, refusing to agree on a non-aggression pact and also having adopted the right of first (pre-emptive) strike.

After all, history shows that the US bombed, attacked or invaded only militarily weak countries like Japan at the end of WWII, Chile (with the CIA), Nicaragua (with the Contras), Korea, Grenada, Panama, Libya, Vietnam (not so weak as it turned out), Cambodia, Laos, Sudan, Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Palestine and Lebanon (via Israel).

Therefore, North Korea's joining the nuclear arms race is a normal reaction of self-defence, and other counties will surely follow.

The only way to end the insanity of the threat of total destruction is the start of negotiations to disarm the world of all nuclear weapons. This should include the United States, France, Britain, Israel, Pakistan, India and China. If not, the nuclear arms race will continue.

Nick

Bangkok

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