LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Thaksin's family members must be held fully liable for their roles in Temasek deal
Panthongtae Shinawatra insists that he had no decision-making role in his purchase of Shin shares from Ample Rich, and its sale to Temasek a few days later - that he just signed papers brought to him by his mommy's secretary.
To me, that means that the real decision-maker was Khunying Pojaman Shinawatra. If it were illegal for then premier Thaksin to trade Shin shares, it should be illegal for his wife to do so since, by law, they are one and the same person. So, should we be going after Pojaman? Also, Panthongtae, unless you've been declared mentally incompetent by the courts, as an adult, you have to take full responsibility for all contracts you entered into -including the Shin deal. If mommy was violating the law, maybe you shouldn't have been so compliant. Be accountable - stand and take the consequences for your actions like the man you say you are. Burin Kantabutra Bangkok ------------------------------------ Coup-maker's Thai Rak Thai ban smacks of insecurity
Re: "Strong media protest over Thaksin, TRT ban", News, January 11. After the drafting of the new constitution people will find out that it was and is illegal to stage a coup when other options are available and binding. Fear is in the eyes of the beholders of the coup. This may create a new problem sooner or later. Want to bet? At the very least confidence is gone when constitutional rights and obligations are not observed on both sides - the accusing and the accused. Concerned Bangkok ------------------------------------ Revoking deposed premier's passport a 'dictatorial' move
Re: "No 'undercurrents' please, we are coup-staging gentlemen", Opinion, January 11. Doesn't the military junta realise that revoking Thaksin's diplomatic passport and banning the media from reporting his activities will only show its dictatorial rule? These generals seem to live in a coconut shell and they never think what our premier will say when questioned by Asean counterparts and reporters at this weekend's Asean summit. We will all pity Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont if he can only sit with his Burmese friend while others shun and avoid them during the conference! Ongbak Bangkok ------------------------------------ Democratic principles need to take root in public's hearts
Re: "No 'undercurrents' please, we are coup-staging gentlemen", Opinion, January 11. Altruism or unselfishness must first prevail within the hearts and minds of the Thai political class in order to achieve real democratisation. Furthermore, awareness building and education of democratic principles and the duties that come with them have to be instilled and nurtured among the general public. In plain language, citizens need to do away with money politics, and be wary of populist policies and be critical of campaign promises that are not sound or hard to finance, choosing candidates and political parties based on character and ideology rather than short-sighted personal gain and so on. Unless altruism and democratic awareness is instilled within the general public and more importantly, the political class, the democratisation process in Thailand will be an uphill battle, no matter how good the constitution is. It is the people's commitment that counts most and the political class must set good examples to make it happen. Subin One Bangkok ------------------------------------ Govt must speed up its agenda before handing back power
Re: "Sonthi tells police of new policy", News, January 11. Officials of this new military regime, perhaps at the behest of the international community, are trying hard to act democratically, but unfortunately this makes them appear like ducks out of water. Military governments are not normally nice bunches of reasonable people. When they introduce emergency decrees this normally means ruling with an iron fist and incarcerating those who oppose them. Unfortunately, being nice means that their objectives are being compromised and as a result, may well delay the return to a civilian government. They need to urgently speed up the investigations concerning corruption by the previous government and decide if there are any cases that need to be dealt with in court. The government must also ruthlessly deal with those who have bombed Bangkok. They almost certainly know who was behind the bombings, so they should charge them with treason even if that does mean risking a counter-coup. They need to postpone changes to the Foreign Business Act which threatens the Thai economy to such an extent that foreign capital and jobs will head further east to Vietnam and elsewhere. There's little time to waste. Thailand does not need a third prime minister in under a year. David Harrison Bangkok ------------------------------------ Foreign investors left with little protection in Kingdom
I would like to thank Burin Kantabutra for telling it like it is in his letter "Foreign-owned firms don't hurt Thais, so relax the laws" (January 6). If the government was really serious about recovering lost taxes from Shin Corp then they could do it and do it quite easily by stopping and holding certain assets when they land in Thailand until the taxes are paid. However they appear to be targeting the small unprotected foreigners who have set up companies and paid all fees and taxes following Thai Law under the guidance of Thai lawyers only to find out it's all been a giant hoax. Most of these companies were only set up because people were told that we could not be guaranteed full protection in the future if we leased land from a Thai person. Knowing the safeguards that are in place for Thais investing in Australia and operating companies there, I am truly sickened by the lack of protection given to me under the Thai system. Ian Hong Kong ------------------------------------ BMA should take a look at Bo Bae vendors' tax records
Re: "Apology and promise of a new site for vendors", News, January 11 I sympathise with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) having to deal with the self-serving, public nuisance vendors at Bo Bae. One way to inspire them to cooperate would be to ask to see their tax records - business and personal. The likelihood is that none of them, or very few, pay any kind of taxes to the BMA or the central government, which calls into question precisely what rights they are claiming. Moreover, they have made that area a chaotic, inconvenient mess for decades without covering any of the costs of cleaning up after them. The BMA could take representatives of the Revenue Department to meet the Bo Bae vendors. These tax people could ask for taxpayer numbers and evidence of having paid taxes. That should result in full cooperation with whatever plans the BMA has. A taxpayer Bangkok ------------------------------------ Cambodian govt silencing critics ahead of elections
At a school inauguration ceremony on January 5 in Kompong Cham province, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen issued a stern warning to all political parties against criticising their competitors in order to win votes in the upcoming April 1 commune elections. He said that he would take firm action against persons responsible for criticism which would be, in his opinion, divisive and detrimental to the country's stability. Though the prime minister alluded to all 11 parties entering that election, his warning was clearly intended primarily for critics of himself and his dominant party, the Cambodian People's Party (CPP). Hun Sen's prohibition of criticism violates the rights of the Cambodian people to freedom of expression as guaranteed and protected by their national constitution, and even more blatantly, the commune election law of 2001 itself. In view of this latest narrowing of public space by the prime minister, the Asian Human Rights Commission again urges him, his government and his party to discharge their human rights obligations and abide by Cambodia's constitution and the commune election law of 2001, and respect the right to freedom of expression of the Cambodian people and political parties, including their right to criticise him, his government and his party. The Asian Human Rights Commission Hong Kong ------------------------------------ Bush should have thrown in the towel long ago in Iraq
Re: "Bush plan to boost troops is first time president crosses generals", World, January 11. As the world waited with bated breath for a new Iraq strategy, US President George W Bush produced yet another typical dismal display from the podium. As usual, his talk was full of simplistic ideas and hope. He still hasn't got it yet - America has lost and it is because of lack of forethought and simplistic thinking. He and his cohorts are completely to blame. I am no political or military strategist but in my view, the situation in Iraq amounts to civil war and clearly heading towards fragmenting into ethnic partitions. The tensions in the ethnic areas affecting all countries that surround them that will rage on for years making Kosovo look like an amusement park. This is a shocking indictment not only of the current US leadership but also the electorate's willingness to allow the flawed 2000 election result to stand. A Warner Bangkok
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