Songdej Praditsmanont's explanation of the new Foreign Business Act is largely a paraphrasing of the statements put out by the government. However, he does admit that the amendments will not be at all beneficial to the Thai economy. He seems, nevertheless, to urge Thais to derive contentment from seeing the saga of the Shin Corp deal closed in this way.

This attitude of ignoring the economic effects of introducing probably Asia's most rigid foreign investment law in order to enjoy some sort of revenge on Temasek for its purchase of Shin Corp from the Shinawatra family is very sad but, unfortunately, seems to reflect the views of this government. It is hard to imagine how ordinary Thais, who care little about shareholder structures, will be able to sustain themselves with the warm glow of revenge when they cannot find decent jobs due to the government's decision to turn away foreign investment. But this will be good news for China and other countries in the region that have introduced more liberal investment codes, acknowledging that we are now in the 21st century.

Larry Zhang

Bangkok

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CNS 'gag' order a return to tactics from the Thaksin era

Re: "Broadcasters stand firm against CNS 'gag' order", News, January 12.

The Council for National Security (CNS) says its ban on broadcast media coverage of ex-premier Thaksin isn't an attempt to stifle freedom of the press in the name of national unity - but then says that non-cooperating stations might have their frequencies seized (as a last resort). Sounds like something Thaksin was accused of doing, and one of the reasons why we rejoiced at his removal.

Thaksin is on trial in the court of public opinion, as the CNS seeks to show that its non-democratic takeover was justified. How can we have a fair trial where the defendant is muzzled, the prosecutor rules the airwaves, and the prosecutor prohibits the media from presenting both sides of the story?

Thomas Jefferson said, "I know no safe depository of the ultimate powers of … society but the people themselves; and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise their control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education". To be educated, we must hear and be able to challenge both sides.

We have laws preventing slander/libel, which Thaksin used with great gusto to silence dissent, and which should be enough to ensure that the press acts accountably. In the meantime, the media must be free to present the facts as they see it, take stands, and be challenged - for that's how we the people will be educated and how we can actively make our democracy Thaksin-proof.

Burin Kantabutra

Bangkok

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Billions spent and years wasted on airport debacle

Re: "Is AOT proposal to revive Don Muang short-sighted, self-serving, or both?", Letters, January 14.

Thirty-five years of planning, seven years of land preparation and construction, and more than Bt120 billion of taxpayers' money went into Suvarnabhumi Airport. Yet despite all of the time and resources pumped into it, it was only designed for a passenger capacity of 45 million per annum and already has reached near-capacity a mere three months after its much-hyped opening.

Who could possibly have been so short-sighted to commit such a blunder knowing that even good old Don Muang Airport was capable of accommodating up to 39 million passengers per year, a mere six million shy of Suvarnabhumi?

Now the venerable Airports of Thailand (AOT) considers moving certain domestic flights and no-frills airlines back to Don Muang, whereas the board members have conveniently swept under the carpet the fact that domestic and no-frills carriers had originally already requested to keep operating from there. The request was of course arrogantly denied by AOT officials who said that Suvarnabhumi was perfectly capable of accommodating both domestic and international traffic for many years to come.

Well, it's now only more insignificant that millions of baht will go down the drain to cover the expenses of moving back, not to mention the inconvenience this decision creates for travellers who have to catch certain connecting flights.

When I buy a new computer I make sure that the new machine's hard disk storage capacity considerably exceeds the one of the old PC. Otherwise, I might just as well have kept the perfectly useable, though aged, computer. Suvarnabhumi a regional aviation hub? More like a national embarrassment.

Thomas Schmid

Bangkok

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Special-interest groups mar economic policy progress

Thank you for the article by Kriengsak Chareonwongsak regarding Thailand's industrial policy-making ("How to pick strategic industrial winners", Opinion, January 14). He clearly sets out the differing schools of economic thought regarding government subsidies for industrial growth.

As a graduate of the London School of Economics, I can appreciate his simplification of the various schools. He presented them very clearly. The inherent difficulty of identifying areas for potential government subsidies is complicated even further by the intensifying of globalisation and the sea of liquidity in all capital markets.

His presentation touched upon the long-held view that one of the only reasonable arguments for tariffs is to protect "infant industries", the fending off of other countries' products in areas deemed strategic or worthy of domestic development.

It is always difficult for any government to objectively navigate through the sea of domestic special-interest groups in an attempt to spark the industries that will provide a stronger base in the world economy. This is, and always has been, every free country's biggest dilemma - the deleterious effect of special interests on forward thinking economic policy.

Alan Geik

Bangkok

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Off-handed caning of children remark a concern

Re: "Tribute from PM's teacher", News, January 14. You report that Boonmee Nopprapot clearly remembers Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont as a good student, whom he never had to beat, scold or cane. The teacher was known as very strict and few students escaped his cane.

Apparently this kind of child abuse was and still is considered normal in the education of Thai children.

Nick

Bangkok

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Covert operations will bring Burmese junta's rule to an end

Covert operations secured the infamous wedding video of Than Shwe's daughter that exposed the corruption of Than Shwe and his cronies. Covert operations also provided the information that secured the indictment of Daewoo's president and several South Korean businessmen for involvement in an illegal arms deal. And it will be covert operations that will facilitate the restoration of freedom and democracy in Burma.

The UN is basically useless. The Chinese veto of the US resolution on Burma at the United Nations Security Council could incite anti-Chinese riots in Burma. China may pay a very expensive price for this veto as they may lose important votes in the US Senate when anti-China trade legislation is introduced later this year. But I am hopeful about Burma's future because a negotiated political settlement is now possible with General Maung Aye.

Myint Thein

Senior Adviser to the Burmese Resistance

Dallas, Texas

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Bush's deluded thinking guiding his policy on Iraq

Many of us here in the real world feel like the Washington Beltway is a bit like an asylum, which has been taken over by a gang of fools - a cabal of misguided zealots. Many Americans like us told our quailing right-wing friends over three years ago: "You're getting yourselves into a real mess over there in Iraq - you are going to fail." But we are not going to revisit that old warning. We are certainly not going to say, "We told you so".

What we want to say is that we hope the US Congress has learned its lesson in blood and coin, and that it will perform its constitutional duty, and bring the Bush administration to heel.

Americans need to keep one signal thought in mind; the rest of the world is not lined up rank and file behind this American Churchill, this great Texas statesman who has sullied the name of the United States on a worldwide scale undreamed of 10 years ago.

Senator John McCain recently held forth in the Washington Post that Congress authorised the war in Iraq. This is a prevarication and a lie by manipulation and omission. The senator conveniently forgets the real set-in-stone fact that George W Bush misled Congress, much as Richard Nixon did almost four decades ago.

McCain goes on about the virtues of "Americans who love their country so much that they will volunteer to risk their lives to accomplish that mission". That mission being: "American vital interests in Iraq." His words, not mine. That statement in, and of itself speaks volumes. The Senator's final assault on our intellect was his trite comment, "I believe that success is still possible." Really, my friends, he really said that - unbelievable!

When someone tells you, "I believe…" What they really mean is, "I'm not so sure", or "I've got a vested interest in the outcome of this". They'll never mean "I know" because they really don't know. The sordid truth being this war is not about some struggle for the "hearts and minds" of the Iraqis - it's a scramble for the cash donations and votes of the American electorate. Time to draw the line.

D Ross

Bangkok