LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Claims that Singapore abuses its access to Thai training facilities have 'no basis in fact'
Re: "ShinSat sale 'tragic blow for defence", News, January 23. Singapore is grateful to Thailand for the access given to the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) to train there. We fully respect and abide by the laws and requirements of the Thai government in using their training facilities.
The SAF has communications facilities at Sai Yok Camp. These are solely for maintaining communications with SAF troops training in the field. The Sai Yok Camp and its operations room, where the SAF communications equipment is located, are open to the Royal Thai Army (RTA) Sai Yok Camp Commander and his staff. Singapore and Thailand have an open, friendly and cooperative defence relationship that spans many years. Desmond Ball's claim that Singapore has a history of abusing its access to training facilities in Thailand and in other countries is mischievous and has no basis in fact. Colonel Benedict Lim Director, Public Affairs Ministry of Defence Singapore --------------------------------- GDP growth a legacy from the previous government
Re: "'We'll get tough with old regime'", News, January 25. Whatever it is, any current growth in Gross Domestic Product or any trade figures are spill-over from the previous government. Let's see what members of the government of Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont have to say two months from now. No country will want to work with a country with martial law and ruled by the military. Foreigner Bangkok --------------------------------- Concrete plan must be drawn up to reduce income gap
Re: "'We'll get tough with old regime'", News, January 25. Pleased to see "reducing the income gap" included in the prime minister's speech. It sounds good but what concrete steps will be implemented? Unfortunately the "sufficiency economy" philosophy is being interpreted by some in authority as an excuse for less effort in rural development - ie, telling those in rural areas to be satisfied with what they have. Hopeful Reader Bangkok --------------------------------- Interpretations of role of NVDRs in voting shares differ
Re: "NVDRs can't be used to skirt law", Business, January 24. Siriporn Chanjindamanee's article makes the case that the authorities will strictly view non-voting depository receipts (NVDRs) as non-voting shares for the purposes of calculating total voting share capital under the amendments to the Foreign Business Act (FBA). The amendments will define a company as foreign if foreigners own 50 per cent or more of the voting shares. The alternative view that has been expressed by some is that NVDRs can be included in the total number of voting shares because the underlying shares still have full voting rights but these have merely been suspended through an agreement. For those who don't deal with NVDRs on a daily basis I will attempt to summarise salient points of the two alternative interpretations as follows. The view argued by Siriporn is consistent with the substance of the NVDR scheme because NVDRs really cannot vote, even though they can indeed be converted back into voting shares. This interpretation would be effective in eliminating any possibility of foreigners using NVDRs to skirt the new Foreign Business Act and is also very much a substance over form approach, which is what the new Foreign Business Act seems to be all about. By contrast, the alternative view is form over substance because we have to suspend our knowledge that NVDRs cannot vote and regard them as voting shares in calculating total voting share capital. This can easily lead to a situation where foreigners own under 50 per cent of a listed company's economic shares but control over 50 per cent of the voting stock because they or other foreigners own shares through NVDRs, effectively reducing the total number of voting shares. On the surface it is a no-brainer that Siriporn's interpretation is more consistent with the spirit of the new FBA and will win the day. On the other hand this interpretation will put many listed companies in the embarrassing position of being foreign, including property companies, banks and those in other sectors. This could be very awkward for some, including those that own or trade in land. Finally, I take issue with Siriporn's comment that foreign ownership will not be an issue for telecom companies due to the fact that they will be in annex three of the new Foreign Business Act. Telecom companies are governed by the Telecom Act, which limits foreign ownership to 49 per cent. Even if they are grandfathered by the new Foreign Business Act, they will still be in breach of the Telecom Act, unless that law is also amended. George Morgan Bangkok --------------------------------- Ex-PM getting a taste of how his regime dealt with media
Re: "No plans to return yet, says Thaksin", News, January 24. I must confess I fully sympathised with ousted prime minister Thaksin when he said "I am outraged at the interference to the mass media", this week. Of course, he was referring to the censorship of his recent CNN interview. However, I was also shocked when, during the time of his regime, a total of 32 reporters quit ITV after alleged government interference with programming. Likewise, I was disgusted when radio stations that happened to be critical of the prime minister disappeared from the airwaves. I reeled with horror when the English-language newspapers became victims of various threats, clandestine investigations and buyout attempts as they dared to cast a critical eye at the Thai Rak Thai Party. And I was stunned when one single journalist was struck with an extortionate damages claim for venturing to suggest Thaksin's family businesses had profited from his tenure as premier. Indeed, one must fully sympathise with Thaksin because media intrusion is indeed a major sin, and one that should not go unpunished. A Father in Thailand Bangkok --------------------------------- Thaksin's democratic posturing hypocritical
Thaksin's appearances across the region send shivers down the spines of the coup leaders, just as Banquo's ghost set the Macbeths' teeth chattering during their ill-starred feast. Nor will it bring the government any comfort at all that he now describes his objectives as "promoting democracy in Asia". Does that mean that Thaksin will soon be advocating the democratic credentials of Aung San Suu Kyi and her just claims to power in Burma? We should not count on it: even Thaksin might see that as breathtakingly hypocritical after studiously ignoring her plight throughout his years in office. Tim Butchard Bangkok --------------------------------- Coup leaders need unified support to restore democracy
Re: "Dreams of national unity are just that", Opinion, January 22. In a sense, Chang Noi's commentaries are playing into the hands of pro-Thaksin elements that want an instant return to elections - a swift return of power to Thaksin -the very person that Chang Noi acknowledges has exploited and sharpened divisions in Thai society. This process is already ongoing through the discrediting of the government and the Council of National Security at every level, from personal attacks against Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont and General Sonthi Boonyaratglin to international (criticism) via Singapore, CNN, and The Wall Street Journal. Whether these efforts are funded and coordinated by Thaksin and allies or independent actions, we will never know for sure. But it is these agents and events that must also be given credit in "uniting" the country against the coup government. No one is arguing with Chang Noi that imperfect "democracy" is better than a coup government. However, this coup government has a very specific timetable before a promised return to "Thai" democracy. It makes no sense to try to topple it now - unless you are being tried in Thai courts for corruption that is, and unless you yearn for a violent civil war. On that note, it is worth considering that if this was 1991, Thaksin would have been found guilty on September 19 and his assets would have been seized. We have an ongoing judicial due process - a very critical foundation for a healthy "democracy". And if elections are not held by mid-2008 (and this does not appear likely), Thais will come out en masse to demand it. Down Under Bangkok --------------------------------- Kudos to Thailand for putting the health of its citizens first
Re: "Cheaper generic drugs will help ease health crisis", News, January 25. The story states: "Thailand is planning to 'legally' break the patents of three more drugs, two of which are medications for HIV treatment and the other for the country's most common type of heart disease." Bravo! Stand up for the health of Thais and of all people around the world. It is good to see someone stand up to the big pharmaceutical companies. I wish the politicians in my own country would do the same. John Francis Lee Chiang Rai
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