A largish square had been opened up and it was possible to look around and appreciate some trees that had survived the onslaught. Perhaps the square was to be made into some public garden or sports ground for residents to relax and enjoy.

But, alas, it seems not. The area is destined to be buried shortly under 29 stories of cheap cement boxes similar to the many other monstrosities that have reduced inner Bangkok to its current tawdry nonentity.

It's the same story round the corner. Three tennis courts have survived - there used to be six - but apparently even these will go shortly to make room for more boxes. But then, the only people who used the courts were Japanese wives, their children and the occasional farang, so it is of no matter to Bangkokians.

I read that Thais are concerned about Thai culture. But what is urban Thai culture? All I see are boxes: offices, small apartments, cars.

Articles in The Nation report that today's children are getting obese and addicted to pornography. Now isn't that surprising! They could so easily take the lift down to the gym on the second floor and pedal a fictitious bicycle. Now there's some real adolescent fun for you.

Chris E

Bangkok

Thaksin should be made to pay for repairs to new airport

No wonder so many people write to you about the new airport. I remember my shock at the switch from Don Muang - now it costs more, it's harder to get to and from, and we no longer know for sure if we'll be the first to crash on landing or take-off.

So what was it all for? The answer is two words - Thaksin Shinawatra. For his own purposes alone, he forced this situation on us. Maybe he said he belonged to the Thai Rak Thai Party, but it was really the Thaksin Rak Thaksin Party.

There is only one solution - rename the new airport "Shinawatra Airport" and make the ex-PM pay for all the necessary repairs.

David Wood

Bangkok

Corruption at Suvarnabhumi was an open secret to workers

Every farang I have run into who was working on the new airport these past few years, to "a person", had the same observations to make:

1. Every facet of the airport's construction was riddled with corruption.

2. The airport should not have been opened for at least another 6 months (this was said to me in September last year by at least seven people working at the airport).

3. Every Thai person who worked at the airport during construction knew about all the corruption and the use of lower grade materials than in the original plans, but decided it was best to close their eyes.

4. Just about every Thai who was made aware of this just "shrugged their shoulders" and intimated "this is Thailand, and that is how things are done!"

5. Every person knew that the safety of the passengers arriving in Thailand would be jeopardised, and no one would say anything!

Now, if anyone can honestly believe that the management of the airport, Airports of Thailand, or the administration in power were not aware of all of this, then there is some swampland for sale in Florida that they should see, and certainly purchase (pun intended).

Tennis Player

Bangkok

Cheap, dirty flooring adds to airport's shabby appearance

With all the fuss regarding the shabby construction of Suvarnabhumi Airport and the alleged associated corruption, no mention has been made, to my knowledge, of the poor quality floor tiles laid throughout the new airport.

On my three recent trips through Bangkok, I noticed areas where these tiles were dirty, and it appeared that dirt had stained the tiles.

On each trip, I noticed that the tiles had not been cleaned sufficiently. The toilets, few and far between, in particular had filthy floor tiles and appeared to lack maintenance.

These tiles appeared to be unsealed, porous in nature, and very cheap quality. When cleaned they should gleam; all they show is a dull finish.

Dirt stains also appear in many of the metallic finishes on the floor. It looks as if no attempt has been made to clean these away.

Outside the entrances to the airport (those that are open, or work, that is) there are wads of chewing gum stuck to the floor, and it appears that no attempt has been made to remove them.

Compared to Don Muang, which although old was always clean (and efficient), Suvarnabhumi is at present on par perhaps with some of the dirtier airports in Asia.

Perhaps the floor-tile specifications, as well as the cleaning contract, should be checked by those responsible for weeding out corruption?

It is a shame that poor design and lack of cleanliness has caused so much grief for Thailand. Until all matters at Suvarnabhumi are rectified, there is no way, in my opinion, that this airport will ever become a regional hub, or something that the Thai people can look at with any pride.

John Phillips

Bangkok

Suvarnabhumi sitting on a swamp of corruption

These are not "teething problems" anymore. Suvarnabhumi Airport is falling apart at the seams after a mere four months of operation. With more and more headlines about new irregularities and corruption allegations, this airport has developed into a national embarrassment.

At least its location was appropriately chosen. A swamp, indeed. Not a cobra swamp, but a swamp of graft, incompetence and mismanagement that makes one's mind boggle. Some heads will have to roll for this joke of an "aviation hub", but I am not holding my breath. The real culprits will get away as usual.

Thomas Schmid

Bangkok

Report highlights religious persecution in Burma

We, the members of the National Democratic Party for Human Rights (exile), Denmark branch, would like to express our sincere support and strong solidarity with the new report of Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), a British-based human rights organisation, titled "Carrying the Cross".

The report, released on January 23, details what it calls the Burmese military regime's campaign of restriction, discrimination and persecution against Christians in Burma. The report also identifies the persecution of Muslims throughout Burma on the basis of race and religion and imprisonment of Buddhist monks who raise their voice in support of restoration of democracy and human rights.

Burma has been categorised by the US State Department as one of the world's violators of religious freedom every year since 1999. Persecution of Christians in Karen, Karenni, Chin and Kachin areas, and Muslims in Arakan State and throughout Burma is widespread.

Christian and Muslim communities in particular experience extreme difficulty in obtaining permission to construct or repair places of worship, particularly on prominent sites or near major roads. Most old church buildings are dilapidated and in urgent need of repair. Since 1960s, Christian and Muslim groups in Burma have faced great difficulties in translating, printing and importing religious literature. Religious publications, like secular ones, remain subject to state censorship. In some districts in Burma, translations of the Bible and the Koran in indigenous languages are outlawed.

Many Muslim archaeological and historical places remain without renovation, while building any new Muslim permanent structure is not permitted. Mosques and Islamic religious centres have been destroyed or permanently closed down by the military regime. The famous Sandikhan mosque that was built in 1430 by an Arakan King at Kawalong, Mrauk-U (formerly Mrohaung) Township was almost 90 per cent razed to the ground. It is evidence of religious persecution by the Burmese military regime.

We would like to thank CSW and its advocacy officer for South Asia, Benedict Rogers, for their efforts to compile this comprehensive and logical report, which will highlight the religious persecution being committed currently by the military regime in Burma.

We demand that the military regime immediately stop all forms of military offensive and violation of the religious freedom of all Burmese citizens, and particularly Christian and Muslim minority groups.

We also call upon the international community, especially the United Nations Security Council and Asean heads of government, to put effective pressure on the military regime to engage in a national reconciliation process and restoration of multi-party democracy in Burma, as aspired to by all 52 million Burmese nationals.

Thein Tun, Coordinator

Denmark

Beware, Singapore listening in on our football strategy!

Now that we know the football final will be a clash between Singapore and Thailand, the truth behind the AIS deal should be clear to all.

Those dastardly Singaporeans, with their highly advanced sports intelligence network, obviously planned for this. They bought AIS for one reason and one reason only: to listen in to the Thai football team's mobile-phone conversations before the game, and find out the tactics they intend to use at the Kallang and Supachalasai stadia.

I implore the Thai players and coaching staff to switch immediately from AIS to the more secure carrier-pigeon system, to foil those stop-at-nothing schemers from the island republic. That'll show them!

Philip Rowell

Bangkok