LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Pridiyathorn avoided taking responsibility for his actions by bailing out of finance post
MR Pridiyathorn Devakula's departure was long overdue. He should have been removed on at least three occasions.
The first was when he defended the Revenue Department director who had tried to help premier Thaksin avoid paying taxes on the Temasek deal. The second was when he defended Pojaman Shinawatra's land grab under Thaksin's influence. The final occasion was when he wiped out billions of baht from stock values through the ill-conceived capital control measures. Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont chose to stand by him through all of this. Pridiyathorn remarked that he had fulfilled his responsibilities by stabilising the baht. However, the baht now is as strong as it was on December 18 last year when he and the Bank of Thailand put in the draconian capital control measures. The Bank of Thailand is still undoing those measures piecemeal. Finally, when Surayud appointed former finance minister Somkid Jatusripitak to be his economic envoy, any self-respecting Cabinet minister would have resigned on the spot. Pridiyathorn stayed put, saying that he was "floating above the appointment". There is no other way to read Pridiyathorn's departure. He is bailing out, leaving the Bank of Thailand governor, who he appointed, to hold the bag. Netirat Intira Bangkok ------------------------------------ Self-serving politics continues unabated long after Thaksin
Re: "Conspiracy Theory, 101: denials will end up being denied", Opinion, March 1. There was always a hidden agenda behind Somkid Jatusripitak's appointment - it was so incongruous - and this article goes a long way to undressing it. The good news is that MR Pridiyathorn Devakula's departure may now pave the way for reversing the iniquitous capital-control measures and proposed amendments to the Foreign Business Act, which has severely hurt not only inward investment but Thailand's reputation in economic management. Thaksin's loss of influence may now be seen as irrecoverable but the nervous behind-the-scenes jostling for power to serve oneself rather than the people seems not to have changed one iota. If the "conspiracy theorists'" interpretation of events proves to be true, is there really any point in redrafting a constitution that has already been hijacked? Sucatash Bangkok ------------------------------------ Resignation a noble refusal to work for a compromised govt
MR Pridiyathorn Devakula's resignation was justified in quitting his government posts. It shows he is the one with principles, since it is others who should resign not him. Given Somkid Jatusripitak's appointment and the failure to do anything about the former government, he must know something is cooking with this government that is not right. Unlike other politicians, he gave clear reasons why he resigned. You will see more and more now of Thaksin's real power over this government, which will be hurt as a result of losing this man of independence and quality. He has earned the trust of the public and will come back on his own as a prime ministerial candidate. He doesn't need this weak compromised group. Web Reader Bangkok ------------------------------------ Locals should have the option to sell property to foreigners
Re: "Allowing foreigners to invest in property would push prices beyond the reach of locals", Letters, February 28. Thanks to John Arnone for noting that letting non-Thais own land would raise the wealth of Thai landowners many times over. He thus unwittingly and unwillingly confirms that such a step would give them choices now beyond their reach, for example the choice to pay off debts or give their children better educations - which could mean a sustainable higher standard of living. Some would not manage their newfound wealth wisely, but instead of depriving them of the choice, we should educate them - for, surely, a market economy's all about choice. Arnone says that if we gave housing coupons or tax breaks to low-income Thais so they could afford high-priced land, foreigners would complain bitterly about dual pricing. But, by definition, dual pricing is charging different prices to different markets for the same product, sold under like conditions (eg, movie tickets for senior citizens). I propose a single price for all, such as when a hospital sets only one price, but patient A's employer may subsidise treatment to a greater extent than that of patient B - which nobody seems to complain about. Burin Kantabutra Bangkok ------------------------------------ Higher land costs typically result in more overall wealth
Re: "No harm in foreigners investing in property", Letters, February 27. As usual Burin Kantabutra has hit the nail on the head with his letter suggesting that non-Thais be able to buy land. It is regrettable that one of your letter writers doesn't accept his conclusion ("Allowing foreigners to invest in property would push prices beyond the reach of locals", Letters, February 28) as Burin's conclusion would mean more income for the population. Firstly, I would like to emphasise that there are always ways to circumvent the law. Look at Phuket, where land prices are no longer affordable for middle-class people. What is the effect of this? A massive inflow of money that creates numerous Thai jobs and small Thai companies making the Phuket population one of the most affluent in Thailand to the satisfaction of the Thais living there. Secondly, it is in everybody's best interest to find the highest yield for land. For instance, when a non-Thai wants to pay more for a farmer's land than that farmer earns through rice cultivation, of course the farmer is better off because he becomes richer. Higher land prices result in greater income for the population and as such Burin's conclusion should be vigorously supported. Egon Bangkok ------------------------------------ Let's close country's borders to prove we don't need tourists
Re: "Long airport queues not solely a Thai phenomenon," February 28. I don't know who Sunida is, but I'm always glad whenever she graces the columns of this newspaper with one of her hard-hitting letters. It's high time somebody punctured the myth that Thailand's economy depends on foreign tourists. High time too that somebody told it like it is: foreign tourists come here "only for the cheap drinks and dope... they are more trouble than they are worth, and most are third-rate backpackers who are jobless in their own country". There's nothing like a good, bracing dose of clear-eyed truth to blow away the hypocrisy and cant being puffed about by the mush-brained globalisation loonies. I propose a test to determine whether or not Thailand really needs those worthless tourists. On July 1, let's stop the 30-day-visa-on-arrival nonsense and require all incoming tourists to have proper visas issued by Thai embassies. At the same time, let's have all Thai embassies stop issuing tourist visas, and cancel the visas of any foreign tourists who may already be in the country. Then, six months later, let's conduct a study of the economy to determine whether the complete absence of tourists has had any harmful effects. I'm betting it won't. Such an experiment would enable us to lay to rest forever the widespread delusion that Thailand's economy depends on tourists. It will also enable us to get rid of those jobless scoundrels who are here just for the dope, although I certainly hope the drinks stay cheap. Constance Beasley (Mrs) Bangkok ------------------------------------ Left-wing BBC a poor model for future overhaul of iTV
Re: "BBC-style channel would be a waste of time", Letters, March 1. It is with some bemusement that I read the letter regarding the Thai government's putative plan to set up a panel to control iTV and make it more like the BBC. While Sucatash rightly sees this plan as one that is unlikely to work, he undermines his case with his extolling the virtues of the BBC. Far from being "intellectually, politically and artistically impartial", the BBC has always been a hotbed of left-wing rabble rousing, a notoriously inefficient bureaucracy, and a drain on the public purse. Thailand, with its rigorous embrace of market principles, hardly needs to take a giant step backwards by setting up a pale imitation of an organisation so unworthy of emulation. J Boswell Bangkok ------------------------------------ UN ineffectiveness proved once again in Burmese trip
The full and complete failure of United Nations envoy Ibrahim Gambari's visits to Burma is best illustrated by the extension of National League for Democracy vice-chairman U Tin Oo's detention by another year and the military junta's refusal to discuss a release date for Aung San Suu Kyi. This is why the forces of the Burmese democracy movement held a meeting on February 21 to February 23 and publicly stated that the "State Peace and Development Council's road map must be attacked and destroyed at every step by people's power". Let there be no misunderstanding. The Burmese Resistance will not permit the construction/operation of the LNG plant or natural gas pipeline by Daewoo International, until there is a political settlement in Burma. Myint Thein Senior Adviser to the Burmese Resistance Dallas, Texas
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