LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Declaring emergency rule would be even less democratic than actions of deposed govt
Re: "Emergency on agenda as Surayud meets CNS", News, March 29.
The article states: "... Army chief General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, earlier in the day, expressed concern that if anti-coup protests kept on festering, authorities could lose control of the situation and there could be chaos." I find General Sonthi's observation very illuminating. One of the main reasons the Council for National Security (CNS) uses to excuse its power grab was the national "divisiveness" which it claimed had been caused by the Thaksin government. Presumably if Thaksin had used the emergency regulations in order to suppress the People's Alliance for Democracy demonstrations (which were much more virulent than anything which has been organised by PTV), he would have extinguished the so-called divisiveness in exactly the same way that the CNS leader now proposes. The fact that he did not suggests to me that he had a much greater grasp of what democracy actually involves than do our current military bosses. By their actions, rather than their words, shall you know them. Beware Bangkok -------------------------------------- Government's first priority is to maintain public safety
Emergency rule will only be an issue if the protesters become violent, burn public property etc. In that situation the general public would lose sympathy for these protesters, if they still have any for them. The government has to be defensive at this stage, and closely monitor the situation. Protesters coming from upcountry should be stopped at checkpoints, and asked questions to determine who is behind this. Go after the masterminds. Our Army and police force must enhance their intelligence capabilities and share their information with each other. The government always has to think of the long term and show restraint Alok Bangkok -------------------------------------- Regardless of decrees, junta will have to face public's voice
The rulers are just paper tigers. I don't think they will declare emergency rule, since there is no justification for doing that. Meanwhile, protests are common under any government or junta, unless the government is capable of making every person in the country happy. This is a fact of life and it's unavoidable. They may be able to limit such gatherings today by whatever means, ethical or unethical, but they will have to face the same issues sooner or later. Web Reader Bangkok -------------------------------------- Law needed to prevent retail monopolies regardless of size
Re: "Retail business law urgently needed", Editorial, March 29. I agree with the Cabinet's concerns about the draft Retail Business Act, for it was focused mainly on limiting large retail shops. The Cabinet's goal should be to protect consumers as a whole, not any group of merchants. In other words, we should seek to give consumers a wide choice. Thus, we should prevent monopolies from occurring with any given type of shop - whether a mega-retailer or a mom-and-pop store. If we allow mega-retailers to take over without limit, those who prefer the social advantages of small shops will not be able to satisfy their needs. However, if we ban the big boys from a given area, consumers will not be able to enjoy the lower prices and wider variety that the large retailers can offer. I suggest that big retailers be allowed into all market areas, but with two levels of restrictions, so that any one large retailer is not allowed to have more than a certain percentage of market share, and that all mega-retailers combined are not permitted to have more than a predetermined percentage of market share. Makro is a special case that I don't quite know how to handle. It's a modern wholesaler, not a large retailer, and helps its clients, the moms-and-pops, survive. Thus, it must not be lumped together with the mega-retailers. Burin Kantabutra Bangkok -------------------------------------- Air pollution not a trifling matter for Chiang Mai locals
Re: "Haze lifts as festival nears", News, March 24. So Chiang Mai governor Wichai Srikwan claims that the thick dust blanketing our northern towns is "a minor problem and it can be brought under control". Which Chiang Mai is he living in? It can't be the one up here in the north of Thailand. Ask the local hospitals if it is a minor problem. Yes, I know Songkran brings in a lot of tourist baht, but how are those tourists going to feel when they can't see far enough to throw water at each other because of running eyes and chest infections? Mike Chiang Mai -------------------------------------- Countries stick to indigenous foods regardless of any FTA
Re: "S Korea-US FTA talks boil down to rice and 'kimchi'", Opinion, March 29. I have eaten many kinds of rice around globe, each indigenous to a certain people. One thing that is clear is that an ethnic group always sticks to its own rice. I don't think a Korean likes the rice grown in New Mexico. All industrial people are linked to certain products. All of them cannot be protected and they need not be as most people will stick to the food that they enjoy and that is indigenous to their respective countries. A Watcher Bangkok -------------------------------------- Thailand needs to be more open to trade than S Korea
I still don't know that Thailand should be a copycat and take a hard stance against all foreigners. Don't forget that we let foreigners develop our country for exports. The degree of market independence is higher for Thailand. We need to be an easy-going people. We don't sell our country; we only share the benefits. Web Reader Bangkok -------------------------------------- A successful politician is by definition a corrupt politician
Re: "Corruption versus Democracy: the ultimate pact?", Opinion, March 28. In any social structure, totalitarian, communist or democratic, there will always be corruption, just as there will always be a flu virus in any population. The important factor is the balance between good governance and corruption. The qualities that make a good politician are similar to those that make a corrupt politician - politics is the practice of deceit, compromise and manipulation. As a politician you use these skills to benefit your country, as an individual you use them to benefit yourself. Show me a poor politician and you will show me a failed politician. Ian Bangkok -------------------------------------- Thaksin and his ilk prove how democracy can be exploited
The prevailing opinion is that in a working democracy with enough rational constituents and politicians (or the so-called key players) looking after both their community and vested interests, corruption would exist, yes, but blatant massive corruption would be tempered if not outlawed outright. But we all know that prevailing opinion failed in the case of the well-orchestrated corruption that was allegedly carried out by Thaksin and abetted by scores of high level Thai Rak Thai members. Thaksin, Marcos and Suharto and many other rogue heads of state succeeded in subverting constitutional checks and balances that would have prevented such large scale corruption because corruption is being directed and manipulated from the very top. So what is the solution? Beats me. But until somebody can convince me that democracy will not prevent rogue leaders like Thaksin or Marcos to ever again threaten the Thai people, then military coups will be part of the political chemistry in Thailand for decades to come. That does not mean that the generals will not be corrupt. Of course not! It only means that elected leaders who get ousted by coup nearly always deserve the treatment they get and if they get jailed or worse, no one would shed a tear. Matty Bangkok -------------------------------------- Bar owners blatantly ignoring Labour Protection Act rules
As I watched a score of police officers walking down Soi Cowboy recently, checking out things in general and then driving off the wrong way down the one-way street I was struck by the incongruity of the situation. The business practices of this street and many others offer an object lesson in breaking the law. Consider the serving staff. Workers turn up at about 6pm, work until 2am or 3am the next day and the bar owners break many of the regulations found in the Labour Protection Act. Section 23 stipulates 48 working hours per week, a maximum of eight hours per day. Section 28 calls for one day off per week. These workers work at least eight hours a day and get two days off a month at a maximum. Section 29 stipulates 13 annual public holidays and notes that if these are not taken the worker must receive holidays in lieu of them, plus the worker must be given at least six days leave after a year's work. With two days off a month this never happens. The minimum wage in Bangkok is Bt191 per day. Multiply that by 29 and you get Bt5,539. Many workers in these areas earn less than that. Veritas Bangkok
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