The Kingdom has had its crises - political, economic, military and social - but through good times and bad I have always felt it to be a safe destination for holidays or business, and a place where you can get fair value for your money.

Contrast this with Asia's "rising star" Vietnam. Four years ago, as a customer I was begged for continued loyalty by the hotel industry. This has now changed to a "take it or leave it" attitude, along with a tripling of prices. The middle to upper segment has been priced out of reach. On the street, there is a dual-pricing policy almost everywhere, and in my experience street vendors without exception see foreigners as fair game for a bit of extortion.

This rampant greed leaves something of a bad taste in the mouth. Added to a poor standard of service (I was once awakened from my slumber to be told by a room maid that there was a "do not disturb sign" on my room door), poor infrastructure and incompetent immigration procedures, it does not make for a long-term established tourist/business destination.

They obviously haven't heard the cliche "killing the goose that lays the golden egg".

I really wonder why people can't see that there is only so much that people will take before taking their business elsewhere.

Richard Roberts

Bangkok

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Autonomy needed for all the country's regions

 Re: "Stop dreaming: you'll never win the hearts and minds of Muslims", Letters, May 13.

The letter is worrying because I suspect that the opinions expressed by the writer concerning the southern insurrection are widely held by Thais in general.

The writer contends that there are two choices facing Thailand. It can give up territory in the South and run the risk of facing similar claims for autonomy from people in other parts of the country, or, to put it bluntly, it can engage in ethnic cleansing in the South.

Let us put aside the idea of ethnic cleansing as being too morally repugnant to consider and concentrate on the other contention.

I agree with the writer's suggestion that there are people in other parts of the country who are dissatisfied with the rule of the Bangkok powers and desire some measure of autonomy in running their own affairs, but it does not follow that this will lead to the disintegration of the country.

For most of the time since the overthrow of the absolute monarchy, the country has been ruled by a series of illegitimate governments, drawn from a small Bangkok "elite", who have ruled the country for their own benefit, at the expense of the majority of Thais. Despite depriving Thai people of adequate education and access to information, many of them are starting to realise what is being done to them and are demanding change.

The reason that the Bangkok powers cling to central control is not because local autonomy would weaken the country but because it would weaken this tiny elite's grip on power. In fact, granting local autonomy to all the regions of the country is what will save Thailand, because if power is not ceded to the people, just like the people of the South, they will rise up and seize that power.

Dom Dunn

London

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Speechless at Pallop's new role as public-relations man

 I always try to be constructive in my opinions, but if I were asked to praise General Pallop Pinmanee's appointment as public relations adviser to the vital Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc), words would fail me. Pallop arguably qualifies as the man most likely to be voted persona non grata by southerners as long as the Krue Se incident hangs over his head; his appointment could be considered akin to Japan sending the late Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto - who conceived, designed and promoted the Pearl Harbour attack - as ambassador to the US. In fact, it'd be worse, for at least the admiral could follow orders.

In 2004, Human Rights Watch noted that: "A government commission [on the Krue Se incident] found that the violence was started by the insurgents, but that security officials acting under the orders of General Pallop Pinmanee had used excessive force and heavy weapons disproportionate to the threat posed by the assailants." Pallop also disobeyed then deputy prime minister General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh's direct order to surround the mosque and negotiate with the dissidents.

In his early days in office, Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont said that he was following up on the Krue Se investigation (among others), but the silence as to its outcome has been deafening.

Pallop should stay in retirement until PM Surayud/General Sonthi Boonyaratglin follows the fact-finding committee's recommendation that judicial proceedings be started against those responsible for the Krue Se incident. Only if such proceedings, in open court, find the general innocent of all charges should he rejoin government service.

Burin Kantabutra

Bangkok

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People of Pakistan need solidarity from the world

 The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) condemns the violence unleashed on peaceful protesters in Karachi by the military dictator in Pakistan, which has resulted in heavy loss of life. The violence against the protest march on May 12 in Pakistan is raising further alarm about the already deteriorated legal and administrative system hitting bottom hard. The aim of such action is for General Pervez Musharraf to claim five more years in power without hindrance from the judiciary.

The stalemate between self-declared president Musharraf and the people struggling to bring meaning to justice has taken a decisive turn. This is one of the worst violent occurrences in the whole struggle for the basic human rights of the people, which has been systematically denied for long.

Fair trial and independence of judiciary are the foundation of any civilised nation and the birthright of every individual. Interestingly, in a speech on May 12, Musharraf said: "… let the judiciary be independent and stop putting pressure and wait for verdict", adding, "your slogan of judicial independence is also my slogan".

The general is talking the language of co-option. He is trying to earn legitimacy by declaring his objective as the same of the protesters. Ironically these are the words of a person who summoned a serving chief justice to military barracks and sacked him in the most arbitrary manner. A person who has shown utmost disrespect to the independence of judiciary is now claiming to be its apostle.

The general who assumed power by a show of might, disregarding peoples' choice and throwing democracy out from the country, is now facing the reality that there is a limit to people's tolerance.

The general in his speech has conspicuously refrained from making any reference to the state and the administration he allegedly commands and its role in the current crisis. Instead the dictator tried to trivialise the people's protest as a fight between the government's supporters and a disgraced judge. There was not a word about what action would be taken against those who fired at the protesting crowd.

People, when pressed beyond breaking point, are justified in protesting against the oppressor. Thousands have taken to the streets to demonstrate their discontent with an army general who has played all cards available, ranging from religion to security, in an attempt to remain in power. The people of Pakistan need support and solidarity.

It is the legal and the moral obligation of the civil society to respond to the cry for help from Pakistan. The struggle in Pakistan has reached a turning point capable of changing the destiny of a nation. The clarion call by the masses struggling for democracy, independence of judiciary, rule of law and human rights has already been made. Now it is the duty of the international community to respond to the call.

Asian Human Rights Commission

Hong Kong

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Stop the music, bring back the ring tones

 I imagine that, like me, most readers of The Nation have a mobile phone. Each month I get an SMS message telling me my "music charge" has been deducted. Thank you very much! I am not told how much has been deducted and if I attempt to reply, my own SMS does not go through.

I do not want music; I want old-fashioned, efficient tones. People from overseas who ring me laugh when, instead of a ring tone, they are greeted by music which is neither selected by me nor to my taste. Compulsory music and paying for it does not appeal to me at all. Am I on my own, within Thailand, in thinking it is stupid to hear music instead of a ring tone?

I know from past experience that it is futile to call the "service" number. I will be greeted by a variety of menu options, menus within menus, long delays and a host of platitudes, even promises, which will be ignored. All at my own expense!

What do I want? All I want is to opt out of music. I would be happy to pay the charge if there were a "no music" charge. Is there a way?

George Cuppaidge

Nakhon Ratchasima

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Missing oil, cash - it's the 'Andy Griffith Show' all over again

 A few months ago, the Government Accounting Office (GAO) in Washington DC discovered that billions in armaments shipped to Iraq could not be accounted for. In recent days, the GAO reports that billions of dollars' worth of oil production in Iraq cannot be accounted for.

It appears that Andy Griffith, Barnie Fife and Gomer Pyle moved into the White House while we weren't looking. Either that or there is a conspiracy afoot that would boggle the minds of even the craziest of conspiracy theorists.

Cha-am Jamal

Phetchabun