In seven days, a new constitution was written and a new democratic form of government was established. This was a formidable task, considering that Japan had been under a strict feudal system for centuries. This new Japanese government is still in existence today, and running smoothly after 62 years.

Also, a much-needed police system was completely overhauled. Japan's economy grew like a bamboo shoot, which is in clear evidence today, even with the normal ups-and-downs of any free economy.

This new constitution was based upon the United States constitution, written in 1787, 220 years ago, which has never been rewritten, and has had only 26 new amendments added. So, regardless of some opinions about the US, this speaks loudly for itself. The English parliamentary system has been around since the Magna Carta of 1066.

In these two countries, you do not see wholesale murders and beatings of politicians, intimidation at the voting booths, and bribes or payoffs, except in rare and isolated cases. For example, you could never bribe a Democrat to vote Republican or vice-versa, and even if you could, the numbers would be insignificant. If any reader still has a problem with the Bush/Gore election, read the Boortz report to see the real numbers. Yes, this mess in Iraq is maddening, but it will not cause anarchy or a coup change in the government, and there will be no rewriting of the constitution.

It is high time that Thai officials abandon their lofty egos, and copy what has already proven to work, in face of very difficult situations. National religions have no place in government, and a military should never be running any country; look around at those countries who have not heeded these known facts. Time is running out for the Thai people to have a new and lasting constitution, which professes, "by the people and for the people".

Hyde Parke

Chon Buri

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Compulsory licensing benefits the rich, while patients suffer

Re: "Drop drug policy, US tells Thais", News, May 23.

It should not have come as a surprise to Public Health Minister Mongkol na Songkhla that his initiative to compulsorily license patented drugs received a cool reception from the US administration. As US Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez pointed out, international drug companies and their shareholders are under no obligation to take on the burden of the Thai health service. They already offer drugs at reduced prices to middle-income countries like Thailand and aim only to break even in these markets.

Mongkol's negotiating position in the US was not helped by the fact that he represents a regime that was installed by a military junta and that the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation that plans to manufacture the drugs in question for profit has an extremely poor record of quality control and financial transparency, in common with other state enterprises.

Thailand is not as poor as African nations, which international drug companies are willing to sell their drugs to at a loss. Thailand could easily afford to pay for the drugs and subsidise poor patients. The real issue is that vested interests will profit from the compulsory licensing, while patients are likely to receive sub-standard medication.

The sad truth is that Thailand could upgrade all of its public services, including its woefully inadequate healthcare and education, to a good standard, if it made vigorous efforts to stamp out the corruption that pervades the public sector and allows politicians and civil servants to steal taxpayers' money on a massive scale.

The Surayud government had a golden opportunity to do this and to recover large amounts of taxpayers' funds lost to the Thaksin regime. Unfortunately it has chosen instead to fritter away the opportunity in favour of grandstanding to the crowd at home by bashing foreigners. The next government will have its work cut out to repair the damage done to Thailand's international image.

Foreign Investor

Bangkok

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Holding to ideals offers country's best hope for future

Re: "Some ideas are just too idealistic", Letters, May 22

The author says that I am living in a non-achievable Utopia when I say that any political protests should be modelled after Martin Luther King's million-man march.

I beg to differ: it's difficult to achieve, certainly - but impossible? No. Given that a colony founded to jail the dregs of the British Empire could evolve into the wonderful country that is the writer's Australia, why cannot we Thais carry out a march that is orderly and law-abiding, with statesman-like rhetoric rather than rabble-rousing?

Am I idealistic? Absolutely. But I hearken to a child (Anne Frank): "I see the world gradually being turned into a wilderness. I hear the ever-approaching thunder, which will destroy us too. I can feel the sufferings of millions and yet, if I look up into the heavens, I think that it will all come right, that this cruelty too will end, and that peace and tranquillity will return again ... In the meantime, I must uphold my ideals, for perhaps the time will come when I am able to carry them out."

As for the writer's assertion that "only immediate elections [will] restore Thailand's standing and credibility with international investors", may his words come true. With 23 coup attempts since 1932, of which 12 were successful, surely we have a world record number of post-coup elections per decade, so our standing should be sky-high.

May I invite you, dear reader, to live to your ideals, and help reform our beloved society?

Burin Kantabutra

Bangkok

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Funds earmarked for Man City should stay in Thailand

I would like to comment on "Thaksin seeks BOT blessing for Bt6.8-bn deal", (News, May 20) and the letter written by Henry Ashe on May 21 ("Thaksin's reason for seeking funds is just an eyewash").

In the first article Thaksin's lawyer Noppadon Pattama is quoted as saying that the deal is not politically motivated and will help improve sport in Thailand.

It is surely political and it is done using money that belongs to the citizens of Thailand.

I'm absolutely appalled that the government will allow this money to be transferred. Surely this money should remain in Thailand and be used to help finance education and the healthcare system, both of which are in dire need of it.

It should also be used to pay the hundreds of people who are involved in investigating the corruption charges against the exiled prime minister, and the Thai Rak Thai Party.

As stated on CNN, "corruption kills" and that is what illness is happening here in Thailand.

When a patent has "cancer" you use the best cure possible depending on the severity of the illness. In many cases if it is not diagnosed early drastic action is needed.

It took the previous government five years to introduce cancer into their governmental system, so it may take the same period of time to erase it, unless drastic action is taken.

I wish the present government every success but feel that the clock is ticking and the time frame is far too short to achieve it's objectives. I feel they should have sequestered all monies of the past government members and their families.

Let us hope that the directors of Manchester City investigate the source of funding for this purchase. They should also think of their fans.

Manchester is the heartland of a very large community of Muslims and they should investigate the actions of the past prime minister in his actions in solving the unrest in the southern provinces of Thailand.

Ajarn Bob

Bangkok

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US needs to get physically involved in Burma plight

This Sunday will certify the full and complete failure of non-violent dialogue with the Burmese junta. The letter-writing campaign by world leaders, while appreciated, is no more than tokenism and is basically useless. What is needed is American Special Operations in Burma.

American Special Operations was born in Burma. The American Volunteer Group, better known as the Flying Tigers, with 99 planes was originally based in Taungoo, Burma (close to Pyinmana) to protect the Burma Road. After the bitter devastation at Pearl Harbour and the British defeat at Singapore, the Flying Tigers in Burma provided the demoralised Americans their first victories against the Imperial Japanese Army. The first mobile army surgical hospital unit was first deployed in Burma with the Flying Tigers.

Another American Special Operations in Burma was OSS-101. American officers led 10 Kachin-American Ranger battalions (10,000 troops) in guerrilla warfare against Japanese troops in Northern Burma. The largest American "Special Operations" before Afghanistan was "Project Nine" which later became known as the "First Air Commando" operations. Thousands of troops were flown into Burma behind Japanese lines. It was the first time helicopters were used in combat operations. Historians say Japanese Prime Minister Tojo lost his job due to the success of "First Air Commando" operations.

For almost two decades, the bankrupt policy of non-violent dialogue has accomplished nothing. It is part of the problem, not part of the solution. It is time to do what must be done to save Burma.

Myint Thein

Senior Adviser to the Burmese Resistance

Dallas, Texas