What should be studied is whether it is even legal to have a "paid" rally, the objective of which is to cause problems that could possibly lead to violence. Is getting paid to make an appearance for the media's sake any real remnant of democracy? Would these people attend PTV rallies if they were not paid? If so, who would they be? And even if it somehow proves to be legal, what does it say about the integrity of the people instigating such a rally?

It brings to mind the situation with the Jatukam Ramathep amulets last week. The rally organisers planned it really well - giving these amulets out for free - but in the end "buying" them back - who was funding the cash buybacks? In the end, you could get cash just by going there. Does this have anything to do with protesting against the coup government? Or was it a ruse just to get people to attend the PTV rally? Has it ever occurred to the foreign media who exactly is funding all the transportation and food for those coming from out of town to join the PTV rallies?

Maybe it is time the foreign media investigates the little people in order to expose the big fish. It is the duty of foreign media to report more fairly, if they are to report at all, and have proper and real investigative reporting.

Carolyn

Bangkok

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Power battle runs along military and police lines

Re: "It's become a political fight to the death", News, June 13.

The political fight is not only between Thaksin Shinawatra and General Sonthi Boonyaratglin as mentioned by the writer, but in actuality it is a fight between the police and the military.

Due to the political situation after General Suchinda Kraprayoon's exit, the public entrusted the power of government to the electorate. The electorate in turn has been working closely with the politicians and the police force who are in charge of law and order in the country.

The police have enjoyed unheard of privileges and it is only recently that the courts have decided that the legal power rests in the hands of the judiciary and not with the police.

The police force is similar to politics in that it is rife with corruption. Some policeman and some politicians go hand-in-glove together as they both have ulterior motives and vested interests.

Thaksin represents the police force and the politicians in one corner. Sonthi on the other hand comes completely from a military background. He has had no political background and came to the rescue of the nation, which had been plundered by the politicians.

The military have always proven to be reliable and true lovers of our country as represented by the history of political leaders.

Some policemen have proven to be crooks and opportunists.

The fight is very delicately balanced. Thaksin has his supporters from the grassroots levels in all parts of society, especially in the North and the Northeast, areas with political clout.

Sonthi has the backing of the state and the military and has no political support.

The issue here is not the political fight between Sonthi and Thaksin. The real issue here is the political, economic and social stability of our nation.

The courts have already adjudged that Thai Rak Thai and its politicians should be debarred from politics for the next five years. Every citizen must abide by this declaration, as it was the decision of the Constitution Tribunal.

It is the moral duty of every Thai citizen to respect this verdict.

Suhel Goriawala

Bangkok

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Selfishness the root of all problems facing Thailand

How sad it is to see the current drama unfolding in Thailand. Despite democracy failing back in September, the coup in a strange way impressed the international community with its complete lack of violence and total civility - a wonderful trait of the Thai people.

We now see a nation being pushed and shoved by those who claim to love and hold its interests at heart while at the same time seemingly having learnt nothing from the last year and a half. Egos are reigning supreme with the biggest players on many fronts unwilling to forgo personal interests and lose a bit of face for the benefit of the entire Kingdom and its people.

From men of the cloth starving themselves in an effort to get what they want, to politicians saying they are quitting politics and leaving the game for good, many, many times, only to turn around and say maybe they're back in, it's clear those at the centre of this power struggle are only in it for themselves.

A broken democracy can only be repaired one brick at a time and it seems the first few have recently been laid.

An election date being set would be a solid step in the right direction, then anyone rocking the boat would only be pushing unfortunate events of the past further in the wrong direction. Lets hope someone is willing to give a bit instead of only taking.

Scott Coates

Bangkok

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Reader's kudos on two insightful commentaries

I have returned from overseas and have just had the opportunity to read Wednesday's edition of The Nation. I did not realise how much I had missed the truly incisive nature and quality of the comment in The Nation until reading "It's become a political fight to the death" (News) and "Injustice for Thaksin? The drug-war dead must weep" (Opinion). As commentary on the current situation in the Kingdom they are second to none; two pieces of quite excellent journalism.

Avudh Panananda manages, in the first piece, to catch the truly leviathan struggle between two beasts for supremacy each having much to lose in defeat. The piece is a skilful synopsis of the theatre that is being played out by these combatants using the Kingdom as its backdrop. Indeed the risks are high, as when the struggle intensifies, as it must for a winner to emerge, there will I fear, be more than one lifeless body left on the stage.

Turning now to the "Stoppage Time" opinion column, may I commend you on such an innovative way to address the nation, I know that previous stoppage times have been unusual in their format but this one was quite exceptional. A subject which could have been a veritable minefield in its ability to cause offence and distress was handled with such care and humanity whilst using parody as to be inspirational. It allowed the use of black humour to be linked to the most sensitive of human emotions whilst making very clear moral and other points. The balance was judged to perfection and the trap of bad taste avoided with consummate ease.

The level of journalistic writing at The Nation is now at a level to which others can only aspire. Please continue to inform, educate and entertain us.

Dr John Patterson

Bangkok

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Skytrain not alone as a noisy mode of transport

Re: "Video advertising on the Skytrain leaves some passengers travel-sick", Letters, June 11.

I sympathise with the letter-writers and the many others who are annoyed by loud and repetitive noise on the BTS Skytrain. It's comparable to having foul scents sprayed throughout - there's no avoiding it unless a person can get far away. As we know, there are noise assaults on many levels throughout Bangkok and beyond. Just making a phone call often entails having to listen to static-ridden bubble-gum pop songs.

It's particularly annoying for anyone with an ear for music - and can be painful for those with tinnitus (acute sensitivity to high-pitched sounds).

A Swedish study found that 10 per cent of people under 50, and 50 per cent of people over 50 suffer from tinnitus to some degree.

However, I have recently noticed one bit of improvement on a couple of short-haul bus trips in northern Thailand.

Whereas before the loud noises from TV and/or radio were mind-numbing, my recent trips were okay. Of course, if would be too much to expect blessed silence, but by keeping the radio relatively low, the journey was made bearable.

Did the drivers forget to blast noise throughout their buses, or did they exert a modicum of consideration for their passengers? One would hope it's the latter.

Ken Albertsen

Chiang Rai