LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
TRT brass who sat idly by while corruption reigned deserved their sentences
Some suggest that Thai Rak Thai executives who were not directly involved in the scandal leading to the abolition of the party be given amnesty.
Whether or not they are given amnesty, we should not forget that they were quiet when news broke in the media that certain executives in their party might be involved in these acts. They were lawmakers but chose to stay silent when laws were deliberated broken by people in their group for their collective gain. They might not be truly innocent after all. How much can we trust lawmakers like these? Years ago when a woman stole something from a supermarket because she had nothing for her baby, she was immediately dealt with by the police. Probably no one came to help. A prominent Muslim lawyer went missing and the public has been generally quiet. When a junior police officer was killed in a night-club in front of people, a son of a politician present at the scene was declared innocent in a murky process. Children of politicians having problems with traffic police get away easily. Legal cases against politicians take years, if not decades, to reach court. Pundits tell us that in a democratic system everybody is equal under the law. In Thailand, the truth is that some people are more equal than others. Let's see whether these former lawmakers from Thai Rak Thai are truly equal with us under the law. Prichar Bangkok ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Maid's heist puts Abhisit in an unflattering light
Re: "Democrat leader deserves the chance to lead Thais", Letters, June 18. John Shepherd was right about Abhisit Vejjajiva. I, too, think he can be a good leader. But one thing bothers me. A few months back, Abhisit's maid stole his ATM card and gradually withdrew about Bt870,000 from his account. It took him some 10 months before he realised what was going on. One may wonder how the maid knew his personal identification number. Well, it was like this. Our potential prime minister wrote the four digits on his card, just in case he forgot them. "He is very smart, thoughtful, quick-witted, tough-minded, with a good sense of humour", according to Shepherd's friend. He is a man of wisdom, vision, compassion and enormous integrity; Shepherd said so. But does he have common sense? Meechai Burapa Chiang Mai ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Root out old-regime loyalists in bureaucracy
Re: "DSI orders Thaksin to come back", News, June 20. Some strong cases are finally coming out against Thaksin, his family, and his cronies. But they seem to be either from the Information and Communications Technology or the Department of Special Investigation - what about the ministries of Agriculture (rubber trees), Transportation (Suvarnabhumi Airport), Industry and the Environment? Why aren't they providing the evidence they have that would support criminal prosecution? Are all of these former bureaucrats afraid to do the right thing, because they are afraid of their former boss? And are they afraid they will implicate themselves, their families or their cronies? Their truculence and reticence will go down in Thai history as gross dereliction of duty and will do serious damage to their personal reputations and to the reputations of their families. They will be known as people who scorned the public interest, good governance and transparency. They will be known as cowards, interested only in what their country can do for them, not what they can do for their country. Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont is a great man. He is tolerant, lenient and patient. But one hopes that he dispenses with these virtues in the case of these delinquent ministers and compels them to deliver the evidence, or resign. A great tsunami of criminal cases will be engulfing the Shinawatra clan. These timorous ministers need not fear that Thaksin will return to exact revenge on them, if they provide the evidence in their possession. He and his are through. A new era of justice is beginning in Thailand. These ministers had better be on the right side of that justice or they may feel the force of law and due process themselves. Gibson Martin Bangkok ------------------------------------------------------------------------- No more free advice for deposed prime minister
Re: "Embattled Thaksin may opt to change tack", News, June 20. What is your esteemed newspaper's purpose in "pointing out a hole to the squirrel?" Do you not think that Thaksin Shinawatra has more heads to think out the strategies for him than this single analysis can offer? Indeed, if he should opt for one of the "tacks" suggested in the Burning Issue column and then succeed, do you then not think that the country will continue to be embroiled in a never-ending conflict which at the present has brought Thailand to a standstill, almost a point of paralysis? We have suffered enough from this man and it is time to let justice run its course. All his previous strategies did not work. The Nation's political desk has confirmed: "Moreover, his fight-back against the junta, by trying to use supporters and anti-coup protesters to put pressure on the junta, has failed to gain momentum. There have been fewer protesters than expected." One of the "tacks" which was not suggested is for Thaksin to "cease and desist". I think that if Thaksin should agree to this magnanimous act, he will certainly earn deep gratitude from all of us who have been patiently waiting for peace and tranquillity to return to Thailand. Prachyadavi Tavedikul Bangkok ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ten years in Asean has not helped Burma situation
Re: "Burma's membership in Asean shames members", Letters, June 20. I share Oddvar Johansen's sentiment on Burma and the spinelessness of all the members of Asean, not only Thailand. However, I disagree with him in calling Burma the least democratic country. No, that "democratic" label is too good for the Burmese military junta, which is simply a group of street bullies that wants to maintain its oligarchic power. Since General Ne Win led a military coup in 1962 ending democratic rule, Burma has never had any degree of democracy. One of Asean's aims is to promote social progress and regional peace. Burma was admitted as an Asean member in 1997 under the rationale that it would improve after joining the club. After a period of 10 years, the junta has hardly changed its position - to the contrary, it has stubbornly ignored all the displeasure expressed by other members and other civilised nations on the junta's cruelty to Aung San Suu Kyi. By continuing to incarcerate the Nobel Peace laureate because of her landslide victory in the general election of 1990 and her refusal to go into oblivion, they are making her suffer extreme personal loss in all forms. Anyone who has read Justin Wintle's "Perfect hostage: a life of Aung San Suu Kyi" will understand her suffering at the hands of the junta to the extent that one would not have blamed her if she relented and emigrated to England to stay with her two sons. Her mentality is reflected well in her statement: "It is not power that corrupts but fear. Fear of losing power corrupts those who wield it and fear of the scourge of power corrupts those who are subject to it." With that statement, I don't think the lady will ever relent. Songdej Praditsmanont Bangkok ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Burdens of air travel overwhelm regular flyer
Re: "Delays on airport transit links occur everywhere", Letters, June 13. This world does, indeed, move faster than most people can understand. Adele C Schwartz, who is the editor of a transportation magazine, still holds the belief that "few passengers will use the train because of the difficulty of moving a large amount of luggage". Indeed, it has become almost impossible to move "a large amount of luggage" but the difficulty is at the airport! Just try to get anything bulky through the various scanners and inspectors! And, be certain you do not attempt to carry aboard any nefarious substances, such as water! It's all really too much to be bothered with. Travelling to the airport by train is the easy part of the journey. Be aware, though, when you get clever and decline to carry any baggage along at all, the customs inspectors at your destination will become suspicious and detain you for extensive questioning. All in all, travel by air has long since become my choice of last resort. I wouldn't fly at all, but it's really difficult to travel between continents by any other means. Frank Maunder Bangkok
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