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Published on July 19, 2007

This pessimism may explain why Tourism and Sports Minister Suvit Yodmani is popping up at so many meetings and functions - apparently to convince the private sector.

He chairs the board meetings of the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the ministry's official meetings, which take place nearly every week. However, he devoted all of last week to TAT's meeting in Hua Hin regarding next year's marketing plan. This Tuesday, he spent the whole day briefing the private sector at a meeting attended by all TAT directors of foreign offices. Yesterday, he met TAT marketing representatives.

Each meeting requires luxury catering. Yesterday's event in the Plaza Athenee Hotel cost Bt200,000. Yet reports suggest there has been little progress, and every meeting pumps out the same old messages.

Wouldn't it be more effective if this money were diverted to improving tourist attractions?

In a sorry state

Have you ever wondered why, in reports of violent acts in the deep South, police and military casualties are always higher than those of the insurgents?

It's a question that springs to my mind whenever I see news from the restive South. Many blame our poor intelligence. It certainly pales when compared with the UK's intelligence that recently uncovered an airport-bomb plot.

While our intelligence may indeed be lacking, another thing that might reduce casualties is the authorities' preparedness for handling bombs and their aftermath.

I found it surprising that a scene from Tuesday's Yala blast showed an officer, without armour or any vest for protection, near the bomb. When it went off, he was seriously injured along with a few other people. His body was seen lying still, and burning. The scene was so vivid and startling that I don't dare run a photo.

Then he was loaded into a police pickup, where it looked certain he would receive no first aid. It was not surprising to learn that he later died.

What about ambulances? Are they short of money because of too many bombs?

Our young scientists just won an award in the US for their rescue robots. Hopefully, when the Defence Ministry receives its 24-per-cent budget increase next year, it will work on the project, so that some risks can be taken by machines and not men. If not, the loss of life and misery of the bereaved families will be endless.

achara_d@nationgroup.com