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Published on September 18, 2007

It is great to see that the Democrats are coming out against the construction of nuclear reactors in the Kingdom and are making every effort to secure safe, alternative energy sources to power future generations. If the Democrats fail to stop the proliferation of nuclear-power plants, there are several local labour pools and contractors that can be tapped to complete construction by the year 2021. The cost of the design will be negligible, as there are several off-the-shelf designs available for just a few dollars on the Internet.

When construction is slated to begin in 2014 or 2015, the rail line from Suvarnabhumi to Bangkok should be finished. All of those involved in that project are familiar with the Thai construction process and could immediately move as one finely tuned unit to begin building nuclear-power plants anywhere in the country. The newly hired quality-control people are very familiar with what to look for in inferior steel and concrete structures. The all important nuclear-reactor cooling system, which must work for a nuclear disaster to be avoided, can be contracted to the company that installed the cooling system for the CTX scanners at the airport. They know where they went wrong and probably won't repeat their mistakes.

The Science and Technology Ministry has already sent a delegation to Austria to observe the management of nuclear power there. No one needs to be reminded of the scandal with Steyr Daimler Puch of Austria in which 315 fire-trucks and 30 fire boats have been languishing unused at our docks for years while the government in power gets to the bottom of this equipment-for-chickens debacle. I mention this because by the time construction starts on the power plants, it would be a good time to start cannibalising the instrumentation from the unused fire-trucks and boats and modify those instruments for use in the nuclear-reactor control rooms. Trained, out of work, automobile-factory employees would be a good choice for this project. Certainly a win-win situation for them and the country.

Safety is job number one at a nuclear facility. Science has progressed to the point where all of our out-of-work garment workers could be utilised to sew giant chemically treated fabric covers for the cooling towers. These covers would turn red as a warning for all to see when there is a radiation leak or meltdown at the facility. As a failsafe backup method of determining a leak, animals that have survived the Chiang Mai Night Safari could be penned up around the nuclear-power plants. Loud sirens are so last year and often fail to work when needed or go off on their own for no apparent reason. Good luck!

David Barkdull

Bangkok

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Once highly profitable TOT now going downhill

Re: "Army request built into procurement: TOT document", Business, September 17.

Intrigue continues to dominate affairs at the TOT. The Nation reported that a request by the Royal Thai Army's intelligence unit for equipment support from TOT "has been incorporated into the state agency's broadband-network procurement project". 

This is understandable or even acceptable to most people if the equipment in question is linked to efforts to quell unrest in the southern provinces. After all, General Saprang Kalayanamitr, who is chairman of TOT's board of directors, wears maybe three hats at the same time. He is assistant Army commander-in-chief and also head of the Army's Special Operations Centre and among his responsibilities is to see that peace is restored to the southern region as quickly as possible.

But there has never been a clear-cut explanation in this regard, especially as to why the TOT should support the security mission when recently the Royal Thai Army received a budget allocation of about Bt12 billion for this purpose.  Earlier, one board member and acting CEO of TOT was fired from both positions for revealing the deal to the press. But that was okay because the CEO appeared to have breached the code of secrecy by revealing the board's decision. What is not all right is the manner in which the procurement is being carried out, by "special means". Even Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Minister Sitthichai Pookaiyaudom reportedly voiced his objection to this method, but probably to no avail.

TOT before its transformation into a public company was once one of the most prized state enterprises, raking in something around Bt100 billion annually. With five years of abuse caused by the Thaksin government's policies, however, TOT has been reduced to a pitiful state where it now cannot compete on equal terms with its concessionaires.

The same situation prevails overall at the CAT. Instead of joining hands with each other so that synergy would be created, the CAT - which is chaired by another candidate for the Army commander's position, General Montri Sangkhasap - refused to sell its 42 per cent stake in Thai Mobile to TOT, which is its sister organisation. Whether this decision had to do with the forthcoming appointment of a new Army commander we do not know.

Both of these public companies are under the ICT Ministry's supervision, but it is rather sad when we see the ICT Minister seems to be rather hapless about it all.

People who have become board members of vital public enterprises such as the TOT and CAT seem to have treated them as their own possessions, not those of the taxpayers. In all honesty it is not an exaggeration to say that both TOT and CAT are teetering on the brink of collapse. It would not be a surprise to me if we will one day see AIS, True Corporation, and TT&T replace TOT and CAT as the main suppliers of all telecommunication services, which comprise one of the most lucrative industries here in Thailand.

Prachyadavi Tavedikul

Bangkok

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Website a source of vital info after plane disaster

I would like to comment on how impressed I am with the constant updates and the kind of information made available on your website in regard to the tragedy in Phuket. While other online papers are simply updating the number of those who died, your paper is listing survivors' names, countries of origin, current whereabouts and emergency contact numbers.

Congratulations for doing a remarkable job communicating critical information to those separated from their loved ones.

Melanie Baker

Toronto, Canada

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Conflict reports confuse security situation in South

Just last week, Council for National Security chief General Sonthi Boonyaratglin said that it may take another generation to stamp out the southern terrorists, acknowledging that "intelligence was still the government's weak point".

Now, Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont is proclaiming that the crackdown on the southern terrorists has been successful, and that the bad guys number less than 20,000. He said the government was now receiving more cooperation and tip-offs from the residents. Sunai Phasuk, the Human Rights Watch representative in Thailand, confirms General Surayud's belief, saying that since June 2007, the incidence of violence has dropped by 50 to 60 per cent.

If all three of them are right, and the government has reduced violence by over half in just three months, why will it take 25 years to take care of just a handful of bad guys, especially with strong assistance from the locals? Why is the same prime minister, who's saying that things are so good, pushing for a draconian internal security law? Can we scale down the massive increase in military budget the armed forces just got on the basis of the looming disaster down South - that's now been averted, per our prime minister?

The situation's clear as mud, and the government itself seems to not know what's going on. I suggest that at least, Prime Minister Surayud and General Sonthi should speak from the same page and be credible.

Burin Kantabutra

Bangkok

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Pridiyathorn's advice as unhelpful as his policies

Re: "Mega-projects key to recovery", News, September 16.

I suspect that MR Pridiyathorn Devakula's ideological home is nearer to Naypidaw or Pyongyang than London or New York.

His assertion that the baht's relatively high volatility is due to a lack of liquidity is absolutely correct. But his proposed remedies will only further restrict liquidity and increase volatility.

Most people who caused so much damage with their policies would be content to retire gracefully. Pridiyathorn seems intent on steering us on to a road to nowhere.

T Mercer

Bangkok

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