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Published on October 20, 2007

Michael Aung-Thwin writes that the "bread and butter" must come first in Burma and the rest will fall into place. I must say this is wishful thinking, to put it mildly, and naivety to put it directly. Burma's woes are not just economic. What comes first and foremost is the denial of universal human rights, equality and democracy.

If we look into the disaster that is Burma today, it is safe to conclude the problem is man-made and that the successive military regimes, including the present one, are to be blamed. The military's total elimination of all opposition and its monopolisation of power are the two obstacles to the democratisation process. The military has had numerous chances to pull the country out of its mire through reconciliation, but instead has embarked on the destruction of all opposition. It has consistently refused to see that Burma is a multi-ethnic state and that genuine federalism, equality and democracy are the keys to a long-lasting political settlement.

Where non-Burman ethnic nationalities are concerned, the junta has waged an all-out war on them, resulting in thousands upon thousands of refugees fleeing to neighbouring countries and many more internally displaced persons. In the same vein, the military has refused to compromise with the people's urge for a democratisation process and responded with brutal crackdowns, as seen in 1962, 1974, 1988 and the present ongoing mass uprisings.

Thus, while the bread-and-butter issue is an important and essential one to end the crisis in Burma, it is far from being the sole factor. We should all be reminded that it is the military that destroyed the livelihoods and food rations of the non-Burman ethnic minorities.

Any viable solution to Burma's woes must include a political settlement, empowerment of the people and capacity-building at all levels, coupled with a genuine democratisation process.

SMW

Hamburg, Germany

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Olympic boycott would be foolish

Re: "Boycotting Olympics may be the only option left", Letters, October 15.

James Groveway falsely claims there is genocide in Burma. "Is there any government, organisation or individual willing to take any action against the genocide in Burma?" Genocide is the deliberate killing of a population of people based on race, religion or ethnicity. Although there have been atrocities committed, the  number hasn't been verified and falls far short of genocide. Boycotting the Beijing Olympics because China won't get involved in Burma's internal affairs is ludicrous. Other Burmese activists have called on the US to overthrow the junta. This would lead to chaos that would only continue the cycle of violence.

Jon

Bangkok

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In sympathy at the demise of Ayutthaya

Re: "Ayutthaya ruined by the Burmese, now by Thais", opinion, October 19.

The above article touched my heart and soul. I often travel to Ayutthaya with my friends for merit-making purposes. We usually visit Wat Na Phra Main, the only one that was not burnt down by the Burmese.

I love Ayutthaya, just to drive around and to walk among the ruins. I agree with you completely and share your concern. Thais love to build but not to maintain.

In my opinion, people should concentrate on maintaining and renovating ancient temples instead of building new ones (of poor quality and looks). City planning is essential, too. People today think of nothing but how to make more money and more profits. How sad. I would hate to see Ayutthaya turned into another Chiang Mai.

Nipha

Bangkok

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Child abuse is an ongoing problem

According to the occasional news report, trafficking in children, for such purposes as prostitution and slave labour, occurs every day in Southeast Asia, and Thailand is a hub of the business. Yet a Western paedophile with a creepy photograph seizes front-page headlines for days on end. His alleged crimes are certainly heinous, but they are just a distraction from the horrible reality that crimes against children are committed every day in this country, even, as reported, with the complicity of parents and police. This is a home-grown tragedy.

Farang Rak Thai

Bangkok

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Free books are now available for schools

With this year's Book Expo going full steam at the Queen Sirikit Convention Centre, now is a good time to tell readers they should inform their children's schools - and any not-for-profit libraries they know of - that libraries can get an endless trickle of new English-language texts, at no cost, from the Books for Thailand Foundation (BfT) here in Bangkok.

Librarians everywhere have one major problem: books are expensive, especially the beautifully illustrated texts from abroad. BfT was established to help promote the reading culture that Thailand needs to help compete in the global marketplace - as well as bring endless enjoyment and take readers to faraway cultures and worlds that may not even exist.

BfT, chaired by Khunying Jada Wattanasiritham and working closely with the Asia Foundation, has 80,000 new English-language texts from the active inventory of US and Canadian publishers to distribute to libraries throughout Thailand, especially those in the provinces. The inventory covers kindergarten through graduate school, in all subject areas. Recipient libraries must appoint a representative who knows their readers' needs to come to select what they want.

What strings are attached? Well, after receiving the books, the recipient library should send an itemised receipt to BfT, for auditing. Help spread the good word. Send in success stories, both for publicity and fund-raising.

Through the generosity of the Annika Linden Foundation, BfT even offers travel grants, so what more could one want? For details, ask librarians to call Khun Amorn, who's in charge on-site, at (02) 652 3301 or email: booksforthailandfoundation@hotmail.com.

Burin Kantabutra

Vice Chairman, Books for Thailand Foundation

Bangkok

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Students need practical opportunities to speak

I have caught up with some of your recent correspondence about English-language usage as a springboard to learning. In my opinion the dispassionate and constructive analysis provided by correspondent Pat from Nonthaburi accurately describes the type of classroom situation faced by the majority of English teachers here - that is, those forced to ape the teaching practices of the few expensive schools that are able to provide the sort of proper ESL environment advocated by your correspondent M Richards. Passing themselves off as proper "international" or "bilingual" schools by preaching the ESL gospel enables them to charge much higher fees.

Sadly, in a country where 60 million would be best served with a remedial EFL programme based on their reality, the personal attack and knee-jerk reaction by proponents of the ESL gospel such as M Richards suggests rather strongly that they either inhabit a separate reality from the rest of us or else they (as many do, both Thai and foreign) have a vested interest in perpetuating the general farce of marketing-driven ESL programmes.

However, rather than flay M Richards any further, I would draw readers' attention to one aspect of the failure that is the formal education sector here: unlike, say, India, after 12 years of English classes, perhaps one Thai in 100 is confident enough to actively seek conversational English practice with foreigners. Unfortunately, the hopefully misguided albeit evidently passionate M Richards seems to be short on broad local experience and rather full of foreign wind.

Frank Lee

Bangkok.

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