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Published on November 3, 2007

What an extraordinary letter and observation by Oestrogen Avoider about the apathy and lack of energy and professionalism of Thai women in the workplace. My experiences are the yang to his yin, or the yin to his yang … whatever. In my company, over the past ten years, time and again it has been the women who have risen up in position, pay scale and responsibility. While the men have as much talent and skills, they tend to have a more laissez-faire attitude and seem quite content with their lot.

Still, these sweeping generalisations are absurd. My company is but one in thousands in this country and I don't claim that my female employees represent Thai working women as a whole. But then neither should OA base his opinions of Thai women solely from his odd, and I must wonder, myopic, observations.

Thai women are already struggling with glass ceilings, with unfair treatment by law and society. Comments like OA's are not only counter-productive, they show a lack of respect for the hard work so many women do to have achieved so much.

Pim Kemasingki

Chiang Mai

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It's true: men do provide better service

Re: "Male workers outdo female counterparts", Letters, November 2.

I suspect my initial reaction to the letter from Oestrogen Avoider was similar to many readers: at first I was wondering what he was on about. But then I began to think about it, which was helped by an experience in a shop in a major mall just a day earlier. I suddenly realised that, yes, the male shop assistant had been going out of his way to help us, demonstrating items and generally providing excellent service. In the same shop for another item, we had to deal with a female shop assistant who demonstrated all the traits mentioned by Oestrogen Avoider: no interest whatsoever and an obvious dislike at having to deal with customers. We even tried to buy the item from the male shop assistant but, unfortunately, it was her turf and he was prevented from doing so. As it was, we bought about Bt10,000 worth of gear from the guy, and nothing from the female. (We decided to find somewhere that wanted to make a sale for this particular item.)

So, after reading the letter and recounting my own recent experience, I began to recall other times when service has been obviously poor. Sure enough, in nearly every instance it was a female involved. I later checked with my wife and she, too, agreed.

Like Oestrogen Avoider, I'd add all the caveats about knowing it's a generalisation, not wanting to be a male chauvinist, et cetera. But before condemning his letter (and mine), please have a think about it first - you might just end up agreeing.

One for the guys

BANGKOK

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Election turnout depends on debate

PM Surayud correctly wants voters to turn out in large numbers on election day. To do that, all he has to do is to let us hear all sides in free and open discussion, for "… freedom to think as you will and to speak as you think are means indispensable to the discovery and spread of political truth; … without free speech and assembly, discussion (will) be futile; … with them, discussion affords ordinarily adequate protection against the dissemination of noxious doctrine; … the greatest menace to freedom is an inert people; …public discussion is a political duty; and ... this should be a fundamental principle of the … government" (Louis D Brandeis).

So, PM Surayud, lift martial law in all but the terrorist-plagued southern provinces. Air one-on-one debates between the prime ministerial candidates and their proposed ministers, to reveal hidden agendas. Encourage the media to publicise, analyse and compare parties' platforms - especially the major parties - and their ability to deliver on their promises. Allow freedom of peaceful assembly and of speech, subject to libel laws. Rigorously audit party finances by Securities and Exchange Commission-approved auditors, paid for by the parties, requiring a clean opinion and posting on the Internet before the candidates take office.

In short, give us the prospect of a clean and fair election by informed voters, and the turnout will take care of itself.

Burin Kantabutra

Bangkok

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Proposed laws have a familiar ring to them

Re: "Organic laws give rise to controversy", News, November 2.

The Election Commission should perhaps read an old Orwellian allegory in which revolutionaries overthrew and ousted the exploitative owners from a farm.

Once upon a time, a group of animals were discussing a revolution against their tyrannical master. An ageing boar gave a rousing speech, urging his fellows to get rid of their master and rely on their own efforts to keep the farm running and profitable.

A while later, the master and his wife were forced from the farm and the animals looked forward to a society where everyone was equal and could live without the threat of oppression.

But soon enough, one group began to assume more power and adjust the rules to suit their own needs. Under Article 53, they implemented their own "ideological system", complete with jingoistic songs and propaganda as well as strict rules. Under the protection of Article 102, the new rulers also consolidated their iron-fisted rule and began to eliminate any member they considered a threat.

The story ended with all Articles being broken and the majority living ever after in exactly the same oppressed position as they were in the beginning of the story.

James Groveway

Bangkok

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Why the failure to promote vegetarianism?

Re: "Stay thin to cut cancer risk", News, November 2.

Whenever I write letters or articles showing the link between eating animal products and getting cancer, my critics complain that I only quote the studies which bolster my point of view. But as noted in your article, by reviewing 7,000 studies, the World Cancer Research Fund found that while there is no evidence linking fruits and vegetables to cancer, there is overwhelming evidence linking eating meat and fish to cancer. In fact, as I noted three years ago in a letter that I wrote for your paper, eating fish is a major cause of breast cancer despite the fact that the buffoons in the medical establishment promote fish as a health food.

 A number of years ago I read an article in USA Today in which a cancer researcher was asked why they don't promote vegetarianism and he said they were waiting for the results of The China Study - which I always quote from - to come in before making a final judgement.

Well the results did come in and The China Study concluded that even moderate consumption of animal products greatly increased the risk of contracting cancer. Yet the medical establishment still refuses to promote vegetarianism.

I am not exaggerating when I say the medical establishment is perfectly willing to let tens of millions of people needlessly die from a host of diseases before they stop covering up for the meat, poultry, fish and dairy industries.

Eric Bahrt

Chon Buri

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