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Published on November 10, 2007

Regarding your item on Samak's obscene retort to a reporter, my sincere sympathies and encouragement to the journalists involved; the other day he refused to acknowledge Khun Abhisit's wai and to join in an interview, again making his view clear with a rude comment. We are seeking a working democracy for the country; I simply cannot imagine similar behaviour by someone seeking to become the next American president or British prime minister. While attention is focussed mainly on the issue of vote-buying, one should also look out for a major PPP/TRT disinformation/black propaganda offensive in the days ahead of the election. One thing the media can do for the sake of the country is, perhaps, to keep asking Samak penetrating questions and publicising his replies. After all, this would in no way be against your professional ethics.

Mahisorn Kasemsant

Bangkok

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Potty-mouthed politician shames us all

If Samak is going to respond with childish or filthy answers to questions asked by reporters, the solution is obvious: don't give him or his party any coverage. They want coverage, that's why they hold press conferences. The press corps should in future boycott those of Samak and his party till he loses the potty mouth. The Thai media needs to rally round and stand up for itself, and not let itself be treated like this.

Thais are supposedly proud of their country, but when overseas readers see this sort of conduct by a putative prime minister, it has the opposite effect. Do Thai people realise - or care - that he brings their country into disrepute?

Simon Osborne

Hong Kong

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Things will get worse if Samak becomes PM

The incident on Thursday in which People Power Party leader Samak Sundaravej traded words with reporters over questions concerning the PPP's inside squabbles shows Thailand is still in a sorry state in terms of democratic development.

Instead of being mellower as many have expected him to be, Samak seems to have changed for the worse as he grows older. He became easily incensed by simple and ordinary questions from reporters, and so avoided answering them by showing his abrasive manner instead. Such questions as "Have you sinfully fornicated last night?" were less to be expected from a gentleman like Samak, than from someone of lowly origins and of no consequence.

Things will get worse. Samak knows - and we all know - that he has no power whatsoever in the PPP despite being installed as its leader: Samak himself declared proudly he was Thaksin Shinawatra's nominee during the ousted prime minister's absence. Yet there is no reason for him to direct his ire at someone else for his own shortcomings.

It would be a pity for Thailand if Samak becomes its prime minister after the December general election. A national leader is not someone who always wins the war of words against everyone. Conversely, he must be capable of seeking compromise and understanding from every sector of society. Politicians with bellicose attitudes like Samak can never be good leaders; they have a penchant to start civil wars and create conflict with foreign states. They are a bad omen for the country.

Our democracy would be getting off to an inauspicious start if someone like Samak became our next prime minister. We should brace ourselves for bad things to come if this Samak nightmare turns out to be true. We must also ask ourselves how low we can let our country go in terms of the moral standards of our politicians.

Chavalit Van

Chiang Mai

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Discrimination is the key to good taste

Re: "Discriminatory policies need to be made public and challenged in open", Letters, November 9.

Peter Moseley likes the use of phrases designed to make something sound worse than it is. "Bigots" is just such a word and is used by anyone who wants to quickly legitimatise their point of view. Never mind that the decision made was a business decision and had nothing to do with bigotry. He then follows that up with "centres of entertainment" as though the incident in question happened at Disneyland rather than a bar.

Peter, the issue here has nothing to do with bigotry. It has to do with people wanting to drink with whom they want to drink with, but more importantly, whom they trust to drink with. That is why there is such a wide variety of bars in the world. Lord and Lady Twelvetrees have no desire to go to a biker bar any more than "21" wants a gang of bikers descending on it.

The very success of any given bar can be dependent on the gender, race, financial standing or style of attire of their customers. In order to try and protect their business, many employ large burly guards to hand-pick who they let in and who they don't, not to mention the regulation of numbers for fire-code purposes.

It's called private enterprise. It has always been that way, and it should stay that way.

I have been refused entrance to a bar because I'm not Japanese. Should I sue? Should I take my case to the newspapers? Or should I simply seek out another venue where I am accepted? And lord knows there are sufficient venues for everyone.

I have seen this foolishness before in Los Angeles, and I know how many nightclub owners went out of business because people are looking for attention. Once it starts, it can only get worse, and although the rights of people who insist on inflicting themselves on everyone are enhanced, the rights of people who have invested millions of baht or tens of thousands of dollars, get trampled on.

It is too late for America; please don't let it happen here.

John Arnone

Yasothon

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Burmese junta makes pathetic concessions

The mass murder of Buddhist monks has significantly changed Burmese politics. It is now a religious issue and no longer solely a political issue. And once religion becomes involved in a political conflict, there is no middle ground and no room for compromise. This is why the Burmese Army will be forced to remove Than Shwe.

The national uprising in Burma was led by students and monks. Their full and complete participation is essential in any meaningful attempt at national reconciliation.

Aung San Suu Kyi's recent statement of interest in a negotiated political settlement is nothing new. She always wanted a negotiated settlement. What is more significant is the junta's official statement, published in the New Light of Myanmar on November 7, which indicates their lack of serious interest in a negotiated political settlement.

The Burmese junta always offers small concessions to placate the International Community when it is in deep trouble. Permitting Aung San Suu Kyi to meet with NLD leaders at the government guest house, where they can be videotaped is the small concession in this tragic episode.

Myint Thein

Bangkok

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