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Published on November 11, 2007

Leases would be tri-party: the government, landowner and lessee. A lessee could sublease the plot for the balance of the 99-year term. Land ownership would go to the government when the 99 years is up, gratis. The government would guarantee the validity of leases.

Landowners would gain because their income would rise, along with that of their children and grandchildren. Foreigners would be assured that the government stood behind the leases, and they would be able to buy land openly. The country would gain from an added inflow of funds from overseas and added income tax revenues from landowners.

Many would be rightfully concerned that this proposal would put home ownership beyond the reach of low-income Thais. But the way it is now, landowners cannot sell to the highest bidders and invest the proceeds in a quality education for their children or another alternative which would raise their family's income enough to buy a higher-priced home. We're unconsciously hobbling landowners in favour of low-income Thais.

Far better would be to allow the 99-year leases and for the government to earmark some of the added tax revenues to subsidise first-time, low-income home-owners, even including negative mortgage payments if we saw fit.

Dear reader, instead of emotional, lose-lose responses, let's think of creative alternatives - like this one of Charn's.

Burin Kantabutra

Bangkok

Samak's verbal battle with reporter simply 'vulgar'

I am stunned by the vulgarity of seasoned politician Samak Sundaravej and am at a loss for words to express my reaction. I can only take comfort from the words of Mark Twain, who once said: "Indecency, vulgarity, obscenity - these are strictly confined to man; he invented them. Among the higher animals there is no trace of them."

Songdej Praditsmanont

Bangkok

Comments inappropriate for a potential premier

I am appalled at Samak's reaction to a simple question from your reporter.

Just imagine what his response would be to a foreign head of state if he were confronted with an uncomfortable question. He should not be considered for any role of responsibility in the next or future government. He would make Thailand the laughing stock of the world.

Amazed

Kalasin

Suu Kyi points way forward in Burma

The Ethnic Nationalities Council (ENC) warmly welcomes Aung San Suu Kyi's statement, which was released by Ibrahim Gambari, the UN secretary-general's special envoy for Burma, on November 8.

ENC chairman Saw Ba Thin said: "Her statement reflects the Panglong Spirit - the spirit and principle on which the Union of Burma was founded in 1947 by her father, General Aung San, and ethnic leaders".

Aung San Suu Kyi clearly pointed out "the need for solidarity and national unity", and highlighted her willingness to work with "as broad a range of political organisations and forces as possible, in particular those of our ethnic nationality races".

The ENC chairman echoes her statement, saying, "From the very beginning, the ENC expressed our willingness to work with all the stakeholders in Burma, for the sake of solving the political crisis through a negotiated settlement and end more than five long decades of civil war, in which we, the ethnic nationalities, are the main victims."

The ENC also welcomes the meeting between Aung San Suu Kyi and General Aung Kyi, and expects along with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi that "this phase of preliminary consultations will conclude soon so that a meaningful and time bound dialogue with the SPDC [State Peace and Development Council] leadership can start as early as possible".

The ENC strongly believes that the best means to solve political crisis in Burma is through a "tripartite dialogue" amongst the SPDC, the 1990 election-winning party led by Aung San Suu Kyi and ethnic nationalities, as called for by the United Nations General Assembly's resolutions since 1994 and reaffirmed also by the United Nations Security Council's presidential statement on October 11 of this year.

The ENC congratulates Gambari, the UN secretary-general's special adviser, for taking on this difficult mission but regrets that SPDC chairman Than Shwe did not meet with him during his latest visit to Burma.

The ENC is disappointed that the SPDC rejected Gambari's proposal for the establishment of "a broad-based constitutional review commission and a broad-based poverty alleviation commission". However, as the talks between Aung San Suu Kyi and General Aung Kyi progress, the ENC hopes that the SPDC will change its position.

The Ethnic Nationalities Council

Bangkok

Jurists condemn Musharraf's actions

The Asian Human Rights Commission wishes to forward the following press release from the International Commission of Jurists:

The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) condemned the suspension of the constitution in Pakistan, the summary dismissal of the chief justice and the arrest of leading lawyers, and expressed grave concern at this dismantling of the rule of law.

"President Musharraf has dealt a grave blow to the rule of law and stability in Pakistan", said Nicholas Howen, secretary-general of the ICJ.

"Dismissing and replacing the chief justice, arresting lawyers and suspending the constitution, will not help to address the serious security threats facing the country", said Howen.

"The proclamation suspending the constitution is a direct attack by the president on a judiciary that has acted independently in a series of court cases that touch on the powers of the executive. The president has undermined the separation of powers", he added.

The ICJ called on the government to suspend preventive detention orders issued against hundreds of perceived opponents, including at least 10 leading lawyers in the country.

The ICJ called on the Government to permit people to exercise their right to peacefully protest and reminded the authorities that individuals can be held personally and criminally responsible for serious human-rights violations, including unlawful violence used against peaceful demonstrators.

The ICJ expressed concern that, contrary to constitutional and international law, the state of emergency has been issued for an indefinite period and that the suspension of the constitution seeks in effect to avoid usual legal constraints on the state of emergency.

"The Government of Pakistan cannot by proclamation remove all legal restraints on emergency powers and other actions of the government. Under constitutional law in Pakistan and international law that binds Pakistan, the government is bound to observe the rule of law and not abrogate it", said Nicholas Howen.

The ICJ is deeply concerned that the crisis has escalated in Pakistan, rather than being resolved in favour of the rule of law.

Asian Human Rights Commission

Hong Kong