• 
• 

Published on November 24, 2007

I believe the practice of standing at attention at 8am and 6pm as the national anthem plays during the flag ceremony should continue. However, the new additional proposed requirements are not only impractical but dangerous as well. If everyone is expected to stop, except on the expressway, and stand at attention outside their vehicles in the roadway during the one minute and eight seconds of the ceremony, chaos and mayhem would certainly follow. What about the tourist in the rental car who is unaware of, or forgets, the requirement? How about the emergency vehicles in the process of saving lives trying to use the roads to get to victims or rushing to a hospital? Think about the drunk drivers who - due to their impairment and slow reaction - will be running down men, women and children standing in the road. Accidents and injuries will occur every day throughout the Kingdom, to say nothing of the unnecessary traffic jams the ceremony will cause twice a day.

To refute the notion that the police do not think that stopping traffic throughout the capital would not create traffic jams, a little common sense and engineering principals come into play. One traffic engineering reality is that for every minute of stop time delay, it takes ten minutes for traffic to return to "normal". It would take two minutes to complete the ceremony including stopping, exiting, paying your respects and getting back in the vehicle. That equates to at least 20 minutes of added time in a perfect world. When you factor in the body count and accidents that are sure to occur, the delay could be more than an hour in the areas the mishaps take place. The delays and carnage would take place twice a day, every working day, and are totally preventable. Fortunately the lawmakers have specifically exempted flying aircraft in the bill.

David Barkdull

Bangkok

------------

Flag-waving politicians spout hypocrisy

Re: "Patriotism bill 'goes too far' ", News, November 23.

So, we have another overbearing politician trying to force the great unwashed to stand at attention during the national anthem.

Despite what some delusional lawmakers think, foreigners do not always react with admiration at Thais halting at the sound of martial music. Standing at Siam Square BTS station one day at 6pm, I felt creepy watching people stop in what I can only describe as a "North Korean moment".

On the same day as this news, The Nation reported the increasingly sophisticated ways that politicians are using to bribe the electorate for their votes. How patriotic is that? Once again, hypocritical Thai politicians prefer style over substance: let's make a show of being patriotic, while we secretly sell out the country to the highest bidder so we can fill our own pockets.

To instil patriotism and loyalty in society, politicians need to set an example by acting honourably and in the country's interests, giving the public something to be proud of.

Paul Bradley

Bangkok

------------

Banned means banned. Understand?

When has any member of the PPP or the defunct TRT Party given a flying fig about the human rights of others - yet now claim it for themselves? The hypocrisy is deafening. Show them a case of rampant vote-buying however, and they'll explain why it didn't happen, or wasn't important, or is a rare but sad occurrence but had nothing to do with them - with a triumphant portrayal of affronted dignity. The self-interest is self-evident.

So just what part of the word "banned" do these banned politicians not understand?

Django Peg

Bangkok

------------

No shock that people are willing to sell votes

Re: "64.6 per cent would sell their vote? That's hip", Opinion, November 22.

Vote for me and I'll cut your taxes. Vote for me and I'll get you a better job. Vote for me and I'll do this or I'll do that for you. Then after they get elected politicians forget about their promises, which they probably never intended to keep anyway.

 So, since politicians regard voters as being nothing but prostitutes anyway, shouldn't we insist on being paid in advance?

Eric Bahrt

Pattaya

------------

The junta can rule, but only if it respects rights

Re: "Burma will go its own way, like every other nation", Letters, November 23.

I am fully in agreement with the anonymous writer from Hawaii in maintaining that Burma should find its own system of democracy unique only to the Burmese.

It is generally accepted that the word "democracy" means basically government of the people, by the people, and for the people. Unfortunately, in most people's book, the Burmese junta falls under the category of "oligarchy", government by the few, and "dictatorship", government by people that have seized power by force. Burma is no democracy. It is still under the system of oligarchy and dictatorship, which may be tolerable if there is no unfair and despicable treatment of its subjects.

The writer lauded Asean for standing up to the bullies of the world by not forcing Burma to behave like the rest in coercing the junta to do what it wants. No one has asked the junta to adopt a particular system of government. The world has asked the junta to respect the basic rights of all human beings. Asean is definitely a fall guy for allying with this inhuman government.

I am one of many Thais who have written to The Nation under a disclosed identity and am no mouthpiece. Nor have I been paid by anyone to express disgust at the bullies of the Irrawaddy. I simply cannot stand seeing a fragile lady, Aung Sung Suu Kyi, being robbed of her human rights, or religious men being beaten up.

To the eyes of any reasonable man, be he an ordinary Thai or a citizen of the world, the events in Burma are the lowest of the low, and one can no longer rely on the maxim of "non-interference".

Those who feel otherwise could only be those who benefit from the junta's exclusive authority.

Songdej Praditsmanont

Bangkok

------------

Asean shows its true colours - again

The Burmese junta must be very pleased that Asean has once again given it full permission to carry on with its brutal regime.

Asean has shown the world that it couldn't care less about helping the Burmese people; it is only concerned with supporting the junta.

I am sure that the governments and citizens of civilised countries are angry, but not surprised at Asean's decision .

The people of Burma depend on the rest of the world to help them. We must not let them down.

Karen Wenman

Chiang Mai

Send us your views in an instant

E-mail your opinion, with 'Letters to

the Editor' in the subject box, to:

letters@nationgroup.com

The Nation