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Published on November 30, 2007

It's easy for us to say that these people don't understand that vote-buying will harm the nation. But if we look from another perspective, the finding could indicate these people don't believe in promises made by any political party. They probably believe that promises are just marketing tools to get votes without any real intention to keep them. They might not believe that if they don't sell their votes, in the next few years they will have a school as good as Triam Udom not too far from their homes. They probably don't believe also that their children will have a better future. People, no matter how illiterate, will choose the better choice from their point of view. And if they choose to sell their votes, it could mean that they don't believe their living conditions will improve if they choose otherwise.

If politicians cannot prove through their deeds that they can improve the lives of the poor, increasing numbers of people may sell their votes for cash. And we cannot blame them. While we feel sad about this, it is an embarrassment for the politicians in the sense that a lot of people believe no promises of any party are worth more than a small sum of money.

Prichar

Bangkok

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One baht for the forces, one baht for the children

When politicians recently controlled the purse strings of government, they voted themselves big pay rises. Now we have the military in charge, and surprise, they vote themselves big pay rises and a giant budget increase for weapons of dubious need.  What if educators were in charge of government; would we then get ample budget for educating children? Here's my proposal: for every baht allocated for military spending, one baht be allocated for education, and one additional baht be earmarked for social welfare to take care of the sick, the elderly and the poor.

Currently, there are many kids who don't go to school for various reasons, all having to do with lack of money: their parents can't afford required new uniforms, shoes and/or books.  Another reason is that kids are compelled to work for their parents to eke out a few extra baht per day to survive. Instead of maintaining an aircraft carrier that's non-functional and purchasing two new subs, the government should give more than lip service to seeing that no child is deprived of an education due to poverty.

Ken Albertsen

Chiang Rai

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Military top brass are not tuned to reality

The military wants Bt317 billion over the next 10 years to keep us on a par with our neighbours, so we will not be the underdog in a conflict, as our Navy commander-in-chief put it. But at the 13th Asean Summit, held last week in Singapore, the Asean heads of state or government signed an Economic Community Blueprint, to guide us as we change Asean into a single market and production base, fully integrated into the global community by 2015.

So, on one hand, our heads of state are planning economic integration, and on the other, our military chiefs are planning armed conflicts with our neighbours. That sounds as possible as France going to war with Germany, all the while working together smoothly within the EU.

The military should read from the same page as PM Surayud and the rest of the Cabinet. Work with our Asean counterparts to form an integrated military force, mirroring what will be happening in the economic arena, instead of preparing to make war on them. Wake up, soldiers; the world has changed drastically since the last war.

Burin Kantabutra

Bangkok

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Sports star shows where his heart lies

Re: "Thanks Johnny", News, November 28. Thank you for showing the picture on your front page of baseball player Johnny Damon with the kids at the Rajvithi Home. It does my heart good to see a sports star acknowledging his heritage and doing something good for the land of his mother - unlike another sports billionaire whose mother is also Thai but who chooses to ignore Thailand (unless there's some money in it).

Former golfer but now a baseball fan

Bangkok

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No Buddhist compassion for Thailand's disabled?

Re: "Weaving dreams for the disabled", November 29.

Our nation must be one of the worst on record internationally in regard to services provided for the disabled. If we are honest, we must admit that in our Buddhist nation, we do not provide any needed facilities for this enormous group of disabled brothers and sisters.

In principle if you are a disabled person in the Kingdom, you are basically housebound. No footpath is suitable for wheelchairs, as they are all cluttered and broken up. A disabled person cannot cross the road, as no one stops at crossings. It is impossible to get across the footbridges. Most shopping centres are not equipped for the disabled. Nothing really caters for this group of unfortunate people.

Why are we so selfish in our approach towards this group in our society? Why has none of our previous governments, no matter their political agenda, ever taken the time to address this shocking situation?

As a supposedly Buddhist society, we are supposed to care! I hope that one day someone in power has the fortitude to address the plight of our disabled people. Presently we again show to the international community how backwards and selfish we are, as most advanced nations have fully addressed this problem and created a positive environment for their disabled groups.

Think about it: Would you like to be a disabled person in the Kingdom?

Something to consider for the next elected government and our nation as a whole.

Pakorn

Bangkok

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New Australian PM yet to prove himself

Re: "Australian polls mark a fresh start", Editorial, November 25

There are very strong reasons to celebrate John Howard's defeat and the Liberals' debacle but none yet to rejoice at Kevin Rudd's victory.

Howard made himself the most hated and despised politician among Australian expatriates by denying them jobs at home and then eroding their rights by imposing indirect limitations, subtly restrictive conditions and not-so-subtle fiscal impositions, and by reaching the point of considering stripping long-term expatriates of their citizenship (Senate's Inquiry on the Australian Diaspora - Report).

Kevin Rudd is now the latest leader and heir to a Labour Party tradition of hostility to the intellectual and professional classes, camouflaged under a systemic lip service to them.

The comparison between his various electoral public statements and his promises reveals very serious ambiguities: enough to raise the doubt that he is yet another "failed Young Liberal turned Labour" to seek better opportunities in politics - which would explain the consistency of Labour's, and the Liberal's, socially destructive policies from the Fraser regime to date.

Undoubtedly, the Howard government has left Australia in an unbalanced social shambles. Rudd, as the new PM, should have the duty to redress it and restore balance. The pressing question in everyone's mind, however, is: Will he?

Loki Ragnaroekssen

Pyrmont, NSW

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