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Published on December 27, 2007

Your news on the prospect of another coup was disheartening only a few days after the election and the possibility of rule by Thaksin's proxies. I was disheartened by the prospect of the 2007 constitution being overridden again by the gun.

However, after time for reflection, I realised that anyone thinking of another coup attempt because of the election result should have their brains examined. The 2007 constitution was approved by referendum. Furthermore, the coup of September 2006, as ignited by the Democrat Party boycott of the April 2006 election, has proven fruitless for our economy and social development and has consequently destroyed any belief of getting any benefit from any coup.

Opportunities during the 15-month period under the interim government, as the world enjoyed great prosperity, were lost, as our neighbours enjoyed a growth rate above 5 per cent. The Democrat Party has not benefited from the election boycott and abolition of the previous constitution. The only benefit was cornering Thaksin and his allies and uplifting the Thai standard of good governance, especially in the area of conflicts of interest. Was that worth it against the lost opportunities?

Songdej Praditsmanont

Bangkok

Democrats need to visit the countryside

Abhisit and the Democrats blew it big time. As stated many times before, he should have taken his campaign to the North and Northeast. He should have fired his campaign advisers for poor strategies. He and his party have nothing to gain by campaigning just in Bangkok and the South, but everything to lose. He cannot campaign from first-class hotels; he should have had a straw hat and a pair of working shoes to "communicate" with the poor.

Abhisit is not the "real deal", as claimed by former prime minister Chuan Leekpai. He has been groomed and moulded, but so far he has been a follower, not a leader. When are the elite Bangkokians going to accept it?

Manas Thananant

California

Thaksin must be ready to face the music

Re: "No whitewash for former PM", Editorial, December 26.

I fully agree with the Nation editorial. It is essential to our nation's national reconciliation and international standing that, in ex-PM Thaksin's case, justice not only be done, but be seen to be done.

Like any other Thai, ex-PM Thaksin is welcome to return to Thailand at any time he wishes. When he does, again like any other Thai, he will have to face any outstanding legal charges against him.

Thaksin should, of all people, heed His Majesty the King's words: "If the country does not follow the rule of law, it will not survive". And he should ensure that his supporters do likewise. For example, they should not try to influence the deliberations, much less the verdict, in any way, shape or form.

On the contrary, since then-PM Thaksin allegedly tried to undermine the judiciary's independence, he and his allies must now be seen to distance themselves from the proceedings in every way possible.

Thaksin claims that "all the allegations are empty". If he really believes that, he should be willing to back his brave words up with action - and keep his hands, and those of his supporters, off the courts.

Burin Kantabutra

Bangkok

The electorate always gets what it deserves

So the Thai public has spoken, and has chosen Samak Sundaravej to lead the country. Good grief!

Well, I'm sure the people will get everything they deserve. Good luck, Thailand.

Lewis Gibson

Singapore

GM crops will have a disastrous effect

On Tuesday, the Surayud Cabinet deferred a decision about field trials involving genetically modified crops. Any decision by the next government to lift the ban on field trials involving genetically modified crops would spell disaster, not only to the environment but also for the country's agricultural production.

If such trials get the green light they could eventually destroy the competitive advantage currently enjoyed by Thai food exporters in global food markets.

The country is still suffering from contamination by genetically modified papaya, a serious environmental problem which has been ignored by the Ministry of Agriculture.

This development is alarming, especially given the country's bad experience in the past with the illegal and uncontrolled spread of genetically modified papaya, a problem which was caused by the ministry's negligence. It is the duty of the government to protect the interests of the Thai public against GM crops, which pose serious threats to public health and the environment.

Governments need to be reminded to make decisions that serve the interests of the people, rather the interests of powerful multinational companies.

A ministry-run experimental station in Khon Kaen was the source of genetic contamination of Thai papayas. The station distributed contaminated papaya seeds to as many as 2,669 farmers in 37 provinces.

The ministry has so far failed to act to comprehensively rid Thai papaya farms of this widespread contamination. Because of the uncertainty caused by this unwanted and illegal contamination, market confidence in Thai papaya exports, especially in Europe, faltered.

Thailand should not adopt GM agriculture, as global rejection of genetically modified crops is higher than ever. GM crops will also undermine our country's leadership in agricultural production, because virtually every GM patent is owned by a few multinational companies.

We need to be very careful not to lose key global markets for our untainted agricultural produce - the spectre of irreversible GM contamination is possible.

In 2005 and 2006, the world's most important food crop, rice, was found to be contaminated by genetically modified strains, which are unapproved and illegal in most countries outside of the United States.

Genetically modified rice contaminated US rice supplies, resulting in widespread market rejection of rice from the US, especially in the EU, Japan and the Philippines.

This has also prompted leading rice traders in Thailand and Vietnam, respectively the world's first and second largest rice exporters, to sign a joint declaration in November last year shunning GM rice and committing to trade and grow only GM-free rice to protect traditional rice varieties and their export markets.

These cases of contamination clearly demonstrate the uncontrollable and dangerous nature of GM crops. Once they are released into the environment, normally via open field trials, it is impossible to recall them. The process is irreversible.

The government needs to keep the integrity of Thailand's food supply and retain its stature as the "Food Basket of Asia".

Genetic engineering is an unnecessary and unwanted technology that contaminates the environment, threatens biodiversity and poses unacceptable risks to the health of people everywhere.

Wiriya Kingwatcharapong

Bangkok