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Published on February 3, 2008

 He knew well the task ahead would not be an easy one, and yet he accepted the offer by the coup leader to head the government and most importantly to mend the wrongs of the Thaksin regime. He even confessed to the people that when he was Army chief he didn't put up an effort to counteract certain policies of the Thaksin regime that enflamed the unrest there.

He now admits that during his tenure as prime minister he has communicated with Thaksin, which he had been denying all along when asked by reporters. Now he tells us that he took the job with a sense of unease and that if he could turn the clock backward, he would not take the position. No wonder when one looks back at his performance as prime minister one sees that he didn't make any significant achievements and that it might just have been something for him to add to his resumé.

 General Surayud should know that his great decision came with great responsibility. Now the public is paying the price for him not knowing that.

The Insider

Bangkok

Education Ministry answer wild allegations

Re: "The root of most our problems begins in the classroom", Letters, February 2.

I read with astonishment the explanation for social problems promulgated by Joshua. I believe it, but I was astonished, and in particular this claim astonished me: " ...[that the Education Ministry dictates that all students shall pass, regardless]..." Is this true? Are you really telling us that all students pass their exams because they cannot fail? And if so, will the Education Ministry please reply? I read many interesting criticisms of the Thai way of life in these columns but I never ever see any succinct official response to such serious allegations.

Come on Education Ministry: show us that this absurd accusation is groundless! Can you?

Tim Taylor

Bangkok

Foreign correspondents out to titillate readers

Let me express my only objection to Stephen Cleary's article today: it wasn't written by a Thai. Then again your average Thai journalist wouldn't dare write such a damning report of sensationalist reporting on Thailand for fear of being attacked by writers who have made their reputations on a two-week holiday on Khao San Road.

I respect Cleary for writing this piece, which has made a mockery of at least two well-known foreign reporters who have been able to sell their sensational stories to less-than-knowledgeable overseas editors.

Reading this article and its comments on sensationalist journalism regarding the Royal Thai police force reminded me of the following. When your average Thai police officer joins the force, he is gallant, he is brave, he wants to set new standards, but due to the innate corruption of the system he himself, after a few diligent years, gives up and decides to join hands with the conformists. Call it job security.

The same goes for some well-known foreign journalists. They may start off writing outstanding undercover pieces, but after getting sucked into the system they realise that want counts at the end of the day is the size of the cheque they receive and that attracting and keeping reader and viewer interest is essential.

I will turn to someone like Cleary, whose articles show that he has lived in Thailand and among Thais for some time and can speak the language, for information on Thailand before I would turn to journalists with audiences to titillate and editors who don't know the difference.

Jess

Kanchanaburi

Thais must strengthen their bond with the land

Re: "Fast computing seen as crucial", News, February 2.

I read this story with disbelief. The title has it backwards! The subtitle, "Efficient water management should also be national priority: experts", gives the real story for Thailand.

Thailand needs super-computer centres like it needs a hole in its head. Thailand desperately needs to resynchronise its relations with Mother Earth.

The story reads like a public-relations piece for those attempting to sequester more of Thailand's presumably sparse funds for research to duplicate what the Americans and Indians are clearly the masters of.

That which makes Thailand unique is its dispersed rural population, labouring against all odds to continue in its democratic tradition as a part of the natural countryside. Rather than squander its funds on an urban elite the Kingdom ought to be strengthening what is, and has always been, the basis of what prosperity it has: its land and its people.

John Francis Lee

Chiang Rai

Praise for Nation Group's enviro-friendly moves

Kudos to Nation Group for prompting users to interact in a "paperless" manner, all in the noble interest of combating global warming. The essence being, e-mail rather than fax our interaction. This is commendable. Now, if only my car-lease company in Thailand would also go along, or my condo co, or just about any Thai institution. It's snail mail or fax in most places. However, I'm all in and think The Nation should take the lead and others may follow.

Daniel

Bangkok

Apirak all promises with little delivery as governor

Re: "Democrats to unveil their 'cabinet' after government", News, February 2.

So the Democratic Party is going to create a "shadow cabinet" to follow and scrutinise the work of the prime minister and various ministries following their crushing defeat last December.

Is it just me or does this sound like the opposite of the spirit of cooperation and reconciliation that Abhisit Vejjajiva was trying to sell the Thai people last week? I would like to suggest that the Democrat Party focus on improving the lives of its constituents. In particular, Bangkok's Democrat Governor Apirak Kosayodhin should focus on improving the quality of life in the capital.

It has been several years since he promised to improve infrastructure and the quality of life here in Bangkok.

We have taxi call buttons around bus stops that really didn't work out.

We see one-metre wide "bicycle lanes" in the middle of sidewalks on Sukhumvit Road that have never been used that are his answer to dealing with global warming and massive traffic congestion.

The fire trucks and fireboats that have been sitting on the docks for more than two years have yet to be deployed while Bangkok's slums and buildings continue to catch fire. The list goes on forever.

Governor Apirak should concentrate on trying to turn Bangkok into a city we can all be proud to live in.

David Barkdull

Bangkok

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