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Published on February 16, 2008

It could be that the police force in the town where the shootings occurred is out of control, I don't know. I also agree that the police officer in question used poor judgement and that there is no reason for off-duty police officers to carry guns here. Crime is not so rampant in Thailand that it is necessary.

But I have been here for ten years now and have never had a problem with the police anywhere in Thailand. I have witnessed some really rowdy Westerners in bars though, and have had more problems with them than with the police.

If one considers the amount of drinking going on in any tourist country and if one considers that far too many Westerners have a condescending attitude toward their hosts wherever they go, one has to come to the conclusion that the question should not be "How can something like this happen"? The question should be, "Why doesn't it happen more often"?

I would like to see some of these people pull some of the stunts I have seen in bars here in any of the border towns in Mexico.

This is an isolated incident and could and has happened in just about every country in the world. Of course, the cop should be dismissed from the police force and if he isn't, then whatever organisation pursues such matters should pursue it with the Thai government. But to say that it is unique to Thailand is foolishness. It could happen here, in Afghanistan, or England for that matter, so long as some people continue to believe that the antics they know better than to pull in their own countries is permissible abroad.

Whether we want to accept it or not, there are a few stupid cops in every country in the world. The question that people should ask themselves whenever they allow themselves to get out of control in a foreign land should therefore be: "When am I going to run into one"?

John Arnone

Yasothon

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Afghanistan not exactly a winter wonderland

Re: "Canadians need to take cover", Letters, February 15.

  "I hear that Afghanistan is quite pleasant at this time of year," wrote Carl in these pages on Friday.

Not this winter, Carl, old boy. Afghanistan is suffering from the harshest winter in nearly 30 years.

The freezing conditions have reportedly claimed over 926 lives - so far. Thousands have come down with frostbite. The cold spell has also killed nearly 316,000 animals, and snowfalls have destroyed more than 734 houses and damaged another 457, according to Noor Padshah Kohistani of the National Disaster Management Commission.

Hardly pleasant.

Django Peg

Bangkok

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Burmese leader is on his last legs

The Burmese Army has two separate military commands. The regional commanders report to the commander-in-chief of the Burmese Army. The ten divisional commanders report to the chief of staff of the army. This checks-and-balances system was designed by General Ne Win.

During the national uprising last year, the Rangoon regional commander refused to shoot monks. Although the division commander (who has a Shan wife) in nearby Pegu reported to General Shwe Mann, he too refused to shoot monks.

Than Shwe then ordered Shwe Mann to deploy the two divisions based in Central Burma to Rangoon. It is these troops that massacred the Buddhist monks.

Shwe Mann has basically been in hiding since the massacre of the monks. He has since rarely been seen in public. He was seen during the funeral of Prime Minister General Soe Win. He was also seen in public last month when he accompanied Than Shwe to a pagoda to seek forgiveness for the massacre. Pictures published in Mizzima showed Than Shwe closely protected by four bodyguards with sub-machine guns at the ready. This picture was taken at a pagoda.

Last week I contacted the senior members of the Burmese resistance and told them that a last ditch attempt by the Than Shwe faction to stay in power is expected, since Than Shwe is expected to die soon.

American intelligence has Than Shwe's medical records. Cardiac specialists told me that Than Shwe has less than a 50-per-cent chance of waking up after anaesthesia regardless of whether the quadruple heart by-pass surgery scheduled later this month in Singapore is successful or not. If this surgery is not performed, his life expectancy is only a few months.

The first step of our three-step roadmap to freedom and democracy will be completed very soon. We are willing to enter into negotiations in good faith with General Maung Aye to facilitate the formation of a transition government that will permit the suspension of all economic sanctions against Burma.

Myint Thein

Bangkok

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Opposition cabinet outshines the real one

The Democratic Party's move to appoint Thailand's first shadow cabinet presents an interesting challenge to the government.

Whereas the ruling coalition's own "shadowy Cabinet" consists of some inexperienced or unqualified ministers, coalition compromises, big party financiers and allies of a man in Hong Kong, the opposition have the luxury of appointing the best people for the job. Thai politics at its best.

Banana Republican

Bangkok

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What's with the mystery TV guy?

My applause goes to Thai PBS's nightly programme at 8pm which invites people from all walks of life to discuss the role TPBS should play. But something bugs me.

I wonder who is the guy in the background and what is he doing? It seems he is drawing some kind of flow chart, or maybe tree branches. Is this a way to communicate with a certain part of the audience, similar to sign language? If so, to what group? What's the idea? Anyone know?

Meechai Burapa

Chiang Mai

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Don't forget all the peasants in economy

Re: "Oriental cuisine aboard Lufthansa", Business, February 14.

The Oriental Hotel is to cooperate with the airline to provide wonderful food for passengers. This delicious food will be served in first and business classes. I am very happy for those seated in those areas.

Additionally, accounts of recently introduced planes have shown the amazingly comfortable accommodation to be found in the front cabins of those planes. I would like to point out that the majority of passengers generating the majority of the income for the airlines are back in economy class. Perhaps the airlines could show some concern about their comfort, too.

Michael Clowes

Bangkok

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