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Published on March 1, 2008

Burin Kantabura wants us to help keep Thaksin's vow of "abstinence from politics". In the first place Burin believes in Thaksin's vow. The truth is, Thaksin has been in constant political exchanges with his lieutenants. Just follow the movement of people like Surapong, Noppadon or Chalerm.

Burin thinks that Thaksin should be seen and heard in court only. That is entirely impossible because it will be against his constitutional rights. Not only that, the media would seek interviews and engage him wherever he goes. He can manipulate the media whenever he feels the urge.

Let's get real and look at things the way they are. Thaksin will be in the thick of Thai politics until there is a resolution on his fate.

Netirat Intira

Bangkok

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Strange view of the executive role

When Public Health Minister Chaiya states that it is "tradition" for board members to resign when a new minister assumes office, I don't know whether to call him stupid or a blatant liar - either term would make him unqualified for a position in government.

In a truly functioning democracy, the executive is independent of political appointment, and continues to function in the same form regardless of changes in parliament. For PPP members to be trumpeting the "return of democracy" after having already demoted four key officials since taking power makes fools of us all, and at this point, I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

Laura Buranasongkram Markes

Bangkok

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Thais are led down the garden path by a con man

The gullibility of people will never cease to amaze me. I say this with all due respect, as

they are being tethered by one of the greatest con men this world has ever seen. He has this country, its people and media wrapped around his dirty little finger and is laughing all the way to the bank. One day he's returning on this day, and the next day he's returning another day. One day he's returning on Thai Airways and the next day he's returning on his private jet. Don't you people understand that you are playing this scoundrel's game by his rules? A better soap opera script could not be composed.

He makes ludicrous statements such as not being involved in politics anymore. What has he been doing ever since he left? When the politicos of the PPP go to China, what is it that you think they are talking about - the price of tea? Is everybody completely and absolutely bamboozled?

When he says that in most countries a citizen is considered innocent until proven guilty, I wonder if that includes the hundreds of innocents that were executed at the bloody hands of him and his cronies in the name of drug suppression.

He just wants to be an "ordinary" Thai citizen. Yeah, right. And I have some really good land to sell someone out by the new airport. Will someone, maybe one of his silver-spoon offspring, please tell him that he will never be ordinary. He could never even remotely be considered ordinary. How many ordinary Thai citizens garner a 1,000-strong police escort? Will someone tell the tuk-tuk driver or the food vendor why they should shoulder the security expense for a billionaire who has looted the country he calls home and says he loves.

Using this bizarre logic, my Thai wife should merit an equal security force if she claims a personal risk upon returning to Thailand.

I never thought I'd say this, but by their display of kissing the you-know-what of this man, the beautiful country of Thailand will get what it deserves.

Brian D Granberg

Bangkok

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The bottom line is your pocket

Re: "Lessons on corruption and poverty are best learned on the street", Letters, February 28.

The Cleaning Lady asked me to treat poorer people as equals and to listen to them and discuss politics with them. I fully agree with this and am sorry that my e-mail was misconstrued; I had no intention of saying that these people were unequal, just that their priorities are different. I have discussed politics with tuk-tuk drivers et al many times and for them economy is the number one priority ... in my eyes, sadly, to the detriment of all other issues.

What I meant to say in my letter is that the majority of poorer people have different priorities; they are neither less nor more important to them than mine are to me. However, society needs to have a more holistic approach to issues and this is where Thailand is failing, in that human rights issues - press freedom, corruption, gender issues etc - are not also given a matter of priority.

We are all to blame for how things are in Thailand right now, from rich to poor, so I ask again, what can we do?

Pim Kemasingki

Chiang Mai

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Refugees deserve a better deal from Cambodia

It's sad to hear that the Cambodian government was upset with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees for granting asylum to refugees without its consent.

Regardless of the legal aspect, Cambodia should be open to all asylum seekers who have escaped from political prosecution in their troubled nations, given Cambodia's own history of refugee crisis.

During the Khmer Rouge's regime between 1975 and 1979 and the subsequent Vietnam-installed government during the next decade, hundreds of thousands of Cambodian refugees, including many officials in the current government, themselves flooded into Thailand, Laos and Vietnam to escape from execution and communist rule.

This influx of Cambodian refugees also caused a big headache to those governments. However, we thank them for their mercy and kind acceptance. Otherwise, our Cambodian refugees would have been turned back to death in their own countries.

Now, Cambodia, as a Buddhist country, should return this good deed to the unfortunate people of other nations who are seeking refuge in this country.

Moeun Chhean Nariddh

Phnom Penh

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Alcohol ban has no effect at all

Even though I am not a heavy drinker (a beer every now and then) I still find it undemocratic for the EC to ban all alcohol sales during the elections and therefore agree with those foreign visitors who have been complaining that this draconian law should be stopped.

From what I have seen in and around the resort town of Bang Saen where I do my windsurfing every weekend, I can assure the Election Commission that the ban is not effective at all because one can buy alcoholic drinks from various vendors only a stone's throw from the police station at all hours, even on election days.

Vic Phanumphai

Bangkok

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