Samak acting like a feudal lord with early transfers, sackings

First, Department of Special Investigation head Sunai Manomai-udom was replaced with a crony of the chief suspect being investigated, thus making an impartial investigation most difficult if not impossible. Second, Food and Drug Administration head Dr Siriwat Thiptharadol was removed. Third, Public Relations Department head Pramote Rathavinit was transferred. Fourth, national police chief General Seripisut Temiyavej was removed from his post. All of these transfers were made without clear, job-related explanations as to where their performance had been seriously deficient.

Not only that, Prime Minister Samak said that it was justified for a new administration to order secondments of senior bureaucrats as they see fit. Our prime minister forgets that we should have left the feudal age long ago, which was when the lord of the castle could move underlings around as he, and he alone, saw fit. In the case of the national police chief, for example, he should have had transparent, job-related key performance indicators, and his work regularly reviewed by a police commission consisting mainly of civilians - and the commission alone should have the power to appoint or remove.

Having seen his abilities in appointing a Cabinet that even he characterises as "ugly", what faith do you have in his skills to select their subordinates - other than personal loyalty? Department heads now must either practice their bootlicking expertise or look to their retirement funds - and both alternatives bode ill for our beloved country.

Given his advanced years, I forgive our prime minister for acting like a chao muang (district chief). But, you, dear reader, should know that a democracy consists of much, much more than elections: its heart and soul is active involvement in government decision-making by informed citizens - like you and me. This can take many forms, eg letters such as this, community radio, or media analysis and comments.

If you are happy with what's unfolding, you should speak up, and defend it - or, if unhappy, then voice your opinions also, and show our chao muang what he should do.

If you acclaim what's happening, dear reader, to you goes the credit - and, by the same token, it's you and I who must take the blame if you think a fiasco is in the making.

Burin Kantabutra

Bangkok

...................................

Vengeance of the middle class not democratic

Re: "The bottom line is your pocket." Letters, March 1.

Pim Kemasingki asks again, "what can we do?" and defends the position that "the majority of poorer people have different priorities".

Perhaps the original letter was not misconstrued, but it was my answer that was not understood ("Lessons on corruption and poverty are best learned on the street", Letters, February 28). I'll try again. If you really look at poor people and rich people, tuk-tuk drivers, cleaning ladies, big business CEOs, owners of sapphire mines and big factories, bankers and stockholders etc, it does not generally tend to be the cleaning ladies and tuk-tuk drivers who exploit others to make huge sums of money. It is not usually the mailman and noodle vendor who disregard the human rights of their own employees for the sake of their own personal gain.

So I'm guessing that there are more rich people than there are poor people who "put the economy before human rights and democracy".

What I was alluding to in my letter when I stated that perhaps something can be learned from talking with poorer people is this: in Thailand right now there seems to be an educated middle class that think they are right to declare Thaksin a criminal without a trial. This is not exactly democratic in my view.

There was a loophole in the law and he took advantage of it. A loophole is a loophole for anyone to take advantage of - rich or poor. People need to deal with the loopholes and have hearings on conflicts of interests (for example his wife's land deal) and change laws (perhaps about selling things to Singapore) - not throw a coup - if you want democracy and human rights.

Secondly, the middle class feel that they pay more taxes and are better educated so they know who should be in power. Also not exactly democratic. They feel Thaksin created beneficial programmes for the poor using their money so now he has their votes. How awful. Well, in many democracies that are wealthy today, it is through taxes that poverty was lessened, with society as a whole benefiting in the end. So when the rest of the world watches the way this political quagmire plays out, people from democratic countries that exhibit human rights and equality can't help but be appalled at how so many rich, middle-class, educated people just don't get it. So that was the reason I suggested talking to the tuk-tuk driver. The poor seem to be the only ones who get it here. The newspapers seem to think its okay not to assume someone is innocent until proven guilty and the whole world can read these newspapers online.

So please, I ask again, please talk to the tuk-tuk drivers.

One Frustrated Cleaning Lady

Bangkok

........................................

Serve tourism by fighting crime against foreigners

Re: "Tourists go home with bad PR for Thailand", Letters, February 27

Coming from me as a wine-drinker, Sam Worthington's displeasure with Thailand for having to dine without wine for three days during the election is understandable. But having to advise others not to come to Thailand because of that shows somewhat of a lack of empathy.

If tourists do not come to Thailand because of his advice, then so be it, and we will just have to live poorer. I would prefer our tourism minister to concentrate more on how to deter those Thais taking advantage of tourists. Elimination of touts and jewellery scams is a must. Killing, stealing and causing bodily harm to foreigners should, under statute, subject the criminals to mandatory penalties. We should ingrain in the minds of our people the thought that foreigners are our guests and not our victims.

Songdej Praditsmanont

Bangkok

Send us your views in an instant

E-mail your opinion, with 'Letters to

the Editor' in the subject box, to:

letters@nationgroup.com

The Nation