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Published on April 5, 2008

I agree with Peter Filicietti that the degree requirement for ministers should be scrapped, for the reasons given.

The requirement means that many otherwise qualified persons are unable to serve in the Cabinet, and the state of education in Thailand is so poor that having a degree doesn't mean that much anyway. Instead, our Constitution should require that our ministers have job-relevant qualifications, including a feasible vision of what they want to achieve during their term in office. They should also show that they have at least minimum levels of integrity.

Ministers-designate should have to prove their qualifications and visions to the House and Senate committees concerned with their given areas, which must include the relevant minister from the opposition's shadow cabinet, and receive approval from both these committees. Also, the Department of Special Investigation must do an in-depth investigation of each minister-designate, and be able to give him/her a clean bill of health.

Let's have an end to deputy ministers who have to look up on the Internet what their ministries do, or ministers who don't know the first thing about their areas of responsibility.

Burin Kantabutra

Bangkok

Bear Stearns scandal underlines US hypocrisy

Thanong Khanthong's column, "The US pot calls the Thai kettle black", (Opinion, March 28) rightly pointed out the hypocrisy of the Bear Stearns bailout after the US, through the International Monetary Fund, told Thailand to shut down its finance companies 10 years ago. Despite the Bush administration's attempt to distance itself from Bear Stearns, information has come out to show Treasury Department officials' involvement.

Many Americans deeply resent the Bear Stearns bailout and see Wall Street bankers serving in the government as helping out their friends. Bear Stearns is a holding company for a brokerage firm and is not critical to the US economy. In 2006, its 13,000 employees received an average annual salary of US$321,400 (Bt10.2 million) each. The general public did not benefit whatsoever from this overpay and, in fact, Bear Stearns told other businesses why they should cut costs and be allowed to go under.

The lesson for Thailand is that the country must always do what is in its own national interest, even when someone else is trying to push it around - the same way the US does when it is dealing with its own house.

Andrew J Delaney

Queens, New York

At last, a politician tells the truth about his knowledge

How refreshing to hear the current prime minister blurt out to the world, "I know nothing". Thailand can now be proud of another first. How many other countries can point to any of their politicians actually telling the truth?

Bahoo Luang

Chiang Mai

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