7-Eleven outlets coexist well with traditional shops

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The Nation

CP All would like to make the following clarifications:

1) The 7-Eleven convenience stores have never posed a threat to or tried to edge out the business of the traditional retail stores. On the contrary, 7-Eleven convenience stores can coexist with the traditional stores because we do not initiate any price-cutting measures. The items sold in the 7-Eleven convenience stores are different from those offered by the traditional stores.

2) The 7-Eleven convenience stores and the traditional stores have been doing business side by side without any conflict or protest from the local communities.

3) Our expansion of the 7-Eleven convenience stores is aimed at providing service to the communities. Also, we offer an opportunity for the owners of the traditional stores to become owners of the 7-Eleven convenience stores. We hope that our clarifications are taken into consideration by your readers.

The Communication and Public Relations Office of CP All Plc

Bangkok

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Malaysia setting a good example in corruption fight

Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi has just announced that Malaysia's entering a new era of transparency and public accountability. He's upgraded the Anti-Corruption Agency, tripled (!) its headcount, made the public procurement process more transparent, and introduced laws to protect whistle-blowers. I hope that Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej learned from his Malaysian counterpart and that we follow suit in cleaning up our government.

Yet, Badawi's hardly fighting corruption out of the goodness of his heart. The opposition recently made their biggest parliamentary gains since Malaysia's founding - and, as The Wall Street Journal (April 24) put it, "With that reprimand, Abdullah now seems to realise that democracy in Malaysia matters. And he's ripped reform ideas straight from the opposition parties' playbook", including those mentioned above.

You and I, dear reader, should learn that, as Kay Maxwell said, "Democracy is not a spectator sport". We get the government we deserve. If you believe that your children deserve the banana republic-like farce what we've had to settle for time and again, then that's what they'll get. But if you, like an increasing number of Malaysians, realise that you can, and should, use peaceful means to force our leaders to put our country first, then that's what your kids will get.

Burin Kantabutra

Bangkok

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Thailand a risky choice for foreign property buyers

Re: "Laws dealing with leases protect the rights of lessees", Letters, April 25. 

I appreciate Songdej Praditsmanont taking the trouble to write in to correct details of my earlier letter that he felt were inaccurate. However, the fact remains that buying residential property on a 30-year lease with a promise from the land-owner that the lease can be renewed for additional 30-year periods is not a prudent investment for a foreign buyer. I agree with Songdej that a promise to renew a lease made by the Crown Property Bureau could be regarded as an exception.  On the other hand I am not aware that the Crown Property Bureau is active in developing the villas in tourist resorts that most prospective foreign buyers wish to purchase on long-term leases.  I disagree with Songdej in assigning the same nil counter-party risk to renewal promises made by companies listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand.  Who can say what their status may be in 30 years?  

Like Songdej I also own property on a long-term lease with which I am very satisfied.  However, that property is located in the United Kingdom where lessees enjoy substantial rights under statutory law that are applicable to all without fear or favour.  Until Thailand beefs up the rights of long-term lessees and allows leases of 90 years or more to be registered at the Land Department I would strongly advise foreign buyers to limit their choice to freehold condominiums in Thailand.  If they simply must own houses with land in a tropical Asian country, they should buy freehold property in Malaysia. 

George Morgan

Bangkok