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Published on April 29, 2008

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The Nation

Speaking of the word 'enemies', let's not forget that a couple of weeks ago, Ann Curry of NBC News asked the Dalai Lama specifically how he "can forgive his enemies".

He responded by talking only in vague terms. Since the editorial compares China's approach to Tibet with that of US President George W Bush after the September 11 terrorist attacks, I must point out that both the US and Britain have issued alert warnings of possible attacks at the Olympics by al-Qaeda and groups opposed to the Chinese Government.

One threat facing the Beijing Olympics is terrorism. Whether pro-Tibet groups become part of a terrorism network is an issue the world should not ignore.

Some Thai commentators seem to de-politicise political issues; they can go on and on about Tibet or the southern insurgency without even mentioning the word "separatist".

It's like discussing Christianity without mentioning Jesus!

Julian Wang 

Chiayi, Taiwan

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Olympic boycott not the answer to intransigence

Earlier, I was hoping for an Olympic boycott due to China's enabling, by their economic support, of the Burmese military junta to violate human rights, including wholesale murder.

Also, there is the situation in Darfur as well as the recent atrocities in Tibet to consider.

Since then, I have had time to re think this course of action and I feel we (as stating world opinion) could demonstrate our distaste of China's policies a lot more effectively than just ignoring some sporting events (also without punishing innocent athletes).

To really make Beijing take note of worldwide disapproval of their actions, I propose a boycott of Chinese goods. Affecting their economy will surely get their attention in a dramatic fashion, as they seem impervious to criticism from world leaders.

Due to the many instances of tainted food and substandard goods that have been reported recently, it would not be too hard to convince importing countries to shop elsewhere.

I feel the impact could be huge and I for one, although residing in Thailand where Chinese-made goods are everywhere, would be willing to pay a little more to hit back at this uncaring nation.

My father always told me "you get what you pay for".

So, buy goods made in Thailand, which will help the country and just possibly we can influence a country whose apparent goal is to rule the world, just look at

their military spending over the last ten years.

Chris Holden

Krabi

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Time to reduce noise pollution in Thailand

Driving around in a loudspeaker van blasting out advertising messages is a public nuisance under most legal systems of the world.

It is common law in the UK, US, India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Canada, Australia and New Zealand for example.

As such, it is the duty of both local authorities and the police to prosecute those responsible for noise pollution. Are things so different here? If not, why isn't the law enforced?

George Cuppaidge

Bangkok

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Writing poetry for pleasure, not for profit

As merit-making has been in the  news I would like to suggest that writing poetry is a form of merit-making for the following reasons.

No one today writes serious verse with the expectation of making money. Painters, performing artists, playwrights and novelists all have expectations of making money ... poets do not.

Like monks, poets are involved in a uniquely human endeavour that does not embrace wealth. They both understand that poverty is not a curse; it is a required tool for enlightenment.

There are no celebrity poets today. In fact, celebrity status is an anathema to poets as it is to monks.

Fiction and cinema have eclipsed all other art forms today, but they are false gods. Both are driven, as the Beatles once sang in "Paperback Writer", by the prospect of makingmoney.

More to the point, fiction and special effects require the willing suspension of belief where the world depicted on the page or screen replaces reality. Monks and poets on the other hand attempt to find truth by turning inward.

It is encouraging that there is more

poetry being written today than ever before, but it is discouraging that so many people mistake its true nature.

Forrest Greenwood

Bangkok