Burmese people benefit from Thai engagement

History has shown us that a hard-line approach towards Burma over its human-rights policy does not have the intended effect. Those hardest hit by sanctions are invariably the people of Burma. So in that sense, sanctions actually undermine human security in Burma.

The "neighbour engagement" policy is intended to address the issues that matter most to the people of Burma, namely, economic and social well-being, without which human rights are unsustainable. Democracy and human rights must also arise from a country's own internal dynamics, usually through greater affluence and the formation of a more vocal and influential grass-roots people and the middle class. Encouragement, not chastisement, is our best hope for the time being.

As an immediate neighbour, Thailand has a moral obligation to work with Burma to help its people achieve the better life they seek and deserve. Disengagement is not an option and would only hurt those we hope most to help.

Chainarong Keratiyutwong

Director, Press Division

Information Department

Bangkok

Thaksin's pleas of ignorance in flag case hard to believe

Could it be that Thaksin didn't know about the Thai flag with his name on it? As the owner of Manchester City, he could have had the flag down seconds after it went up. If he didn't know about the flag, then why didn't he apologise for the insensitive act? Instead, the incident seems to reek of Thaksin's usual media tactic, which is to pin the blame on someone else, and using his mouthpiece Noppadon Pattama, who now has been conveniently placed in the Foreign Ministry, to do the talking.

If Manchester City's team players proceed to boycott the Thailand tour, then they would successfully avoid having been bought as political pawns to be used by Thaksin.

My Thai auntie, a devoted fan, would like to tell this newspaper how ugly it was for the Thai flag to appear with Thaksin's name on it.  It would take a lot to convince her that it wasn't intentional.

Faith In Thais

Bangkok

Country needs a statesman, not a galloping gourmet

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej must work hard to develop his diplomatic skills and improve his image on the global stage. The prime minister should stop sampling local dishes and doing things like offering to cook dinner for the Burmese leader. He should realise Thailand does not need a premier who is constantly seen with his mouth wide open or standing over a stove.

Samak has to learn that in modern politics the image of a leader is very important, and Samak can help himself and Thailand by carrying himself with a more "statesman-like" quality.

Andrew

Bangkok

Man City not as easy to bully as ex-PM may like

Following Thaksin's [expected] dismissal of Manchester City coach Sven-Goran Eriksson, players talked about boycotting the scheduled exhibition match in Thailand. A Premier League football club is not a company Thaksin can raid and turn around for a quick profit. Coach Eriksson's contract has more than two years left on it and Thaksin will have to pay him at least ¤1 million (Bt62.6 million).

People will see for themselves that Thaksin's business skills are limited to monopolies and governmental concessions. In a free-market arena, he is simply clueless. If Thaksin were to sell Manchester City now, it is unlikely that he would recoup half of his investment. On top of that, he has undermined long years of good will between the UK and Thailand.

Netirat Intira

Bangkok

A new way to end long queues at public hospitals

I was at Chulalongkorn Hospital at 6.30am, when the doors opened and a flood of patients ran to put their appointment slips into the boxes on each floor that would determine their places in the queue. Even so, it was 11.30am before I got to see my doctor.

I suggest that just as rail passengers in first-class bogies willingly pay far more than those in second, even though they're sitting on the same train, government hospitals should sell queue tickets, for, say, Bt500 each, good for one day and one patient. The ticket would entitle the holder to be at the head of the line to see his/her doctor, right after emergency patients and previously arrived purchasers of queue tickets. Revenues would go to the care of universal health scheme patients.

This would be a win-win situation: I wouldn't have to wait five-hours for a 20-minute consultation, my costs would still have been less than at a private hospital, and more poor people could be taken care of. (I know that there's an after-hours clinic in Chula, but not all doctors participate.)

We could use the same idea for the hospital's private rooms, which would be far more transparent than today's method of using influence - and low-income patients would benefit.

Burin Kantabutra

Bangkok