PAD's ultimatums to govt anything but democratic

To me, by demanding that Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej resign if he wants the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) to end its protest, the PAD has forgotten its stated purpose: to be a people's alliance for democracy. As defined in "Webster's New World Dictionary", a democracy is a "government in which the people hold the ruling power either directly or indirectly through elected representatives; rule by the ruled". In no sense can the PAD claim to represent the majority of Thai voters. Therefore, it cannot demand a change in the country's leadership merely on its say-so.

What PAD has the right to do is to persuade we the people why Samak is unfit to govern and, perhaps more importantly, show who has the clearer vision, more integrity, etc needed to do a better job. As part of PAD's voter-education drive, gather signatures or other legal means of showing public support to implement the changes it seeks. In short, be constructive and use the means the law provides for educating us voters that what you propose fits our longterm interests better than the circus we have now.

Show us that you know what democracy is and why an informed, active electorate gives the most stable, vibrant government.

Burin Kantabutra

Bangkok

Samak the product of a bygone political era

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej's usefulness to his masters and now to the Thai people is dwindling by the day. Clearly his best days are behind him. That Thailand has moved beyond fear as a political tool since Samak's heyday is also clear. But it would appear that the prime minister has not realised that he is a servant of the people and powerless against them. This does not bode well for a nation still struggling to nurture a fragile democracy.

Samak made his own choice when he decided to ride the devil's coat tails: deception over dedication, recklessness over responsibility, vitriol over virtue. Samak's last vain grab at the limelight sees him more in the twilight. Samak has been the people's pretender all along, not their defender.

Sibeymai

Bangkok

PM overstepped his role as a nominee with declaration

Re: "Samak fans flames of tension with remarks", Editorial, June 2.

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej made the gravest mistake of his political life on Saturday when he announced on TV the possible dispersion of the demonstrating crowd led by the People's Alliance for Democracy.

He later came out to deny using the word "disperse". But who believes him now?

As expected, the prime minister was isolated in his bid to use force to stop the ongoing protest: the military made clear it opposes the use of force; the coalition parties made a veiled threat to pull out of the multiparty government. It's also imaginable that someone whom Samak admitted to being a nominee was furious at his attempt to overdo his assigned duties instead of being just a good stand-in.

This should teach our prime minister a lesson: it's lonely up there, especially where you don't belong.

Chavalit Van

Chiang Mai

Urban-rural gap can only be closed through education

Results of a recent Unesco survey indicate there is significant inequality within worldwide education systems and also highlight the global challenge to provide all children with fair treatment and equitable options and opportunities. The report reveals major gaps between urban and rural schools, especially related to innovative materials, creative teaching methods, computer-based resources and access to technology.

 About 70 per cent of the world's poor live in rural settings and the rural-urban gap is increasingly threatening efforts to promote and achieve sustainable development, participatory democracy, social cohesion, gender parity and peaceful understanding. Children growing up in rural areas are far more likely to face poverty, hunger and illiteracy.

Universal access to quality primary education should be viewed as the first step in laying a firm foundation by using solid building blocks and honed skill development tools.

Improved universal primary education for one and all should be Thailand's number one priority. Reform must be regarded as a constitutionally guaranteed civil right, moral obligation, ethical imperative and progressive challenge to help strengthen open society values, to eliminate urban/rural disparities, to encourage sustainable development and to advance gender parity and nondiscriminatory equality. Motivated life long discovery learning-by-doing can banish ignorance, transform lives and improve prospects for safer, saner and more secure futures for each and every potential leader of tomorrow.

Chanchai Prasertson

Bangkok

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