Ideas that have no worth or merit whatsoever

A few weeks ago he wanted to form a rice cartel, earning a worldwide reputation for greed for Thailand, even though a rice cartel is not really feasible. For one thing, the US can decide to subsidise rice production and take out Thailand as the top rice exporter. Then Samak floated the idea of a casino (inside an entertainment complex) near Suvarnabhumi Airport. We all remember Thaksin's vast land holdings when he proposed a special administrative district of Suvarnabhumi "aeropolis". Samak is supplying another round of ammunition to PAD protesters. As Thaksin's proxy, to him the national interest is not significant.

Netirat Intira

Bangkok

Fighting noise with noise equals more noise

I don't see any benefit in the Metropolitan Police blasting loudspeakers to counter those of the People's Alliance for Democracy rallying in front of the UN Bangkok offices on Tuesday night. It just exacerbated the noise pollution in the area that has been taken over by protesters for nearly a month.

Time after time, whenever a minister emits some foolish utterance or suggestion, more people rush to join the crowd. The latest action only attracts more PAD sympathisers. Such a stupid idea must have come from ministers with such a proven record!

Chamnong Watanagase

Bangkok

PAD should reconsider

its protest strategy

I disagree with the People's Alliance for Democracy's protest to oust the government, because the PAD does not offer any alternative. Also, the protest is non-democratic, in that the PAD has appointed itself as the sole decision-maker as to what government goes or stays. That said, the PAD has the right to protest, and has said that it will engage in civil disobedience to achieve its goals, and the State Enterprise Labour Relations Confederation has resolved to join the civil disobedience campaign if the government resorts to force in dispersing the demonstrators.

All parties should heed M K Gandhi's words: "Disobedience to be civil has to be open and non-violent.… Disobedience to be civil implies discipline, thought, care, (and) attention..." Also, a key point in civil disobedience is the full willingness to be legally accountable for the consequences of one's acts. Thus, the demonstrators should police themselves, with an unarmed, easily-identified security force. The demonstrators must respect the rights of others, including those wishing to stage non-violent counter-demonstrations; the right of unhindered passage; and the right of residents near the protest site to a peaceful night's sleep.

As the Army commander has rightly pointed out, the protest is strictly a police matter. The police should use only fully-trained and equipped riot police, and use the minimum force necessary to protect the rights of citizens. The police seem prone to use person-to-person contact as their first resort, when it should be their last.

The PAD should shift its protest to, say, the National Stadium, posting a bank guarantee for any damage done with the authorities ,allowing full media coverage.

Burin Kantabutra

Bangkok

Asean has a bloated sense of its own improvement

What astounding sangfroid imbues Khun Surin Pitsuwan's breathless declamations on the "new Asean": "We are being baptised by Cyclone Nargis";  "For the future we have achieved a certain degree of competence"; "A new Asean ready to take on responsibility." So that's Burma sorted. Then what's next?

Then I read the account of a desperate cyclone victim who made the treacherous journey out of her tragic homeland to Mae Sot: "The aid sits at the compounds and we survivors, have received just a drop." She lost her parents during the disaster, thanks in part to the "quality" of the regime's "warnings" (sic - for warnings read misinformation) and went on to ask: "Is it true that the Light Infantry Division 66 in the delta is the same one that carried out raids on monasteries and opened fire on protesting monks in last year's demonstrations?"

Yes, that's Burma fixed alright, isn't it Khun Pitsuwan? Everything must be smelling of roses at Asean.

Perhaps he should spend less time in the garden and more time investigating and dealing with the egregious crimes against humanity that the junta is commits on a daily basis.

Julian Pieniazek

Nakhon Ratchasima

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