Singapore may be richer, but Thailand is never dull

Your editorial was a mixture of praise for Singapore's prosperity and criticism of its ironclad rule. I sensed a contrarian comparison to Thailand where prosperity has not been continuous while the country has remained relatively democratic. No preference for either model was revealed.

Of all the nations in the world and only second to Israel, Singapore is most pragmatic in its rule and follows Plato's Utopia wherever practicable. However, for Thailand, with the laid-back attitude of "fishes in the water and rice in the field", we do not need to struggle to survive or to be the best. Without our trying and to the surprise of many locals, Bangkok was voted by one influential US magazine as the best city in the world replacing Florence. With our culture, if Lee Kuan Yew were our premier, he would not have survived within a month. Neither would our Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda survive in Singapore.

Singapore's economic success may shield its intolerance of criticisms and may be viewed as an enviable nation. But being spoilt by our freedom, I somewhat prefer our situation even though it is still full of uncertainty of the outcome. As they say, variety is the spice of life.

Songdej Praditsmanont

Bangkok

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Charter changes must not retroactively clear PPP

The Samak administration's renewed efforts to amend the Constitution amount to an attempt to achieve amnesty from charges of electoral fraud for members of the People Power Party.

If a provision in the Constitution should be amended, the amendment should govern subsequent activities. It cannot apply retroactively to wipe away prior wrongdoing. It is not only the People's Alliance for Democracy who should take to the streets in protest, but people of conscience everywhere should rise in unison to oppose this move.

Netirat Intira

Bangkok

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Abhisit leading the way in political accountability

I have no problem with Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej's asking the Election Commission to remove 28 Democrat MPs and 33 senators from office for allegedly breaking the rule forbidding them from owning shares in firms with government concessions. As Theodore Roosevelt noted, "No man is above the law, and no man is below it; nor do we ask any man's permission when we require him to obey it". Thus, I laud Democrat Party Leader Abhisit Vejjajiva for noting that all of his party's MPs would be held accountable if they broke the law. Abhisit's actions are the direct opposite of those of the People Power Party, which is seeking strenuously and brazenly to amend the Constitution just when it might be the chief beneficiary of the change.

Samak told the press that "I told my people to go on the attack after several of our members were 'executed' ". To me, such an attitude is more common to kindergarteners singing, "Tit for tat, you kill my dog, I kill your cat". Samak must not imply that if the Democrats let the government MPs illegal shareholdings go, he'd do likewise for the opposition - for as Roosevelt well understood, rule of law demands that all follow the rules - especially lawmakers.

Prime Minister Samak, work with Abhisit and give us a clean Parliament - for once.

Burin Kantabutra

Bangkok