A better society starts with you

Thais don't like inconvenience, so the society absolutely lacks the fundamental moral practice to fight any bad diseases. Absent the referees, we cheat. In fact, the problem goes beyond greed and corruption. Look at the basic five precepts of Buddhism. We can see how each of the five is broken routinely in our country beyond international norms.

If the current political deadlock is equivalent to a clogged artery, it's true that Thailand needs an urgent bypass. Yet, how many bypasses can a country afford? As soon as the wound recovers, the entire lifestyle must be revamped. Moral exercise and ethical diet must be diligently forced upon the society in order for it to be healthier and stronger in the long run.

Regardless of your approval of the government or the PAD's actions, can we all at least help get the country out of this rut by starting to set a moral example? Can each and every leader be a role model? If not in the past, how about from now on? If each and every protester set an example beyond street fighting, I think Thailand will start to move in the right direction. It will cultivate values whereby people no longer bow to expensive cars or official rank in society, but to the true character of respectable people. These small moral exercises must be exercised widely and must start now.

The moral root of this society needs to be upturned, not just this government. The march to a better society will take immense effort by the masses, but Thailand needs to move as far from the status quo as possible. Let's start today!

LOVE THAILAND

BANGKOK

Wanted: someone, anyone, to raise us from the dirt

Is it even remotely possible that we can find someone in our nation to lead us away from the vicious circle of vested self-interest? Is there someone out there who can put our national interests first?

Or are we really lost?

No one is saying that leading us away from the past circle of greed and dysfunctional governments will be easy, but other nations have managed to do so.

I don't want to be the laughing stock of the world. I want to be a proud who can hold my head high for a change.

Everything needs fixing: our law enforcement is totally corrupt and disorganised, our political system is filthy.

Someone please make us proud to be Thai and lift us into the 21st century, away from this disastrous feudal system.

NOPPADON

BANGKOK

Same monster; same primitive system

The new Cabinet line-up resembles nothing more than the mythological hydra, whose axed heads constantly regrew. If he were alive today, Hercules would have his work cut out.

CHRIS JEFFERY

BANGKOK

Aviation authorities negligent in restoring licences

I am in utter disbelief that the Thai aviation authorities are even considering the return of One-Two Go/Orient-Thai's operating certificates after grounding the airline, following the Phuket disaster, for disregarding safety regulations.

The airline's executives should be arrested and indicted for the murder of those passengers. And perhaps the head of the Thai aviation authorities, too.

 Tourists beware: none of these censures would have come about had it not been for an American woman exposing mismanagement and oversight that the Thai authorities could no longer ignore.

 I urge anyone who may be flying within Thailand to read (at www.InvestigateUdom.com) the astounding list of accusations about the authorities' apparent inability to properly regulate the airline industry.

The US FAA is being lobbied aggressively to downgrade Thailand's safety rating. Failing that, the US congress will be petitioned to stop funding the FAA rating programme as an utter waste of taxpayers' money.

CHRISTY K SWEET

PHUKET