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At the same time, what happens to his personal income from this sell-out to Abu Dhabi? Is this transaction legal for people seeking political asylum in the UK?

KT

BANGKOK

PAD leaders intent on destroying democracy

The clear danger in letting the "Gang of Nine" PAD leaders stay free is the utter collapse of law and order and the illegal putsch against the elected government.

These people have emptied Government House of the government, closed down airports, run riot in the streets, and actively advocated for the end of democracy in Thailand - and you think that now that the government is finally, slowly moving to rein them in, that the government is out of line!

The PAD's relentless, treasonous rebellion, and its utter lack of justification for its rebellion, is wrecking the efforts to restore democracy and the rule of law in Thailand.

The question is not why Chaiwat and Chamlong were finally arrested, but why they were allowed to run amok for so long, mocking the rule of law and order, and pushing for the extra-constitutional overthrow of the elected government of Thailand!

We await the news that the other seven of the Gang of Nine are put behind bars, too.

JOHN FRANCIS LEE

CHIANG RAI

The battle to save the electoral system

We are floating in turbulent seas and heading towards a global economic storm unseen in my lifetime, and there is anarchy on our ship. To me the actions of the PAD and its supporters are like the reverse of the French Revolution. The urban middle-class stormed Government House and barricaded Parliament to take back the power from the people and give it to bureaucratic elites. Perverse as it may sound, this is exactly what is happening in our country.

It is disheartening to read CNN's interpretation of the PAD's proposal of "New Politics": "The protest group wants the country to abandon the system of one-man, one-vote, and instead have a mixed system in which some representatives are chosen by certain professions and social groups. They have not explained how exactly such a system would work or what would make it less susceptible to manipulation."

Other publications have opined that the democratic system of Thailand, with all its flaws, should be allowed to work.

Granted, these news organisations and publications are run by foreigners and may not "get" the nuances of Thailand's complex politics, but their opinions are more or less unbiased. To offhandedly dismiss these opinions as uninformed or useless is rash, arrogant and even dangerous. There are elements in the junta-appointed Senate in favour of reducing the power of the people's representatives. That is no surprise. But there are also elements amongst the ranks of the elected MPs who are in favour of that, too. That is a grave cause for concern. If those who are handed the trust of the people are not fighting tooth and nail to preserve their constituents' constitutional right, then we are in serious trouble.

SALIN PINKAYAN

BANGKOK

MRT offers free keep-fit regime to passengers

Congratulations to the MRT subway operators for their efforts to help reduce global warming. For the best part of two years now they have kept closed the elevators at Silom and other stations. At first, I thought this was something to do with the security situation in Thailand, but clearly I was mistaken. After all, there hasn't been a credible bomb threat in central Bangkok for how long? It must be that the bosses at MRT are happy to inconvenience locals and tourists alike in an effort to save all that needless electricity carting lazy customers from the street to their trains.

PHIL STOKES

BANGKOK