Italy is not warning tourists against Thailand

This is not true. On the official Italian web site www.viaggiaresicuri.it there are travel advisories on all the countries in the world without exception, and these are updated whenever necessary. On Thailand at present we simply recommend Italian tourists keep away from political demonstrations. We have not so far suggested cancelling or postponing visits, and as a friend of Thailand I hope we will never have to.

We are all aware that the political crisis and the images of violent clashes which have appeared on TV screens around the world are a strong deterrent to tourism in Thailand.

In these very unfavourable circumstances our travel advice should be read as suggesting that tourists may come to Thailand as normal provided they follow some elementary precautions.

Seen in this way, our travel advice is a positive contribution to tourism in Thailand, and I hope it is perceived as such.

IGNAZIO DI PACE

AMBASSADOR OF ITALY

A note of sanity

Re: "Cool hand Khun Anupong"

Based on your newspaper's reporting of events I am increasingly impressed by the sensible, rational words of Thai Army Chief Anupong; his pronouncements have helped to both clarify and calm the situation.

They also clearly point the finger when and where necessary, casting a less than flattering light on certain aspects and actions of the opposed forces.

Thank goodness there are people of such stature helping to unravel this overheated imbroglio. It would behove the rest of the cast to try to emulate General Anupong's statesmanship.

JULIAN PIENIAZEK

BANGKOK

The truth about brutality

Like many of my friends in business and academic circles, I have been a regular participant in PAD rallies and was there when police brutality was shown to the world. On the sad day of October 7 I was guarding the Forum for Democracy Foundation at Baan Manungkasila with a secretary when government officials fled the compound in the wake of rumours that PAD supporters would "seize" the seat of the National Women's Council, chaired by one of Thaksin's sisters. Our foundation, nicknamed P-NET, has been forced to relocate to a shabby wooden house next to a warehouse ever since the Women's Council expanded and renovated its facilities.

Now, in Washington, DC and armed with a tear-gas shell retrieved from the scene outside Parliament but not shown by the Thai police to the media, I have been invited to discuss the situation back home with leaders of the DC-New York PAD supporters. The artifact I have is in army green, five centimetres in diameter and 17cm long.

Your editorial on Saturday (Let's forgive and admit fault), while striking a reconciliatory tone, misinformed readers with the phrase "The PAD must feel sorry it told the protesters to seize Parliament".

Actually, the PAD leaders had repeatedly instructed their supporters to stage a "sit-in outside" the Parliament compound in order to block the ruling parties' legislators from entering. As earlier news reports had it, the Cabinet had discussed alternative venues where PM Somchai Wingsawat could have chosen to deliver his government's policy statement. It was House Speaker Chai Chidchob who adamantly insisted on the police clearing his way to lead his lawmakers into Parliament "at all costs".

Theoretically, the police could have pushed from only one direction to disperse the protesters, instead of staging a "seizure" of the peaceful demonstrators. What happened was that the police moved in from all directions in the vicinity around Parliament.ie the Bhichai intersection, Uthong, Sri Ayudhya and Rajavithi roads. Bear in mind that there were police stationed and reinforced inside Parliament before additional forces "seized" the area.

 The peaceful four-month demonstration against the successive Samak and Somchai administrations, the sit-ins at Government House and outside Parliament had produced no evidence of armed struggle against the authorities .

The police "round-up" of the peaceful demonstrators that left no room for them to safely flee the scene after being stormed by the police could only mean the police intended "punish" the protesters. Thanks to the workers of the nearby Dusit Zoo, protesters were allowed to seek refuge there when a gate was opened as an escape route. Still they were being fired upon by the police in hot pursuit from inside and outside Parliament.

Never mind reports biased against the PAD rally that usually surface in the local media that misinform people inside and outside the country, your respected newspaper should at least be more prudent in an editorial.

CHAMNONG WATANAGASE

WRITTEN FROM WASHINGTON, D.C.