Thaksin plans to stir up even more trouble

By jumping bail and fleeing the country before the trial on the Ratchadaphisek corruption case, the former premier showed that he is unable to face the truth about his past conduct as national leader. This is unbecoming of a responsible politician in a democracy.

Now his plan to speak to his supporters at an organised rally provides even more evidence that Thaksin is scheming to stir up trouble in Thailand, using England as his base. The British government should look into this.

CHAVALIT VAN

CHIANG MAI

Healthy competition will benefit the consumer

I agree with Khun Darmp Sukontasap, senior vice president of Tesco Lotus, who says, "There should be clear measures to enhance the competitiveness of mom-and-pop shops, if the (retail) law's aim is to assist them … Most importantly, the law should be able to explain how Thai consumers and the Thai economy as a whole would benefit from the law."

Thai politicians' vision usually extends only as far as the next election - which usually isn't what's best for Thailand in the long run. Look at our Alien Business Act: it's been around for over a quarter of a century, and still we cry that farmers aren't competitive. The reason is simple: there's been no pressure for them to modernise/increase productivity. So, Thai consumers pay more than they would if we had gradually opened the door to overseas competition.

The draft retail law restricts mega-retailers, to leave room for small players - with no time frame within which mom-and-pop shops will be subject to more competition. The curbs should be gradually phased out within, say, ten years. Thai consumers have abundantly shown that mega-stores give better value - that's why mom-and-pop shops are crying. So, the sooner the law maximises benefits for consumers as a whole, the better.

At the same time, we should not tolerate an oligopoly/monopoly by the big boys. So, the government should help mom-and-pop shops become more competitive, as well as retrain the owners or their children for other occupations. The government might also restrict the growth of a single mega-store to, say, 25 per cent of sales volume in a given market area, beyond which it may not open new branches or expand old ones.

But to say that we must keep mom-and-pop shops in the long run - even though consumers must pay the penalty for it - is like saying we must rely on horses for transport because otherwise coachmen, stable boys and saddle-makers would be out of business.

How ironic that Thaksin should have risen to power by championing the poor and his brother-in-law seeks to make them pay more for their food.

BURIN KANTABUTRA

BANGKOK

Maybe it's time to change the electoral system

While it offers me some comfort to hope that the deaths and injuries on Thailand's Black Tuesday will serve as a sombre wake-up call for both the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) and the Thai government to end the cycle of attacks and counter-attacks that have now scarred Thailand for life, I also believe that it is time to rethink the way the Thai electoral system works and delivers the government.

It is heartening to see more arguments on how Thailand's political development has been hampered by the tyranny of the majority. If one looks at the United States' election system, one will see that the Founding Fathers predicted that popular votes could not and should not be trusted to rule the country. They also believed that, unless the electorate was well educated and well informed, people were not ready to be eligible voters. This is why the Unites States did not have universal suffrage until 1920. Back then, few women attended school or had good knowledge about political candidates. So, the Founders did not trust their political judgement. Although the US now has universal suffrage, its deep, and justifiable, mistrust of the majority is still reflected in the use of the electoral college system, as opposed to popular votes.

Maybe it is time that Thailand reconsiders its own electoral system to relax the grip of the majority. And if nothing else can be blamed for this crisis, or if both PAD and the government are to blame, maybe it is time to re-examine and change Thai culture itself. What else, if not Thai culture, gave rise to this level of immunity and impunity, and spawned this endless cycle of rage and revenge?

WALLY JARIYA

WASHINGTON, DC