The country will still come out smiling

Yet I do not agree the situation has led to a deterioration of "Thai-ness" or that the country should deserve the moniker "Toyland" and parity with pariah states such as Sudan and Somalia. Genuine Thai-ness runs much deeper than that. What has happened is nothing more than democracy in progress.

Democracy in the West did not happen overnight. It took hundreds of years of war and bloodshed, including the French Revolution. So, what's a financial setback and inconvenienced tourists by comparison?

Unfortunately, the current financial meltdown will not be enough to teach most world leaders that capital is not the essence of life, and that it is not okay to abuse wealth to attain power in order to accumulate more wealth - as was aptly demonstrated by Thaksin and his consorts. Thais have every right, in the book of democracy, to climb the barricades to put an end to such practices. Thailand acted swiftly and correctly in outlawing the last government; strict laws must now be put in place regarding vote-buying to avoid more of the same.

Having attained this, time will prove that in a truly democratic and just environment, Thai smiles are indeed genuine, and more so than in many other countries.

Patrick Schwarz

Bali

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If it wasn't Thailand, the airports would be ruined

Re: "Tell it to those who were left stranded", Letters, December 24.

Manfred Leibig would be wrong if he is assuming I am a supporter of the PAD. I am just offering a point of view that was not widely available.

Those who have lost as a result of the airport sieges are already putting in their claims, and international lawyers are touting for custom. These claims are, in the main, directed at the Transport Ministry. People are adopting positions. There will be suing and counter-suing. But pragmatically, if you are going to sue, you need to sue the person or organisation with money.

Of course, the PAD is to blame for the airport closures, but the speed at which the Airports Authority of Thailand capitulated, and the reluctance of authorities to ensure the airports remained open, are matters that will have to be taken into account.

There's a lot of misinformation out there, like the PAD taking over the control towers. Flights, albeit empty, did leave during the siege, as we already know. Afterwards the airports were operating astonishingly quickly.

And of course, had the sieges happened almost anywhere but Thailand, the airports could have been wrecked.

Andrew Drummond

Bangkok

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It's time for us to get on our bikes

I fully agree with Finance Minister Korn's decision not to extend a tax cut on oil when it expires next month. However, let's have the vision to let oil prices rise when the market goes up - and stay high. Follow Denmark's example, which kept oil prices high when they soared a decade ago, and didn't lower them afterwards. Use the added tax revenues to develop efficient transport, such as rail links, to lower our cost of consumer items; develop alternative sources of energy, and encourage our people to live a sufficiency economy - not just pay lip service to it. Develop bike lanes (as in Denmark, Paris, or Beijing).

While we are shifting to a cost-efficient mode of transportation, help the poor and students by initiating flexible office hours (especially for civil servants, thus lessening traffic woes), discount mass transit rates for low-income households or regular users, and a Bangkok-wide network of bike lanes.

Burin Kantabutra

Bangkok

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A chance to move on; grasp it with both hands

The Democrats joining hands with former coalition parties and the faction led by Newin Chidchob of the former People Power Party to form a government could be good news for Thailand and democracy. It could also mean the end of Thaksin Shinawatra's era of extreme politics.

Thaksin is an opportunistic power broker, not a statesman. Both the Thai Rak Thai and People Power parties, founded by Thaksin, have been dissolved for electoral fraud with overwhelming evidence. And since the Samak and Somchai governments, hand-picked by Thaksin, did so much disservice for the country and its good name, the Democrats should be given a chance to prove their mettle. Also, it's not against the law for politicians to switch sides - when they see fit - in a democracy.

Thailand's business community is also voicing a warm welcome for Abhisit. The world community will also see Abhisit as representative of Thailand's future; that there is no shortage of good and capable leaders in this country.

Chavalit Van

Chiang Mai

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