Hmong refugees at Nong Khai jail are suicidal

The Hmong refugees believe that the real purpose of these visits is to break their human spirit. The "concerned" officials always ask the group why they are afraid to return to Laos but at the same time tell them that no third country is willing to accept them, which is an outright lie. The Hmong detainees are also told that they are not political refugees even though they have the UNHCR documentation to prove it. Then, they are told that they only have two options available to them: they can "voluntarily" return to Laos, or they can spend the rest of their lives in this small, overcrowded immigration jail.

Much worse than suffering from the awful physical and psychological conditions at the jail is the fact that the United States, Australia, Canada and the Netherlands have all remained seemingly silent on this issue. These are the countries that had quickly stepped forward after a failed deportation attempt some two years ago and agreed to resettle these refugees.

Now, these hopeless Hmong see that this third-country resettlement offer seems to have faded away. Because of this, the refugees are preparing to take their own lives, as they believe no one really cares about them.

JOE DAVY

CHICAGO

Newspapers are not yet on their deathbed

Re: "Demise or rebirth of newspapers: in the eye of the beholder", opinion, January 15.

Your editor sounds unduly pessimistic about the effect on newspapers by the Internet. The Internet is in fact a bonus for newspapers and media organisations. Reporters cannot be everywhere all the time. Those who were on the spot during the Santika fire had genuine stories, pictures and video which international newspapers and television made good use of.

Newspapers of the US model, which cannot adapt to the Internet and which do not offer the reader a good, value-for-money read, will of course disappear. It's a product you are selling like anything else. Newspaper journalists will not migrate en masse to the Net if they cannot get the advertising to support their Websites. Nor can they survive by sitting at their desks.

Today, newspapers have to offer a lot more than yesterday's news. Both Thai English-language newspapers do not appear to have grasped this, yet they both boast a track record of investigative journalism.

I cannot help feeling sometimes there's something of the 'emperor's new birthday suit' about Thailand's English-language press. I read it but after 20 years, when it comes to local stories, I still often don't really understand what they are talking about, and when I do, I find their questioning of official statements clearly lacking. When one of the newspapers comes out with the bold headline 'Liar' referring to a local politician, and gets away with it, the country and the newspaper industry will have finally arrived.

SUN READER.

BANGKOK

Abhisit is simply rehashing failed populist policies

Re: "Cabinet Passes Bt116 Billion Economic Stimulus Package", News, January 14.

This is worrying. The first Bt116 billion of Thailand's expected Bt300 billion economic stimulus package is aimed at the wrong target. Its effect on supporting Thailand's economy will be insignificant.

The package, which includes monthly allowances, promotions of rural small enterprises and free electricity to the poor who qualify, sounds more like one of Thaksin's "economic programmes" aimed at securing the loyalty of the rural Northeast than an initiative to encourage economic growth.

I am outraged at Abhisit and deputy premier Korbsak Sabhavasu's poor judgement. This is simply a lousy way to spend taxpayers' money.

The small amount given to the poor is more like a bribe than an effective means of stoking consumer confidence and demand. For example, the recipients of the funding are already earning Bt14,000. Will boosting their income by Bt2,000 have a major impact on Thailand's livelihood? Will it stimulate exports? Job creation? Attract tourism? Where is the long-term impact? The government is throwing our hard-earned tax dollars out the window.

Abhisit needs to get down and dirty and understand how our economy works and then budget sensibly and effectively. He should already know what the key levers affecting our economic growth are, and create policies to improve them. I realise that he is trying to win back the poor, but using taxpayers' money for short-term gain is not the way to do it. That is exactly what Thaksin did. It is just plain ineffective and wrong.

The second instalment of the stimulus package better be dramatically better than the first attempt. Otherwise, a golden opportunity to create real change and enhance Thailand's economic standing will be squandered and we will be back to square one.

OUTRAGED TAXPAYER

BANGKOK