Some one is lying, and it's time we knew who

The point is, someone is lying. It is your job as a newspaper to find out who.

ROGER BEAUMONT

BANGKOK

Can PM really take action in rohingya case?

Re: Govt evasion is hurting the boat people ... (Supalak Ganjanakhundee, January 29).

As the government continues to drag its feet towards any worthwhile investigation into the ill-treatment of rohingya refugees, the prime minister's instruction to police to bring a prompt closure to a highly selective list of unsavoury old cases rings increasingly hollow.

By focusing on the boat people's illegal status, the authorities are obviously attempting to shift the spotlight away from accusations against members of the armed services, some of whom have already been implicated in previous abuses of Thai nationals in the South.

Admittedly the Rohingyas are an inconvenience, especially those who had the audacity to survive and spill the beans, but that does not alter the fact that they are essentially victims of a heartless regime. To seek cooperation from such a neighbour in solving this problem is a bit like asking the wolf to mind your sheep.

Of course, one possible explanation for the PM's apparent blindness to the possibility of any human-rights violations occurring on his watch might be that, far from steering the ship, he is actually in thrall to figures behind the scenes.

CITIZEN JANE

BANGKOK

Where are THAI's big price cuts?

Recently The Nation reported that Thai Airways International (THAI) is cutting domestic air fare between 45 and 55 per cent from market price while dipping ticket prices for international routes up to 50 per cent, aiming to stimulate travel in the first quarter of this year.

"This is the first time the airline has offered such extra-low air fares," Chris Chantalitanon, area director for Thailand, Indochina and Burma, was quoted as saying on Wednesday.

I was pleasantly surprised to see the above article. I am a resident of Koh Samui, and I travel a lot. I went onto the THAI website immediately to see if I could book an international ticket and also a domestic ticket. I would love to support THAI and do everything I can to support Thai business. I love the country and its people, but I rarely fly THAI due to the fact that its prices are always higher than Bangkok Air and Eva Air, which offer better service and have comparable equipment.

I checked the website and found the prices to be identical to when I checked it over a month ago, and prior to that. This appears to be another smokescreen, and it appears the claim of lower prices may be without validity. Where are these lower prices? I was not able to find any reductions at all, for the domestic or international segments. I checked different dates and both economy and business class. The prices are still very high. No wonder there are so many empty seats and it is losing so much money. The new finance minister, Korn Chattikavanji, seems to be a wise man and a capable minister. He has asked that THAI come up with a business plan if it wants government assistance. This is a good idea, no doubt, but the reality is that if THAI wants to get back on track and start making money again it has to improve service and attitudes and dramatically lower prices. A successful business plan would be that simple. It would work.

MIKE MACARELLI

KOH SAMUI

An error in the clarification

In publishing the Singapore Embassy's letter on January 31, an unfortunate error has crept it. The published letter states that "calls for a boycott were made by the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship [UDD] demonstrators in front of the two Singapore embassies on January 23". The Embassy's original letter had stated that such calls were made by the demonstrators in front of "two Embassies". The "two Embassies" here referred to the Singapore and Myanmar embassies.

There is only one Singapore Embassy in Thailand and not two.

KOH CHEE CHIAN FIRST SECRETARY, EMBASSY OF SINGAPORE