Abhisit must first tackle economic problems

I suggest that he turn to one of Steven Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Tackle the problem that has the highest priority. Attack the root causes of that problem first, while holding the others at bay, to be solved in turn.

I reluctantly suggest that Premier Abhisit focus on our economic problems first and foremost.

Getting our economy back on track will alleviate the other obstacles, whereas high negative growth could bring the government - and us - down very quickly - a la Iceland.

In the meantime, however, put modern forensics at the core of investigations. Since the police are at the front line of the judicial system, their place is under the Justice Ministry, not the PM's Office. Make BMA operations transparent, from setting purchase specifications through to approval of plans for public buildings. Pass laws governing pubs and other kinds of entertainment places, and have them enforced by one agency. Seek to speed up the court cases involving Thaksin, so that justice may be seen to be swiftly and fairly done.

But first, give us an economically secure economy.

BURIN KANTABUTRA

BANGKOK

Indifference to human |suffering disgraceful

If you know your neighbour beats his children, deprives them of food, medical care and education, and the children run to you for help, would you turn them away?

Would you tow them out to sea to drown? Or would you return them to their tyrannical father, knowing full well what their fate would be? If you are a decent human being, you would not. You would try to help these children. If you are a decent human being, you would look for solutions to their problem.

If Thailand was a decent country, this would have been the framework it would have used to address the Rohingya problem. Instead, Thailand has shown itself to be as brutal as the Burmese regime. Its indifference to human suffering is disgraceful. Whether you call them refugees or illegal immigrants, whether they flee for political or economic reasons, these are human beings with the same hopes and aspirations for a decent life.

In doing what it did, Thailand has has tarred itself in the eyes of the world.

NORMA MAHMOOD

ILLINOIS, USA

Make educational reform |a top priority

The fiscal-year budget currently being finalised should keep in mind that child-focused educational reform, especially for small schools in remote areas, should be the government's top priority.

The primary aim would be to help bridge the urban-rural gap and to upgrade the quality, access to and availability of state-of-the-art IT-related material that will |provide more viable future options to students. It ought to be noted that more than 7,000 first- and second-grade teachers in the North and Northeast have already participated and received hands-on workshop training in "fun-oriented" tasks and activities, emphasising the phonics blending approach, which directly correspond to the Obec-sponsored Can do, Will do individualized learner self-help IT package. Refresher sessions and new materials orientation, under Area Education office Supervisory Unit auspices, are recommended..

The innovative trilingual pilot project developed and implemented by a dedicated "dream team" of committed professional educators from Pattani, Narathiwat, Yala, Satun and Songkla is completing a four-month testing period in 27 schools.

Successful findings and task-oriented creative thinking, which measure individual learner progress, should then be expanded into a comprehensive, community school-demonstration model offered to all small schools (125 students or fewer) throughout the 13 southern provinces.

CHANCHAI PRASERTSON

BANGKOK