Tiger, tiger, doped and dim

What I saw made me feel very uncomfortable indeed, but as a non-animal expert or activist I leave judgement to those who are.

Twenty or so tigers of varying ages from very young upwards were tethered, around the park, to pegs in the ground by a one-metre-long chain attached to a neck collar. The ground was hot, dry and bare. The tigers were so inanimate that it would seem that they had all been tranquilised. We were encouraged by our personal guide to touch a tiger, as far away from the head area as possible, while another guide used our own camera to photograph this event. I felt that the tigers were sufficiently drugged to have no particular reaction at all to this invasion of their space.

Is this a national disgrace? Or have I missed something? What do the experts say?

GEORGE CUPPAIDGE

KANCHANABURI

Grasp the nettle on long weekends

I agree with the Cabinet's decision to let government officials reschedule holidays to maximise long weekends and thus promote tourism. But why decide on a case-by-case basis? Do like America's done long ago, and reschedule most Tuesday holidays for Monday and Thursday ones for Friday. This way there'll be no favouritism on who gets the long weekend, and everybody will have more opportunities to see our lovely land.

I do wonder, though, why such a Mickey Mouse decision had to reach the Cabinet, instead of stopping at the director-general of the Civil Service Commission's desk. Surely he/she's competent enough and willing to be held accountable?

BURIN KANTABUTRA

BANGKOK

No time like present for self-sufficiency

A recent short communication in The Nation addressed the opportunities Thailand has to grow a self-sufficiency energy policy. In a recent article in McKinsey Quarterly (February 2009) they address the "huge opportunity developing economies have to strengthen their economic prosperity". In parallel thinking it has been emphasised that President Obama in the USA is targetting infrastructure and energy as major areas to invest in with the stimulus package in the US.

Thailand has a very good position, although possibly not singular, to grow, support and establish a technology/production basis for the Green (energy) future and at the same time to reduce the country's dependence on imported energy, and by doing this to reduce the country's CO2 emissions drastically.

Thailand has an industry basis very well suited to make products for eg solar, wave and wind energy sourcing. (Look to India). Thailand has an environment that clearly supports such sources as alternatives to reduce imported energy consumption. At the other end, Thailand has a need for developing and implementing effective waste-management processes and procedures, such that will increase recycling and reduce waste. (Use real waste for energy recovery to reduce landfills.)

With the clearly defined economic incentives such an approach should provide for all of Thai society it is unfortunate that Thailand does not find more space in the current situation to a) support R&D to support this area (eg support national initiatives to document/grow the technology basis), b) invest stimulus in industries growing this combination sector (eg industry programmes to develop the sector or eg tax incentives for energy effective automobiles locally) and c) promote these developments through politics and policies. (Look to Japan for eg solar support for condos, housing, industry etc.)

NILS B VOGT

BANGKOK