Why are belts on taxi backseats not mandatory?

Why is it that seatbelts are not required in the back of Bangkok's taxis? Every time we take a high-speed taxi ride to or from the airport I worry about this, and my fears were only confirmed on Sunday when my friends got involved in a five-car pile-up travelling in a taxi from the airport.

How much can it cost to make back-seat seatbelts mandatory, and for the taxis that have them, to keep them in working order?

ROB NEWMAN

KOH SAMUI

Take immediate steps to revive interest in Thailand

In spite of what it looks like with the by-election results, most people in the country are fed up with the turmoil.

A survey recently showed that 70 per cent of the people want the government to get on with the job, for now.

We do not need any more troubles, what with swine flu, the financial state of the world and other troubles.

What needs to be done right now (as has been done in surrounding countries): make investment easier, make visa regulations easier and float the baht.

Everyone seems to know this except the people in charge.

Do it now before Thailand is not competitive or not interesting anymore.

REBEL PLATOON

BANGKOK

Anti-ageing expert missed a key factor - gravity

Reference the June 25 Daily Express article … Anti-Ageing.

Khun Sirikul, the researcher, mentioned every ageing possibility known, except the main one - gravity. Eating too much, drinking too much, not sleeping enough, genetics and injuries all play a part in our long or short lives.

But gravity is the ultimate determinate. As the famous World War II pin-up Mae West said in her later years, "I have everything I had as a young woman … only it's a little closer to the floor".

The next major breakthrough for mankind will be sustained and practical neutralised gravity. Ultimately nano implants of gravity-neutral properties in the human body will allow less gravitational stress on all vital organs, thus allowing longer lives.

Last, if you want to feel and look better, try the long breathing as taught at Wat Suan Mokkh in Surat Thani. For the past three years I have been practising three hours a day, 10- to 12-second breaths (one hour at a time). You normally breathe 20 to 22 times a minute … upper lungs only.

I am doing only five long breaths a minute. The result being greatly enhanced aeration of my blood supply, thus allowing all vital organs - heart, liver, kidneys, etc - vastly improved performance.

At 70 years of age a recent blood test indicated all individual test items (16 major tests in total) all normal - no negatives - not since I was a teenager.

THE GRAVITY GUY

BANGKOK

Show remorse before seeking pardon

Thaksin's followers are reportedly gathering a million signatures to petition His Majesty the King to pardon the convicted felon. Thaksin wants to avoid jail entirely. But on what grounds would His Majesty grant such a pardon?

Since our judicial system has acquitted Thaksin, his ex-wife, MP Chalerm Yoobamrung and the red shirts for various offences, Thaksin's claim that his conviction was politically motivated is hard to swallow. So, if we accept the verdict as being just, should His Majesty forgive corruption because of the perceived good that the felon's done for us?

If so, then, a girl's father, having done good by bringing her up, should be able to imprison and repeatedly rape his child - and get away with it.

Or, when the Pachimsawat son was arrested for murder using his Benz, he could have made a lot of merit to a local wat, or paid a blood price, and be set free. Thaksin's logic escapes me.

Thaksin should follow the words of His Majesty: "If the country does not follow the rule of law, it will not survive". He should return, serve at least part of his sentence, show remorse by repaying society for stealing from it, and then petition His Majesty.

Thaksin would be following the example of many other leaders who went to jail, such as Martin Luther King or Nelson Mandela, though they willingly went to jail for their beliefs, not for being a crook, and that makes all the difference.

BURIN KANTABUTRA

BANGKOK