Another perspective on airport shutdown

Even if some 26 people are now summoned for an "interview" with the police, that doesn't change the fact that the airport was not closed down by the PAD people.

The PAD went there to see then-PM Somchai upon his return from South America. When the PM's plane was diverted to Don Mueang and PM Somchai then immediately flew on to Chiang Mai (and basically hid at his wife's house for weeks), the PAD decided to stay at Suvarnabhumi. After all, the "old" protest site was repeatedly shelled with grenades, with several people killed.

The airport was declared closed by the director of the airport at 9pm on that day, but without any prior negotiations with the PAD people. The director, who I hear was a Thaksinist, intentionally aggravated the situation with his decision. If he had been clever, he would have negotiated with the PAD leaders for them to gather at a place inside the airport where there was no interruption of regular service for passengers and flights. For example he could have offered some space on the parking lot opposite the main hall. That would have reduced the available space for parking but not disrupted the service of the airport or infringed on security of air traffic.

So instead of asking the PAD, we (or the police) should quiz the director of the airport on what made him come up with this wrong decision!

SAM MUNICH

BANGKOK

Bangkok governor a failure so far

Editorial: Bangkokians want a better city to live in, July 10, 2009

Great editorial on the poor job the current governor of Bangkok is doing to improve the city. Frankly, I couldn't even remember his name, let alone any of his accomplishments to date.

Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra has done nothing in the six months that he has held office. You are correct in suggesting that some performance benchmarks need to be set and monitored regularly. Bangkok's governors need to demonstrate greater accountability for getting things done. It is shameful that some can waltz into office and get paid for doing absolutely nothing.

Your suggestions for improving the city are also spot on. The trouble is, Governor MR Sukhumbhand, like his predecessors, seems too caught up with using the position of governor to promote himself, rather than fulfilling the job requirements. You've probably done more thinking on how to improve life in Bangkok in one editorial than Governor MR Sukhumbhand has done in six months.

It is shameful how our politicians can flaunt their incompetence. It is even more shameful that we, the public, stand on the sidelines and tolerate their incompetence. Hurray for the multi-coloured-shirt protesters, who dare to challenge such abuse of power (but challenge it in the right way!).

I'm fed up with politicians speaking a good game and then doing absolutely nothing. In fact, my expectations have dropped so low that I have become apathetic. Good for you to remind me to continue to rant against lousy politicians.

Governor Sukhumbhand's leadership will be marked with an "F" grade if he continues on course. He is a role model for miserable, ineffective leadership.

OUTRAGED TAXPAYER

BANGKOK

Is Israel the only sovereign country?

It was most interesting to hear US Vice President Joe Biden say that America can't tell Israel what to do because Israel is a "sovereign country".

But didn't America invade Iraq because Saddam Hussein didn't do what America told him to do? I guess Iraq isn't a sovereign country, only Israel.

And didn't America tell Iran not to develop nuclear weapons while America says nothing about Israel's nuclear arsenal? But I guess Iran is also not a sovereign country, only Israel.

And what about Lebanon, a country that Israel is always invading and committing atrocities against? You guess it readers, Lebanon is also not a sovereign country, only Israel.

Even if we buy into the view that America can't tell Israel what to do, certainly America doesn't have to give Israel billions of dollars in military and economic aid while they're doing it. But maybe even America is not a sovereign country, only Israel!

ERIC BAHRT

PATTAYA

Noise pollution on rise, even on Internet

"Bangkokians want a better city to live in", Editorial, July 10.

You state that the capital's governor has failed to live up to promises to improve the urban environment. The article goes on to say that noise pollution from all kinds of sources appears to be on the rise, which I agree with. It's not safe to go out in Bangkok because, as you have written, of the loud music and promotional activities in department stores and noisy and intrusive advertisements on the BTS trains and station platforms. But what you have missed out is that even your own online newspaper has now got loud intrusive sound recordings coming out of my laptop now making me scramble for the volume-disable button each morning. Come on, Nation: please make the Internet noise-pollution free.

MR MILDEW

BANGKOK

Only the free of sin can raise the sin tax

I have doubts about former deputy prime minister Olarn Chaipravat's suggestion that the government should intervene |on the baht and lift tax on tobacco, liquor and beer. In fact, the Thai people have |suffered very much already from these toxic products. The government has done the right thing. It seems to me that Olarn's points are not straightforward. He should clarify whether his points are based on academic reasons or political interest. Otherwise, he will gradually lose more of his credibility. I remember that when he served as deputy prime minister he said the US was far from Thailand and its economy would not affect us. And what is the result now?

SIAM OPINION

BANGKOK

PM is wrong in not asking Kasit to resign

I respectfully and fully disagree with PM Abhisit's stand that there is no need for Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya to resign now. I am of the old-fashioned school that Michelle Obama says she and her husband were raised by: "That you work hard for what you want in life; that your word is your bond and you do what you say you're going to do; ... All of us are driven by a simple belief that the world as it is just won't do. That we have an obligation to fight for the world as it should be. That is the thread that connects our hearts."

When pursuing the foreign minister's post, Kasit said, for the record, that he would "resign and fight charges" if he should ever receive official police charges over PAD's closure of the airports, for he believed in the judicial process. This was not an off-the-cuff remark, and he, of all in the Cabinet, should know the vital importance of choosing one's words, as even a wrongly-chosen word, let alone a whole sentence, can easily have us at odds with other nations.

Kasit spoke hastily in vowing to resign if and when charged - but having so pledged, his word must be his bond and he must keep it. By defending Kasit's seat, to me, PM Abhisit is selecting the expedient over what is right - and that's not what a leader who hopes to reform Thai politics does.

BURIN KANTABUTRA

BANGKOK