Asean human rights body is an embarrassment

Javier Solana wrote a very worthy piece in your newspaper to herald the Asean Summit in Phuket. Indeed, it is littered with support and good intentions towards, and praise of, Asean.

However, what is starkly missing from his missive was any meaningful reference to human rights.

With the Regional Human Rights Commission struggling into life and gaining so many column inches in the regional press, it is indeed strange that within his effusive praise he did not find an appropriate space to acknowledge its birth.

Might it be perhaps an embarrassment? What could he say that was positive that might not return to haunt him at a later date? Clearly nothing.

I suspect his erudite advisers wisely excluded all references to this body in his piece, as it is certainly nothing to be proud of. Indeed it is funny when people fail to acknowledge the elephant in the room; but invariably it speaks volumes about all those present.

JOHN SYMONS

BANGKOK

Small fish need sharp teeth to survive

Asean's splashy endorsement of the terms of reference for the Asean Inter-governmental Commission on Human Rights represents a first baby step in shallow, troubled waters, before wading into quicksand drop-offs. Righting uncivil wrongs requires true-or-false crocodile teeth, tapering jaws and armour-like skin when thrown into shark-infested depths where big fish swallow minnows and shrimp feed on plankton.

CHARLES FREDERICKSON

BANGKOK

Commuters are turned off by poor public buses

The new public Metro Bus is a sign of positive change and is the first step in improving public transport in the metropolitan area. One main cause of the traffic problem in Bangkok is, no doubt, the present standard of public transport.

A lot of people say that we should reduce the number of cars in the city. But how can we do so when public transport is still such a bad service? The public buses should be improved first, so that more people are willing to use them. But for now, the public transport issue remains unsolved.

KASAMON SRIBURANASORN

BANGKOK

Amend the law to improve justice for society

I was talking to a Thai lawyer friend over the weekend about why the dozens of criminal cases against Thaksin have not gone forward. She explained that a Thai law - one passed many decades ago - requires that the accused be physically present at an arraignment before prosecution of a case can go forward. It's a bit difficult to understand this requirement, particularly when so many bad guys have fled the scene. Thaksin is just one example. Watana Asavahame? Kamnan Po? Must be many others who can afford it.

The facts of a case do not change with or without the presence of the accused. Flight from justice tends to demonstrate guilt, not innocence. Justice covers not only the accused, but also the victim. In the case of Thaksin, Thai society is the victim many times over.

It is time for some initiative in the Parliament to change this law. Since it is just one single point, and eliminating it would not violate the Constitution, it should be a day's work to pass a new bill. Time to put pressure on the legislators of all parties to pass such a bill. Anyone who resists doing so is saying they do not care about justice in Thailand.

GIBSON MARTIN

BANGKOK

Junk mail? Return it to sender

I would like to make a suggestion on what to do about junk mail. I find it doesn't do any good to click "Delete" or "Junk" because Hotmail continues to forward the same junk mail anyway. But here's my idea: Why not add "Return to sender" next to "Junk" and "Delete". This would allow us to return junk mail unopened to the obnoxious creeps who send it in the first place. See how they like it when it's their inboxes cluttered up with their own junk. I'm not sure this will solve the problem but I still think it's a great idea for people who believe in poetic justice!

ERIC BAHRT

PATTAYA