SRT must fire incompetent staff members

Dr Sakon says, "The urgent problem is a lack of qualifications among workers … If the SRT cannot get rid of those who are inefficient, attempts to improve the agency will go nowhere."

The SRT has lost money every year since its founding, with you and I picking up the tab. Every time somebody floats a reform plan, union members stage an illegal wildcat strike, holding the whole country to ransom - as they did recently. SRT's management and each government have no guts and wave white flags at the first opportunity, holding nobody accountable for damage done.

Enough is enough, PM Abhisit. No organisation, especially one that chronically loses money literally by the trainload, can afford to keep low producers. Have transparent, measurable key performance indicators (KPIs) for each unit and person, benchmarked against Asia's top three rail performers. If SRT closes the gap between it and them (even if SRT hasn't reached their level), SRT staff gets 50 per cent of the savings, to go towards performance-based bonuses. If the gap is not closed, the bottom 10 per cent of staff in terms of KPI will be fully compensated in accordance with the law and let go. If need be, new, fully qualified staff will be hired at market rates, to replace those dismissed.

The SRT should send wildcat strikers who call in sick to the nearest public hospital to be checked, and any malingerers paid in accordance with the law and fired. If need be, military engineers should take over the strikers' work. SRT's union leaders and union will be held fully responsible for losses suffered by SRT, its passengers, and freight customers due to the illegal strike.

Do you, dear reader, have the guts to stand up and stop your pockets being picked by the government to pay for SRT inefficiency?

Burin Kantabutra

Bangkok

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Why is Israel not subject to nuclear inspection?

Re: "Carter: Bush is worst president in my lifetime", Opinion November 23.

Suthichai, another job well done. I found this discussion to be very interesting. Especially concerning the Middle East and the Islamic world.

What do you think is the biggest threat to the world now? In the long term, I think the Israeli-Palestinian issue is a festering cancer that could erupt into a big conflict. This is the issue that arouses terrorism and animosity for many people. Arab countries have agreed to recognise Israel diplomatically - and as a trade partner - provided that Israel withdraws from Palestine. That, I think, is the main threat.

President Carter is not well liked by the state of Israel; his thinking has been a thorn in its side. I agree that if Israel withdraws from Palestine, and follows the directions of the UN, we will have less chance of a large war.

Another item that needs to be taken into consideration is Israel's nuclear weapons. Israel has not agreed to international inspection, and has not accounted for its weapons of mass destruction. The whole world is talking about Iran and North Korea not being honest about nuclear activities, but no one is questioning Israel.

Perhaps President Obama will.

Tom

Bangkok

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Carter takes the prize as worst president

Re: "Carter: Bush is worst president in my lifetime", Opinion November 23.

I just finished reading the Suthichai Yoon interview with former US President Jimmy Carter and I was amazed. Mr Carter is having some serious memory problems because there is no doubt that he was the worst US president in my lifetime and I, too, have enjoyed a long life. When Mr Carter left office, the American economy was in the grip of double-digit inflation, record high interest rates and a lack of prestige on the world stage. His answer to the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan was to boycott the Moscow Olympics; the US military was disenchanted and it was with great relief that Mr Carter was voted out of office - and considered a failed president.

Mr Carter needs to focus on humanitarian projects - an area where he can do good things - and stop trying to repair his reputation and salve his bruised ego. The last thing the US needs is a former president with his own foreign policy and a lack of self-control when the cameras are on.

Run, Jimmy, run - all the way back to Georgia.

David Wells

Bangkok

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Warren Harding retains his dubious title

Re: "Carter: Bush is worst president in my lifetime", Opinion November 23.

Since my man Warren Harding has topped every list I've ever seen as being America's worst president, I was worried that his title - which he has held with such honour and dignity - was threatened by Carter's comment. But then I re-read Carter's statement and realised he said Bush was the worst president "in my lifetime". Since Harding died about a year before Carter was born, Harding's title is still safe.

Not even George W Bush - a worthy contender if I ever saw one - could replace Harding as America's worst president. Warren does it again!

Eric Bahrt

Pattaya