PM Abhisit, don't give up on your country

But please don't let that be a cause for you to quit your premiership just because some people say so - especially the red shirts and their boss, Thaksin. Please be assured that much severer incidents than this happen in every corner of the world.

PM Abhisit, you and I both have our families living in the country. That says so much about our love for the country, and our determination to make it a better place for posterity. The fact that Thaksin has called all his children out of the country already says so much about whether he expects the ongoing demonstrations to be peaceful or bloody and violent. Don't let Thaksin have the satisfaction of having torn this country apart and devouring it in a gulp.

Thaksin is not a champion of democracy as he claims; he is a mere despot and a kleptomaniac.

CHAVALIT VAN

CHIANG MAI

Only solution is to include the grassroots

I'm glad that red-shirt leader Nattawut has reportedly agreed to the government's proposal for a cease-fire and pullback by both sides. This gives time not only for negotiations, but to get non-combatants out of the line of fire - especially women and children. When they agreed to join the demonstrations, the demonstrators believed the red shirts' and Thaksin's repeated promises that they were committed to non-violence, but the 230 soldiers wounded, mainly by bullets or shrapnel, proves that this was not the case.

Those protesters who signed up to fight non-violently for their legitimate grievances must be given the chance to have their grievances addressed in a non-violent fashion, not on a battlefield. For their part, the reds should encourage non-combatants to leave the field, lest they be accused of following the yellow-shirt leaders who, when faced with arrest for their demonstrations which brought our economy crashing down, surrounded themselves with the skirts of their followers.

Meanwhile, to solve the problem of the red shirts, we must solve the problems of the rural poor at their roots.

This is because "many of our laws, regulations and governmental functions … were not designed to benefit the majority of the people in this country", said Summit Champrasit, secretary-general of the Institute of Sufficiency Economy.

"Ever since King Rama VII granted 'democracy' to the people, the regime itself has failed to truly reach the grassroots, which is the majority of Thai society … The real social problems Thailand faces cannot be solved by … amendments to the Constitution, (or) House dissolution, but rather by reforming the 'system' to accommodate real grassroots participation. It is crucial to focus on identifying and solving these real problems for the grassroots, with the grassroots," he said.

The virtue of a democracy is that it "makes possible the reform of institutions without using violence", Karl Popper said. To have reform at a pace we can control, rather than allow pressure to build up until it explodes, we should quickly and thoroughly implement Anand Panyarachun's Seven Pillars of Sustainable Democracy - elections, political tolerance, rule of law, freedom of expression, accountability and transparency, decentralisation and civil society.

Thus, for example, we should - through NGOs, cause- and faith-based organisations and the other components of civil society at the local level - find out what the grassroots' major problems are, listen to diverse political opinions and invite politicians to all areas of the country. We the people must insist that all, whether the mastermind of the Suvarnabhumi or Asean Summit shutdown, in uniform or not, or the owner of forest reserves or of temple land, bow to the rule of law.

You, dear reader, must help set the framework to select politicians who display a long-term vision to solve our problems, and the integrity to place the nation's interests above their own.

Yes, I dream the impossible dream, but look at our great King, whose concern for, and listening to, the grassroots, is legendary. How can you do less than follow in his footsteps?

BURIN KANTABUTRA

BANGKOK

Dubai has a case to answer

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, the Army chief and the deputy chief handled the situation as best they could. The fact that over 40 bombs went off around the country speaks volumes about the other side's methods.

Claiming various excuses, the Shinawatra family left the country around March 10. On April 9, Thaksin Shinawatra supposedly sent an SMS to the red shirts to keep "fighting injustice" even when there were widespread rumours about clearing the public spaces.

At the same time he is talking about how lonely and hard working he is and about being invited by a Saudi Arabian prince to invest in two deals there. Thaksin sounds like an "ammart" versus the red-shirt "phrai".

This never would have happened had Dubai not for two years constantly refused Thailand's request for his extradition and demands for him to cease political activities and allowed Thaksin Shinawatra and his family to have a base of operations there.

Operating with its usual secrecy, Dubai has never come out and explained why this is the case. Adding to its reputation as a depository for Russian cash, it seems that the most important thing in Dubai is being friends with the Maktoum family. Another black mark on the emirate's less-than-sterling undemocratic image.

Also I have to laugh at "Reporters Without Borders", an international journalists group, which criticised the government for closing down People's TV (PTV), the red-shirt channel and communications link for the red shirts' illegal activities. This channel would never been allowed in any of their home countries. For these foreign armchair critics to say that PTV is "journalism" and that the three red-shirt leaders are "reporters" gives you an idea about what their standards are, that is, no standards whatsoever.

I hope that Abhisit will stay in office and try to do something to incorporate the non-Thaksin-related views of the red shirts, since it is pretty clear that many people countrywide do not feel that Parliament represents them.

F GOLDMAN

BANGKOK

Red shirts are our nation's hijackers

It is obvious the red shirts do not understand the meaning of democracy. The prime minister has said that new elections will be held before the end of this year. The red shirts should then use democracy to express their will through these new elections.

Basically the red shirts are like hijackers in a plane. Ready to blow up the aeroplane with everyone in it if they don't get their way directly. The only thing to do with hijackers and with the red shirts is storm the plane and if need be kill them.

ALBERT INSINGER

BANGKOK

Sitters and their deadly protest

I have heard that some people have died ... or were severely stricken because access to the police hospital was blocked by "the sitters". Roads are for vehicles not sitters. Perhaps the authorities could oil down the access roads ... so that vehicles could pass and sitters will not sit?

AL EBERHADRT

BANGKOK