Re: "Buddhism doesn't need Christian terms", Letters, July 27.
As a product of a Catholic school, I wholeheartedly agree with William Page about his objection to the use of "Buddhist Lent" to mean Khao Phansa. As editor of "Thailand Executive Diary, 2010", a government publication, I am glad to inform Mr Page that on the Public Holidays page, July 27 is marked as Khao Phansa ("Beginning of the Buddhist Rainy Season Retreat"), and it has been like this for some years now despite what the Tourism Authority of Thailand might have said.
MALITHAT PROMATHATAVEDI
BANGKOK
Understand it before you celebrate it
Re: "Buddhism doesn't need Christian terms", Letters, July 27.
I agree with William Page's statement that Buddhism should not have to borrow terms from Christianity or any other religion. In the same vein, I would like to take back the term "Christmas" from the millions of Buddhists and others who celebrate this holy celebration for all the wrong reasons. If you want to have a celebration on or about the same day as Christians, which celebrates the birth of our Lord and Saviour, do it, but please call your fete by a different name. The name Christmas is ours and there is a feeling that having millions of people saying Merry Christmas (I fully acknowledge the happy holidays and celebrate giving without having any idea about the true meaning) is as bad as a slap in the face.
BRIAN D GRANBERG
BANGKOK
Grassroots movement needs to start afresh
In consideration of the red-shirt crisis in Thailand, there is often talk of a "grassroots movement" from the agricultural sector in the North and Northeast. The populist ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is often credited with this.
A grassroots movement is logical and understandable, as the poverty gap in Thailand is wide. No gap is wider than the wealth of one man from the rest.
There is a tradition in agricultural communities of burning the fields after harvest. The symbolic burning of Bangkok should serve this purpose for the grassroots population. The grassroots movement should now start afresh.
A "sufficiency economy" would favour those who supply the essential needs of the population, rather than the capitalist system, which needs to keep growing to satisfy the greed of the already rich. A party intent on implementing a sufficiency economy should attract the votes of grassroots voters, but the voters will need to accept the short-term loss of revenue from vote-buying for the long-term gain.
RICHARD BOWLER
BANGKOK
What evidence for |the PAD argument?
The Thai PM, tied to the apron strings of the PAD, has said Thailand will not cooperate with the UN World Heritage Committee (WHC) if it proposes a management plan for the Preah Vihear temple that infringes upon the disputed border area. On the one side there are maps from the first part of the last century, documents from an International Court of Justice decision in 1962, and the records of a recent WHC decision. Where are the documents and records for the other side of the argument? I have tried in vain to find a reference to even one piece of non-PAD paper that says there is a "disputed area". If there is an argument from the PAD side, then where is the evidence? Was there a challenge to the 1962 International Court decision? Please tell us what piece of evidence supports the PAD argument.
GUY BAKER
BANGKOK
Nobody is listening in Shepherd's Bush
I have now waited over six weeks for my complaint to the BBC to be processed, and I still haven't heard a word from them. As we all know, this is the BBC's version of "respect". The same respect that it shows when their correspondents accuse anybody voicing an opinion that differs from their own as "rumour-mongers".
Having been ignored (in a respectful way of course) I would like to directly ask one very simple question to the BBC: Does the BBC still stand by its comments that were transmitted around the world, that the red-shirt protests were largely peaceful?
SIMON JONES
BANGKOK