Better off voting for an independent

The two main rivals in the Bangkok gubernatorial election are starting to make headlines with their photo ops.

Sukhumbhand's postures are still more convincing for the celebrity tabloids. His street clean-up demo looked awkward, even though he must have tried his best.

As an expert in public affairs, Pongsapat has scored better than his rival in street-sweeping. And the photo that catches him giving food, with a benign look, to an aged woman could easily win him an Oscar if he chose not to return to the police force after the election.

But, entertaining as it may be, Bangkok people are sad to see that, after three decades of regional economic growth, the city has not been transformed like Singapore, Hong Kong or Kuala Lumpur. Bangkok streets are still clogged with traffic, the noise is unbelievable, tangled spaghetti-like electrical wires still hang above rough pavements, and polluted water still flows along urban canals.

Why should Bangkok people be hoodwinked by politically linked candidates from the big parties? They should prudently select an independent candidate who is qualified and who is ready and determined to serve them best.

Yingwai Suchaovanich

Bangkok

Siblings with no

long-term vision

Re: "Visionary strategies lost on short-sighted politicians", Thai Talk, February 7.

I totally agree with Suthichai Yoon that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has yet to show leadership qualities. So far, popular belief is that she has been acting as a mouthpiece for her brother Thaksin.

First and foremost on her agenda should be an overhaul of the education system. But one thing these two siblings have in common is that they pay only lip service to reforming our national education system.

That is why I, for one, never believed what they had to say, right from the beginning.

Vint Chavala

Lamphun