LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Thaksin scripting the end of the TRT with his 'charismatic person' conspiracy theory
Caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin may have placed the last nail in his own coffin with the comment that there was an extra-constitutional "charismatic" person interfering with his regime from a prepared text.
He is the only premier who has resorted to innuendoes as a tool to polarise the nation. People have no other explanation except to think he referred to His Majesty the King or Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda. He has had abundant opportunity to clarify the remark, but he uncharacteristically chose to seal his lips. Top attorney Meechai Ruchuphan made a careful observation that Thaksin may have violated Article 8 of the Constitution with that ill-fated remark. Absent a convincing explanation from the caretaker PM, I tend to agree. The caretaker PM has made many miscalculations, including underestimating Sondhi Limthongkul; making a hasty resolution of Parliament and rushing a snap election to handcuff the opposition; thinking that people would not care about his tax-free windfall of Bt73.3 billion; and failing to face up to the less-than-transparent privatisation of Egat. He also installed a fellow police officer, a crony of his, to run the Election Commission while pledging to protect democracy with his life. When the history of the Thaksin regime is written, the comment about an "extra-constitutional charismatic person" will be more than a footnote; it will be the opening paragraph of the final postscript, with or without involuntary dissolution of his Thai Rak Thai Party. Netirat Intira Bangkok
---------------------------------- Germany didn't stand a chance, and the PM knew it!
Earlier, caretaker PM Thaksin said he would go to Berlin to watch the World Cup Final. He said he might have a chance to meet other world leaders in Berlin in a football diplomacy of sorts. Now he says he is not going, because Germany is not in the World Cup final. At the time the caretaker PM revealed his plan to attend the World Cup in the middle of multidirectional crises at home, Germany was nowhere assured of breaking through the quarter-final elimination round. Germany has since continued the tradition. It has never beaten Italy in the World Cup. Our caretaker PM has perfected the art of making such claims with a straight and square face. We do not want to say he is a national disgrace, but he has compounded the fiasco of his ill-fated scheme to use proceeds from the lottery to buy the Liverpool Football Club and spare his own billions. Veharachan Bangkok
------------------------------------------- Central World Plaza could become 'heart of Bangkok'
Early on Wednesday morning, I watched the Germany-Italy World Cup match on the big screen at Central World Plaza. The area was teeming with all nationalities enjoying a wonderful spectacle together. I don't know what is planned for this wide-open space outside the shopping centre, which is currently being renovated, but with the right design and street furniture, it could be turned into the "beating heart of Bangkok". Bangkok lacks a central open street space for strolling, street theatre and maybe even debates, which characterises other world class cities, such as London, with its Leicester Square and Trafalgar Square. Such an area would be an additional attraction for Thais and tourists alike to the premier shopping area of Thailand. Bangkok deserves such a "square", and it would enrich this city as long as strict enforcement were applied to keep it clear of the street traders, beer gardens and restaurants that characterised the area before the renovation. Please make it happen! John Mottley Bangkok
------------------------------ Restrictions on foreigners aiding regional competitors
Re: "Vietnamese rice deals 'cutting Thailand's lunch'," Opinion, July 6. Thirty-five years ago, the star of Southeast Asia was Thailand. Then a series of repressive laws against foreigners and foreign investment was instituted. It has been downhill ever since, slowly falling to second behind Singapore, then third behind Malaysia, and now Vietnam is catching up, very quickly. Isn't it time for reform of those repressive laws? What does it matter if foreigners buy land? They can't take it on the plane when they leave, and if they stay, then they are Thai. Oh, sorry, those laws need to be updated, too. Michael Weldon Udon Thani
----------------------------------- Seeking the establishment of a more open media in Laos
An open letter to President Choummaly Sayasone of the People's Democratic Republic of Laos: Dear Mr President, Following your appointment as head of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party and the state of Laos, Reporters without Borders, an international organisation that defends press freedom, wishes to draw your attention to serious and persistent press-freedom problems in Laos. We recommend you undertake some radical reforms that would finally allow the emergence of an independent press and the protection of journalists' rights. We deplore the fact that Lao journalists are still officials in the Information and Culture Ministry and that, according to our sources, they are forced into self-censorship. Even though the French-language weekly Le Renovateur and English-language Vientiane Times sometimes risk reports on certain socio-economic problems, the majority of the media put out only news favourable to the party that you head. However, the party newspaper, Paxaxon ("People"), continues to present itself as a "revolutionary publication produced by the people for the people and which serves the political programme of the revolution". We also urge you to reform the criminal code, which currently allows journalists to be sentenced to long prison terms for "spreading news that weakens the state". The law also lays down a one-year prison sentence for anyone who imports a "publication contrary to national culture". We would hope, Mr President, that the draft press law announced in 2000 can be amended to be more liberal. This draft law protects journalists' sources, sets out the conditions for obtaining a publication licence and would allow privately owned media. It is encouraging, but it seems to us essential there should be a protective framework for the development of a privately owned and independent press. The Lao media provides nothing but propaganda. We also urge you to allow more pluralism of news and information, by allowing Radio Free Asia and Radio France International, for example, to broadcast their Lao-language programmes to Vientiane and other major cities in the country. We also ask you to allow greater freedom of access to your country to foreign reporters. We have heard a number of accounts showing that the foreign press is prevented from covering the plight of the Hmong minority and in particular the isolated groups in the jungle that continue to fight against the Vientiane government. Amnesty International has reported that scores of civilians, most of them children, have died since 2003, "through lack of food or as a result of injuries suffered in the conflict". More generally, we urge you to find a humanitarian solution to the problem of the Hmong groups who are surrounded by the security forces. Finally, we particularly call on you to pardon Thongpaseuth Keuakoun, author of many articles and pamphlets on the situation in Laos and the need for democratic reform. In March 2003, we learned he had been sentenced one year earlier to 20 years in prison for "anti-government activity". I trust you will give our requests your careful consideration. Robert Menard Secretary-general, Reporters without Borders Paris ---------------------------------- Night construction making for sleepless suburban nights
It is 1:30 in the morning, and I just returned to my home. It has been impossible to sleep, because one of the neighbours is constructing a large swimming pool and thought that midnight was an appropriate time to deliver and plant large trees using heavy lifting equipment in a narrow soi in a residential area. The trees had to be hoisted over utility wires, and one of the trees was nearly dropped on the electricity and telephone lines. The police were called twice but did not respond. The workers were drinking and shouting, and the equipment was spewing large amounts of smoke directly into an apartment building. The owner of the swimming pool simply did not care that he kept the entire neighbourhood awake. If the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration is serious about improving the quality of life for city residents, it can start by developing and enforcing basic regulations that can be used to control blatantly rude and inconsiderate behaviour that affect people's ability to enjoy their own homes. Night construction is strictly banned in most cities in residential areas, and it is time for Bangkok to address this issue directly and the police to take such calls from residents on this issue seriously. Thomas Jordan Bangkok
------------------------------------ Kudos and a question on the delay of the subway fare hike
On behalf of subway users in Bangkok, I would like to express my thanks for the government's prompt reaction in postponing the effective date of the fare rise to the beginning of next month. And I am glad to hear that users are allowed to get a refund of the cost over the two days following the fair hike. However, I just wonder how Bangkok Metro Co Ltd (BMCL) can identify those [people eligible for a refund] at the service counter, especially for those users who bought a one-way token during that time. In order to avoid further confusion on this case, we hope to receive an announcement from BMCL explaining to us how to handle this. KT Bangkok
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