Every day in the newspaper, one of the major providers of mobile-phone services advertises; however, the quality of these services remains hopeless.

When consumers make a call, more often than not they end up repeating "Hello?" because the sound just echoes, and they are unable to continue their conversation. One frequently has to wait patiently to establish a connection. Despite this, mobile operators say they are continually upgrading their networks. I do not understand what they mean. Receiving a call is still difficult. Many places in and around Bangkok are not accessible to subscribers of one of the largest providers of mobile services in Thailand. It is a shame this is the situation in a country that has boasted such great advancements in technology.

Communication is the bloodline of any developing economy, and if it is not properly maintained, then I feel the economy of the nation will be hurt. Businesses will end up losing customers if this situation remains with the major providers of services. Operators of these services should concentrate more on bettering their networks rather than on trendy gimmicks.

In spite of these problems, it seems locals here are not bothered enough to voice their opinions. Mobile-phone services are very costly in Thailand compared with many other countries, which is yet another reason why there is no justification for the poor quality of service here.

Another problem I have noted is that most of the messages sent by mobile-phone service providers are in the local language. Perhaps they expect foreigners to learn Thai in its entirety during their short stays here.

Last of all, when consumers call a customer care centre to inquire about problems, they are always charged for the call. These providers should trouble themselves with providing better services to their customers rather than just fleecing them.

Jacob

Bangkok

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PM's portrayal in media the product of his own wild claims

Re: "Making the media a scapegoat an easy out for PM", Opinion, August 15.

I have always had high respect for our press, whose standard must be the best in the region. However, they are as fickle as leaves and can change their tone quickly.

Unfortunately, the image of the current caretaker prime minister is beyond repair, because of the preposterous statements he continually makes that he then has to deny and blame on the media once he finally comes back to Earth.

The first famous one was the promise to correct Bangkok's traffic jams within six months.

Another was the promise to the southern constituency of higher budget spending.

The unbeatable one was a nationwide promise that the provinces that voted for his party would receive a higher budget allocation, a taboo that is never expressed by a prime minister of any nation.

The latest deed was Saturday's talk to the nation, an obvious call for popularity that is unfair to his opponents, even though it is legal (he will now stop the broadcasts after having given it one last go).

No, it is not the press that has made him look bad, but rather his recurring utterances that were independently reported by the press. He is in fact his own worst enemy, despite his brilliance as an administrator. Why can't he ever learn?

Geographically, his party now has the upper hand. He can now afford to be fair-minded and appear sporty, so that when he wins, the country remains governable. The selfish mentality of burying your opponents should now be buried for his sake and the harmony of the country.

Songdej Praditsmanont

Bangkok

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Nasrallah not the leader to bring about Mideast peace

Hizbollah has declared its great victory over Israel. We here in Israel wish our Arab neighbours many more victories like this one.

It is perhaps time for the Lebanese and indeed all of the Arab world to stop and mull over whether Nasrallah is really the role model to bring peace to the Middle East. Isn't it time to come to terms with the existence of the state of Israel and stop day-dreaming about its annihilation?

Paul Farkash

Kiriat Bialik, Israel

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No dealing with roots of terror until US, UK halt 'aggression'

Re: "Hizbollah manipulates the media to serve its own ends", Letters, August 15.

There are always two sides to a story, and propaganda is too powerful a pill to swallow whole. Individual terrorism must be separated and differentiated from state terrorism.

British Home Secretary John Reid talks about a "common cause" among the people of Britain and a deep struggle against "very evil people". US President George W Bush describes terrorists as "Islamic fascists".

Certainly there is a common cause that people don't want to be blown up, but to blame terrorism simply on "very evil people" should not be entertained by anyone other than those who have difficulty thinking rationally.

The US illegally invaded Iraq and Afghanistan. The ongoing policies of both the US and the UK everywhere, from Asia to Africa, have terrorised the people of so many countries that they now have no moral authority to invade any country.

So-called terrorists Hamas and Hizbollah resisting Israeli occupation and the destruction of Palestine and Lebanon has led the US to arm Tel Aviv to the teeth, an action that flies in the face both of UN policy and international law.

People will only be able to address the roots of individual terrorist acts once Israel withdraws to its original borders and there is an end to the imperialist wars of occupation, aggression and threatening behaviour launched by the US and the UK.

These "very evil people" are also the warmongers in positions of power, and only the people's desire for peace can challenge this state power. Unfortunately, when peaceful persuasion for change is no longer heard, historically people often resort to violence and individual acts of terrorism.

Giles Wynne

Nakhon Ratchasima

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Deaths of disabled in Qana not Hizbollah-invented spin

Re: "Hizbollah manipulates the media to serve its own ends", Letters, August 15.

No manipulation was necessary to determine that the premeditated Israeli invasion of Lebanon was a real disaster and that the death toll did increase. Death-toll figures may vary; however, this does not alter the fact that 15 innocent children with disabilities lost their lives in Qana.

I spent two months in Lebanon prior to the outbreak of the war, living and working at the grass-roots level. I was not duped but had an accurate understanding of the situation on the ground.

Kerry Wills

Bangkok

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Writer underplayed some of the faults in private schools

Re: "Xenophobia is hampering education reform", Letters, August 14.

Krabong Kuverakorn's plain-speaking letter is indicative that Thai parents are waking up to the fact that they pay through the nose for an education their children do not get.

There are two points in the letter that Krabong touched on very diplomatically.

The first is about the farang teacher turnover in schools: it is one of the highest rates in the world.

The high turnover stems from the three-month system in which teachers can be fired - no justification necessary - so that schools can avoid having to pay the expected salary increase as well as having to provide all of the benefits that come with a full-time contract.

Now in some prestigious schools, this exodus occurs at the end of each semester, due to the "rotten administration" - Krabong's words - of some of these schools. Most of my farang teaching colleagues do not take the games played by administrators and their whims lightly.

They hold the idea of an indiscriminate pass as going against their professional ethics.

They resent being judged by those who are totally ignorant of English, and they find it unacceptable when a disruptive student's words are held above their own.

The second point is about age limits. Farang teachers older than 60 are not just "not encouraged" to continue, but rather are forced out of their jobs by the system.

Loki Ragnaroekssen

New South Wales, Australia

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Denying that alcoholism is a disease is 'totally inaccurate'

Re: "Drinking alcohol is always a matter of will power", Letters, August 14.

To suggest that the choice to drink is a matter of will power presents a totally inaccurate view and is easy to say when you are not addicted yourself.

It has been well established by medical and social-service establishments that all addictions need to be regarded as a disease and treated accordingly. It is doing a great disservice to those afflicted and their families to suggest otherwise.

Alcoholics, compulsive gamblers and those suffering from other addictions should not be looked down on, but instead guided if possible to seek treatment. Unfortunately, for the most part you cannot help addicted persons until they themselves are absolutely ready to seek help.

Ted Dunn

Mukdahan

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