In the past, Thaksin was short-tempered if someone accused him of any wrongdoing. He heaped scorn on the "sore losers" and asked for millions of baht if someone just scratched "his reputation". This time Thaksin is sure that at least four Army officers wanted to kill him. And what does he do? Almost nothing. Just the driver is in jail and one person (Pallop Pinmanee) lost his job.

If Thaksin really thought there was a conspiracy to kill him, you would expect far-reaching arrests. It would not have surprised me to hear talk of executions. But nothing like this happened. The accused officers still have their jobs and are walking around free. Is Thaksin not scared they will try to kill him again or at least flee the country? When you add to all of this the very unusual helpful attitude of the people around Thaksin, you don't have to think too far who might be behind the bomb parts in the car.

Maybe the accused officers should ask Thaksin for some hundreds of millions of baht in compensation because Thaksin wants to blame them. Maybe talking about money would bring out the Thaksin we all know.

A Concerned Citizen

Bangkok

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Don't allow alleged plot to overshadow other cases

The news of the alleged attempt to assassinate Thaksin Shinawatra effectively diverted all attention away from his falling popularity. It is now reasonable for him to tighten the screws on security and not expect any complaints. With a PhD in criminology from Sam Houston State University in Texas, he knows how criminals think and can flip the card in his favour. The People's Alliance for Democracy and other opponents must be careful.

I am not a fan of Internal Security Operation Command deputy director-general Pallop Pinmanee, and this is a golden opportunity for his boss to sack him. I don't believe Pallop is behind this plot. Experts have pointed out that the ingredients found in the car were not the proper kind to do the job.

The close proximity of so many onlookers on the scene is also suspicious. It all looks like a ploy to divert people's attention.

Thaksin plays up the divisions in our society and creates even more among policemen, soldiers and civil servants. He always blames others, but never considers his own faults.

I wonder how he can sleep knowing his security crews turned a blind eye when thugs beat up an old man? How low will the police go? This is clearly selective application of the law. Is this the standard we have set for our children? These security crews should meet the same fate as the three ex-Election Commission (EC) members for their negligence.

It is falls on us, the people, to follow up on the selection process for new EC members, the national Counter Corruption Commission selection process, the progress in the forthcoming election, the cases to disband political parties, the probe into the Tax Department and the background of the Kularb Kaew deal.

Surasak Piputtana

Bangkok

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Two terms of division and violence under this govt

No wonder we have had to endure so much unrest and fighting in the South of Thailand since Thaksin became prime minister. Just take a look at all the violent clashes taking place right here in Bangkok. I'm talking about the ones caused by pro-government supporters and possibly members of the government itself.

Thailand has been divided, and this has all been instigated by one person: Thaksin Shinawatra.

Taylor Jennings

Bangkok

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Thailand's political split has imperial proportions

Re: "Thaksin's watchdogs tiring after five years of 'barking'," Opinion, August 23.

To my mind as a non-Thai, it is apparent the political events of this year have divided the country into two camps: anti-Thaksin and pro-Thaksin. The division also appears to travel from those at the lower levels of Thai society right to the highest.

While perhaps conspiracy theorists might have a field day, the division brings to mind the phrase "divide and rule" that was the basis of control of the British Empire.

I hope certain external forces, which shall be nameless, are not entering into the same game?

Tulsathit Taptim wrote: "I'm going to babble a lot today because I'm lost, so bear with me if you want to read on." Sir, please don't be lost. Be observant and vigilant.

Democracy is a treasure that must be guarded at all costs, lest someone or something rend it from your grasp to be lost for a long time.

Yuri Velasquez

Bangkok

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Hollywood insults more than just our intelligence

"Snakes on a Plane", which I saw earlier this week, has to qualify as one of the dumbest movies I've seen in a long time. But it isn't just that. The only thing I really recall from the movie is an insult to Thais used as a cheap joke in the movie.

At one point, the pilot of the airliner explains to Samuel L Jackson, the hero, that if the engines were damaged, the plane "will go down faster than a Thai hooker".

I doubt if that was translated in the Thai subtitles. Apparently film-makers in Hollywood did not imagine there might be native English speakers in Thailand who might catch that comment.

So why pick on Thais and perpetuate the stereotype of Thailand as a centre of sexual deviance?

Well the film-makers might argue it reinforces the character of the pilot, who is depicted as a bit of a lecher. And anyway, I doubt if many Americans, except a few expatriate Thais, watching the movie would find it offensive.

What if we changed the line to say the plane "will go down faster than the World Trade Centre"? Now, Americans would surely scream bad taste. But it illustrates a point about their attitude towards other nations, and then they wonder why people hate them. They don't care whom they offend, as long as it's at someone else's expense.

If Thais find this reference to them in the movie offensive, I would recommend not seeing it. You wouldn't be missing much anyway.

Brian Elkey

Bangkok

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Since when is the Chinese government into spirituality?

Re: "Racism, bad manners are not welcome on aeroplanes," Letters, August 28.

I was enthralled to learn the Chinese Communist Party had a Spiritual Civilisation Steering Committee. This suggests a cure for the worldwide decline of spirituality. What the major religions need to do is set up steering committees to steer them straight. I call upon the boards of directors, CEOs and marketing managers of Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, etc, to get cracking and implement this innovative idea.

However, with regard to China, a gnawing doubt begins to nibble. China is officially an atheist country. Spirituality ordinarily implies a belief in some sort of transcendent, non-material reality. Aside from a general reverence for the vastness of the universe and the mystery of life, is it possible for atheists to be spiritual? Or is it more likely that the Chinese Communist Party is confusing spirituality with morality?

I hope the local cognoscenti will edify us with their opinions on this important philosophical topic.

S Tsow

Bangkok

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Stem-cell technique is not as positive as suggested

South Korean stem-cell researcher Hwang Woo-suk, is not the only embryonic research scientist who should be standing trial for fraud.

The latest method of embryonic stem-cell manipulation, developed by Dr Robert Lanza and California-based Advanced Cell Technology Inc, does not, as widely purported a few days ago, allow for the safe removal of single cells from early embryos. This experiment left no embryos alive and solves no ethical problems.

There are many uses of genetic engineering that are morally acceptable, such as "somatic cell" therapy. "Germ-line" therapy, performed on early human embryos, is more problematic, because it alters forever the basic genetic constitution of the person and all of his or her future offspring. Contrary to what some scientists claim, an embryo with even one cell removed will never retain its full potential for development.

This type of therapy also requires using reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilisation to produce embryos in the laboratory, where they can be observed and manipulated. Here, a relationship of domination of researchers over their embryonic subjects exists that not only opens the door to new threats against life, but also is contrary to the dignity and equality that must be common to parents and children.

Genetic screening used for the deliberate destruction of human embryos can never be justified, because here we are dealing with murder.

Amazingly, although embryonic stem-cell experiments have failed to produce a single, unqualified, therapeutic success even in animal models, supporters of the embryonic model continue to laud its unproven and currently unethical methods and ignore the fact that adult stem-cell therapies are being used extensively today in treating diseases. We must help those who are suffering, but we may not use a good end to justify an evil means. Human beings are not raw materials to be exploited or commodities that can be bought and sold. To suggest otherwise is to endorse a macabre interpretation of progress. Pure and simple, this latest method of genetic manipulation is nothing more than Frankenstein science.

Paul Kokoski

Hamilton, Canada

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