Industry Minister Kosit Panpiemras' explanation of the concept of sufficiency economy sounded most appealing when he said: "We would like to add quality to the development process." That really is the fundamental point: everybody's quality of life. What's the point of wealth beyond what one can use? For the rapacious business types among us, perhaps they will have to embrace a new concept: cultivate consumers who don't have the basics yet, instead of making your money off selling useless frills that create debt and insecurity.

It's intriguing to consider that if Thai business people concentrated on developing the Thailand domestic market, they wouldn't be so dependent on exports in a world market that becomes more and more competitive by the day, whether in cost or quality. How can these tow gae make the switch? Their capabilities are great; they just need to shift their focus to what's really important: the good they can do for the world. Perhaps this government can help them grasp this concept.

The process of business people making the shift can be progressive. Start by increasing wages and salaries all around. This will spur the economy by generating a surge in sustainable demand. Establish satellite production plants that employ locals and sell to domestic regional markets. Do as Henry Ford did: pay your employees well enough that they become your customers. Treat them with the respect they warrant, offering them unlimited opportunities to develop their capabilities. This is how to give back to Thailand what it has given you and prosper personally. Yes, one must give sufficient regard to shareholders and provide a sufficient return on investment with security, but shareholders are also part of the community and of the Kingdom. What is good for the Kingdom and community is good for them.

Extending what Kosit said a bit, I would suggest that GDP growth rate is a political scam. The data used to calculate the GDP and its growth are as soft as mush melons, pliable and submissive to political manipulation. In a word, GDP growth rates are just soap bubbles meant to divert attention. For people it's the quality of life, without insecurity and worry, that counts.

I have great trust in Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont and in most of his ministers. I trust their intentions and their integrity.

A believer in the Kingdom

Bangkok

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How much more evidence is needed in Pojaman case?

 Re: "Land deal: State bodies 'must act' ", News, November 9.

There are several features relating to the corrupt practices supposedly carried out by members of the former government through their families which are deeply puzzling. One case in particular exercises the mind.

Here we have a woman, the wife of a former senior government minister, who purchased a large parcel of land with her husband's written consent, despite the fact that the transaction was quite specifically against the law. The husband would certainly have known this to be the case. The evidence of wrongdoing seems indisputable; the woman now owns the land, and it is claimed that there is written evidence bearing the former minister's signature okaying the transaction. What more could be needed to prove the case?

What might be seen as particularly puzzling about the affair, if your report is correct, is the statement made by the chairman of the Assets Examination Committee, who has curiously decided that title deeds to the land and the husband's letter of authorisation are insufficient evidence to allow the committee to proceed in the case unless other parties bring forward a complaint.

Why? If the transaction was illegal, then it was illegal! Surely the AEC chairman has a duty to proceed against the parties who perpetrated this unlawful act. Isn't that what he and the other members of his committee were appointed for? Attempting to pass the buck to others does seem to be an example of extraordinary weakness. It would be really unfortunate if others put a somewhat less charitable interpretation on the matter!

Henry Ashe

Bangkok

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Give MCOT president a chance before protesting

 The situation at the Mass Communication Organisation of Thailand (MCOT) shows just how delicate the political situation is.

As public company employees, MCOT staff wearing black and protesting against the newly appointed board is totally undesirable and unacceptable. What authority MCOT newswoman Orawan Klimviratkul has to challenge the board and make arm-twisting suggestions is anyone's guess. Her demand that programming must be reviewed by a committee and that each producer should receive equal treatment in renting air time can be compared to a Toyota foreman telling the new boss that all new car models in future must pass through staff screening.

Presidents can come and go. The new MCOT president has the right entrusted to him by the board to carry out his policy; if the result is not right then he has to be held responsible. His subordinates can voice their opinion according to the chain of command, not interfere in such an ugly and undiplomatic way.

The MCOT staff who are protesting should ask themselves why they did not act as a watchdog in the past, when most people were frustrated with the bias in the media.

Yingwai S

Bangkok

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Sonthi should try seconding generals to company boards

 Re: "Soldier politicians: CNS must stay firm, says Sonthi", News, November 11.

Council for National Security chairman General Sonthi Boonyaratglin insists that having professionals on state-enterprise boards is not a way to stem corruption. He is probably correct. And given the massive corruption traditionally associated with the Royal Thai Army, experience tells us that generals on boards do not stem corruption either.

The general's preoccupation with security is understandable, and his desire to have trusted colleagues on these boards is sensible too, given the past failures of business and the bureaucracy to keep their houses clean.

But why pay these generals? Sonthi admits they are not really qualified to be board members, and, though I could be mistaken, isn't being a member of the armed forces a full-time job, not open to lucrative moonlighting and weekend hobbies?

Sonthi's worries can easily be assuaged simply by seconding the odd general or air marshal to this state enterprise or that. No pay and allowances from the state enterprise would be required, because the seconded generals would still receive their army salary and their staff cars would be used for transport.

A secondment here and there, for a stated duration and with required attendance (at board meetings of course, not on golf courses) would allay the fears of ordinary folk that the thin ends of the wedges of corruption and malfeasance are sneaking back disguised as checks and balances.

John Benson

Bangkok

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Charter fine print won't help if the watchdogs are weak

 Re: "Some provisions of the 1997 charter limited the role of the common man in politics", Letters, October 31.

I fully agree with Peter Filicietti that the requirement of a bachelor's degree to be eligible to be an MP is elitist and has no place in a democratic society. Another one, which former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra used, is the requirement that candidates have to belong to a political party for at least 90 days before an election. Why should they have to belong to any political party? Any eligible voter should be eligible to stand for office.

But while there are a few blatantly undemocratic clauses in the 1997 constitution, it would be a mistake to get too obsessed with the fine detail when considering the new constitution. The biggest flaw in the 1997 document was the people in the positions of power. Too many of those who were supposed to be keeping politicians honest allowed themselves to be swayed to ignore the subversion of the constitution that was being perpetrated.

When you have an unscrupulous leadership and pliable, weak watchdogs, the fine details do not matter. Slight modifications may change the mechanisms used, but such leaders will always find ways around the intent of the constitution to do what they want to. Those on the various checks-and-balances bodies must be prepared to do the job without fear or favour to establish standards for Thai political life.

Gareth Clayton

Bangkok

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Messages like Tony Blair's are the cause of radicalisation

 First, let me congratulate the American people for freeing themselves from the Republican nightmare in Congress and at the same time for being rid of Donald Rumsfeld. Let us hope that John Bolton, the confrontational and isolationist US ambassador to the United Nations, may follow suit.

There are still, however, other disturbing black clouds hovering over us in different parts of the world. It was reported yesterday that Dame Eliza Manningham-Buller, the head of Britain's MI5 spy agency, claims that there are any number of terrorist plots in the planning. This assessment has, of course, been backed up by the British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who has warned that the terrorist threat will last a generation as it is the youth who are being radicalised. He says: "We need to combat the poisonous propaganda of those people that warps and perverts the minds of younger people."

I would suggest that it is precisely this kind of message coming from the British government and its servants that is causing this radicalisation. By targeting the Muslim community in Britain, Blair and his minions are achieving the result he says we need to combat. Is there any serious-minded person in the UK who believes this latest warning about the terror threat? Has no one in the British government heard the fable by Aesop of the boy who cried wolf too often?

Edward B Duhigg

Bangkok

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