What's all this nonsense about Thotsakan's death scene bringing bad luck? According to your article, the Culture Ministry has bullied Somtow Sucharitkul into changing his opera "Ayodhya" so that Thotsakan does not die onstage. Their reason? Such a scene will bring bad luck to Thailand.

The Culture Ministry should do its homework.

Thotsakan was just a demon - and he's dead, together with all his 10 heads. He has nothing to do with bringing bad luck to Thailand. I do.

Bad luck in Thailand comes under my jurisdiction: and I, Rahu, consider it a sign of brazen disrespect when the Culture Ministry implies that a two-baht demon like Thotsakan could possibly have usurped even a fraction of my function.

So get your act together and back off, Culture Ministry (aka Ministry of Social Control). Somtow Sucharitkul has done more to promote Thai culture internationally than any 10 ministries I can think of. Hassle him and you merely shoot yourself in the

head. In this case, you've made Thailand a laughing stock among the nations of the world by publicising your weakness for idiotic superstitions.

If you're going to promote superstitions, promote intelligent ones like the one I am about to recommend.

If you really want to keep bad luck away from Thailand, let's pay a little more attention to Rahu.

I haven't noticed anybody offering me any black chickens lately, or black jelly, or black rice. Some black somtam, too, would not be viewed unfavourably. Neglect makes me testy, and you don't want that, because then I throw tantrums that bring bad luck. If I throw a tantrum in my present mood, you can blame it on the Culture Ministry.

Rahu, Mooneater, Suneater, God of Darkness

Bangkok

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Advice to the Burmese junta is unwanted and goes ignored

Re: "Hard Bargaining with Burma", Opinion, November 15.

It appears that PM Surayud is ignoring your advice not to legitimise the Burmese SPDC by making a state visit to Burma. PM Surayud should not be surprised if Thaksin attends this meeting in Napyidaw (Pyinmana).

PM Surayud's advice to Than Shwe to hold free and fair elections within one year, as in Thailand, will be ignored. Than Shwe does not listen to advice. His brigade commander once advised the then Captain Than Shwe to divorce his first wife when he asked for permission to marry a street peddler (the present Daw Kyaing Kyaing) at a bus stop near brigade headquarters. Than Shwe ignored the advice and ended up with two wives. The first wife lives in Mandalay and Than Shwe regularly sends money to her.

Burma was recently ranked as the second most corrupt country in the world. This was clearly documented by the millions in diamonds worn by Than Shwe's daughter in the infamous "Wedding of the Year" video.

Than Shwe made money the old-fashioned way: he stole it. He does not want to stand trial for corruption. This is why he will not restore freedom and democracy in Burma.

The "Wedding of the Year" video will act as a much needed catalyst to bring about significant political change in Burma.

Many senior officials are now reluctant to fly in a helicopter or plane with Than Shwe.

Myint Thein

Bangkok

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Artwork shows new bosses are the same as the old bosses

Re: "No room for gemstone portrait of Thaksin", News, November 19.

"I think our plane will be fully loaded," Foreign Minister Nitya Pibulsonggram told AFP with a sly chuckle when asked if the Thai delegation would take the artwork back [from the Apec meeting] to give to Thaksin's family.

"For now, we will keep it for ourselves but who knows, maybe I'll give it to Thaksin one day," he said with a shrug. "He is a businessman like me."

If Nitya is a businessman "like" Thaksin, then we really have got nowhere with the coup, have we?

John Francis Lee

Chiang Rai

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More paramedics needed to save lives in the South

The violence in the three southernmost provinces has continued despite the government's efforts to end it via peaceful means. The government's approach to reconciliation in the region is a good start. The prime minister demonstrated a rare example of conciliation from a person of his status by publicly offering an apology to the Muslim population. This should secure some trust from those who never side with the insurgents.

For those who have ill intentions, we will have to deal with them through the necessary measures to bring peace to this region. But while we cannot expect the violence to end soon, we should try to save lives. The key to success is the speed with which victims reach a doctor.

We should put in place the necessary procedures to ensure speedy delivery of the injured to hospital and the best treatment we can afford. This should not be considered excessive, because these people have nowhere else to go. These measures will boost the morale of the people in the affected areas. If we manage to increase the chance of survival among the injured by 10 per cent, it will mean a lot.

We should also train people on how to provide first aid so the victims will be in better shape when they arrive at the hospital. This will increase their chances of survival and reduce the risk of permanent injury. Programmes to rehabilitate victims should also be considered.

Prichar

Bangkok

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Trial of Thai political parties must go ahead as planned

A cardinal rule of any judicial system is that all must be held accountable for their acts - otherwise the system of justice is not worthy of the name. Thus, it's unjust and contrary to the coup-makers' goals that the trial of the five political parties may be thrown out because the 1997 Constitution has been torn up. Aborting the trial would make a mockery of accountability and the rule of law. It would also encourage parties to break laws, then absolve themselves by trashing the relevant supporting law. Also, trying all five parties together makes as little sense as trying all alleged murderers together. Holding the trial in secret means that justice cannot be seen to be done.

Hold the parties accountable. Proceed with the trial post haste, separating the cases, and open all proceedings to we the people. Let us have justice at last.

Burin Kantabutra

Bangkok

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Blind beggars suffer daily indignity on Bangkok streets

Every time I visit Bangkok, I can't pretend I don't notice the blind people walking and singing on the sidewalks. They are gently pushed or pulled by their companions through the crowd, and try to sing sentimental Thai music. They look tired, sweating, faces full of pain from long hours of effort. One may say, in this society of free enterprise, that everyone, even the physically challenged, must do something to earn a living and not be a burden to others. I reject such a view as lacking in compassion for people in extreme need. Compassion for the sick and the suffering is a common denominator of every civilised society.

Why is it that in Thailand the legal protection of blind people is so weak they are forced to beg? These performances are not about art or music. They are about financial desperation and physical suffering! Somehow the public accepts these singing beggars as normal and the problem is untouchable in the media. Instead newspapers produce pages about vanity shopping, food festivals and other idiotic trivia. Handicapped folk are a taboo subject in Thailand. They are left to themselves, literally, on the streets.

Societies differ in how they organise themselves and how they deal with their most vulnerable minorities: the elderly, the sick, the handicapped. Is it possible that one day in the Land of Smiles the blind will not have to perform the cruel and exhausting ritual of singing in order to survive? Could this be openly discussed in the media? The blind are in full view on the streets, so why pretend we don't see them?

Or is human dignity for blind and handicapped Thais just too expensive?

Jaroslaw Fiutowski

Warsaw, Poland

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Bureaucrats will block corruption investigations

A few points to consider regarding the coup and the interim government. The only way to root out corruption at the base level - the methodical, carefully planned schemes  Thaksin and his cronies engaged in - is to be equally well prepared, professional and transparent. It would be of no benefit to anybody to skirt the rules of law and good governance at this stage of the game. It would be no better than Thaksin.

Sonthi has bent over backwards to not be fascist in his actions. Close examination reveals only one plan: to restore an elected government and get the heck out of the picture. The last thing Sonthi wants is for Thailand to start resembling its neighbour to the west.

To counter the countless loopholes and stratagems devised to conceal the corruption, investigators have only the hard facts in book-keeping and personal testimony. It is a difficult job to produce concrete evidence admissible in court which will bring the perpetrators to justice. Additionally, there are still dozens of people in the government who are tacitly or deliberately interfering with the investigations. They, too, must be investigated.

Before criticising the coup-makers, the investigations and the efforts Surayud is undertaking, take a close look at their job and the wire they are forced to walk.

Unlike us, the public, they cannot make assumptions and toss out wild accusations. 

Hermann Mittelweg

Bangkok