If the military regime gets technology for weapons from Korean companies, there is more chance of local people being killed and the military regime will continue in power. The current investment and any foreign direct investment under the military regime can never be beneficial to local people.

The money from foreign investments coming to the regime helps its military machine and it continues fighting local people, especially in ethnic minority areas, forcing people to flee.

Following Daewoo's investment in Burma, the military regime benefited by $US12 to $17 million (Bt427 million to Bt605 million). It is a huge amount and we have seen this when Unocal and Total laid the gas pipeline in southern Burma. Now South Korean companies are not only investing in Burma, but are selling technology to make weapons. Korean human-rights foundations should take a stand on this, especially when South Korea is going take the chair of the next United Nations secretary-general.

Seven South Korean companies including Daewoo International have been indicted and 14 high-ranking officials have been charged with involvement in the construction of an arms factory in Burma and other related offences, according to The Korea Times newspaper. Ninety per cent of the arms factory is complete and the companies have received 90 per cent of the contract money, the report said.

Daewoo International is said to be the core company involved in the illegal project, as it has been planning the project and overseeing the technology. Another company, Doosan Infracore, provided the equipment to set up the factory, the report added.

Banyol Kin

Bangkok

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Showing weakness serves to encourage South insurgents

The situation in the south has deteriorated by the day as a result of the weakness, or perceived weakness, shown by the new Thai government. There is no doubt the new government is sincere in its efforts to bring peace to the troubled South. However it is very sincerely wrong. The Thaksin government was severely criticised for its handling of the South. However, Thaksin knew full well that you cannot and must not show any form of weakness towards these militants. These people are cold-blooded murderers. They have no respect for the Thai military and even less respect for the government.

The events that have occurred in the South in the last few weeks are cause for grave concern. Thai armed forces have been forced out of Muslim villages. Thais have fled their homes and are refusing to return. This is precisely what the militants want. There is at present a complete lack of confidence in the Thai armed forces. They cannot even protect themselves, let alone protect us. Some of the schools have re-opened, but for how long? The death rate has increased alarmingly in the last few weeks and days. It is obvious that these militants are becoming bolder by the day.

There are only two courses of action one can offer in life: excuses or performance. One never wants to criticise willy-nilly, especially in trying circumstances, but the performance of the military is totally ineffective. Desperate situations require desperate measures. We beseech you, Mr Prime Minister, not to allow this situation to get any worse. It won't be long before these militants eye other parts of the country.

Alf Haupt

Pattaya

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Anti-government mobs show no respect for experience

Re: "Rogue politicians behind the rally, Saprang suggests", News, December 6.

Politicians linked to deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra are preparing to spend money to get people to join what may be an organised mass protest against the junta. We know what Thaksin feels about older people; he feels that they are senile and not capable of making a rational decision. It looks like some of the supporters of Thaksin do not respect what older people have to say, and therefore do not respect the older people that provide them with advice and guidance.

God bless HM the King, and may he live forever.

An old person

Bangkok

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Not all Americans agree with coercive military action

Re: "Bombing is the answer to Mideast violence and terror", Letters, December 6.

With astonishment I read the letter by Stephen Carter. He may call himself a PhD, and if he really is, I am ashamed and will never use mine in public any more. What if the North American Indians had a more restrictive policy towards (illegal) immigrants 200 years ago. The world would not have been in such a sorry state.

Mr Carter has not learned his history lessons very well. Any fight that is avoided is a fight that we have won. The warmongers of Israel - with their own nuclear arsenal, which they will surely use in times of conflict - sitting on Palestinian land are the first he should blame. His own country, which has lost the respect of a huge part of the world, is the other benefactor to all the evil in this world. If he is this simple-minded that he truly believes his form of democracy and free-market economy is the saviour of this world, he should have a look at the problems back home.

Back home in the richest country in the world there are poor people who have to work two jobs, there are tens of millions of people who do not have health insurance. The gun lobby is so powerful that they brush their violence under the classroom carpet. What if all the other countries in the UN gave the middle finger to the US? The US would drown in its own waste. A PhD, Mr Carter should show some respect to all those people who think differently about his system, and I think I speak for a majority of people in this world who do blame your country and Israel for the problems.

Nan Ei Lin, PhD

Bangkok

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Alternative and viable low-income housing options

Bravo for the Assets Examination Committee for investigating the likelihood that the Ban Mankong and Ban Ua Athorn low-income housing projects were graft-ridden, and with the emphasis always being on quantity (for vote-getting purposes) over quantity. It's good that the Government Housing Bank's (GHB) distanced itself from these shoddy projects.

In seeking housing for low-income groups, we should follow Stephen Covey's "Seven Habits of Highly Effective People", one of which says, "Begin with the end (objective) in mind". Society's laudable goal is to make it possible for each Thai, no matter how poor, to have a quality place to call her own. Nowhere is it written that we must build it for her.

Once we are free of that misconception, many possibilities open up. We could expand the GHB's programme, or have other banks copy or improve upon it, at government-subsidised interest rates (including negative rates, if we so wished). We could issue housing vouchers, redeemable at all participating housing developers, good for first-time house owners only. We could give tax credits to lower or eliminate taxes and even reduce mortgage principal if we so wished.

The beauty of these alternatives, and others, is that we will harness powerful competitive forces to benefit the poor - by making them a market to be courted. Buyers will have a wider choice of location than they do now. The government can sponsor housing fairs and TV shows where buyers can easily compare choices (complete with advisers teaching how to compare projects and alternative financing plans), and otherwise aid the free flow of information and thus promote competition.

Catch the masterminds behind the housing graft - but at the same time, keep our housing goals clearly in mind.

Burin Kantabutra

Bangkok

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Market traders: get off the pavements and let us walk

They refused to relocate. They pledged to resist with force. For those defiant vendors who have occupied the footpath and pavement at Bo Bae garment market for the past decade, they do not realise that they are just selfish and are also ignoring the rule of law.

As with other vendors in locations such as Pratunam, they are causing not only inconvenience to traffic, they are also causing pollution. Those foreign visitors who praise Thailand for its kind hospitality are polite not to criticise the dirty pavement and the foul smell generated from the waste-water passages underneath. That the BMA office has condoned their presence does not mean that they can stay on forever and challenge authority in such a reckless manner. Bangkok needs a change. We may not become as clean and orderly as Singapore, but at least we should move forward and make changes.

Even grand new shopping malls cannot guarantee any occupant of immediate success. The Bo Bae vendors have to accept the relocation and move on, although the new location may not be as good. After all, these are public pavements, not a vendors' paradise.

Yingwai Suchaovanich

Bangko

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Stray dogs are a public menace that need removing

Re: "Animal lovers appalled at Olympic host's dog cull", Letters, December 7.

May I take this opportunity to congratulate the Chinese authorities on their sensible and far-sighted policy of permanently removing stray dogs from the streets of Beijing. As an athletics fan who will travel to the Olympic Games to view some of the events, I am reassured that Beijing, as a good host, is doing all it can to reduce the risk to residents and visitors of disease and injury, not to mention fear and inconvenience.

Economy is important to the Chinese people, and I am sure that this culling is not simply a profligate slaughter of the innocents. One can assume that most of these useless dogs did not die in vain, and that their corpses have been utilised for a variety of foods, medicines and even clothing. Can we expect a similar (and warranted) public service by the Thai authorities in Bangkok? Wishful thinking, perhaps.

Matthew Byrne

Bangkok