On reading this article, I was very surprised by this new "coup" by the insurgents. I live in the area and nobody here believes that Army harassment is a true reason to flee the region. Why didn't the refugees want to give their names or at least name the place they were running away from?

On the contrary, the Army is showing less presence now than before the coup. But the insurgents are trying to bring uncertainty to the people. They distribute leaflets, insisting that Muslims should stop all contact with their Buddhist neighbours for their own good and order that everyone should stay inside their homes after sunset. The Army does not give such orders.

Nevertheless, this is another good promotion for the insurgents and all the world will believe their story.

Ya

Narathiwat

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There are both pros and cons to having 'outsider' PMs

 Re: "Prime ministers from 'outside' the system are more valuable than those from within", Letters, December 16.

The writer's analysis was educational but the conclusion for an 'outside' PM was not that convincing.

First, there will always be doubts about the basic authority of the outsider, since he or she was not part of the due process of people's choice. 'Outsiders' have always been good to fill the gap at crucial times, but only temporarily because of their lack of long-term support. They tend to be good, free of vested political interests and effective, just like General Prem Tinsulanonda, Anand Panyarachun and General Surayud Chulanont. But there are others, like Sanya Dhammasak and General Suchinda Kraprayoon, who are not often quoted as examples.

Second, the concept of the prime minister being the leader commanding the majority votes in the house is universally proven as effective, with a clear line of command and accountability. When MR Kukrit Pramoj, with support of 18 MPs, was chosen over MR Seni Pramoj with 72 MPs, it was because other parties with more votes than 72 then preferred him instead of the leader of the party with the highest (though not a majority) number of seats. This could always happen again and rightly so, if the leader of a small party has sufficient support from the other parties.

Finally, in theory, one would prefer the field from which to select the premier not to be limited to a few hundred MPs and to include potential candidates who are shy of the election process. But, in practice, an outsider prime minister, even with the support of the majority in the house, will always have doubts about his authority since he is a loner in the house and forever subject to attacks for not belonging to the club.

With no ideal choice, one simply has to rely on the comfort of Sir Winston Churchill's statement that democracy is the least objectionable form of government.

Songdej Praditsmanont

Bangkok

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US, Thailand owe a debt of gratitude to Lao Hmong

 The plight of the Hmong refugees in Thailand needs to be closely examined by all that are truly concerned about human rights. They cannot be dismissed as economic opportunists who are the product of human traffickers trying to exploit Thailand's goodwill.

A number of those being held in Nong Khai have already suffered great persecution at the hands of the Lao government. At least one family there was among the 173 persons who surrendered on June 4, 2005. My wife and I were there as they came out of the jungles, starving, afraid, facing being placed in the hands of those that have shot at them and killed many of their family and friends.

From June to December they were held in a military camp and given only the barest necessities of life. Because of the publicity generated by our detention by the Lao authorities, my wife and I feel they were spared a much worse fate.

A few months ago we met them in Bangkok and were encouraged to see the hope of them having a future. For the first the time children were able to go to school. No more running and hiding in fear of the Lao soldiers, which persistently pursued them. No more starvation.

Now, that hope of a future for them is fading. Sending them back to Laos puts them back in the hands of those that persecuted them.

Others in the group come from recent violence at the hands of the Lao military. On April 6 the Lao military massacred 26 Hmong people, mostly women and children who were foraging for food in the jungle north of the popular tourist city of Vang Vieng. Among those at Nong Khai are survivors of that massacre. Three hundred and fifty-four others in their group surrendered to the Lao government in October of this year. Their fate is unknown.

These "persons of concern" need the protection of Thailand, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the United States and the international community. Thailand is right to expect help from America in providing safe shelter for these people. The reason for their persecution at the hands of the Lao government is that they descend from those that fought in the Americans' secret army.

Thailand and the free world owe them as well. Their sacrifices during the war in Southeast Asia helped prevent the communist aggression from moving into Thailand.

Let us not turn our backs on them now.

Ed Szendrey

California

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Apalling management at Suvarnabhumi Airport

 At 7am on December 5 I checked in at Suvarnabhumi Airport for a flight to Perth on Thai Airways International. To the great surprise of the about 1,000 travellers waiting in line, only three out of nine Thai Airways check-in counters were manned.

When asked why the counters were not manned, the Thai Airways supervisor replied politely but quite aggressively that she did not have staff. Sweat pouring from her face, she said she was doing what she could but not enough staff were employed or assigned to fill the counters.

Internal conflict was written all over her face.

I waited for an hour and 10 minutes, and 20 minutes before departure a girl called for passengers to Perth. I was one of the few who heard her and we were rushed through and caught the flight at the last moment. Several others did not, and the air hostess later came and told us we could move to the back of the plane where seats were available to lie down.

Other people in the queue probably lost their flights as well and some got very aggressive, but some laughed loudly and asked what kind of system was this?

Being a long-time businessman and investor and a 100-per-cent supporter of Thailand, I have seldom been so ashamed.

Never mind some glitches and jams at a new airport - people forget that.

But it is absolutely unforgivable that passengers lose their flights because an incompetent management did not assign enough staff to man the check-in counters. Travellers don't forget this, businessmen, investors and tourists alike.

This is a Thai national matter and a total loss of face that requires immediate attention by the government. It is not the question of whether to remove the airport's check-in management, but how fast it can be done and replaced with a competent management.

Very concerned businessman in Thailand

Bangkok

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Make Bangkok taxis hybrids to promote new technology

 I visited Bangkok for the first time this November. In one of my 20-minute taxi rides to the end of the block, I had plenty of time to think about the impact of the automobile on Bangkok air quality.

This is the idea I had: all newly purchased taxis in Thailand should be required by law to operate on hybrid technology.

Hybrid cars, for the unfamiliar, are powered by internal combustion engines as well as electric motors. Hybrid cars typically get twice the gas mileage of standard cars while producing one-third of the emissions. In the US, Honda and Toyota have models that sell for two to four thousand dollars more than comparably equipped non-hybrid models.

Hybrid batteries are recharged every time the driver hits the brake, making the stop and go routine of Bangkok traffic the ideal setting for operating a hybrid vehicle. Benefits include: reduction in greenhouse gases (which Thailand, as a Kyoto signatory, has agreed to address), better air quality for pedestrians, more income for taxi drivers, great PR for Thailand.

Through arrangements brokered by the Thai government, car companies would supply hybrids to taxi companies at the same cost as regular cars.

Honda and Toyota would do this because of the free advertising of a new, relatively unknown product.

Every time someone hires a hybrid taxi, it's like they just went for a drive with a hybrid car salesman. Everybody wins in this scenario.

Michael Gumpert

New Jersey, US

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Housing policy should help both foreigners and Thais

 Foreigners who are officially resident here or who have a Thai wife or husband, other than one of convenience, should be allowed to buy land and own one residential property.

However, the Thai government should accept that secure and suitable housing is a basic commodity need and that it should be available to all - by taking a greater responsibility to build more houses for rent and ownership for all Thais.

Land for housing and drainage is also in need of greater regulation and infrastructure planning to create a more acceptable environment.

Giles Wynne

Korat