The Saraburi highway accident in which 30 passengers were killed and 34 injured is finally causing authorities to consider stricter safety rules on public buses and their drivers - and it's about time.

I agree with Suchart Klinsuwan, acting head, Department of Land Transport, that all buses be tested twice yearly, rather than the current once - but only if the tests are done rigorously, rather than just as a formality or an opportunity for bribes. It's also a scandal that almost half of the drivers learn to drive by themselves. They should be professionally trained, with refresher courses and re-testing every five years.

To raise the accountability of bus firms and the drivers they hire, both must have enough accident insurance to cover liability from victims' loss of earnings (as computed by an actuary, as in the West), plus a like amount for the suffering both of victims and their families.

Bus firms must limit the maximum number of hours a person may drive, both at one stretch and in any given 24-hour period, to reduce falling asleep at the wheel. Compensation schemes that encourage recklessness, such as those based on revenues, must be eliminated.

Yes, these measures will increase costs in the long term. But, they will pay off in reduced accidents, lower insurance rates as drivers and their vehicles become safer, and less cost to society of having to support families of the deceased and injured. To help offset the rise in fares to cover these costs, I support subsidies for targeted groups such as seniors, students and low-income households.

Burin Kantabutra

Bangkok

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Keep 'smart taxi stands' as designated pickup points

 Re: "BMA outsmarted by jokers at taxi stands", News, April 2.

It looks like Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin's "smart taxi stand" initiative will be scrapped because pranksters mischievously press the taxi-call button and then flee. Yet there is a germ of a very good idea here.

Scrap the call button, yes, but keep the designated taxi stands, so that taxis don't randomly stop to pick up passengers and bottleneck traffic. How many times have you been sitting in traffic waiting for the light to turn green and, when it does, the taxi in front of you suddenly tries to pick up a passenger, blocking you from going forward and missing the green light?

If a person wants to hail a taxi when there isn't one available, let him or her call to reserve, as they do in Singapore. If too many fake reservations are received, then the caller's phone number is blocked from making future reservations.

As for the taxi stands themselves, you can make them even more effective. For example, get rid of all the hawkers on Sukhumvit. Then, carve out a portion of the sidewalk that they occupied to serve as space for taxis to queue for passengers without obstructing traffic. Pedestrians will still be able to walk on the sidewalks, with the added benefit of not being hassled by peddlers.

More aggressive enforcement against cabbies who refuse passengers is also needed. I am tired of getting into an available cab and having to argue with the cab driver about going to a destination that is inconvenient for him. If a cab is available, they should take you anywhere in Bangkok. Otherwise, they should find another job.

We can make Bangkok a more liveable place with a few simple ideas, more discipline and less selfish behaviour. But we need to work on our persistence and follow through on good, practical ideas.

Outraged Taxpayer

Bangkok

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Bangkok governor needs to reduce the number of taxis

 Re: "BMA outsmarted by jokers at taxi stands", News, April 2.

In a city where 50 per cent of the vehicles clogging every junction are empty taxis, I wonder why the Bangkok governor felt the need for such an innovation. In the survey that concluded people were calling smart taxis just for fun, I wonder if anyone considered the more likely possibility that would-be customers simply found a passing taxi before their booked one arrived?

If Apirak is serious about solving Bangkok's traffic problems, he would do better to reduce the number of taxis on the road rather than spend good money on an idea that only increases the number of polluting vehicles cruising around the city, wasting gas and road space.

Phil Stokes

Bangkok

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Military's lack of effectiveness in South bodes ill for country

 I have to laugh at the idea of the Thai military being able to defend this country for even a day. They have men, tanks, planes, guns and boats, but they cannot even control the unrest in the South, where there are killings every day. Why can't the military post people at known attack areas? This is way out of hand and it appears that nothing can or is really effectively being done to end it. The British SAS and the US Green Berets would get it handled in short order.

I get a kick out of seeing the military wearing all those impressive ribbons; for doing what, showing up for work? They haven't had a war in many years. Saddle up, you military boys, you have work to do!

Hyde Parke

Pattaya

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Iran Embassy statements not conducive to good relations

 Re: "Iran fully within its rights to arrest trespassing sailors", Letters, April 2.

It would appear that the public relations section of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Thailand is in possession of irrefutable evidence that the British military either trespassed or invaded sovereign Iranian territory on March 23. Akbar Khodaei lists his version of the truth while the rest of the world is still investigating the matter. His distorted opinions serve absolutely no purpose other than to stir up racial animosity here.

Last week Khodaei turned movie reviewer and lambasted the theatrical release of the movie "300", based on a comic book about a battle in the year 480BC, calling it a slap in the face to Iran and all human history.

My question is, does the Islamic Republic of Iran endorse the information that is flowing out of their embassy here in Thailand, or are these the opinions of their public relations representative? These widely diverse releases from the Embassy are doing little to improve positive relations anywhere.

David Barkdull

Bangkok

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Iranian leadership should learn about free expression

 Re: "300's depiction of Persia driven by 'vicious stereotypes'," Letters, March 31.

In his letter, Akbar Khodaei claims the movie "300" is "insulting" and "is part of a comprehensive effort on the part of the West to launch a psychological war aimed at the Iranian culture through Hollywood and other media".

I am no great scholar of history so I will assume that he is correct that this movie, like most movies produced by Hollywood, is not historically accurate and insults certain people.

What Khodaei fails to understand is that in the West and other countries like the Kingdom of Thailand, the people (including movie producers) enjoy freedom of speech and expression.

Another Hollywood example that illustrates this point is the movie produced by Michael Moore called "Fahrenheit 9/11", in which US President George W Bush and his administration are greatly criticised for their actions after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. This highly controversial film presented many debatable facts during its harsh criticism of the Bush administration, but Moore was free to express his views and the movie was viewed throughout the US and the world. Bush himself did nothing to stop the movie being seen in the US as he understands that even his harshest critics are entitled to freedom of speech and expression.

What would happen if a producer in Iran made a movie highly critical of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad? We know the movie would not make it to the cinemas, as your government does not place the same value on freedom of expression as other countries.

The government of the Islamic Republic of Iran should not use this movie to accuse the West of "psychological war". Perhaps instead you should use it to educate the leaders of your government about freedom of speech and expression, which all people, including the people of Iran, should be able to enjoy.

Scott Moore

Bangkok

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Simply setting foot on park's territory entails paying fee

 I visited Koh Lipe this past weekend with my wife, and we enjoyed our trip very much. But we do have one question for the authorities at Tarutao Park.

When we went on our snorkelling trip on Saturday, the boat driver stopped at the park on Koh Rawi. But there were too many people there, and we do not like to snorkel in large groups of people. Also, we saw the park fee was Bt400 for farangs and Bt80 for Thais, which I thought was a bit too much to pay for what was offered, so we did not stay.

As we started to leave, the park attendant told us that because we had got off the boat, we were already in the park and had to pay the park fee. My wife, who is Thai, tried to tell him we did not know about the park fee first, and that we thought it was too much so we would not stay. The attendant insisted that we pay for "entering" the park, although we had not really planned to or wanted to, which my wife did, not wanting to have a big scene or anything.

Is it park policy that, even if the visitor does not want to visit the park, you demand they pay the fee just for getting off the boat and walking a few steps in the sand? If this is the policy, I think you really need to put a large sign somewhere telling people about it before they get off their boats. Most farangs are not very happy about having to pay three, four and now even five times as much as Thais for entering parks, but to have to pay such fees to not enter a park seems a bit excessive.

We are waiting for a response from the park authorities.

Dave Patterson

Hat Yai