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Published on July 4, 2007

Now that Council for National Security (CNS) deputy chief Chalit Pukphasuk has confirmed that the CNS will adopt the abrogated 1997 Constitution if the 2007 draft is rejected, he should reveal what, if any, changes the CNS would make to the 1997 charter if it has to be used.

Then, the political science faculties of all universities, and other neutral public forums, should compare the two charters in depth, with seminars, etc. The media should publicise these comparisons, so that we the people may make informed decisions on referendum day.

I suggest that we decide based on the merits of each document, not on who proposed it - for, hopefully, it be the legal bedrock for decades. If you reject the draft just because it was crafted under a junta, you should reject all charters written after our 18 coups- then what would you have left? Each government has given us something good and something bad, and its work should not be automatically accepted/rejected on the basis of whether the regime was elected or not.

Burin Kantabutra

BANGKOK

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Govt needs to come clean on TMB Bank assistance

Re: "Sommai orders probe into TMB Bank losses", Business, July 1.

News of TMB Bank requesting another capital injection of Bt35 million deserves attention. The amount represents Bt500 for every single Thai. The Finance Ministry should disclose the amount it has injected into TMB and IFCT, now a part of TMB, in the last five years, so we know how much we have lost. In fact it should give figures for all capital injections into government financial institutions and possible losses from non-performing loans transferred from their balance sheet. In a democratic society, the public has the right to know what happened before tax money is thrown into this abyss. This is a loss for society because it is to compensate for a business loss, unlike other budgets for procurement of assets or some other purpose.

Every single baht wasted in this fashion means one baht less for the underprivileged who know nothing and have no chance to express their views on this. If we add the amounts provided to government financial institutions over the past five years, or longer, the figure would run into the hundreds of billion of baht. This means we have hundreds of billion of baht less for schools, reservoirs, hospitals, experienced teachers, training and other things to improve the life of the poor. Lately, when there is a budget request, even a much smaller one, someone has raised concerns, which is good. So far there is no debate on this.

Prichar

BANGKOK

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Anti-drug ex-PM has a bright future in sports

With the Tour de France kicking off this weekend in London - Mr Thaksin's new hometown - it occurs to me that perhaps he's investing in the wrong sport.

Think back to the ex-prime minister's promise in 2003 to eradicate drugs from Thailand within months.

With the world of pro cycling riddled with illegal drug use, this would seem a more natural fit for Thaksin than the comparatively clean Premier League.

Of course, to avoid a seriously depleted race field arriving at the Paris finish-line, a slight change of managerial style might be in order.

And while most Thais know little about pro cycling, they'd surely have no problem cheering on the yellow jersey.

Then again, what's the betting that Manchester City fans will be promised the Champions League Cup this season?

Biker Jon

CHIANG MAI

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Thaksin buyout takes shine off UK football

Concerning the takeover of Manchester City by Thaksin Shinawatra, about the only justification nowadays for continuing to use the word "Great" in front of "Britain" is the massive worldwide interest English football attracts and the adoration of several hundred million football fans whether in Argentina, Nigeria, Egypt, Iran, Russia, China, or Indonesia, no matter what they think of British foreign policy - or English cuisine.

English football authorities, however, have now permitted Thaksin Shinawatra to bring their game into disrepute. Thaksin has exposed English Premier League clubs as seemingly lacking in standards, tradition, pride and ethics, ready without the slightest qualm to be bought out by the first charlatan that comes along. Behind the gloss and glamour there appears to be greed and decay. For the knowing masses of the rest of the world the shine has come off.

It's all a shame, really. In a rapidly globalising world, the English Premier League had great potential to be a global unifier where loyalty was not based on nationality, race or religion, and where people in every corner of the world would be able every weekend to share a moment together in real time.

Never mind, there is still the Spanish Primera. Football fans of the world: Let us migrate there across our TV channels. Long live Real Madrid, Barcelona, Sevilla, and Valencia!

Dr Natika Chairat

SONGKHLA

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Asean engagement with Burma an utter failure

Why do Asean members continue to accept Burma at their table? The group decided to allow Burma's admission years ago.

The thing was that while it was a repressive state, engagement might get the junta to clean up its act - enact democracy and human rights - whereas isolation might encourage them to devolve.

Well, it's been several years and the Burmese junta has not loosened its iron grip on the Burmese people.

Indeed, conditions are stagnant and getting worse. The appearance of the so-called "road map to democracy" instigated by the junta is nothing more than a smoke screen designed to take up time.

Asean member states were flat out wrong in their earlier assessment (that Burma would get its act together). Asean has been consistently lied to by Burmese officials. Asean members should immediately bar Burma from the organisation and enact boycotts and other proceedings in order to exert pressure for improvements.

Imagine there is a gang of thugs in your neighbourhood who terrorise their own families. You might have initially engaged them with conversation - hoping they would remedy their harmful ways. As the years passed by with conditions worsening, you'd have two basic choices. A) Batten down your doors and windows to muffle the screams and groaning of your oppressed neighbours - and hope it will all go away some day, or B) Organise a united front to deal with the problem directly.

Brahmburgers

CHIANG RAI