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Published on August 5, 2007

I agree with Venus's perceptions: City supporters don't give a damn about human-rights violations as long as this season sees their beloved under-performing football team hover around mid-table. But it will be the mix of the crop rather than investment alone that will accomplish this goal.

The battle to win the hearts and minds of Mancunians, with the good doctor having invited people from all over Manchester to the "One City" free concert on Saturday evening following the Football Association's ruling that it is fit and proper not to condemn the scoundrel, is the seed that could belie his nemesis.

Having already exported his all-too-familiar high-profile brand of populism into northern England this weekend, it will not be his rights abuses nor his corruption investigations that will be at stake come the new season, but rather how the people and the press respond to the same overblown ego, pregnant with pomp and hubris, that exiled him in the first place. It is this that will determine his status as either The Saint of the North or The Fugitive from Nemesis. The English press is known to have brought down far heftier figures than little Frank.

James Groveway

Bangkok

Why the bother about zoo's elephant sign?

 Re: "Strange zoo script for Thai tuskers", News, August 4.

Sorry, but I believe this whole story to be mischief-making. What on earth is wrong with the script? It is clearly English and says "Elephant Barn". I am an English speaker and can read it without any problem. If it were written in Thai I would not be able to read it and neither would the majority of visitors to the zoo. The "Thai style" type is an attractive idea, looks good and complements the origin of the animals. All this talk of destroying image and public condemnation is like the ravings of a lunatic.

Is there denial of elephants begging on the streets in Thailand? I have seen them doing the rounds of the bars at night in Pattaya and Bangkok! If stating this is disrespect to Thailand then it is also a denial of the truth. I can see no disrespect there at all, to either the country or the animals.

Peter Dickinson

Chester, UK

Find more creditworthy clientele in Thailand

 I read that a Thai bank is facing losses because it invested in US sub-prime mortgage paper (CDOs) and the deadbeat borrowers are unable to pay.

Isn't it a sad joke that Thai banks cannot or will not finance property purchases by foreigners in Thailand, even though many of those foreigners have work permits and long-term visas here and are of a financial standing much superior to sub-prime clients in the US.

But I guess the news about those losses fits well into a general picture of incompetence.

Ted Muller

Bangkok

Patong's tuk-tuk system a great disappointment

 While staying in Patong it became apparent that tuk-tuks were the only means of transport around the town. Why is this?

As a tourist with grandchildren it would have been safer for us to travel in metered, air-conditioned taxis with seat belts.

There is no choice in Patong, hence the astronomical rates being asked, with little or no negotiation. Why is it that a metered taxi from Bangkok airport to Pratunam is cheaper than many short tuk-tuk rides in Patong?

Because the tuk-tuks charge such high rates and rarely negotiate, very few tourists use them. If they charged reasonable rates for local journeys in Patong, the tuk-tuks would be used more frequently.

Compared to other Southeast Asian countries, the transport system in Patong is dismal and almost dishonest.

Gill

Sydney, Australia

Why jump to conclusions on writer's motivation?

 Re: "Stop falling for Thaksin's stunts", Editorial, August 4.

I am sorry to say it, but here is another masterpiece by the lapdog Nation.

How could The Nation know that the book "Thaksin Where Are You?" was a set-up or a stunt prepared by Thaksin himself? Doesn't a writer have the right to give an account of what he or she believes is true? How could The Nation carelessly accuse her of being tricked to foster Thaksin's image? Have you done any investigative study in this case? I have not seen one, unfortunately.

And as something of a women's rights supporter, I am flabbergasted by this sentence: "It appears that some members of the public have no problem giving the poor woman the benefit of the doubt."

So, because this army officer is a woman (poor, as well), what she writes is not worth belief?

No wonder The Nation gets less and less readership. Can't you recall your glorious days (ten years back), when, foreigners, expats or local Thais could instantly distinguish the more progressive English newspaper in Thailand?

Pipob Udomittipong

Chiang Mai

Hoping for the best for South Korean hostages

 The atrocities committed by the Taleban and "other Islamic extremists around the world" are indeed a drop in the ocean of violence caused by the US and Israel in the past 40 years.

Millions of deaths in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, and one million people still genetically affected by the use of Agent Orange by the US in Vietnam. People are killed daily in Laos by still unexploded bombs. It is always good to remember that Laos was the most bombed country in the world, with more than 2 million tonnes of bombs - more than in the entire World War II - dropped by B52 planes based in Thailand.

It is estimated that the US has killed already more than 600,000 people in Iraq. The situation there was never as bad as it has been since the illegal invasion of the country by allied forces led by the lying US administration.

Israel has killed tens of thousands of people in the many Middle East wars it fought, even using cluster bombs from the US in the last war in Lebanon. There are still daily casualties, especially among children, from the unexploded bombs. Wars with Uncle Sam are never over.

But, what was the purpose of those kidnapped South Korean church workers in going to Afghanistan? No report in the newspapers has made that clear.

It seems to me they are pretty naive people misguided by their church, which told them to propagate the Christian faith in an overwhelming Muslim country at war that only needs food, medicine and other basic necessities.

Their church leaders have a great responsibility for the fate of these people. I hope they return safely to their country.

Nick

Bangkok

Advertisement on ethics seems self-defeating

 The Education Ministry's Thai-language advertisement published on page 3A of your August 2 edition, about the principles of diligence, frugality, honesty, discipline, politeness, cleanliness, harmony and thoughtfulness, caused me to ponder its aim for your English and Thai readers.

First, I thought that all the ethics mentioned must already be in the blood of your Thai and non-Thai readers and that they do not to be reminded of them.

Second, the advert must have cost the ministry a few hundred thousand baht, which itself breaks their declared tenet of frugality.

Third, to advertise only in the Thai language in a leading-English newspaper does not create any sense of harmony among your readers.

Finally, ethics cannot be limited to these eight tenets only since there are others that may not be describable but which make your stomach churn when someone breaks them.

When the US Justice Potter Stewart had to render his opinion on the obscenity of the French film "The Lovers" - whether it was "pornography" - he stated in his judgement that he could not define that word but he would know it when he saw it and the motion picture involved in the case was not that.

Songdej Praditsmanont

Bangkok