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Published on September 9, 2007

These two letters described chronic problems in the capital for the past several decades.

Bangkok Governor Apirak Kosayodhin will not be able to solve these problems alone. It is time for the senior officials in the government to do something about it. The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry, the Public Health Ministry, the Education Ministry and the provincial government must work together to brainstorm how to continuously develop a clean environment, including stressing the importance of taking responsibility for a clean environment from childhood onward.

I grew up using earthenware pots for cooking, banana leaves to wrap my food and folded paper bags from shops. Today, plastic bags and styrofoam containers are used at most every food outlet, and it is easy and convenient to order food to go. Most people do not know that it takes thousands of years for styrofoam to break down in normal circumstances. Therefore you can see that it is not justified for the sake of convenience. We Thais must change our old habits and do the right thing for our environment.

Bangkok is no longer as charming as it once was. The city has become a concrete jungle with air and water pollution, sidewalks are for food stalls and peddlers, stray dogs are on every soi, many homeless sleep on the sidewalks, prostitution is everywhere in the city - you name it. The next administration will have a monumental task on its hands, and the leader, whoever that may turn out to be, will not be a happy person.

Surasak Piputtana

Bangkok

Apirak's push for paradise by 2011 defies reality

Re: "Apirak pushes for paradise", News, September 7.

The comments made by the governor are the most ludicrous I have read this month in your newspaper.

His plans to improve transportation, increase green areas and introduce a pollution-free environment for the citizens of Bangkok and surrounding areas are dreams. It seems as if he has no idea about the living conditions in Bangkok.

He should come out of his glass tower and do some travelling around Bangkok like his citizens and see what kind of condition public transport is really in. I spend anything from two to four hours travelling back and forth to Bangkok from Samut Prakan every day.

It is not unusual to have to wait at least one hour for a bus, and in some instances the bus never turns up. I have been left waiting for up to two hours in some instances. When the bus arrives it is impossible to get on. There were some instances last week when there must have been at least 100 people or more standing on the bus.

With regard to the pollution, while I'm standing at the bus stop the pupils of my eyes are burning from the pollution. The way the citizens are treated with regard to public transport is a national disgrace. They are treated like cattle.

The idea of Bangkok being full of green areas is also unlikely. Apirak should take the bus along Sukhumvit Road and see all of the garbage that is strewn on the pavements and sidewalks and also take a ride on Silom, where the rats outnumber the citizens.

I think Apirak's idea of creating a paradise out of all of this by the year 2011 is impossible. He has done absolutely nothing to improve the traffic situation in and around Bangkok during his term in office, and I foresee in the very near future, within 12 months, that the centre of Bangkok and surrounding areas will become gridlocked.

I wish the citizens of Bangkok every success in the coming elections and trust and pray that they choose the right dynamic energetic and honest governor. As an addendum, I think the vast amount of money that was used in the fire-truck fiasco should have been used to purchase buses and improve the transport system in Bangkok and thus improve the standard of life for Bangkokians.

Ajarn Bob

Bangkok

Action independent of UN needed in Burma

Re: "Monks strike back", Regional, September 8.

Burmese military rulers beating up Buddhist monks in Pakhokku town? It is rather unfortunate that the ever-worsening governance in Burma is causing much suffering to the citizens of what was a beautiful and ancient monarchy until the colonisation efforts of the British and Japanese, which completely destroyed natural and grass-roots political systems and consciousness. Now what the moral Burmese have ended up with is a few privileged, corrupt military rulers who are not kind, good-hearted, pro-internationalisation or competent enough to empower Burma with an advancement among nations, in human-rights, civil or economic progress.

Since dictator General Ne Win's toxic coup that destroyed the vibrant and multi-ethnic democracy in 1962, most of Burma's wealth, institutions, laws and policies have been mismanaged by its governments, which have been shamefully engaged by Asean, China, Russia and some other nations, mostly for financial benefit. America has been vocal in urging the junta to democratise, but another incompetent body, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), kowtowed to China and Russia's greedy and selfish defence of the junta, which buys weapons from these political dinosaurs, to abuse and oppress its own rural poor, freedom fighters, ethnic leaders, democrats, students and often the revered Buddhist monks now.

Former colonisers England and Japan, aided by the kindness of Nato, must do more to help install a government led by the Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, the courageous and ethical leader of the National League for Democracy.

Effective action must be launched soon to alleviate the terror and painful lives of 40-plus million poor Burmese, with the guiding light of God/Buddha's hand over Southeast Asia. Mind you, forget the dysfunctional and ill UNSC, alas.

Jason Minn Kyaw

Bangkok

English possibilities of 'gig' leave reader baffled

Re: "I'm not Thaksin's gig: Lydia", News, September 8.

So the Thai singer sometimes known as Lydia is not the former PM's "gig"?

So according to my favourite "Oxford Concise Dictionary", she is not a two-wheeled horse-drawn carriage, a small boat (especially for racing), a type of harpoon (but we may hear more on that later) or an entertainer's one-night stand (as in concert performance).

Certainly not the latter. An entertainer she may be, but the relationship such as it is (from your fulsome front-page review of her book, detailed even down to the amazingly low price of Bt195), is much, much longer term than that.

So in what respect is this young lady a "gig" or not?

I think your readers deserve to know.

David Hardcastle

Chiang Mai