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Published on October 28, 2007

In particular, we urge you to fully withdraw from the deal to purchase natural gas from the Block M9 natural-gas field in the Gulf of Martaban, and to phase out your existing investments in Burma until meaningful steps have been taken by the Burmese junta to introduce a genuine democracy.

The Burmese junta is dependent on foreign-investment revenues to prolong its rule. Burma earns approximately US$160 million [Bt5.4 billion] per month in sales revenue from its natural-gas supplies to Thailand. The increased revenue from PTT's development of the M9 petroleum field will embolden Burma's rulers to maintain their stranglehold on the country at a time when the international community is pressuring for national reconciliation and dialogue.

Contrary to your claims, we disagree that the PTT's investments benefit the Burmese people. UN statistics confirm that the money the junta spends is not on education and healthcare, but rather on expanding military training and purchasing arms, ammunition and other weapons of destruction. According to the information of World Food Programme, the United Nations confirmed that 35 per cent of Burmese people suffer with malnutrition. Apart from continuing gross human-rights abuses against thousands of people in ethnic states, most recently the Burmese army has violently suppressed peaceful demonstrators led by Buddhist monks.

We also fear that the construction of natural-gas pipelines in Burma under the current military regime will be directly connected to human-rights violations, such as forced labour, involuntary displacement, and violence that accompanies an increased military presence associated with such projects. This has been the case in other pipelines linked from Burma to Thailand.

We appreciate that Thailand has growing energy requirements. However, alternatives to Burmese gas must be sought. Other gas supplies should be more actively considered. Clean, renewable energy sources should be aggressively pursued.

At a time when the international community is coming together to work toward reconciliation and human rights in Burma, PTT must refrain from extending even greater support to the junta. We think this is a unique opportunity for your company to demonstrate to the world and to the people of Burma your commitment to corporate responsibility and human rights. We urge you to protect Thailand's reputation and yourself from complicity in human-rights abuses and hurting the Burmese people.

To discuss these proposals further, we would be very grateful if you would meet with a representative of Peace for Burma in the next week, at a time convenient to you, as we consider this a matter of urgency.

Thank you in advance for your time and consideration.

Somsri Hananuntasuk

Peace for Burma

Bangkok

Boycott Chinese goods, as well as the Olympics

Re: "Good reasons to boycott the Olympics", Letters, October 26.

I read James Groveway's very erudite and moving letter concerning the boycotting of the Beijing Olympics with a sense of mounting guilt and frustration in equal measure. I have reflected of late on these and other barbarities and felt powerless. I have also read with considerable annoyance the "it won't make a difference" crowd banging on in these columns that the idea of a boycott is futile.

Well, I think perhaps it is time for all us ordinary concerned citizens of the world to say enough is enough. China, in its headlong rush to become an economic superpower, is causing untold misery as it stampedes to acquire resources at any cost and while continuing to function as a brutal dictatorship the world trots up like poodles to do business with this unpleasant regime.

I am not sure as to the most efficient way for us to individually try to convince our governments to boycott this vile Chinese spectacle of pseudo-respectability. I do know however that all that take part will have a substantial amount of blood on their hands.

I for one will now examine any product before purchase, and if it is made in China I shall put it back on the shelf and look elsewhere for my needs.

John Symons

Bangkok

Democrats should ignore finance minister's advice

Re: "Baht warning for Democrats", Business, October 27.

It is disappointing that Chalongphob Sussangkarn, the interim finance minister, is trying to influence the next administration to adopt the current anti-market policies. Extension of these policies will amplify distortions and continue to inhibit growth.

The imposition of capital controls was rash and ill-conceived. Not only have they choked off new investment in the near term, they have also caused lasting damage to the nation's reputation. Before resorting to the financial equivalent of a tactical nuclear strike, the authorities should have exhausted all conventional means at their disposal. For instance, a surprise 100-basis-point cut in interest rates combined with massive baht selling would have sent speculators running for cover. This would be in the front of their minds every time they considered aggressive moves on the baht in the future.

In the meantime the interim minister should rally his regional counterparts to join the US and EU in addressing the problem's root cause: China and its massively undervalued currency.

And there is still plenty of room to cut rates.

T Mercer

Bangkok

Chalongphob's changing views of controls a mystery

The warning from Finance Minister Chalongphob Sussangkarn to the Democrat Party against its proposal to scrap the 30-per-cent rule took me by surprise.

Prior to his appointment as the finance minister, Chalongphob was one of the strongest critics of the 30-per-cent rule and thought lowering the interest rate would have done the trick in stemming the inflow of hot money.

He now opines that the world market is not normal, hence capital controls are needed. But the world market pre-December 2006 was also not normal with the ever-present weakening of the dollar. Why then would he change his mind now on the need for the 30-per-cent capital controls?

He must know something now that we don't know. Like the economic guru John Maynard Keynes used to say to those who questioned him when he changed his views, "Sir, the facts have changed, and when the facts change, I change. What do you do, sir?" Perhaps, the minister could share his views with us and let us know whether he has changed his mind or whether the facts have changed.

Songdej Praditsmanont

Bangkok

Posters with ex-PM's image dishearten reader

Is it not a very say day for Thai politics when the disgraced former prime minister and now fugitive on the run from the law is hailed on posters for a political party? Even better is the fact that this party claims his likeness all for its own. Yes, and if they require any photos maybe they could contact the asset-concealment investigators - surely they have some photos connected to the several arrest warrants they have issued that could prove useful in their artwork. It is a sad, very sad day for Thai politics indeed!

Richard Lusk

Bangkok