• 
• 

Published on February 6, 2008

 But it seems that Thaksin is now having similar kind of headaches with his partners in Thailand.

Team manager Sven has had a frustrating time over the winter transfer period due to the limited transfer budget given by Thaksin.

After seeing the hopeless performances during the last couple of weeks, Man City fans are already noticing that the focus of their club's owner is now shifting to a different direction.

Opinion will certainly be divided if he repeats the same errors in the football business as he did in the Shin Corp share business.

KT

Bangkok

-----------------------

Coup-makers suddenly urge reconciliation 

Isn't it funny how opinions change with falling fortunes. Former interim PM Surayud has been reported in the following light: "He also called on political figures not to seek revenge against each other, saying the best way out of every problem is through peaceful means."

Does he consider a military coup as "peaceful means"?

I wonder who he thinks those people are who someone might seek revenge against?

He has been saying all along, as have all the other coup perpetrators, that the coup was good, justified, and they'd do it all over again.

However, now that these generals have failed miserably and Thaksin is de facto back in power, they are suddenly urging peace. In most countries a military coup is considered treason, and in many it carries the death penalty. The worst that can happen to the coup-makers in Thailand seems to be a transfer to an inactive position. Is that supposed to be an effective deterrent against treason? I would love to have an inactive position. I get a hefty salary and don't have to do anything. Where can I apply? Do I have to overthrow the government to get one?

The tentacles of the Thai military reach all sections of society and government, and that makes my spine chill. For the record, I have no noble thoughts about Thaksin either, but at least he was elected, as bad a choice as he might have been. I will not even get started on Samak.

Where are the honourable and unselfish people in this country who would follow the example of HM the King and lead this country on the path to true democracy, equality and justice for all?

Here, rules are only for the poor.

Jack Doe

Koh Ling

-----------------------

Tricked into becoming followers of ideologies

Re: "The harsh new lesson: no place for ideologies", Opinion, January 30.

I do applaud Tulsathit Taptim for the one incontestably true statement he made at the end of his article:

"It's hard enough to teach our youngsters why the coup is bad and Thaksin is good, or vice versa ... Unless, of course, we tell them straightforwardly that everything is about how to win power, that it has always been this way, and that talks about ideology are only necessary but forgettable sideshows."

The truth of course is that the coup is bad and Thaksin is bad, too.

Herman Melville wrote a book about the exercise of seemingly pure evil, entitled "Billy Budd, Sailor" or "Billy Budd, Foretopman", depending on the edition. In it, a first mate named Claggart, responsible for the purge of the blameless Billy Budd and for his subsequent execution, has his "conscience" described as the mere "lawyer to his will".

And that is what political ideologies are: an elaborate structure of reason erected to justify the exercise of the otherwise naked will to power that lies beneath them.

The armies of advocates looking for an "ideal" to "fight for" are the dupes of the ideologues who, utterly unconcerned with ideology themselves, only will their own grasp of the reins of power.

And yes, it is essential that we teach our children that that is the case. That they should never allow themselves to be driven into this camp or that.

Politics as it is "played" is all about grasping power and exercising it for the benefit of the few. And it will remain that way until it is played by the many, and turned to the task of assuring the greatest benefit for the largest number. The exact opposite of the end pursued today.

John Francis Lee

Chiang Rai

-----------------------

Memo to the Forces:

Are you professionals?

I'm glad that PM Samak gave his word that he will not interfere in military reshuffles. I do hope that we can believe him more than the Hong Kong puppet-master's repeated vow to stay out of politics.

It's in Prime Minister Samak's, ex-PM Thaksin's, and our national interest to have a fully professional military that does, in fact, keep out of politics and obey our legitimately-elected leaders.

Professionalism is more important than ever now that the military is down-sizing by 25 per cent, and we must keep our best and brightest to serve our country.

A crucial part of being professional is having a clear vision, mission, and key performance indicators - all inter-linked, synergistic, transparent, measurable and job-related. Seniority, class, political ties and family background will play no part in determining evaluation or promotion.

A leader must have courage, vision and integrity. Thaksin had the second, Surayud the last. This cannot do, either for political or military leaders. Our performance indicators must foster all three.

To ensure that the military does not throw him out by force, Prime Minister and Defence Minister Samak should hasten to give us a professional military that we can be proud of.

Burin Kantabutra

Bangkok

-----------------------

Promote science through competition

There is an annual science contest in the United States in which high-school students vie to see who can come up with the most innovative and well-formulated science projects. In last year's contest, of 1,602 entrants, 40 were chosen to go to Washington DC to receive part of the over half a million dollars in scholarships awarded to the top finishers. Fourteen of the finalists are young women. Many of the finalists' names appear to be Chinese, Taiwanese, Indian and Russian. Top ranked students in previous contests have gone on to distinguished careers in science, and six have won Nobel Prizes. 

Are there any science contests for high-school students in Thailand? If not, such contests would be a great way to encourage practical innovation.

It would also be a refreshing change to see Thai children getting drawn to science rather than lucky charms, talismans and fortune-tellers. 

Intel Corporation (maker of computer chips) is the main sponsor of the contest in the States. With that in mind, a Thai-based contest would be a golden opportunity for Thai businesses to step up and support budding scientists here.

Plus, Thailand will want to employ in-house experts in the future, rather than paying big bucks to outside technical and scientific advisers. 

Ken Albertsen

Chiang Rai

Send us your views in an instant

E-mail your opinion, with 'Letters to

the Editor' in the subject box, to:

letters@nationgroup.com

The Nation