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Published on April 19, 2008

Alan Ellard

Bangkok

The ban on alcohol sales during the festive period should reduce the number of deaths, since deaths during this period are due mostly to excessive drinking by locals and hardly by any tourists. Hence, the proposal should not apply to tourist areas or restaurants of five-star hotels.

Though enforcement of Thai laws is sometimes lacking, with the current public focus on this issue, it is not an area that a police officer would be likely to turn a blind eye to during that period.

As a daily drinker of a glass of wine or beer with my dinner, for three years I have benefited greatly from my annual abstinence during Lent, due to the urging of media. I have found annually the detoxification to be uplifting, especially when the period has come to an end. I believe it has caused me to look at life more openly and think outside the box when warranted, not to mention that it has been good for my health. Although not a fan of the interior minister, I have to admit the man can think outside the box instead of the stereotyped explanations of his predecessors for stricter enforcement. However, an exclusion of tourists from this ban is a must.

Songdej Praditsmanont

Bangkok

Logical ways to lower

holiday road-death toll

Following on from the letter by Ling Mao ("Alcohol ban won't prevent deaths on country roads", April 18) and the news item published on April 17, "Road deaths down but carnage goes on", which stated: "While most accidents (83 per cent) involved motorcycles, nearly half came from drunk driving, followed by speeding and suddenly cutting in front of other vehicles. Most accidents took place on straight stretches of secondary roads, and most occurred between 4pm and 8pm."

I would like to suggest a completely logical approach to ending this road madness forever:

l Put more curves on secondary roads;

l Build a physical barrier where the lines are so nobody can overtake;

l Ban all drinking and riding of motorcycles from 4-8pm.

If nothing else, this would address the underlying statistics, which, however they are cut, do not make for pleasant reading year after year after year.

Don K Fletcher

Badgers Mount, England

Death of Burmese workers should not go unanswered

I hope Nation readers were recently shocked and outraged at the tragic news of the death of 54 of our needy neighbours travelling in the "Land of Smiles". With our government making sweet overtures to the powers that be in Burma, should we not pause and ask ourselves: "Are not the needs of our Buddhist neighbours more important than the personal gain of only a few in Thailand?"

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