Research and development needed in rice production
Published on July 1, 2008Thumbs up to Yasmin Lee Arporn for her article "Rice farmers receive only a small slice of the big pie" (News, June 26).
The statement concerning technology affecting the price of rice is so true.
Thailand has so much to offer the world in the area of rice technology but given the constraints of budget, an insufficient number of researchers, and slow bureaucratic management, the progress of rice technology has not kept up with the market demand for rice. However, this does not mean Thailand is sitting idle. Technologies to enhance rice breeding and improvement of stress tolerant rice seed have been an ongoing research project at Biotec. In addition, Thailand has managed to maintain its local rice strain, which is the envy of many nations with rice strains that have been harmed by various crossbreeding activities. In order for technology to have a positive effect on the prices of rice in Thailand, it is necessary to implement mechanisms that will increase the national research and development investment budget.
Ramjitti Indaraprasirt
Pathum Thani
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In the final analysis, the prime minister is not insane Re:
I did listen to the doctor's speech and Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej's response and found Samak's cool and calm response (for a change) was enough to bury doubts on his mental health.
Our MP doctor started very well in giving an analogy of a pilot with hundreds of passengers in his care. Then she faltered and started getting personal with her observation of Samak's behaviour and referred to two books on the mental health of Mussolini and Hitler. If she had stuck to the abstract importance of the mental health of a chieftain of a ship without delving into Samak's personal conduct, which was already well known to all viewer, she might come out with the best speech ever in this Parliament.
Was the doctor's conduct ethical? The answer is definitely negative in terms of a patient/client relationship. Samak is not her patient. But whether her conduct with that so-called "analytical advice" that day has debased her medical profession, I would say not if she had not trumpeted her various important positions in many hospitals. Since she began with that salutation, I can see Samak's point in referring this matter to the Medical Council.
The Democrat Party would do well to restrain themselves from getting personal and making sarcastic remarks on their counterparts. It is best for them to stick to the factual in which they are very good at.
Songdej Praditsmanont
Bangkok
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Malinee unkind in her public analysis of Samak's mind Re:
There is a question of whether Dr Malinee Sukvejworakij violated medical ethics when she suggested in Parliament that Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej is mentally unfit to be prime minister. Dr Malinee insisted she meant well, intending to warn Samak about his mental health, but Samak said she was wrong to do it on national TV.
I say, Dr Malinee, the MP, did the right thing, since her duty is to discredit Samak. Dr Malinee, the medical doctor, also did the right thing, since she used her knowledge to support her claim. (She's an internist not a psychiatrist, but I will let that slide).
But the question is whether Dr Malinee, the person, did the right thing. Would she let a man know that he has left his zipper open by announcing the fact on a public-address system?
As a self-proclaimed judge of people, I cannot excuse the choice made by Dr Malinee, the person.
Guilty as charged. Clemency denied. Case closed.
Mechai Burapa
Chiang Mai