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John P Kotter said, "Leaders establish the vision for the future and set the strategy for getting there."

Neither Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat, the United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship, nor the People's Alliance for Democracy have done that, and their followers are too emotionally involved to be more than lemmings, following the herd to the nearest cliff.

Now, we don't even know who's in charge. The Parliament sits - or doesn't sit - at the pleasure of the intruders, not the government. State enterprise unions abuse their powers and think that they have the right to dictate who rules.

Companies list - or don't list - at the pleasure of the mob. Our PM is so devoid of will that he lets felons on the run to represent our country as diplomats, as shown by their passports.

Dear reader, don't expect our leaders to do better than their humblest best. Instead, push them to show us this Promised Land that they're leading us to, tell why it's so good, and how they plan to get us there - before we have a bloodbath that solves nothing.

BURIN KANTABUTRA

BANGKOK

Stop preaching, Thaksin, nobody's listening

Re: "Thaksin: UK will be sorry", Breaking news, The Nation website

What has surprised me since I arrived in Thailand six years ago is that I have seen very few newspaper or magazine articles written on the country, either by the BBC or any of the English broadsheets. Even the Asian papers, for example Far-Easter Economic Review and the South China Morning Post, rarely write about Thailand, unless it has to do with Thaksin Shinawatra's sentencing, a chicken and cola stew or a military coup.

So what would change now that a "democratically mature" country has chosen to boot him out because he's a convicted criminal and is making noises of civil war in Thailand from under his bedsheets in London?

Of course, the Thai people are living in hardship because Thaksin is not here, but what the man has to understand is that he's deceiving himself expecting trust, harmony and economic growth to be brought back to a society that is deeply polarised.

I'm also sure Prime Minister Gordon Brown feels deeply sorrowful about revoking of Thaksin's visa after he has pondered upon Britian's financial crisis. Thaksin, the UK won't give you the slightest thought, either before or in the hereafter. You say, "England ... is so busy with its problems that it has forgotten about democratic values". Yeah, right!

JAMES GROVEWAY

BANGKOK

Lessons in Buddhism for a wayward former leader

Dear Khun Thaksin, I have admired you for your achievements and I repent your fall.

Though you were delighted with your successes, you are now furious about your losses. Did you notice that your anger is burning you up? Plus, you are trying to spread your ire to other people and even setting the Kingdom on fire.

Even though you're Buddhist, it seems you do not remember how to apply Buddha's teachings in your daily life.

Will you be poor if you lose your assets?

If you were to die right now, would you be able to take your property with you?

If you serve the jail term, do you think you will lose your dignity?

If you stop generating anger (dosa), greed (loba) and ignorance (moha), you will be peaceful, and so will your family and country.

MON MYAT

BANGKOK