Thaksin must practise what he preaches or keep quiet

For a former PM who has been on the run after being sentenced in absentia to two years in jail on corruption charges in Thailand, he should be the last person to tell others to follow the law. To practice what he preaches, he should return to Thailand, face the music and spend his time behind bars.

This man manipulated the legal system, broke the law and should keep his comments to himself and stay out of Thai affairs.

JOHN L

BANGKOK

Somchai is more like ex-premier's man than PM

Thailand is in trouble because it has a prime minister who is not acting like one. It is obvious that Somchai Wongsawat became PM because Thaksin put him there. The past few months have shown Somchai to be protecting Thaksin's interest as opposed to that of the country: he refused to revoke Thaksin's diplomatic passport (to allow the former leader to travel to 40 countries without visa) despite the fact that Thaksin is now a convicted fugitive. That status was verified by the UK's cancellation of his visa. Plus, he has never initiated moves for Thaksin's deportation as was his duty.

Now, Somchai has gone further to use his premiership to advance Thaksin's interest. He is biding time to allow his People Power Party to push through the Parliamentary motion to amend the Constitution in order to exonerate Thaksin. In short, Somchai is trying to put Thaksin above Thai law despite himself being a former judge.

In any normal democracy, in a situation where two opposing sides are gearing up for a bloodbath - and where the leader no longer has power to keep peace and security - the PM must make a sacrifice by stepping down and let the people decide the future of the nation.

Thus, it is time for Somchai to make himself worthy of the chair he occupies.

CHAVALIT VAN

CHIANG MAI

Let's wait for court verdict on party dissolution case

The Constitution Court has set Tuesday as the last day for submissions and has said it will deliver its verdict on the main coalition party, the PPP on Wednesday. Since all the evidence points to the dissolution of the PPP and hence the present government, where does that leave us?

How could a government with, more than likely, just a few days in power possibly launch an attack at the country's two airports? Surely the only sensible and viable course of action is to wait until Wednesday when PAD's demand that the government resign will more than possibly be met. At this point you would assume that the PAD and the remnants of disbanded political parties would then get together and plan democratic elections. It's all going to take a time but what else is possible?

The one thing that would cause chaos and misery on a scale not seen would be the return of the former prime minister.

DAVID WENMAN

CHIANG MAI

This country needs leaders who lead

What is happening with all these riots, etc should be no surprise to those who live in the country. And is painful to those who love it.

It is no different from extortion gangs battling it out for control of markets, which is only done in the open as a last resort.

Well, the last resort has been reached at the national level.

A hopeless, hapless, helpless Prime Minister with no real power of his own is being challenged by "names-soon-to-revealed".

The people deserve better from leaders who do not lead, and who would seem not to care.

'AMAZED IN CHIANG MAI'

PADRAIG MACGOBHAINN