Tak Bai litmus test
Re: "Victims of Tak Bai tragedy file suit", (BP, April 27).
Victims of the Royal Thai Army's (RTA) actions at Tak Bai have filed a suit against nine former top officials for the killing of 85 unarmed protesters in 2004.
This is the RTA's last chance to show that its top officers are men enough to be held accountable for their actions. Most victims were tied hand and foot while being transported by the RTA and suffocated to death. To its shame, the RTA has consistently refused to accept accountability, much less court martial those responsible.
The RTA drums into its officers that they are men in every sense of the word. This lawsuit is the defendants' last chance to show themselves worthy of their noble calling and be held accountable.
Burin Kantabutra
Climate myths
Re: "Let's see the data", (PostBag, April 30) & "Dubai floods expose weaknesses to a rapidly changing climate", (BP, April 20).
In today's PostBag, JC Wilcox asks for scientists to be named on climate change research. Is JC Wilcox aware of the pre-eminent publication relating to climate change, the IPCC report, which comes out every few years assessing the latest scientific evidence behind climate change (Working Group 1) and its impacts (Working Group 2)? All the authors and contributors to the IPCC reports are named. In the latest edition released in 2021, there were 234 WG1 authors from 64 countries and 270 WG2 authors from 67 countries, and their names are available for all to see. These are top scientists and researchers in their fields who are selected through an international nomination process. The report itself draws on scientific publications, is reviewed by experts internationally who provide thousands of comments and goes through a government endorsement process.
Perhaps if JC Wilcox and Michael Setter thoroughly read the IPCC 6 report, they would understand that no one is seeking to remove all of their beloved carbon dioxide from the atmosphere but to limit the amount we release because it is accelerating climate change. The report also provides all the evidence Wilcox seeks for a "rapidly changing climate".
Maybe the PostBag Editor could from now on refrain from publishing letters peddling myths which are clearly contrary to the internationally agreed science of climate change.
Diane Archer
Political toys
Re: "Study on Land Bridge estate expected soon", (Business, April 26).
When I think of this government or the politicians here in the "Land of Smiles", I think of the word "pretend".
When I wonder what decisions are going to be made on my behalf, I imagine a child locked in a room with all the toys he could ever want and then I wonder which one he will play with. The best toy so far after the navy submarine is the Land Bridge.
Alfonso
Change the record
Re: "Thailand again bids for UNHRC seat", (Opinion, March 12).
It is depressing to think you receive so few letters covering such a narrow scope of topics on PostBag most days. Please consider giving the rest of us a holiday from reading more letters about meat eaters or global warming. There is a real world out there beyond PostBag, including Thailand. Does this empty landscape at PostBag reflect a similar lack of visionary coverage of what is supposed to be the news? One example which you do not regard as relevant to Thailand's democratic future could be coverage of the latest opinion piece from Human Rights Watch (HRW). This is particularly relevant today, now that the foreign minister has resigned. He was in charge of Thailand's application to join the UN version.
Don McMahon
