POST BAG
I have heard many eyewitness accounts of the Oct 7 incident and can reasonably conclude that the Somchai government was actually trying to kill the demonstrators by using real weapons and bombs. This is reminiscent of the October 14, 1973 incident where the ultra right-wing Krating Daeng army and village scouts crushed students at Thammasat University, accusing them of being communists.
This time the violence was too widespread and the events leading up to it were too dubious for anyone to not suspect foul play. The anti-riot police were not used. Instead provincial police troops under the command of the current Interior Minister Kovit Wattana were used. There were many photos and YouTube videos of police using rifles and pistols to shoot at the crowd.
Prime Minister Somchai insisted on using Parliament for his policy announcement. He was physically shaken while reading the policy in the chamber, knowing full well that there were killings outside.
On October 21, the Supreme Court will deliver its final verdict against former PM Thaksin. If convicted, he cannot return to Thailand without going to prison. The sentence will be valid for 20 years. This could explain last week's violence and anything that may occur during the next 10 days _ forcing a coup would invalidate the verdict.
On Friday, an ex-police chief, General Salang Bunnag, was allowed to use the Royal Thai Police headquarters to announce he would mobilise former policemen to use force to seize back Government House from the PAD. An estimated 10,000 supporters of the United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (pro-Thaksin) gathered at Muang Thong Thani on Saturday to counter the PAD's rally today. The PAD has already warned their supporters of a possible attack.
In order to avoid more bloodshed, the PAD should call off the demonstration at Government House as well as the rally at the police headquarters. There will still be enough time to pressure the government and the police to take responsibility for their actions.
PAD SUPPORTER
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Starve out Government House protesters
I cannot understand why the government did not use the easy non-violent option to remove the protesters from Government House. All they have to do is to prevent anyone from entering with food, water or other supplies. Anybody who wants to leave can do so but is not allowed back in. There would be no need to storm the protest barricades and the compound will probably be empty within one week.
JOHN SYMES
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Less brutal methods to control the mob
The column by Surasak Tumcharoen about the events of Oct 7 (''He said, she said'', Oct 12) repeatedly mentioned the history of blood shed by demonstrators in Thailand at the hands of soldiers and police, and he gave the opinion of one man who said the police action was justified.
We don't know what caused the deaths and injuries. Do we know whether the police used the right procedures for employing tear gas? Have the police been trained properly? Are there any non-violent and less brutal methods that could have been used?
I think this indicates clearly that the police like to use abusive power and weapons to kill and injure and then try to cover up their mistakes and responsibility.
Mr Surasak should follow the morality and ethics of journalists and investigate to find out the truth before writing a column.
MANIT KANTIPONG
Dallas, Texas
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Dry up funds and get rid of the rotten apples
Our country is now so divisive that alarming incidents are popping up on a daily basis. Rotten politicians will always be rotten politicians. Their self-interested objectives will always come before their responsibilities to the country.
The last few years we have seen these rotten politicians raise their evil levels to a point that they actually believe they own the country. We can talk about reconciliation all we want, but at the end of the day, do we really believe that rotten politicians will change the colour of their skin?
The saddest part of it all is that we all know who has been pulling the strings and is responsible for all that is happening in our country. On their own, the government would have no guts to order the police to do what they did to the people.
So why are we going around in circles and allowing the situation to further deteriorate? Why don't we tackle the heart of the problem? A simple plumber will tell you that if the valve is shut off, water will not flow.
If no funds come to these groups of rotten people, they will simply dry up and wither. I think we have been more than patient with the man in London.
Isn't it time we take care of business, so that our country can return to normal and hopefully the wounds of the people will heal? We owe it to our King and country.
SUPREECHA D
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Overflowing with the milk of human kindness
Martin R writes (Postbag, Oct 11) that the Bangkok Post should not print anything by me because I am ''biased''. Since when is bias a reason not to print someone's letter? Isn't he being biased?
Over the last few months there have been numerous articles in the Bangkok Post falsely claiming that drinking milk prevents osteoporosis. And Guru magazine ran a four-page article telling us how wonderful drinking milk is for our health while not giving anyone with an alternative view a chance to respond.Why didn't Martin write a letter back then complaining about bias?
The only ''point'' Martin made is that he knows of a study claiming milk is good for you. So what? We all have read such studies. The purpose of my letters and articles is to question those studies by offering readers alternative ideas and information.
Often people will tell me that while they don't always agree with me, they respect the fact that I have opened up the debate on the issue of health and diet and give the readers different ideas to explore. But Martin doesn't want to explore different ideas _ he just wants to shut me up.
I think we should all be grateful people such as Martin are not in a position of power where they can tell the rest of us which ideas can and cannot be explored.
ERIC BAHRT
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