Khun Songdej Praditsmanont's letter, ''Much to smile about'' (PostBag, BP, May 6), is right on the money. Most people doubt whether Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra understands the content of her speeches. This just reinforces the fact that she is a mouthpiece for Thaksin's speech writers.
It is best she continues to smile, look pretty and keep her mouth shut.
THAI RIDGEBACK
Credit PM for telling truth
Yingluck Shinawatra's speech in Mongolia needs to be appreciated by all Thais.
Enforcing the ''rule of law'' is not a special feature of the Thai state. It is a symptom of a weak state that finds it difficult to implement its own laws.
At a higher level, a lack of respect for the law is the result of politicians, military, civil servants, bureaucrats, judiciary and police enjoying too many discretionary powers.
To clearly understand the discrepancies in the application of the law one has to honestly answer these questions:
How many yellow-shirt leaders, military personnel or bureaucrats in white uniforms are now in jail for closing down the airports in 2008?
Why are only red-shirt agitators lingering in jails for the riots of 2010?
Look at the paradox of personal freedom in Thailand. A person can go to a police station or the Constitution Court and lodge a complaint against anyone but a person cannot raise genuine issues related to democracy in an enlightened international forum.
Thais can learn something from what is happening to General Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan, who staged a coup deposing a duly elected prime minister.
Thais can also learn from what is happening in neighbouring Malaysia, where Najib Razak's National Front has plunged the country into widespread corruption via media censorship, monopolies, and systemic racial and religious discrimination.
In his book, Second Treatise of Civil Government, John Locke wrote: ''The end of law is not to abolish or restrain, but to preserve and enlarge freedom ... where there is no law, there is no freedom.''
In this context, Ms Yingluck should be commended for her views about the state of democracy in Thailand.
It is time for everyone living in Thailand to look into the mirror and say: ''Yes, as an emerging democracy, we can do better.''
KULDEEP NAGI
Any KFC cruelty here?
Re: ''Chickens also need help'' (PostBag, BP, May 6).
Although I am a keen carnivore and counter many of Eric Bahrt's numerous letters against meat eaters, I do not agree with such cruelty toward animals. I watched the video ''Kentucky Fried Cruelty with Pamela Anderson'' as Eric suggested and was appalled. I thought KFC had got a grip on this cruelty.
I would be interested to get a follow-up from Eric to know how KFC chickens are treated in Thailand, because my family will surely boycott KFC if this cruelty is proved to exist in this country.
There is no excuse to treat animals like this before they enter the food chain.
VICTOR MELDREW
Bangkok
BTS stays mum on seniors
Re: ''Unfair fares on BTS'' (PostBag, May 4).
I am not surprised the BTS ignored Barry Wood's request for clarification about its discrimination in offering the senior discount fare to Thai citizens only.
I made the same request via the BTS website's ''Contact us'' feature a couple of months ago and have yet to receive a reply.
This policy does not create a favourable image for the BTS company and is clearly blatant discrimination, especially when compared with the MRT service.
TONY OLIVER
CONTACT: BANGKOK POST BUILDING
136 Na Ranong Road Klong Toey, Bangkok 10110
Fax: +02 6164000 email: postbag@bangkokpost.co.th
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