Re: “It’s time to reform our tainted police” (BP editorial, Oct 19).
I agree wholeheartedly with your editorial that the Thai police force must be reformed, and urgently. News that British Prime Minister David Cameron persuaded Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to allow British detectives to help investigate the murders of tourists Hannah Witheridge and David Miller — though denied by Gen Prayut, who said they would only be observers — does not come as a surprise.
The Thai police have effectively become the Prayut government’s Achilles heel — not the May 22 coup. This is not the first time the police have failed to guarantee safety and fairness for foreign tourists. In 2000, British tourist Kirsty Jones was murdered in a Chiang Mai hotel room; the case was never solved. Reform the police now!
Vint Chavala
No more subsidies
Re: “Subsidise tappers”, (Postbag, Oct 18). Thailand doesn’t need more subsidies for rubber tappers to provide equity with rice farmers. Such flawed logic only puts the country on a path of never-ending, treasury-busting payouts.
Instead, Thailand needs to provide support to farmers who are currently mired in dead-end fields (pun intended) in moving to skills and professions that allow them decent livelihoods. Sometimes this may mean growing alternative crops with higher demand and market value; in other cases, it may mean that farmers shift to jobs outside the sector.
For the good of the economy, the environment, and the farmers themselves, it’s time Thailand stops paying subsidies to farmers to grow crops and commodities that are not needed.
Samanea Saman
Open up young minds
Re: “Count to 12 and you’ll be brainwashed” (BP, Oct18).
Many people will agree with Mr Rithdee that the current generation of Thais is already brainwashed. They do not need another 12 rounds of military style wash-and-dry to bring reforms in Thailand. Although the new premier has successfully filled the credibility gap created by politicians, he and his team have a long way to go to transform Thailand into a vibrant society.
There is a danger when those in power trot out platitudes like “cooperation, not criticism, is what the country needs”. The mumbo-jumbo of “returning happiness to the people” is also too simplistic for a nation which wants to join the ranks of modern and wealthy nations. Every coup in Thailand is justified as an effort to bring it closer to democracy. And those responsible for it have been deliriously proud of their efforts to put democracy back on track. It is a tough job, but someone’s got to do it.
Kuldeep Nagi
Loan funds won't help
Re: “Household debt to rise” (Business, Oct 17). I agree with Bank of Thailand governor Prasarn Trairatvorakul, who said debt problems related to informal lending should not be solved by low-interest loans but by generating earnings, enhancing savings and financial planning.
If a debtor is unable to adjust his own financial habits and management, the fund would help only in the short term. And then they would go back to informal lending again.
Sutipunt Bongsununt
Jumbo suspicions
Re: “Lese majeste claims over Naresuan elephant duel” (BP, Oct 19). What a story! Two retired officers accuse an academic of lese majeste because at a seminar he doubted the historical accuracy of an elephant duel of a king which is supposed to have taken place a few centuries ago. The zeal of some conservatives has reached the level of absurdity and insanity.
Karl Reichstetter
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