Re: “Thailand should steadfastly reject ‘the China model’”, (Opinion, Feb 25).
In the last century, the Soviet Union was a world power. China has now replaced the old Soviet Union. We all know that the old Soviet Union was a brutal communist regime. That is what China is today — a nation run with an iron fist. Before China became the economic power we also had very successful economies in Japan, Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong. China may have become an economic power, but without political power it will not be able to surpass Western countries. Strong political power is always derived from the people.
There is no doubt that given the choice, people in any country will always choose freedom, rather than live under perpetual fear of human rights violations. Malicious, capricious and paranoid regimes always tend to punish their own people to protect their power. Let us not forget that millions of Chinese fled to Thailand and to other countries during the golden years of communism.
In a free country people strive for a better quality of life, not a false pride based on ideologies. Just like the old Soviet Union, China will also collapse because of its weak political foundations and civil liberties. For Thailand, it would be a disaster to embrace the Chinese politburo model of governance.
Kuldeep Nagi
Much for us to learn
Re: "Thailand should steadfastly reject ‘the China model'", (Opinion, Feb 25).
Songkran Grachangnetara was being too simplistic when he said China is not a model for Thailand to emulate. It is wise to equally put the economics as well as the politics of things into the equation here.
If China is all about failure, why is that country on the verge of becoming the largest economy in the world — overtaking even the US? Thailand should not follow the footsteps of China in terms of its political system, but we have a lot to learn from it about how to jump-start our economy and make it into the first-world club of countries.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for democracy. But right now, politically, we are plagued with corruption and divisiveness. For a better future, Thailand must tackle these two problems first before proceeding on our democratic journey.
Vint Chavala
Let's have discipline
Re: "Nothing ever changes", (PostBag, Feb 25)
The Chilean biker story deeply touched me as a Thai. Manfred has asked why Thais are so reckless behind the wheel and careless toward others on the road, and I can only explain with one word: “discipline”.
Lack of discipline is the root cause of all the problems in Thailand, whether it's politics, traffic, household debt, travel as tourists, disrespect for laws, etc. It seems we've never put this matter on the national agenda.
But I do hope one day we can instil a sense of discipline in the next generation, so that we can be like the many nations we so admire.
And don’t ask me why poll after poll has come out indicating that the general public is mostly happy since the coup last year because we now have, that’s right, “discipline”.
Sailom Chaitalay
Blame comes around
I wonder if the politicians who are currently facing legal challenges (Yingluck, Suthep, Abhisit) now wish that when they were in office they had encouraged more public debate of their policies and decisions. If they had, it’s possible people today might find them less responsible for the consequences of those decisions.
George W Bush, the 43rd President of the United States, is generally accepted to have been a failure. His administration tricked the US into a costly and probably senseless war with Iraq. His administration presided over economic policies that turned out very badly for America as a whole.
But today no one is throwing eggs at his house or charging him with crimes because the American public had ample opportunities to criticise his decisions as he was making them. They had the opportunity to voice their opposing viewpoints. And, really, much of the blame for his actions rested on their shoulders. They elected him president in the first place.
Alan Reeder-Camponi
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