I beg to differ with David Proulx (PostBag, Dec 16) regarding the similarity between American whistleblowers and Pol Maj Gen Paween Pongsirin.
While American whistleblowers are directly threatened by the US government, Pol Maj Gen Paween is not.
It is clear that there are powerful rogue elements in the police as well as in the military as shown first in the Pongpat Chayapan case for the police, and Manas Kongpan for the military. It is also clear that it bothers PM Prayut to find that the military brass is as not clean as it should be.
It is my understanding that Pol Maj Gen Paween has fled Thailand because he believes that the junta is not capable of protecting him, and this is what annoys PM Prayut, not the fact that the latter is protecting those who have threatened Pol Maj Gen Paween.
Clara Holzer
Climate hypocrisy
Re: “Meeting our climate goals”, (Editorial, Dec 16).
It is obviously pretty easy for the relatively rich editors of the Bangkok Post to criticise Thailand’s modest carbon reduction promises and plans to build coal-fired power plants.
However, please consider that it is the poorest segments of society who suffer the most from energy poverty and high electricity costs, not those hypocritical diplomats who fly in private jets to Paris to negotiate ridiculous climate deals.
Lifting people out of poverty should be Thailand's top priority. Carbon reduction and reliance on alternative energy will just make energy costs higher and make it more difficult for the poorest to climb out of poverty. Before asking the poor to sacrifice, perhaps affluent folk who profess concern about carbon emissions should give up their automobiles, air-con and airline trips.
Jeff Gepner
Looking after No.1
Re: “China should be more generous in Thai-Sino rail deal”, (Opinion, Dec 15).
I would caution Khun Achara in thinking China should be more generous in this, or any other deal China is involved in.
In the last paragraph, she states: “The railway project is not just an economic investment for China in Southeast Asia, but proof that Beijing is a true friend to it’s smaller neighbours”. Proof?
The fact is, Beijing is a true friend of Beijing and the rest of China. The smaller neighbours are nothing but stepping stones for their dominance of Asia.
Charlie Brown
Good riddance GMOs
It is a good thing the Prayut Chan-o-cha government has withdrawn the controversial GMO bill (BP, Dec 16).
Had the government refused to do so, PM Prayut’s name would certainly not be spoken of in a good way as far as future generations of Thais are concerned.
First, for the Prayut government to have considered this bill was unusual in the first place. If passed by the National Legislative Assembly (NLA), it could have led to the devastation of the country’s natural resources in an irreparable way.
Second, the bill is one of the country’s most controversial and divisive issues. Its promoters want this law to boost exports and benefit the business sector only (these are both foreign and local big businesses) at the expense of the country’s natural and traditional resources, which as we all know, are the mainstay of the rural poor’s livelihoods.
This bill could lead to the situation where the rich will become richer, and the poor poorer. Hence, it would be better to leave this bill for an elected future government to propose.
Vint Chavala
People count now
Re: “Global delusion”, (PostBag, Dec 15).
JC, you are 100% correct that thousands, even millions of years ago, that the earth suffered from many climate changes. However, there were not close to eight billion people then. Let alone any people.
Froggie
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