In order to "increase customer satisfaction", a Thai bank, which previously issued debit cards allowing people to withdraw cash at the ATMs of many other banks, has now issued a newer version which only allows withdrawals from the issuing bank.
Mobility and globalisation are the buzz words at the moment, but obviously Thai banks do not care about such novelties.
Alain Kupferman
Driving me to drink
Is it just me or is there something haywire in word usage and other minor things? I am constantly amused by the phrase "drink driver", as I always thought the proper description was "drunk driver". Same for the term "bar beer", as it should be "beer bar" for proper syntax. Lastly, when the whole world goes by the standard of "one dozen eggs", why are there just 10 eggs to a carton here? Oh well, there are far more serious things right now to be concerned with, so mai pen rai.
Hyde Parke, Pattaya
'Justice' is a joke
Let's examine the news as it appears in context. Thailand's government is a military dictatorship, that is the context.
The news is a temple residence for Buddhist nuns was torched by a group of men and one of the women received death threats. Police have done nothing.
Swift punishment is meted out to someone who posted a photo of a plastic bowl on Facebook, and to another for expressing an opinion about the draft charter.
The results of this simple examination are obvious, the justice system is an abysmal failure and the government is not acting to correct the problem. If happiness is to be given to the people, try giving them justice first. Add education, protection of human rights, freedom from oppression and equal opportunity for all and happiness may then flourish, but not before.
Michael Setter, Bang Saray
Size really does matter
Re: " 'Seven dangerous days' claim 442 lives", (BP, April 19).
Apart from the usual ways espoused to curtail such a tragic toll (education, driver training), it is obvious that motorcycles (81%) dominate the issue. Furthermore, the proliferation of larger motorcycles in recent years needs examination.
I just wonder if there is a positive correlation between bike size and the increase in the death rate. In many other countries, riders must "graduate" from smaller powered bikes to the larger ones over a time period and be able to demonstrate a high degree of proficiency. I just wonder if the Road Safety Directing Centre officials would be interested in such an analysis?
Colin Rose
Has world gone mad?
Anders Behring Breivik, the Norwegian who massacred dozens of people on an island after setting a bomb elsewhere, has just won his case regarding his conditions in prison. The judge said he was subject to "inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment".
Breivik has never shown any remorse for his actions and gave a Nazi salute in court. Has the world gone mad? Why are we showing compassion to someone who does not understand the word? The families of the people who were murdered must be disgusted with this decision as much as I am.
Jeff Downes
Poor form, indeed
I noted with interest the addition of a new form for foreigners issued by the Immigration Department.
This three-page form requests foreigners provide personal information from bank accounts to local restaurants and hospitals used. It is supposed to be filled out prior to approval of any visa extension or 90-day report.
The purported reasoning behind this is to help in the location of foreign criminals, who I assume, will rush to provide correct information on bank accounts and the like to immigration authorities.
This will be especially useful in locating those thousands of foreigners here on expired visas who will also dash off to let immigration know they are here illegally.
In addition the answers are not mandatory, so what's the reasoning behind this anyway. This is another invasion of privacy and loss of human rights perpetrated by the regime which seems to be in panic mode.
Fred Prager