OPINION

Brave soul revered

Prachatai news website has named Naritsarawan "May" Keawnopparat as "Person of the Year 2016".

According to Prachatai, "she is chosen because she would not let the death of her uncle, Wichian Puaksom, who volunteered for army service in Narathiwat province, in the restive deep South, be worthlessly forgotten, braving legal, physical and mental threats in a fight against military-backed torture". An investigation by the 4th Army Region found her uncle was severely tortured by his superiors and other soldiers after he was accused of running away from military training.

She is a very brave woman to me. Thailand should be very proud of her.

The shame is the mainstream media seemed to have cared less about what happened to her and her uncle, and so they haven't reported much about this.

Re: "Spare the Mekong", (Editorial, Dec 30).

Your editorial on the unwise decision to approve the removal of rocky outcrops in the Mekong River correctly identified a number of unfortunate environmental consequences if the action proceeds. However, it failed to mention the main negative impact, which would be on navigation. The rocky outcrops are an important component of the bed roughness of any river, including the Mekong. Removing them, and reducing bed roughness, increases the velocity of the water in the channel and decreases the depth. So removing the outcrops will reduce the river depth, making it less suitable for navigation, not improving it. It is just basic hydraulics really.

At the time leading up to the 2014 coup, there were many loud voices proclaiming there would be "no election without reforms". Well, we haven't had an election since the coup, but it seems we haven't had much in the way of significant reforms either.

The police and the justice system carry on as usual, while education is becoming ever more centralised. Some corrupt officials have been weeded out but there is a lack of transparency in decision-making and contracts let by government agencies. The military have been involved in their own scandals and also accusations of nepotism and cronyism but refuse to be accountable for their actions.

So, as we end 2016 and with at least another year until elections, now would be a good time for the junta to explain what reforms have been achieved and what they intend to accomplish by the end of 2017. Given the array of powers available, including Section 44 of the interim charter, it will be a great disappointment to many that critical reforms such as police reforms haven't even started.

With the proposed electoral system, unelected Senate and 20-year plan, the prospect is that Thailand will stagnate while other neighbouring countries push forward.

Re: "Bad drivers get holiday 'discount'," (BP, Dec 29).

The acting deputy chief of the Metropolitan Police Bureau was quoted as saying traffic offenders eligible for the reprieve include motorcycle drivers caught driving without a helmet.

Given that the highest number of deaths and injuries on Thailand's roads, especially during holiday periods, are motorcyclists and their passengers, particularly those who fail to comply with the law requiring safety helmets, I suggest the reprieve for such people is ill-considered.

In view of the huge numbers of motorcycle casualties, and as the cost to the nation for deaths and injuries to motorcyclists who choose to flout the law is enormous, a New Year gesture to travellers by the police should, in my humble opinion, have been not only to increase the fine but also to confiscate the motorcycles of such offenders. Also, as parking in a no-parking area is excluded from the reprieve, it seems inconvenience is a more serious issue than road safety.

Re: "Cabinet allows hemp cultivation for medical purposes", (BP, Dec 28).

I've been an outspoken advocate of allowing hemp and ganja (cannabis) for Thailand for many years.

However, the article, and the people quoted show a lack of knowledge on the topic. For decades, there have been in-depth studies of properties of hemp and ganja in the US, Europe and elsewhere. Why reinvent the wheel? Granted, it's fine for Thailand to do its own investigations, but Thais should lay the groundwork by researching (at least some of) what's been scientifically found in prior decades.

Hemp and ganja are different. Both have useful qualities. If searching for medicinal qualities, look to ganja. For practical applications or nutritional seeds and oil, look to hemp. But, investigating hemp for medicinal purposes is like using a turtle as a seeing-eye-dog.

Do studies, fine, but first get acquainted with the items you're going to test so you know what avenues to pursue.

Re: "The good, the bad and the sad", (Life, Dec 26).

It is, indeed, imperative to learn from and assimilate history's lessons. However, if this cardinal requirement is not taken seriously by all leaders, 2017 will be at risk of being worse and more tragic in comparison with 2016.

Next year inherits from 2016 the danger of imminent or impending wars, of civil and sectarian bloodshed and strife between and within states, the threats of natural disasters, of gender violence and climate change consequences of unprecedented proportions. In parallel, the respect for international law and the confidence in the role of diplomacy are in an alarming decline.

The catalogue of burning issues on which diplomatic negotiations are expected to take place in 2017 is overwhelming. Starting with sustainable development goals and nuclear disarmament and continuing with combating terrorism and extremism, settling peacefully regional conflicts, this list will become longer and longer.

The challenges facing humankind in dealing with these issues are gigantic and the difficulties to be overcome are immense during the current era of global vulnerabilities, perplexities and discontinuities.

However, if it is genuinely prepared to be guided by a strong peace-oriented diplomacy, the world community of nations has a reasonable chance to navigate through the troubled waters of 2017 with a noble and inspiring expectation of reaching a calm destination in a not too distant future.

The sight of Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) workers conducting their big clean-up obviously provided a nice photo-op in the Post on Tuesday.

But I have two questions about this event. Why is the BMA reinforcing old sexist stereotypes by having only women wielding the brooms, while mostly men stand looking on?

And shouldn't cleaning of the city be an everyday job of the BMA rather than some sort of special "New Year gift" to Bangkok residents?

I have noted the letters over the last two weeks from TrueVisions subscribers expressing their anger regarding this company's customer service. I have lived in several countries in the Asia Pacific, Europe and the Americas where I dealt with cable and satellite companies, but have never come across the pathetic service I receive from TrueVisions. If I was rating these companies from 1-5, best to worst, TrueVisions wouldn't get a rating!

When dealing with any of these companies, if I wasn't happy with the answer I received from the first person I could always talk to a manager. But this is impossible with TrueVisions!

TrueVisions recently informed me, via a message that scrolled across my TV screen, that the BBC Entertainment channel will be ceasing on Dec 31. I'm a Platinum user but the service was, as usual, non-existent. I wrote an email asking about this cancellation and they only confirmed what I had stated in my email!

It turns out it is not TrueVisions's fault on this occasion as I contacted the BBC and they informed me that it was a worldwide cancellation, they mentioned a channel called BBC First which would be a good substitute. I called TrueVisions and also sent an email suggesting they add this channel to their offerings. They told me they had passed on my suggestion to the Programme Department. I can only hope that BBC First is added to their catalogue.

My last complaint, for now, is the fact I have just found out about the cancellation of a few other channels via a third party, the Bangkok Post. True, true to its abominable service record still have not informed me directly. It is obvious True has no interest in providing good service.

Re: "Losing their religion", (PostBag, Dec 30).

Kuldeep Nagi paints a rather bleak and one-sided picture of Buddhism in Thailand. Despite all the tawdry news and grinding corruption gnawing on the spiritual heart of Buddhism there remains a very robust and resilient core of real practitioners in this country. Especially in the forest tradition in rural settings, the authentic and profound teaching and teachers of Theravada may still be found. I would urge Mr Nagi and anyone interested in taking up the real study and practice of Buddhism to dig a little deeper into the rich treasure that is Thai Buddhism.

Mr Nagi seems to expect Buddhism to transform society. But the Buddha's teaching is not meant to be consumed as dogma by society as a whole. It is offered to individuals who are first asked to consider its veracity. Based upon becoming convinced of its truth the practice is then taken up. Thus individuals are transformed one by one as a matter of personal responsibility.

Luangta Maha Bua and Buddhadasa Bhikkhu were effective critics of Buddhism because they were first and foremost, exemplary practitioners and champions of Buddhism. I suggest to Mr Nagi if he would reform Buddhism in Thailand that he become a great deal more familiar with its practice first.

Re: "Sauce for the goose", (PostBag, Dec 28).

Samanea Saman wondered about the bail granted to Nitiwadee "Mor Nim" Pucharoenyos after she received a death sentence.

In judging whether or not to grant bail in any case, the judgement of any court is based on the flight risk of a convict and potential harassment of witnesses while a convict is free on bail. The flight risk of Mor Nim is not a concern because, unlike a migrant worker, her home is strongly based with her mother and two children in Bangkok. She is not a common criminal and without constant income. By profession, she is a medical doctor with a lucrative business. Furthermore, this Greek tragedy has highlighted domestic violence in Thailand.

In his 1971 Christmas song, Happy Xmas (War Is Over), John Lennon wrote: "And so this is Christmas, For weak and for strong, For rich and the poor ones, The world is so wrong".

Given that we have just mercilessly massacred millions of inoffensive turkeys, piglets and other animals for nothing but Christmas feasts, an alternative verse for this song could be: "And so this is Christmas, But how many care? For Earth's gentle creatures, This world's so unfair."

My New Year wish is that 2017 will be the year we end our war on animals.