Setting an example on noise

Yesterday was Children's Day, a time to celebrate and show our children our love, but we give them levels of noise well in excess of the 85-decibel danger level.

This not only encourages them to copy our example but also permanently damages their hearing and the hearing of others close by.

This level of noise is not only perpetuated by people that are ignorant of the impact but also by schools, universities and local government departments who should and do understand the consequences. Please help educate our future generations by example.

Mick Cooper
Failure of the system

Re: "Pop the question", (BP, Jan 14).

I must thank 449900 for his sagely advice. Thai students having to go the West to develop critical thinking skills is an indicator of the utter failure of their own system. The signs are all over, only if 449900 would care to see. Anybody who raises a question is either sent for "attitude adjustment" or worse, the jail. As they say, "only dead fishes go with the flow, swimming against the tide require strength and stamina".

Kuldeep Nagi
The will and desire to learns

Re: "Website deficit", (PostBag, Jan 13).

Kunakorn Puntawong's letter presented a few interesting views, but I fail to understand how Thailand or Thai students lack internet information or access. Websites are open to all worldwide. The problem is not what is available, but the will or desire to learn English or any other language.

A story in an English-language newspaper many long years ago, "No English please, we're Japanese", reported that the Japanese do not force or coerce people to study English. Many Japanese salarymen consider it a waste of time, saying only management who deal with English-speaking executives should learn it. Thai students lack initiative to study many things, the idea being why bother if what you study will never be used. On the other hand, those who do study English, or anything else with intent to improve their futures, do learn it well.

When I went to high school, I was forced to study algebra, trigonometry, geometry and more. Of all the maths I ever needed, it was the practical multiplication tables that were memorised early and are useful in everyday, simple life. The rest of what I learned has gone with the wind.

Yankeleh
Time to cut off TrueVisions

Re: "Unhappy customers to sue True- Visions", (BP, Jan 11).

TrueVisions' platinum customers have complained about being short-changed and cheated, yet they still are subscribed. If those subscribers are so concerned about lousy service, they should simply cancel their subscriptions. If TrueVisions goes out of business, there will always be another entertainment provider waiting to take their place. If you all still insist on complaining, complain away, but don't waste other people's time reading about it.

It seems TrueVisions subscribers are all talk, no action. Stop crying wolf.

Lobzig
A nightmare of a transition

I feel like I am in a nightmare when I see that one of the most intelligent, articulate, mature, kind, sweet, thoughtful and moral men in the world is about to hand over power to one of the dumbest, shallowest, most immature, hyperbolic, angry, bitter, impulsive and immoral men in the world. It is simply incomprehensible to me that this could be happening, especially since this petty, petulant, vindictive, narcissistic, sociopath did not win the popular vote.

In Complete Despair
Hassle of booking on AirAsia

I refer to Wontget Fooledagain's Jan 12 letter re AirAsia and I agree with him 100%. I tried many times in the past to get one of their special offers but have never been successful. A couple of years ago, I booked flights to Macau months in advance as they are always telling prospective passengers that by doing so they will get the cheapest fares. I then checked one week before I was due to fly and the fare was substantially less than I had paid. I wrote to chief executive Tony Fernandes pointing this out and in the interests of fairness would he consider refunding me the difference. Needless to say, I did not even receive an acknowledgement.

Recently I again tried to book flights to Macau and it took me two days as their site had a problem with the Captcha security system, I called their reservations department to advise them and to ask if they could make my booking. They could but said it would cost substantially more as it was not an online booking even though this option was not possible.

By the time the website was up and running, they had increased their fares but in view of my previous experience when even the chief executive could not care less, I decided it was not worthwhile pursuing it. Invariably I, and others I have discussed this with, have problems with AirAsia's website. Only last week a friend was trying to make a booking to Singapore but after numerous attempts gave up and booked another low-cost carrier. Again, in the interests of fairness, I will say that once on board an AirAsia flight the service is good and the planes are comfortable, but getting to this point is the problem!

Scottie
Ethics test for civil service

Re: "PM wants ethics test for students", (BP, Jan 12).

Great idea but it should be for all police, politicians, government workers and military too. I also read "Thai children can have freedom to think as it will develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills, but they must also express their thoughts properly and productively". Who determines what thoughts are proper and productive?

Brian the Lion
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