OPINION

Just doing our bit

Re: "Time for action on garbage crisis", (BP, Feb 12).

My wife and I have been holidaying in Hua Hin in Thailand for the past 10 years. Over the years I have been aware of the accumulated rubbish on the beaches around this district. So, daily, I have made a point of collecting the garbage (mostly plastic) and removing it from the beach, much to the amusement of some beach-goers. Nevertheless, I have come across many like-minded tourists who also collect the trash.

I must say since commencing this clean-up over the years I have noticed a vast improvement in the cleanliness of the beaches, so obviously people are beginning to be aware of the need to dispose of rubbish thoughtfully. Thailand is not alone in having a plastic problem (rubbish). I am from Australia and, we too, have the same fears of pollution of seas and waterways, so hopefully this awareness means we can begin to clean up our oceans and protect the marine life in them.

Road mayhem continues unabated in Thailand. This is not a phenomenon restricted to Songkran and other holidays; it is day-in, day-out, 365 days a year. No one would be surprised if Thailand moved to the No.1 spot in the world for per capita road deaths the next time that survey is conducted (except perhaps for those who aren't aware that Thailand currently ranks second behind Libya -- a war zone).

It is impossible to predict what the next unbelievable manoeuvre of the idiots driving on Thailand's roads will be. My solution, and it has saved me a number of times, is to lay on my car horn long and loud.

Oh, excuse me ... horn-honking is a loss of face? If "face" is such an important issue in this country, when will the Thai government and its citizens take this deadly situation seriously, and gain some face by making a meaningful effort to save thousands of lives?

It looks now like the decision day on the Thai wind farm uncertainty will be addressed today. We should discuss substantial and real benefits given to the Agricultural Land Reform Office and the farmers, both cash and non-cash, and look into the fact that the agricultural land below can still be used just about the same as before.

It's also a fact that Thailand just can't keep up with its electricity demand in years to come and nuclear is not an option here.

If coal comes back, farmers will revert back to no benefits. Besides, we all here get pollution while the EU and USA are now dismantling those dinosaur old energy solutions.

Unless something is done, Laos will continue to ever increasingly become the "battery of Thailand". Is that what the country wants? The wind energy association should explain all this, and now!

All a bit hopeless and absolutely galling if they decide to disable the whole (much already built) green wind energy industry, which is so complementary to solar. We should realise that once a wind farm is built, 99% of costs have been sunk, as unlike (dirty) coal, nothing needs to be transported to it.

The developing nations of Southeast Asia are all playing a high-stakes game in an effort to accelerate economic development. This nation's latest initiative, Thailand 4.0, could also be called Colonialism 1.0.

The government has finally (though somewhat unconsciously) confessed it is incapable of bringing development up to par with the West and has opened the doors wider to foreigners hoping to get the help they need along with the foreign direct investment they crave.

Of course all of the tetchy traits of foreigners come with the new bargain; endless talk about democracy and voting, calls for IP protection, an end to human trafficking, education reform, blah, blah, blah, but it's the price to be paid for success.

Perhaps a new ministry of colonial affairs is in order?

postbag@bangkokpost.co.th