Time to get some help
To borrow a line from an American TV series, the US president asks a visiting professor: “So what’s the latest in comparative constitutional theory, is the separation of powers still in vogue?”
Now imagine the same question appearing as dialogue in a Thai TV series and thereby examining the challenges to democracy this reveals.
It would seem doubtful whether any of the drafters at work on the latest attempt at a Thai constitution could provide an authoritative answer to this question.
Several modern nations have sought foreign expert assistance in drafting their constitutions, so why not Thailand?
Michael Setter
Solution in the bag
Shoppers paying for plastic bags is only one way to help alleviate the plastic bag problem. The “Say no to plastic bags” campaign is also a good idea, and encouraging shoppers to bring their own bags, cloth, net, or other, is wonderful.
But isn’t it also possible for plastic bag manufacturers to produce biodegradable plastic bags? They are already in use in many Western countries. It’s not a perfect solution, but it is a step on the way to elimination of the plastic bag scourge. Someone should apply the same principle to styrofoam food packages that pollute the landscape as well.
Joob-Joob
A matter of supply
Re: “Graduates told of grim job prospects”, BP Sept 15.
Students and their parents need to change a belief that white collar jobs are better and easier than technical and engineering jobs. This has caused a shortage of manpower in industry. Education officials should do more to place controls on enrolment in the fields of humanities, social sciences, and others to prevent the problem of oversupply in one area and undersupply in another.
RH Suga
Talks can fix crisis
The migrant crisis in Europe is mainly caused by the regime of Bashar al-Assad. According to the United Nations, he is personally implicated in war crimes and crimes against humanity.
In interviews with migrants coming from Syria it is evident that more than 80% of the refugees are on the run for the use of his barrel bombs. The bombs are intentionally dropped on civilian targets such as houses, hospitals an schools. The people of Syria, caught between Assad and the IS, have no choice but to flee the infernal place.
And the world is watching when action is needed. When will the talks between Russia and Iran, who are supporting Syria, and the rest of the world start? Do we have to wait until there are no people left in Syria?
Arend
US are the ‘good guys’?
Often people defend America’s invasion of Iraq by saying Saddam Hussein gassed the Kurds.
But in his books 9-11 and Power and Terror, American historian Noam Chomsky notes not only did America help Saddam develop chemical weapons but supported him for years after he had gassed the Kurds.
The war was all about oil, not human rights.
Chomsky notes that the Clinton Administration armed Turkey to the teeth when the Turks were committing every atrocity imaginable against the Kurds in their country.
So why didn’t America go to war with Turkey?
Then Chomsky takes us back in history to a time when Winston Churchill wanted to gas the Kurds and the Afghans.
Regarding those people Churchill said: “I am strongly in favour of using poison gas against those uncivilised tribes.”
Chomsky also reminds us of the millions of Vietnamese who died as a result of America’s insane war over there.
The reason we think only Muslims are terrorists is because we never call it terrorism when the “good guys” slaughter women and children.
Eric Bahrt
Shot down in flames
According to a statement by the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand, the mysterious fireball seen above Bangkok early Sept 7 was a flaming meteor.
If it impacted, then it is a meteorite.
So what ever happened to the space junk theory?
Bernie Hodges
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