Charles Horner believes the 46% of eligible voters who voted on Feb 2 represented "an endorsement of the ballot box as the right way to resolve conflict", ("Ballot box triumphs", Postbag, Feb 5), even though it is far less than the 75% in the 2011 election.
Out of those 20 million voters (46%), a large number cast a "no vote" by not selecting any candidate at all. Or a large chunk gave the message that "I don't like this election" or even "I don't like the parties in power".
The message is clear that the ballot expense of 3.8 billion baht is wasted on an election held under the umbrella of an emergency decree and street protests.
Songdej Praditsmanont
Blockade pricing
Re: "Blockade delays shipments", (Business, Feb 4). We can agree the road blockade caused manufacturers and transporters additional costs. However, we consumers still must be cautious when we hear this complaint, as it might just be a business tactic for justifying a price hike.
R H Suga
Reform mantra
Some commentators are pushing protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban over and over again to come up with details of his reforms. Do they really want to make a dictator of him? For others with an ability to listen, Mr Suthep wants to have a committee with folks from all walks of life who are to work on the reform. It is to be open for input from everyone.
Those commentators are those who want to "vote first" as they have faith in Pheu Thai's reforms. However, the most needed reforms are likely to stand in sharp contradiction to Pheu Thai's populist politics, and its questionable political and democratic practices.
A Johnsen
Perverse Democrats
It is really quite perverse that a lawyer for the Democrat Party is filing a petition asking the Constitution Court to declare Sunday's election invalid because of the disruptions to voting, when the disruption was caused by affiliates of the Democrat Party.
The basis is the requirement by law that the elections be held on one day and therefore any extension to cover districts that could not vote due to intimidation, or protesters preventing ballot papers being distributed, makes the election invalid. This is truly bizarre rationale.
If the petition to the court is accepted, let alone considered to have any merit, then there is something seriously wrong with the judiciary in this country. In future then it would only be necessary to block polling stations to nullify an election.
John Towler
Eric's on the money
Apart from the irony of accusing someone else of being monotonous, Eric Bahrt ("Democracy is complicated," PostBag, Feb 3), makes a good point about democracy.
The basic right of being allowed to participate in your country's future by casting a ballot is absolutely sacrosanct. And anyone who deprives another citizen of that right should be deprived of their freedom until the voting is over and then barred from taking part in the next election.
Veritas
Carry on protesting
I watched an old Carry On movie from the 1960s which brought to mind the farcical nature of Thai politics which could make a good theme for a comedy, except for the people being hurt.
On the bright side, the recent political protests have brought a windfall for us Brits living here.
My income from the UK has risen by over 10% since the trouble began, So on a purely selfish note, all I can say is "Carry On Protesting".
Fred Sibbert
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