OPINION

Deal with GT200 now

The junta declares that our military must perform with transparency and be corruption-free. Thus, Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon recently signed a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Defence and National Anti-Corruption Commission that will govern new procurements.

But why wait until the next round of purchases to show its commitment to fighting corruption? The junta can, and should, start with getting to the bottom of the GT200 fake bomb detector scandal. The military set the GT200 terms of reference, tested the delivered items, and certified that they worked as claimed before acceptance. Obviously, either the wrong terms of reference were set, the testing process failed, or both, for in 2010, then-science and technology minister Khunying Kalaya Sophonpanich reported that the tested device only had a 20% success rate. Flipping a coin would have saved many more lives than relying on the GT200.

Gen Prawit, actions speak louder than words. Investigate the panels setting the terms of reference and accepting the fakes, inviting outside neutral observers to ensure transparency, and let the chips fall where they may. Show the world that our military is fully committed to being clean.

Re: "Flood of incompetence", (PostBag, June 24).

Yes, Jerry Feldman, you certainly got it right. The engineering incompetence for flood control is so mind boggling that it defies imagination. A new conduit piping system was installed along the main street up in my neck of the woods -- new steel, rectangular grating covers over the intakes. The results are laughable as it hasn't made a difference. (Someone, however, did profit financially as a result).

Most paved city roads and highways in Thailand also lack the camber that western and European countries factor in for drainage. I have a feeling that engineering students are graduates of these warring vocational schools where proficiency is in rumbling with their rivals on city streets and public buses than their studies. I stopped taking these flood events seriously, because, in the long run, nothing will ever be improved or dealt with properly. No real experts will ever be consulted, because, it is all a matter of who deals out the contracts, and how much of a personal cut one receives in return. At any rate, grin and bear it. Just buy a pair of knee-high rubber boots. I have several and keep a pair in the truck as well. It is as essential as keeping some toilet paper in your pocket and glove compartment at times.

Once again the rainy season is upon us. So here we go again with the flooded streets and terrible traffic problems caused by closed roads. Makes one wonder why in an area of the world that experiences monsoon rains the government did not put a little more forethought into infrastructure development.

A drain every 100 metres that is only 60cm by 40cm will not do the job. And how about actually having road slope to the drains? Is this difficult? And is there a shortage of drainage grates? And how about fire hydrants? On my street there is one. Not another for more than 400 metres. Planning and implementing good infrastructure solves many problems down the road -- literally and figuratively

Re: "Talking about sex, meth and other taboos", (Opinion, June 23).

I was all ready to fire off an indignant letter in response to the first paragraph of Surasak Glahan's column until I read further.

Khun Surasak first presented the knee-jerk reaction of most conservative Thais, which admittedly fuelled my desire to respond. He then went on to present an intelligent and eloquent article about the reasons why these myopic views cannot be allowed to impede Thailand's progress in its understanding and handling of these sensitive subjects.

He pointed out that if we're able to rationally address the subject of ya ba, why can't we practise the same amount of sanity and understanding when addressing other issues?

Why should abortion be something that isn't talked about? Why shouldn't young people have available the means to have safe sex? The attitudes espoused by conservative factions in Thailand are prolonging these problems with their head-in-the-sand, "that's-the-Thai-way" attitudes.

My hat's off to Khun Surasak for bringing the narrow-mindedness and hypocrisy of these attitudes to light.

Now that the United Kingdom has taken the bold and decisive step to leave the European Union, I hope the UK and Thai governments will use the handover time to sign-off the Thailand-UK Free Trade Agreement that has been blocked for so long by Brussels.

Regarding Brexit, it's clear that the goal to generate a single European nation was just too ambitious. We don't have to look far to find a simple analogy. How many blood brothers and sisters in a big family we know are willing to share their wealth with poorer members? They have different pockets, different offspring and different agenda.

The threat that the UK will have less negotiating power in trade talks is just scaremongering. The UK is head of the British Commonwealth and her relationships with member nations date back a century. By bypassing EU regulators, the UK will be more flexible in negotiations with other non-EU nations. We should celebrate Brexit. The world will not be the same again, and only for the better.

UK citizens have voted to pull out of the European Union. A subject where opinion was divided throughout the country. Except for the tragic murder of a British member of parliament by a deranged man, the voting has been carried out without a shot being fired, or anyone being threatened. Perhaps Thailand should look at this and understand that this is what true democracy is. The British public argued their point of view and will still be friends regardless of the result.

Well done Britain for leaving the EU. Next stop Scotland leaves the UK and almost certainly within five to 10 years Northern Ireland will do the same and at long last we will get a united Ireland, and as Nigel Farage said "without a shot being fired".

Thai people should watch closely how social media can cause unexpected political instability here in this country, in the same way as is happening in the United States. In the US, Facebook is being criticised for displaying political bias that could cause democracy in that country to go astray.

US media outlets have published reports of how Facebook has allowed its former site contractors -- who are themselves former journalists -- to downplay and suppress conservative political news and views on its "Trending Topics" section. Finally, Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg on Wednesday announced the company will start training its employees to "confront their own political biases" -- on top of the current training that the company has on racial bias, age bias, gender bias and national bias -- in order to maintain the firm's neutrality.

It looks like social media -- if used without conscience by people -- can be a destabilising force against democracy anywhere in the world.

Re: "DLT raps driver for harassment", (BP, June 24).

It was natural that the driver was punished for his wrongdoings, but the penalty imposed on his employer, the operator of the taxi service, was ridiculously light. I think the cooperative should be held responsible for hiring a bad driver.

It's likely other taxi service operators are the same. This is another big hurdle to overcome if we want to improve taxi services.

Re: "Experts predict La Nina to cause deluge", (Online, June 24).

The head of the unit for Disaster and Land Information Studies predicted that storms heading to the capital means we might face breakdowns in infrastructure for commuters and that the subway might be seriously affected.

The report also noted that the bulk of the water drainage system in the capital was built about 40 years ago and is virtually useless if there is heavy rain. This was borne out in the last few days when Bangkok experienced extensive flooding and commuter misery due to the rains.

In view of the above, the government should take urgent and drastic action to prioritise and improve the capital's drainage system. Surely money would be better spent on that than on the Bangkok-Phitsanulok high-speed rail?

Just when Thailand is thinking of reviving its nuclear plans as reported by local media, California is closing down its last nuclear power plant. Pacific Gas and Electric Company said in a statement that the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant's generating capacity will be replaced by "a cost-effective, greenhouse gas-free portfolio of energy efficiency, renewables and energy storage".

Hello Thailand, get with the world trend toward clean, renewable, safe energy production. Your grandkids will appreciate it.

Surasak Glahan made interesting points in his June 23 comment about various issues concerning social problems that exist in every country in the world, be they drugs, alcohol, unwanted pregnancy, and I leave this to your personal world view!

In Thailand the problem is not lack of laws, for sure.

There are laws banning drink driving, almost every kind of drug. You may not buy alcohol at certain hours, or even apparently sell alcohol within 300 metres of an educational establishment.

As a foreigner, I even have to declare my watering holes and online habits, which will be challenging! Fortunately, most of these laws are enforced on a "discretionary" basis.

I think the only way for Thailand to move forward is to eliminate 50% of the ridiculous laws on the books, and strictly enforce the remaining 50%.

Of course that would mean a top to bottom reform of the police force.

It does seem, however, that the magic Section 44 powers are not quite magical enough for this step.

It was reported in local media this week that Praewa admitted she breached parole service regulations. What seems to be the problem within the justice system that this lady cannot simply be put in jail for a few years? People have gone to jail for lesser crimes and served time. But I suppose they were poor people from non-influential families. It is the old story again, the same tired litany played over and over. If you come from a moneyed background, the first tier of justice is reserved for you.

When is our esteemed prime minister going to finally learn to apply equal justice for all, not just the chosen few. What seems to be so difficult? Gen Prayut should stop "Obama-ing" an issue by refusing to recognise things for what they are, and calling a spade a spade. A new order under Section 44 will hold parents responsible for their brawling, fighting kids. Will the system really impose jail terms as reported, or will Gen Prayut go soft?

I agree 100% with RH Suga's view in his June 23 letter "Send Praewa to jail".

Nine human lives equals probation and community service that she never performed? She belongs in jail, and if she walks it's one of the biggest miscarriages of justice I have ever witnessed.