OPINION

Bill hits foreigners

Re: "Computer bill deeply flawed", (Editorial, Dec 15).

Sometimes I think the Thai government is trying to get rid of all foreigners.

The Computer Crime Bill is just one item which hits foreigners harder than Thais, as foreigners are accustomed to absolute free speech. We can say anything about anyone, we can see anything we want to see, and read whatever we wish to read.

We hear about something, so we want to learn all about it -- not necessarily legal here?

Meanwhile, Thai people have been living under restrictions most of their lives -- often without knowing it. How can they protest what they do not know about?

Re: "Huge support for petition against new cyber crime law", (Online, Dec 15).

A large number of people -- over 330,000 -- are opposed to the Thai government's single internet gateway law. I'm one of them. The move of the government is ambiguous.

As the officials say they would inspect the harmful sites, it's unclear what they see as harmful though? The bill itself says everyone will be examined. This violates people's rights and privacy. Some information, online banking or the confidential information of any company, will no longer be safe.

Khun Vint in his Dec 11 letter claims that the lese majeste law is essential for the protection of Thai sovereignty. At this very moment what country or what group is aiming at taking away Thai sovereignty? Are there some mysterious armies lurking somewhere or are English, French or Japanese troops hiding somewhere in the jungle ready to pounce on Thailand at any time?

Really, this kind of talk is sickening.

The sole purpose of this law is to protect the power of a small group of people and does not necessarily have anything to do with the monarchy itself.

Re: "Union urges blacklist of NGV bus firm", (BP, Dec 15).

The BMTA union has made a wrong move. Without their demand, now those companies are already blacklisted.

What the union should do is file a complaint against BMTA officials who failed to check the background of those companies before striking the purchase contract.

I also urge the union to inspect the BMTA's subcontract system of many bus routes with shady contractors which have dented employment opportunities of the union. Their poor customer service has tarnished the BMTA's reputation.

It was interesting to read, Mr Hodge's Dec 16 letter, "Who'll stop Putin?"

So many world leaders are somehow getting out of control, from murderous leaders to megalomaniac leaders. Chinese expansionism, whether through territorial or military aggression in the South China Sea is a good example.

The North Koreans have that pudgy little maniac, Syria has its Assad. Then there are those ruthless, murdering killers in some African countries.

Mr Hodges, it is not going to end with letters, and as there is no single, powerful country or world leader to unite the free world to put an end to it all, it will simply continue until one country annihilates the other, and until there is no one really left. At that point, it wouldn't make a difference.

Will you still be around to care? If future generations can get their snouts out of their smartphones long enough to take an interest in their eventual futures, read the papers, listen to the news, if at all they are capable of anything other than their own selfish, self-centred, now mentalities, perhaps it is indeed time to start all over.

Having gone looking for Indonesian batik in the Old Siam building in Pahurat, (Little India), I was grossly disappointed.

A while ago there were silk vendors and batik vendors selling bolts of both products side by side. The choice was mind-boggling. A visit there today left me dumbfounded. Gone were the cloth vendors, replaced by vendors selling factory made rack clothing.

The worst part of this abominable experience is that when I'd stop to inquire, most sellers, sitting on little stools were so absorbed in their Chinese mobile texting that they didn't even bother to look up.

They just grunted, telling me in English that they didn't have what I wanted. I got so perturbed at one vendor so I asked her if she was aware of the common courtesy of at least looking up, tearing her eyes away from her texting for a few seconds. She just opened her mouth, speechless, no sound coming out.

Just as well.

She looked as if she were only capable of grunting. While a smartphone can be a boon to many, for others it has become an addictive tool for senseless people, incapable of much else. Pity.

Re: "Sad end of an era", (PostBag, Dec 15).

It might well be true Kuldeep Nagi first watched Fawlty Towers on PBS in America, but it was produced by the BBC, a non-commercial public broadcasting station in England which first broadcast TV in 1932.

The BBC is funded by the public of the UK paying a compulsory subscription every year. It does sell programmes like Fawlty Towers to other broadcasters however to further fund itself.

Advertising revenue rules regarding the BBC seem to have been relaxed of late, but not for its TV service.

And thank you Roger Crutchley for my weekly chuckle and a fitting tribute to a fine actor, Andrew Sachs.

Re: "Massive media fail", (PostBag, Dec 14).

It is simply outrageous that JC Wilcox makes no distinction between American media "bias" towards Hillary Clinton (how come he never complains about Fox News) and an outside country deliberately interfering in an American election and sabotaging the process.

According to Harvard Law professor Laurence Tribe, Donald Trump may have committed treason by encouraging cyber warfare against his own country.

It is absolutely despicable for Wilcox to equate what Russia did to the American media exercising its freedom of speech.

Eric Bahrt in his Dec 15 letter offers the following for us to think about: "If the Trump-Putin connection blows up into a major scandal, it could lead to the impeachment of Mr Trump."

We live in hope.

Eric, congratulations!

You finally wrote the most intelligent letter ever to the Bangkok Post.

I too have been saying that. Trump is not backing down from what he said. Look at his cabinet. It is not God Bless America any more. It is God help Planet Earth.

Let's put it this way. President-elect Donald Trump did not become president-elect of the United States by being stupid. There are more smarts under that hair-piece, (if that's what you want to call it) than you, I, Putin, or Mr X can even dream of.

What I'm trying to say is: "Don't underestimate this man, but do keep a close watch on what you hear or see. There are many trying to undermine him, but don't realise the wisdom this man has.

There is still time to make up your mind.

Eric Bahrt assumes that everything you hear or read about in the mainstream media is true. Unfortunately it is not.

If you bother to go to the alternative media you will find something nearer to the truth. The "Russian hacking" of the US election is another case of fake "news".

The FBI has already stated there is no evidence that would stand up in court about the so-called "Russian hacking".

The office of the Director of National Intelligence, who overseas the CIA, said he does not support the claims about Russia.

Regarding the stridently renewed but still unsubstantiated claims that the Russians and the Chinese hacked the US election. Nobody knows. To influence the US elections is so far fetched as to be a national embarrassment.

Trump is a well-known and highly regarded supporter of the US military, a strong critic of liberal globalist trade policy, and wants to dramatically increase US oil production. Although it is clear the White House has every reason to fear Trump, why would Russia or China want him in office?

I am a Brit living here in Thailand, retired, and haven't been back to the United Kingdom for many years. I recently qualified for a state pension having paid national insurance to qualify for all my working life.

Living here, I am not a burden on the UK National Health system. I do not claim for any benefits and do not have a travel pass. I have to arrange medical insurance of course.

Despite this, I (and many like me) am punished by my pension not being index linked -- what I receive on the first payment is what I get for the rest of my life -- no cost of living rises as per pensioners in the UK.

Am I wrong in thinking this is unfair -- what could be the reason for this -- do other countries treat their aged citizens like this?

It is reported that the "monks" in Wat Phra Dhamakaya are building a higher wall to keep out police and others. The police are right in planning to cut off electricity.

If the temple wants higher fences in trying to create a concentration camp mentality, then the police should also set up blockades for food and water entering the premises as well.

This whole saga, lasting a year or more, while boring, has the makings of a long-run, popular soap opera -- there's drama, drama and more drama.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's episode. What will the ever-bragging, but no action-taking police do? Who will win? The suspense is killing me.

In early April 2010 many thousand red shirts occupied huge areas of Bangkok's shopping and business districts. It's believed that more than a few protesters were armed.

In less than seven weeks, under former prime minister Abhisit's civilian rule, the Thai army stormed the various barricaded camps, arrested red-shirt leaders and some of their followers and restored peace to the capital.

Therefore, under present military rule, what is so difficult in storming an ex-abbot's peaceful (?) and unarmed (?) compound and arresting one man charged with various criminal offences?

Just a thought.

Although as a foreigner I'm not entitled to express a view on Thai events, I have to admit I'm enjoying the ongoing attempts by the police to apprehend the fugitive ex-abbot.

Let's hope that it doesn't occur to the cops to carry out a secret raid to capture him, with no prior warning given to his bodyguard disciples.