OPINION

Queries for the PM

Re: "Too late to halt 2018 poll", (Opinion, June 20).

Four weeks ago PM Prayut Chan-o-cha asked four questions that seem to have stirred up a hornet's nest of responses from the press and public, some of which were good, some not so good, and some just plain bad.

I will ask four questions; let's see if I can get decent results.

1) Is the Thai government supposed to be run by the police? 2) Is the Thai government supposed to be run by the military? 3) Is the Thai government supposed to be run by officials elected by the people?

And the fourth and main question is:

4) Is there anyone out there who can answer these questions without fear of reprisal from one or more of the subjects involved?

Re: "Damage has been done", (PostBag, June 19).

Vint Chavala is correct to say that it is absurd to believe people hate Donald Trump for political reasons. Suppose Ohio Governor John Kasich had been the Republican nominee? Though too conservative for my taste, he is a decent, competent man who could have been elected and I would have respected him as being the president of the United States.

Trump didn't just smear Democrats. He implied that the father of Republican challenger Ted Cruz was behind the assassination of President Kennedy and even insulted Cruz's wife.

He also ridiculed war hero John McCain for having been a POW.

In addition, Trump hinted he wouldn't accept the election results if he lost, "won" under questionable circumstances with nearly three million fewer votes than Hillary Clinton and there were threats (though not made by him) to murder Hillary Clinton if she got elected. Under those circumstances it is outrageous to expect me to accept Donald Trump as being the president of my country.

The new regime has decided to restrict the opening hours of the bars in Soi 6 Pattaya to only open after 6pm.

This is the new campaign to clean Pattaya up, is it?

Look at the facts. So many women from far-flung Thai villages come here to support their children and their families.

Thailand offers them no support or help in chasing up errant fathers who have to pay nothing for their children when they move on to a new woman.

The villages cannot support all these girls working in the fields. There is just not enough work to go round, so they have no other option but to head for the bright lights.

It is a cruel world but the Thai government does nothing to help these women and their children.

There are many bars in Soi 6 Pattaya that have no hostesses, just plain ordinary bars for pals to meet in. They are going to be closed too.

You can still find "girlie" bars and everyone knows where they are.

They are just very expensive.

I wonder why!

Re: "Stop visa whining", (PostBag, June 19).

A 10-year visa gets you nothing but a 10-year visa, and nothing else in return. You still must turn up to do the 90-day registration, and get nothing more than what you get with the one-year retirement visa, except of course the added cost.

Should a 10-year visa holder "expire" before their visa expires, the 10,000-baht charge cannot of course be refunded. Corpses don't get refunds here in Thailand.

Re: "Prayut dares critics in exile to face music", (BP, June 22).

Don Corleone could not be a more "reasonable" man. He he insists (he probably even believes his own insistence) that he is a good man, a devout follower of religion, a loving father and a patriot serving society: his offers cannot be refused.

postbag@bangkokpost.co.th