OPINION

Answering the PM

May I respectfully attempt to answer some of the prime minister's questions as reported in the Nov 8 edition?

First, do we need a new political party and new politicians as choices for the people in the next election? Yes, we do, but that does not mean that this should be provided by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) or their associates. Instead it is essential for the NCPO to create the space and time for new political parties to arise or the re-alignment of old political forces to occur. We now have the new political parties organic laws in place, we should allow parties to get on with the actions allowed under these laws and see what happens. We all want to know if the political class has changed for the better. Only one way to find out.

Second, does the NCPO have the right to support a political party? Yes, but this is very ill-advised. The whole basis of the NCPO was that it was temporary to prevent violent political conflict and then be a facilitator to a return to a better form of democracy, which did not need military intervention. You are and should remain an independent facilitator, making sure that elections are free, fair and most important effective.

One of the key missing links is the education of the people about what democracy is and how it functions. This must include the voter's essential role in understanding policies and evaluating the candidates seeking to be their representatives, whilst pointing out the evils of vote buying (only the corrupt buy votes) and the dangers of populism. This is a legitimate role for the NCPO.

Third, do people see a good future for the nation from what the NCPO has done over the past three years? The honest answer is that it is too early to tell, because we do not know if Thais will grasp the opportunity to build on the last three years. There is no question that we are seeing long-neglected issues start to be addressed, but the realists among us fully understand that this is only a start. The NCPO should continue to emphasise that much effort and many years are still needed to solve often deep-seated problems and that we need to elect capable people to continue the effort.

It is understandable that you might be frustrated that you have not been given more recognition for the progress achieved and indeed for the conflicts avoided, but true patriots should not look for reward. The NCPO promised they would not stay long. Breaking that promise will leave us in a worse state than if you had done nothing.

Is it my imagination or is there a growing similarity between the two men who have recently governed Thailand? Both have a very high opinion of their abilities and both do not like delegating responsibilities to others. They are very similar in wanting absolute and complete power but whereas Thaksin Shinawatra was forced to do so by the old way of bending the rules and placing friends in important positions, Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha just implemented a law allowing him to anything he pleases. Populist policies have been instigated under both, and despite the idea of closing the income gap they have both overseen growing inequality. The pair of them want immunity against any future lawful action but the general found that granting it to yourself is better than having to squeeze it through parliament. It's quite obvious at the moment who holds all the aces but I often wonder what the result would be if they organised a popular vote. Perhaps the Thai public like this type of grandiose leader. They certainly seem to have had a few in the past.

If Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha seriously intends to help Thailand, he must first dismiss his proclivity for stupidly expensive, unnecessary military-procurement practices. Like the preposterous three Chinese submarines on order. Any astute and transparent government leader and/or aspiring politician would know and act on the fact that Thailand would benefit far more from using the same money for new coastguard patrol boats.

Having spent many hours on my daily commute I have had the opportunity to view the BMTA promotional video on the new eCard and cash machine being tested on certain routes. I can now make certain assumptions about the new systems. I use the word assumptions because in this wannabe international, cosmopolitan city everything is in Thai, so I cannot say which routes are being used for testing nor how, or where, to purchase the eCard. I can see that the buses are immaculately painted, devoid of advertising, and passengers, have beautifully spotless interiors upholstered in neutral tones of white and tan, and windows you can actually see through.

Which brings up the issue of reality. The cash machine appears to be located one seat behind the driver. This will require that anyone using cash will have to make their way to the machine and follow the instructions printed on the machine, again in Thai. As my bus stopped in front of Indra Square last night the new passengers promptly filled the centre aisle from the front windshield to the rear row of seats. It was almost impossible for the fare collector to make it down the aisle and she did have to get off the front and re-enter the rear door to get to the passengers in the rear. It would have been impossible for anyone to get to the cash machine, enter the required information, deposit the cash and wait for change and a receipt. And, as bus fares are distance-based, what guarantee does the BMTA have that a passenger departs at the stop he/she paid for? Will they have to have their receipt scanned before leaving the bus?

Just as the PM declared the new system a win-win situation for Thailand by using his eCard on an empty bus parked in front of Government House, this video does not address the daily issues faced by thousands of commuters across the city. I wish them well but see a cloudy future for this system.

An unbalanced diet has re-emerged as one of the causes behind an increase in non-communicable diseases such as heart attacks, strokes, cancer and diabetes that has lead to major burdens on our healthcare systems, with the potential to derail the economic progress that is essential for the poor to improve their lives. In some cases, it is about limited access to nutritious food or simply a lack of affordability, leading to diets that do not provide the daily nutrients and micronutrients for people to develop fully, both physically and mentally, and lead a productive, fulfilling life.

The healthy foods are out there -- we know that -- but in both rich and poor environments it seems nutrition is under threat. Part of the reason is that our food systems are not properly responding to nutritional needs. In other words, somewhere along that long road from farm to fork, there are serious detours taking place.

There is now a major international effort to improve global food systems, and link those improvements to better nutrition and diets.

This week, experts on nutrition and major players in the food systems sector from across Asia and the Pacific are gathering in Bangkok to attend a launch of the 2017 Asia and the Pacific State of Food Security and Nutrition report, a joint cooperation between the FAO and WHO, in their endeavour to achieve zero hunger and end all forms of malnutrition by 2030, as aimed under the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

These experts are placing nutrition front and centre of the debate on improving our food systems. And that's precisely where it needs to be, because while improving nutrition and diets is a personal responsibility, it also begins at the desk of the policy-maker and at the sharp end of a pitchfork. Indeed, the vast majority of the food we eat is produced by smallholder farmers, many of whom are poor and undernourished themselves. Improvements to food systems must be achieved in ways that benefit a smallholder's livelihood and nutritional needs. The SDGs have an explicit target that recognises smallholders as a critical entry point for building dynamic rural economies and they need to be resourced with input and technology and linked to higher market value.

There are nearly half a billion undernourished people in this region. Roughly one in every four children is stunted, while in some countries obesity is becoming a serious concern. The policy makers who can push the nutrition agenda forward need to hear what works and what doesn't from the people who grow our food, and from the people who transport it, process it, market it and sell it.

The experts at this symposium are to forge regional and global partnerships and networks, and propose policies and programmes that enable better production, processing and distribution of food, as well as promote sustainable diets and their integration into multisector country action plans.

The Bangkok Post's Nov 9 editorial, "Don't touch the Mekong", is disappointing.

The CEO of the Mekong River Commission (MRC), Mr Pham Tuan Phan, has suggested in his article all should take a step back and sit together to find the best practice for "meeting the needs, keeping the balance". There lacked an understanding regarding the technical issue of clearing rapids (so negatively called "Blasting the river channel for the largest riverboats of its comprador business"), and the background intention of the CEO's contribution.

Destructive electric-shock fishing is now commonly used by the "environmentally friendly fishermen" who, once back on the shore, claim and shout that the Chinese are killing the Mekong. The destruction that is going on, unseen and unnoticed, is indeed a major reason why fish habitats and aquatic life are being decimated and under threat! Not the few rocks that have to be removed from the middle of the navigation channel with its debris reconstructed out of the channel as a new habitat for aquatic life. Compare it to the wreck dumping to restore coastal areas and reefs in some countries; at least the guidelines are not prescribing to dump auto-wrecks or old tanks in the Mekong!

The MRC secretariat has a full team of qualified international environmentalists not only preparing solid guidelines for best practices in river training works but also training local staff and riparian communities in keeping the Mekong in good shape by protecting its environment and wildlife habitat.

We need to see the forest for the trees. Do we have to go back to road transport billowing fumes and black smoke dissipating into the atmosphere but apparently to no one's concern?

Don't worry they will keep coming, unless you change your standpoint towards navigation improvement. And please stop shooting the pianist!

Re: "Aspirin blues", (PostBag, Nov 9).

Aspirin in Thailand is not illegal, but it has been restricted because of dengue fever. In its early stages, dengue tends to cause normal headache symptoms and many Westerners reach for the aspirin -- unaware they have dengue, which tends to cause internal bleeding which will be worse with aspirin.

A more enlightened policy would be for Thailand to have a Thai/English warning on the box so people can use it at their own risk. It would also make sense to "unrestrict" it during the non-dengue months and in low-risk areas.

If you suffer from headaches requiring aspirin, you can still get 325mg aspirin if you know where to look. You want the enteric-coated aspirin as it is safer for your stomach. Try to stay indoors during dengue season and don't go to dengue areas. Or see a Thai doctor and the hospital can prescribe it.