OPINION

Surrendering to flow

It is heartbreaking to continually expect a major portion of the country to suffer through floods.

The junta's response is to thank them for their "sacrifice" and do nothing. It is not a sacrifice though! To sacrifice one has to offer to be burdened. These people did not volunteer to lose property and life. The flooding is "inflicted" on these people due to inept management and an elitist mentality.

Flooding is a problem that generally can be remedied and fixed if there is true desire. If water is attacking the country, one would expect a junta to be the one type of government that would protect the people from such an invader. After all, defence of the country is the purpose of the military. Why keep buying weapons for imaginary enemies and planning for fantasy scenarios of saving the country when there is a real opportunity for defence occurring right now?

Within the last 100 years, the Thai military only lasted a day against Japan before surrendering in December of 1941. The same would happen today if Japan attacked again. Unless your military has nuclear, chemical and biological capabilities plus satellites and space-based weapons you are not in the running to defend yourself today either! So why keep the delusion of preparing for a fight you cannot win against armies that dwarf yours? If you really want a "fight" against a foe that has continually invaded the counter, look no further than water and its tactic of flooding.

Leave the policing of the country to the police and defend the land for the good of all. As it stands now, the military is fighting the people and buying weapons that will be used against the people. How about buying earth movers, dredging equipment and pipes for the water war?

I could not think of a more noble cause for the military at the moment.

Re: "Something sinister lies in PM questions", (Opinion, Nov 10).

The article said, "....we get the hint that the NCPO has an interest in staying in power longer". You've got a hint? C'mon!

Don't you smell something putrid when the junta-backed constitution allows non-parliamentary members to qualify as prime ministerial candidates and that 250 appointed senators are allowed to vote for a PM? That is an invitation for the junta to hold on to power.

But don't blame the generals for lusting for power. Anybody, me, you and the guys sitting next to you would have lusted for it too. It is understandable, especially when you got it without running the race.

In retrospect, the country is as screwed up as it is today because the Democrats had temper tantrums when they couldn't get their own way. It serves them right.

Re: "Smuggled, beaten and drugged: The global ape trade", (Spectrum, Nov 12).

It was disgusting to read that 10 years later the Safari World in Bangkok still puts on orangutan boxing matches. Even if (and this is a big if) the orangutans were not kidnapped from foreign countries no one would believe orangutans would engage in boxing matches unless they were being intimidated. Whether we're talking about elephant shows or orangutan boxing, animals were not put on Earth to entertain people anymore than we were to entertain them. And no one who has any respect for animals would want to see them degraded like that.

Re: "NLA wants probes ended before polls", (BP, Nov 12).

It's what we always suspected, but now it is official: In Thailand you are guilty until you prove you are innocent. At least that is the only interpretation you can put on the words of deputy NLA chairman Phirasak Phochit, who you report as saying, "The alleged misconduct involving a large number of officials must be cleared out before the elections so that those who prove their innocence can take part".

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