OPINION

Time's up for Prawit

I truly admire Khun Arnond Sakworawich who resigned as director of Nida Poll in protest after his boss (Nida President) put a hold on the release of a political poll (BP, Jan 31).

This is what "accountability" is all about.

"Accountability" should be a treasured target and figured high on the roadmap of the military regime's agenda. It should be featured in our education system, work places and family affairs. The government and leading civil organisations are duty-bound to set examples for the Thai public.

The military regime's continued stonewalling over Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon's luxury watches will further damage its already failing achievements.

With due respect to Gen Prawit, it's better late than never for him to be "accountable" to this self-inflicted scandal which has caused untold damage to the government, the regime and the public. The sooner the better.

Getting a visa extension is time consuming, to put it nicely. The local immigration office here in northern Thailand is only open for visa-processing on Mondays and Wednesdays. I went Monday. At 11am, I was told: "We're full. Can't help you today." Returned Wednesday. Asked about photocopies. Was told, "You only need to copy all the pages in your passport." I found out later that wasn't true.

No photocopier in the immigration office. There are two machines within a kilometre, but each one required going to a highway, and hiking around long fences and walls. I got the process done in 90 minutes, which was briefer than most others. But the superintendent wasn't there, so the process couldn't be finalised. I have to devote a third day to return again.

There are many photocopies of things required. It's almost comical, particularly when the desk clerk has to rubber stamp each page -- sometimes with several different coloured stamps on the same page. It could be a Saturday Night Live comedy sketch ... and the piles of papers, each one requiring full name signatures by the farang. Carpal tunnel, anyone?

If each pile of paper, for each applicant, amounts to 1cm thick, and let's say there are an average of 500 applications each day, that's a 5-metre tall pile of paper each day! Where does all that paper go? To Bangkok, probably. The drainhole for the country.

Obviously, the entire process could be streamlined -- kicking and screaming out of the 19th century, into the 21st. Come on Thailand. I doubt Thais want to be known as "the hub of archaic bureaucracy" -- but that's what it's looking like.

I have to write to you as I have had such a wonderful experience yesterday. In the Land of Smiles it's rare for a farang to have such a tremendous moment.

As a holder of a non-immigrant visa I have to report every 90 days and yesterday my time was up!

Previously I have submitted my applications in person, by post and once by internet.

But yesterday I went on to the immigration website and started my application.

I still had time to apply by post if this failed.

However, the application went through as smooth as silk.

Later in the day I got an email from immigration.

Approved!

Wow. What service. I was truly impressed at the efficiency of this.

So to all the farang who need to apply for the 90-day report, do it by internet.

It's no hassle and it's speedy.

I must strongly disagree with Raphael Blet's statement in his Jan 31 letter "Nuts over Nutella" wherein he states that in countries where food is almost nonexistent, those starving are obliged to use violence as a way to feed their families.

Violence is not the answer; the answer is if you can't feed then don't breed. The choice is theirs.

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