Get to it, Gen Apirat
Re: "Army reshuffle sees loyalists appointed", (BP, Sept 3).
One of the top priorities of the incoming new army chief, Gen Apirat Kongsompong, must surely be to implement measures to stop the killing of soldiers by their own officers, NCOs and fellow soldiers. Here are some suggestions that will help move the Royal Thai Army into the 21st Century.
A total ban on all corporal punishment.
A ban on other forms of physical punishment, such as gruelling exercises in the hot sun or forced route marches with backpacks filled with wet sand. If this is not feasible, then such punishments must be overseen by a medical officer with the authority to stop it at any time.
No punishment may be authorised or administered by anyone below the rank of sergeant. This precludes fellow soldiers from implementing or administering punishments.
In addition, all commanding officers are to be held personally responsible for any future deaths in their units and face obligatory courts martial for failure to maintain good order and military discipline within their units.
In each formation a senior officer should be appointed as soldiers' advocate or military ombudsman with overriding powers to investigate allegations of brutality, bullying and harassment. and the authority to order corrective action, including the laying of charges against offenders. These appointments should be positioned so soldiers feel confident they can report breeches without reprisals.
If any of the above require a rewrite of current military codes of conduct or military law manuals, then get to it Gen Apirat. Because if you do not, the next murder in the army will be blood on your hands.
David Brown
Coup stories galore
Re: "Too many generals", (PostBag, Sept 3).
May I also add that these generals and admirals have no idea what a war is like. Figuratively speaking, they are like professional golfers who never play a round of golf in their lives.
When Thai generals get together they have no war stories to trade; instead, they trade coup stories.
Somsak Pola
Loving Lumpini lizards
Re: "Water lizard at Lumpini Park", (BP, Sept 3).
As a golfer, I've encountered water lizards countless times on golf courses. I can assure the readers that they're not dangerous animals.
On the contrary, they have moved away every time whenever I have started to take their photos. I was very lucky to be able to snap one photo, showing two of them embracing.
Please let them enjoy the living conditions at Lumpini Park.
It would be a wiser option to remind (warn) human visitors to be kind and not threaten their habitat.
I fully support Wildlife Conservation Office chief Kanchana Nittaya's suggestion that the city holds a sightseeing tour of water lizards at the park.
CK
Tame or suppress?
Re: "China on top of terror", (PostBag, Sept 1).
Concerning the Uighurs in China, the writer states: "The Chinese way of taming these problem Muslims has been very effective and limited the losses to a minimum" while Western countries have faced abysmal losses of money and lives"... The Americans can learn from the Chinese, he exclaims. But sir, what exactly is the Chinese way, may I ask? For it is not at all clear to me what you mean, after reading over your letter. The suppression of any form of protest? Perhaps you can further enlighten us.
PaulKhon Kaen
Marks of great men
Eric Baht is entirely right when he states that Senator John McCain was not a saint (PostBag, Sept 1). No one recently writing recently in PostBag would dispute that, and nor would the senator himself, who regretted many things that he did. So too would Winston Churchill, Horatio Nelson and John F Kennedy, who were respectively a drunk, an adulterer and a womaniser. These were great men, and yet they were fully aware of their human frailty and failings.
What separates these men from others is they tried to follow a moral compass, despite the personal or political cost, showing huge moral courage in the process. When they fell short of perfection or made mistakes, they admitted it.
So, Eric, this is a time for you to be charitable and understanding. As it says in the Wisdom of Sirach, written many centuries ago: "Let us now praise famous men. These were men of mercy, whose righteous deeds have not been forgotten. Peoples will declare their wisdom, and the congregation will proclaim their praise."
Andy Phillips
Contact: Bangkok Post Building 136 Na Ranong Road Klong Toey, Bangkok 10110 fax: +02 6164000 Email:
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