OPINION

Trumping the truth

In recent years it seems that politicians are so ready to offer up any nonsense as their version of the truth that the average citizen is finding it ever harder to know what to believe.

 Unlike the president of the US, I have far less trouble believing the mainstream media than I do the spoken word of a proven liar with a complete inability to speak truthfully. With Trump's over 4,000 false and misleading claims he is without doubt leading the pack but many more look to be joining the fray.

The Brexit farce, ongoing in the UK for two years has been the source of such lies that the average citizen is already wishing they had never heard of it. Here in Thailand the alternative facts and opinions offered by the non-democratic military leadership have reached such absurd heights that everybody is learning new ways of interpreting "free and fair" elections and "law and order" in the context of their daily press releases. And to top it all the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has now offered so many versions of the truth about a missing journalist that their farce has turned to comedy and anything added will simply be ignored.

Do politicians really have such awful opinions of the public that they think we will accept these offerings without challenge?

Army chief Gen Apirat Kongsompong, in fact a huge part of the power holders in the country, need an attitude adjustment. In a modern society the ultimate duty of the armed forces is to defend the people and not to act against them. In a modern society it is unthinkable that anyone in the armed forces threatens to break the supreme law and use armed force to interfere with politics.

In addition, it is as un-Buddhist as you can think to take away the rights from other people with armed force.

Gen Apirat epitomises everything that is wrong in Thailand and which holds the country back.

Re: "Perils of stardom", (PostBag, Oct 22).

Dick and Jane seem to begrudge the Wild Boars' overseas trip and their brief stardom as they sourly ask "Don't these kids need to go to school?"

Perhaps Dick and Jane have failed to realise that most of the trip was during the school holidays! Give these kids a well-deserved break for heavens sake and stop being such a pair of killjoys. In any case, there is more to education than just sitting in a classroom.

I am sure this complaint about motorcyclists is by no means confined to my home area and neither will the lack of action by police. For a considerable time now, in the early hours' of the morning, roads in Udon Thani are often taken over by a large gang of young motorcyclists who "own the road". One of the main dual-carriageways is a favourite with both side of the carriageway used for racing, wheelies and other stunts and this includes riding in contra-flow.

The situation is well known to all it seems except the local police, or if they do know then doing something can't be on their operational to-do list as in all the months I have seen what's happening, only once has a single police vehicle attended. Quite what a two-man crew is to do with a large number of riders and their passengers is beyond me, and obviously beyond the local police too.

In answer to EB's question in his Oct 21 letter "what the motivation behind the coup really was", here is a simple answer:

This is a tradition in Thailand. It's our modus operandi to make dramatic changes in the government. Period. End of story!

Re: "Must Love Dogs", (Guru, Oct 19).

Articles such as this are of great public service, educating and helping to make connections with people who do all they can for humans and animals alike in Thailand.

Would you please include more articles of this nature on a regular basis for the interests of our furry friends?

Contact: Bangkok Post Building 136 Na Ranong Road Klong Toey, Bangkok 10110 fax: +02 6164000 Email:

postbag@bangkokpost.co.th

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