Coup ban -- can?
Re: "Stop chaos in its tracks", (PostBag, Oct 29).
To Khun Dusit Thammaraks,
I would ask whether the military, if it was sincerely interested in "protecting the constitution" as you suggest, should pledge never to stage another coup?
The way it works in a democracy is that when there is significant civil unrest the government declares martial law and the military acts to restore order as instructed by the elected government.
But in Thailand the military seems congenitally indisposed to taking orders from civilians. President Trump is the US commander-in-chief and, believe me, the US military jumps when he says jump. This might be a good example for future Thai governments to consider.
As to claims of peace and the absence of governmental fraud under the junta, how would anyone know? Remember those jingoistic statues built in Hua Hin by the army? And how are things going in the "restive" South? But, hey, we caught those tourist desperadoes armed with spray cans right?
Khun Dusit imagines these "young kids" are not up to the task of running a government. How would you know, I must ask?
Michael Setter
Uncharted seas
Re: "Stop chaos in its tracks", (PostBag, Oct 29).
When Dusit Thammaraks appears to extol the new army commander for threatening a coup on the grounds that "He made it clear that the army would uphold the monarchy and protect the constitution", he seems to overlook that a coup necessarily, by definition, overthrows the constitution, the supreme legal foundation of the nation, and that in Thailand's case, the constitution so overthrown is what also founds the democratic constitutional monarchy of the Thai nation. To be loyal to Thailand's form of democratic constitutional monarchy, you must, indeed, uphold and protect the constitution of the Thai nation.
Mr Thammaraks goes on to suggest that voters in the upcoming election, which might well come to pass sometime next year as promised, ask themselves some very pertinent questions. They are solid questions of the sort that voters should indeed be asking themselves of politicians who aspire to be leaders of their nation.
He specifically asks us to consider whether these "politicians have a proven record of loyal service to their country, coupled with dedication, honesty and integrity? Did their wealth result from hard work, or from the benevolent hands of parents and family? And what might be their real motivation and agenda?" As they appear to be threatening to continue their own political careers, I was, I confess, a bit disappointed that Mr Thammaraks did not also go on to answer his own very pertinent questions for the currently ruling politicians who seized power in 2014 by overthrowing the constitution of the Thai nation.
Felix Qui
Jumbo and dumber
Re: Hurt jumbo seen after fatal crash", (BP, Oct 29).
Two separate auto collisions with wild elephants on roads going through national parks which are habitats to these pachyderms. The government still wants to build another highway through another national park and wildlife area. If this is the government's answer to crowded roads and saving time to destinations, the government is in desperate need of a logic re-think.
While I like General Prayut and everything he has done to date, I think there is total stupidity involved in decisions not involving the public, conservationists and, in all instances, those who live in these supposedly protected environments, the inhabitants themselves, both tribal people and the elephants and others.
Jack Gilead
Be humble
Re: "Japan PM returns home from long-awaited China trip", (World, Oct 28).
It was so gratifying to see these two great leaders meet again. Both built a solid foundation in every respect for their countries, but what followed was not so harmonious. The past is not so far behind, and we should remember the facts. Let's wish these two leaders all the best and stay humble.
HHB
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