OPINION

The joke of law

The impressively slow progress on Premchai Karnasuta's case for alleged poaching in a national wildlife sanctuary can surprise no one (Editorial, Nov 30). It exemplifies perfectly why Thai people do not trust Thai justice, or rather, Thai rule of law posing as justice. Even when the law manages to be just, it is applied with seemingly blatant discrimination to protect corrupt hi-so types who are members in good standing of the old boys club while coming down mercilessly on the poor and powerless, who correctly see it as being created by traditional hi-so types to keep the masses in their place underfoot. We need not imagine where Premchai would be today had he been an aged peasant picking mushrooms illegally.

Exactly the same is seen in the illuminating tale of Thaksin Shinawatra. When he was in with the old boys, he could do not wrong as they pushed him as their poster child elect for PM. Nor was a small "honest mistake" at the time ruled by the courts any bar to his political ascendancy while he was in good standing with the oligarchy, who even went along happily with his war on drugs, going so far as to condone, if not encourage, those vile abuses. They even defended Thaksin's defence of himself with obstructionist lawsuits and similar threats against the Thai press that dared to question him and what he stood for. It was only after he had fallen out with his former mates that all changed. Thai law was then redirected to attacking him, but that the only charges ever brought were for accusations so manifestly political that no country would ever extradite, while the real crimes of the drug wars were left untouched, is telling.

With such compelling examples of the corruption of the rule of law to serve injustice, who in their right mind, or in a morally decent mind, would respect what has traditionally been applied to favour the self-anointing elect and their gangs? To maintain this entrenched corruption in the rule of law has always been a major reason for military coups against the Thai people, as we see with the self-amnestied gang who most recently overthrew the constitution of the Thai nation precisely when it looked as though democracy threatened to work. It was, after all, immediately after the Thai people's outrage had stopped the sleazy Pheu Thai amnesty bill that the PDRC and those collaborating with them ratcheted up their destructive protests intent on "shutting down Bangkok" and preventing an election, to pave the way for yet another coup against the evolving good morals of democracy. As we have been constantly reminded these past four years and more, everything since has been committed strictly according to the rule of law, the law, that is, as made up by those who orchestrated the coup. A sign of a small return to happiness is that the sensible Thai people no longer swallow the deceitful non sequitur that having a rule of law means being just, moral, decent or respectable.

With regard to the upcoming Thai election, I am worried about a resurgence of the violence and insecurity we experienced prior to the bold (and brave) takeover by Gen Prayut Chan-o cha and his military colleagues. Their risks, I believe, were greater than most of us could imagine.

Looking at what is happening in the US (racism, isolationism), France and Germany (racism), and in the UK (isolationism), I wonder if any democratic system of governance will work where there are so many intractable divisions within societies.

What I fervently hope is that there will be no return to the Thaksin-type of democracy. The statistics are very clear: Thailand is on the right track now, in so many ways.

I also hope the PM will order Thai immigration to be more friendly toward foreign residents, and view them as assets, not liabilities. We foreigners do pay taxes of one sort or another every day!

Re: "Filial duty?", (PostBag, Nov 30).

It is somewhat cruel to ridicule Dejnattawit Teriyapirom, son of the former commerce minister Boonsong, who is now incarcerated with a 42-year jail sentence. To cast the motive of the son defecting from his father's former party to the Palang Pracharath Party as hoping to lighten his father's jail sentence is credible and natural but not necessarily the one and only motive.

Other reasons may have spurred his move. They could relate to how other party members reacted to his father's fate, or how much legal and other assistance was received from the leaders of that party while he was tried or incarcerated. And after all, it is Mr Dejnattawit's right to choose whichever party and ideology he wants to subscribe to.

In this digital age of transparency, and after the failure of Pheu Thai in attempting to whitewash Thaksin Shinawatra's guilt, I doubt very much he would put much weight on his father's early release. Full accountability is now the name of the political game.

So, please have a heart for a suffering son!

Re: "Bad enforcement" and "Cops do nothing", (PostBag, Nov 30).

It's always been the case with Thai police. When they fail to do their jobs, it's because "we don't have enough manpower". But when cops step out of line, it is "our workforce is very big, it's impossible to watch them all".

Here are more on Thai police's follies. In a murder case, it is always, "The motive may be business conflict, personal animosity, love triangle, adultery, political rivalry, revenge, or robbery". They are too proud to say, "The motive is unknown". If a person died from falling off a building, it is always an accident or suicide, until proved otherwise, which it never is. And when they say, "We are diligently following every lead available," it means they are clueless.

After an acquaintance of mine was knocked down by a taxi, paralysed from the waist down and, two years later, is still confined to a wheelchair, I'm now familiar with just a few of the problems our handicapped friends face in this city.

My friend visits Rajathewi Hospital for special treatment each Tuesday. Right outside the main entrance is a letter box placed smack in the middle of the footpath, necessitating patients in wheelchairs to use the road way. Similarly, along Rama IV Road our city planners positioned lamp posts in the middle of the footpath making life treacherous for invalids and elderly in wheelchairs as well as parents pushing children's prams.

After years in Thailand I'm convinced that our planners and decision makers from the top (submarines for the military) to the bottom (telephone kiosks/letter boxes obstructing pedestrians) are deficient in normal judgemental capabilities.

Well having had my rant I would like to compliment the extremely helpful staff of the BTS. Although facilities for wheelchairs are still left wanting the staff make up for this by taking great care of invalids including the blind. The MRT has better arrangements with more lifts and ramps and staff are equally helpful. But please BMA, just remove that darn letter box!

In his Nov 30 letter, "Bad enforcement", regarding Thai police not enforcing the laws, Phil Cox is forgetting something he probably knows. Thai police benefit financially from lawbreaking and have no interest at all in seeing a citizenry who obey all rules and break no laws. In this they are quite fortunate in having a population who see no benefit to society as a whole, nor to their own well-being, in wearing a helmet, driving at safe speeds or stopping at red lights. It's a population that appears to love having no law enforcement. A perfect match.

Re: "Pedestrians, keep calm and be mindful", (Opinion, Nov 29).

The worst thing is when motorcyclists shoot over the zebra crossing after the traffic light has changed to red for vehicles and is showing green for pedestrians. The motorcycle lane on the left side is most dangerous, but bikes also dart out from among the four-wheel vehicles.

As a result, pedestrians have to be alert at all times even while using a zebra crossing when the light shows green. Mindfulness has to be the catchword when crossing the road in Thailand.

Re: "Increased fine for motorcycles using footpaths now in force", (BP, Nov 29).

I cannot stop laughing. Increased fine for motorcycles using footpaths now in force. Yeah, sure. Ha, ha, ha. Catch them … if you can.

Those who breach the traffic rules, i.e. riding on footpaths, should have their driver's licence revoked for life.

I can assure Andy Phillips ("Fake experts?, PostBag, Nov 29) that, as tourists recently arrived from London, my wife and I regard the street vendor clearance policy with horror. One of the delights of Bangkok was the proliferation of street food areas each with a variety of food and drink and communal tables to sit at and enjoy.

Now we find that some of our favourite areas, such as outside the Royal Hotel at Sanam Luang, are bleak deserts with no stalls whatsoever. We miss the Thai specialities (that corner was where I first tasted som tam over 30 years ago -- such a revelation!). And we miss the lively local scene and are concerned for the welfare of the displaced vendors.

Shame on you BMA.

The other day I was on an eight-lane dual carriageway in an unfamiliar part of town, wanting to make a U-turn. Not knowing whether it would be a right turn to go through the central divide, or a left turn to use an underpass or overbridge, I hedged my bets by hogging a middle lane so that I could switch to either side when the layout of the U-turn became obvious.

I know, switching lanes is no big deal in Bangkok, but it got me thinking how much better it would be if the U-turn signs could indicate which side to go -- perhaps a simple left or right arrow beneath the big U-arrow. Also, a bit more warning than the usual 100 metres would help out-of-towners get into position.

Anybody who has read Bangkok Post for a long time would know that their motoring team do test new cars of all kinds regardless of price. However, chances of reading about a Jazz or Yaris may be slimmer than a Beamer or Benz possibly due to the state of the Thai car market.

Apart from high taxes that make imported cars as costly as condos, local makers usually don't bother trying to offer more models or new technologies to buyers. Take the March, as an example. Nissan is still selling this eight-year-old Ecocar despite having an all-new model in other markets for two years already.

Which is to say that Thailand is a terrible place to shop for a new car.

The local dairy farms in Saraburi province complained that the coal power plant to be constructed in their neighbourhoods will threaten their health (BP, Nov 28).

Look at yourself first, the dairy farm itself was the main contributor of the health-threatening gas methane (CH4). According to the University of Wisconsin, methane accounts for 11% of greenhouse gas emissions each year, of which 31% is from livestock which beef and dairy cattle as the major contributors.

Not only dairy milk is necessary for public, electricity also.

If you don't want a coal power plant, we shall consider the best option to be nuclear power plants, as they have zero emissions, and the dairy farmers should change to soybean farming and produce soy milk instead.