'Mai pen rai' politics

Re: "Thirayuth: Regime has 'plot to cling to power'", (Online, Dec 10).

The story says: "He likened Thai people to chickens in farms where they were under control from birth to death."

A fair point but the thousands of Thais who have been educated overseas have no excuse to have this "sheep culture". I almost never hear them on the streets calling for true democracy, not Thaksin's feudalistic rule by the Chinese business groups.

As a foreigner, the worthless foreign embassies like the US sit there doing nothing. Because the Thai attitude is: This is our country, mind your own business. So after a while the outside world just says Thailand is like this, a banana republic like in South America.

Ask yourself how many Thais have pride in their country and if they do not, the blame for this lies at the doorstep of your government and venal rulers. They never care about the average citizen who deserves better than this. Sweeping problems under the rug, i.e. "Mai pen rai means never mind", means switching your brain off and "kicking the can down the road" i.e. it is someone else's problem.

Sy Sy
PM looking after poor

Re: "Thirayuth: Regime has 'plot to cling to power", (Online, Dec 10).

I hope so. Thailand's rich have always ruled the roost. As for General Prayut, perhaps he cannot change the attitudes of the rich, or the way they make money, but he has shown he is not afraid of them either.

The Shinawatras are politically (if not financially) out of the way, the Italian-Thai magnate who allegedly killed endangered animals is getting his due, and a few others have already been put in their places. Gen Prayut has shown an interest in Thailand and Thais. This includes the poor Thais who are receiving more than lip services with his programmes to help. So if the General has a "plot to clung to power", good! I hope he does just that.

Prayut Backer
Meat eaters to blame

Re: "The inequality in our climate change policies", (Opinion, Dec 10).

Paritta Wangkiat writes, "As such, the key to combating climate change is trust among different social classes, which can be fostered by ensuring that everyone benefits from the policies". This is simply naive nonsense and quite typical of those idealists who believe globalist propaganda that we must fund the fight against evil carbon by taxing it.

Taxation worldwide is at astronomical levels, and for the majority provides little benefit. In Thailand, for example, one might ask who really benefits from populist policies and the largesse of the military's annual binge?

CO2 will bear the brunt of proposed carbon taxation, but in reality does very little harm and a lot of good (CO2 encourages plant growth). Methane is far more harmful however, and much is produced by farm animals. Therefore I suggest meat eaters and producers should be taxed and the money used to fund education about the benefits of a plant-based diet. This will benefit the poor who Ms Paritta suggests will bear the burden of climate change most of all, as well as zillions of animals. It's a win-win, moo-moo outcome.

Michael Setter
No to impeachment

Re: "Embattled Trump struggles to fill key White House post", (Online, Dec 11).

It looks like US President Donald Trump is facing an uphill task in making his presidency relevant. The Democrats will take control as the majority party in Congress in January. They are contemplating impeaching president Trump for electoral fraud, corruption and conflict of interests. However, the better option would be to produce a strong candidate to run against Mr Trump in the upcoming 2020 presidential election.

By impeaching Mr Trump, the political situation in the US might be plunged into chaos, since the diehard Trump supporters will see themselves as victims of some kind of a "coup". And as we all know, coups happen only in "backward" countries.

Vint Chavala

Contact: Bangkok Post Building 136 Na Ranong Road Klong Toey, Bangkok 10110 fax: +02 6164000 Email: postbag@bangkokpost.co.th

All letter writers must provide full name and address.

All published correspondence is subject to editing at our discretion.

11 Dec 2018 11 Dec 2018
13 Dec 2018 13 Dec 2018

SUBMIT YOUR POSTBAG

All letter writers must provide a full name and address. All published correspondence is subject to editing at our discretion

SEND