OPINION

Addicted to cars

Re: "Smoke & Mirrors", (Life, Feb 4).

Needless to say nothing much will be done to address the environmental issues as they don't affect the rich or the elites. They can board a flight anytime to reach a safe haven, breathe fresh air and eat healthy organic food.

Many letter writers to PostBag have been providing excellent ideas as to how to curtail air pollution. In my opinion, dealing with severe issues of life and death, some drastic steps must be taken urgently. Petrol and diesel cars should be classified as harmful products -- harmful to health and the environment. They are just as bad as cigarettes and opiates are addictive.

Because of the lack of environmental policies and awareness, a large percentage of Thais are now addicted to cars and trucks. In Thai villages, it is a kind of status symbol to own a pickup truck. The pristine skylines of rural Thailand are slowly being laced with smog and toxic smoke. Development without robust environmental policies would have deadly consequences, and when it comes to emissions standards, lots of lessons can be learned from the iconic state of California and many countries in Europe.

I read the front-page special report, "New Year ignites tourism", (BP, Feb 3), with interest.

Here in Phuket we see no change in tourist numbers, yet it suggests an upturn in Chinese numbers now. The article's headline cheerfully and boldly predicts an explosion in numbers with the Chinese New Year, with no supporting evidence other than government officials' usual cheery anecdotes and hopes. Government figures (presumably, as no source is given) are trotted out without any accreditation, criticism or evaluation. For example: hotel occupancy "has now risen to 90%"....from what? 89%? Such statistics are meaningless without proper journalistic examination and comment.

Re: "The more things change", (Business, Feb 4).

The "bread-and-butter policies" tabulation featured in the article showing the economic and social policies of each leading political party is most helpful in gauging each party's credibility in leading us to the right path to prosperity and stability.

I was impressed with all the bullet points of the Democrat Party except the one about boosting the SET Index to 2,500 points by 2023. Presently, the bourse is in the range of 1,650. An increase to that level would have to be 50% within this period of just less than four years. Is that credible, or just careless speculation? No guru, not even Mark Mobius or Warren Buffett, would have ever dared to pinpoint the index number in four years time, or at any future year, or even tomorrow's index points.

Furthermore, it is a fallacy to believe the stock index reflects conclusively the state of the country's economy. Seasoned investors know the rise and fall of the index is based on the perceptions of investors, who have the habit of misjudging the market.

Re: "Smart buses a priority for Democrats", (BP, Feb 4).

How considerate of the Democrats to be so concerned about Bangkok (as usual). Whatever happened to those 100 or so buses impounded a few years ago over a tax dispute?

Are they still sitting on a lot rotting away while the great debate on how to fix Bangkok's pollution problem rages on like a comic soap opera? And, what exactly is the Democrat Party's programme for the rest of Thailand?

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