OPINION

Fact-check sources

Re: "Thanathorn blasts Nation TV", (BP, March 21).

Let me be clear, I am not a fan of Thaksin or any of his cohorts but I do believe that news media should maintain their integrity and professionalism to the highest journalistic standards! Nation TV MD, Chatchai Pokogwai, was wrong to say that the station just followed ethical standards and didn't name anyone. Any reputable news organisation would have fact-checked its sources and made sure there was no doctoring of video or sound clips before broadcasting.

Also, Nation TV should have given full disclosure (just as CNN regularly does with its relationship with Jeff Bezos) that it is owned by relatives of an MP candidate in the Palang Pracharath Party.

I am excited about this Sunday's general election, not because it is the first time in eight years, but because the new election rules make it hard to predict the outcome.

The new rules are complicated and blatantly designed to cripple the heavy favourite party and, at the same time, bolster the chance of the "chosen party" to win. They are so complicated that I'm afraid no one knows exactly what to do if an unanticipated situation arises, which will lead to an impasse and, finally, a new election is scheduled. which could take years.

Let's keep our fingers crossed that everything goes well this Sunday. Let's hope that there are no protests, no street brawling or nullification of the contest, if the "chosen party" still manages to lose.

For peace's sake, I subconsciously hope that Prayut continues his tenure. It couldn't get worse than this.

In this Sunday's election in Chiang Mai there seem to be more young female candidates than ever before.

While most candidates' street posters almost always carry the pictures of the candidates together with their party leaders -- one particular young female contestant has only her picture pasted boldly on her advertising placards. At some of Chiang Mai city's morning markets, one will find a group of young people carrying placards with this candidate's picture, together with a song from the group's pickup truck nearby.

In Thailand, female lawmakers are very much needed for the sake of equality and transparency, in the same way that US female legislators are making their presence felt in Congress at the moment.

As I read, "Fruit farmers seek help as drought bites", (BP, March 21), I shake my head sadly and wonder how much water will be thrown and wasted this coming Songkran, without anyone caring or thinking about "tomorrow". Live for the moment, the sabai, sabai, sanook, sanook mentality will prevail. Enjoy today, be thirsty tomorrow. Oh well. The mighty Chao Phraya, like the mighty Mississippi, will still be flowing along.

A Thai newspaper reported that former Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra, a fugitive from Thai justice is in Hong Kong, but that the Thai government cannot ask for his extradition because the Royal Thai Police must institute the first request. Of course, Prime Minister Prayut needs only to say one word to the police chief.

This is the perfect example of the proverb, "Birds of a feather stick together".