OPINION

A step forward

Re: "FM's outburst", (BP, April 10). I could understand Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai's outburst at the diplomatic saga which took place at Pathumwan police station where 12 diplomats from the EU, UN and Western embassies were present to observe the sedition proceedings against Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, Future Forward Party leader. But I have two observations:

1. In our daily life, who's to be blamed if our "own family members" allow neighbours to enter our home (residence) if, with good intention, they would like to help inspect and lessen the damage caused by several storms?

2. The Pathumwan diplomatic saga could be viewed in a positive light by the international community regarding the five-year rule of Thailand by the junta.

It is a positive and forward step, especially after the long-awaited general election on March 24, that the Prayut Chan-o-cha government is sincere and willing to pay some price, if needed, towards Thailand's democratic future.

Grave diplomacy

Re: "Don slams diplomats for accompanying Thanathorn", (BP, April 9).

I did a double take when I read, "Mr Don [our foreign minister] said the Foreign Ministry was considering whether to summon the diplomats concerned to discuss the issue".

This couldn't be right. It should have been "to invite" or "to request the presence of", instead of "to summon".

I have no foreign affairs experience -- except for marrying a woman who is of Chinese descent -- but I know that "summon" is a grave diplomatic term, meaning the called for diplomats are going to get an earful from the host country.

And if the issue is ignored, the next move is to expel the ambassador.

But if Mr Don really meant "to summon", it's going to be a thrill to see envoys from Australia, Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, the US and EU, walking in single file, heads down, into a meeting room at the Foreign Ministry for a session of "attitude adjustment".

Go for it, Mr Quixote.

Democracy lost

At the time of the coup we were told that the military was only trying to restore law and order and that in six months democracy would return. I never believed that nonsense for one second. I remember Vint Chavala in a very nasty letter he wrote to another newspaper said that I should get out of Thailand for six months.

Would it have made any difference if I had? Would I have returned to a country that was now democratic? How is it that so-called Thai intellectuals who have lived in democratic countries could be so stupid as to have believed there were ever any good intentions behind the coup? It's all about POWER! POWER! POWER!

Insecurity prevails

Reading that someone from my embassy was at the police station to observe what was being done to Khun Thanathorn was the first time in the over-40 years that I have been here that I have felt proud of my ambassador. Sorry if it was considered diplomatically incorrect by the foreign minister but some of us foreigners have grown very weary of the bullying of the few opponents of this powerful, but apparently very insecure, government.