OPINION

Confusing poll laws

Am I alone in having trouble understanding the rules and regulations of politicians involved in this latest voting escapade, or are their others equally as baffled as myself?

Five years ago a military general took control of this country and right from the outset used the state TV and radio stations to promote his power grab. Once retired from the military, this same general, now obviously involved in becoming the prime minister (but not yet a state official), continued to make weekly appearances on a TV show that ran right up until the voting took place.

Meanwhile, another aspiring politician who owns shares in a media company that wasn't producing television shows about him or promoting his entry into politics is in trouble. Have I once again fallen down that rabbit hole? There appear to be some very confusing laws regarding what can and cannot be done, and to ordinary bystanders like myself it only appears to matter who you are, not what you have done.

I'm wondering how long it will be before the MRT grinds to a halt due to poor servicing. So far, the faulty operations that I've experienced have been limited to non-critical functions, such as the poor efficiency of the air conditioning on the carriages and the stations, and failed temperature displays inside the carriages, but which nevertheless do affect customer experience.

I have noticed the malfunctioning displays in the stations, which are supposed to indicate the arrival times of the next train. At Asok this week, the screen indicated that the train would arrive within three minutes, until the train actually arrived.

Last month at Rama IX station the display indicated that the train would arrive within four minutes, alternating with a message that the train would get there within one minute. Just before the train arrived, an announcement advised passengers not to board the train as it was not in service.

However, the train was packed with people, the doors opened, people disembarked, people embarked, the train left. This whole scenario including the out of service announcement repeated for the next train, at which point I embarked, so I'm not aware of how long it continued.

Issues such as these ought to be monitored, detected and rectified in a matter of days, not weeks, and the fact that they have not been fixed is very indicative of a distinct lack of awareness on the part of the operators. If left unaddressed for too long, the malfunctions may well contribute to more serious consequences to passenger safety. On a positive note, I am impressed with the efficiency of the ticket office staff at the stations. It's a shame that the same level of service clearly does not apply to the operation of the trains themselves.

The letter, "Old expat moving on", very sadly awaits many more of us. Thailand, as we found out after years of living here, is a country where old age is given lip service, both to Thais and non-Thais. The Buddha comes second to the God of Money. Despite the need for immigration reform, no one is interested, from the Prime Minister to the head of the Immigration Bureau.

Perhaps one day there might be immigration reform, where the officers are sent to public relations courses so they know to respond to letters and be polite. They would also have the autonomy to make individual decisions instead of acting like mindless robots, and would be sensitive to retired folks living in Thailand.

Perhaps they also might be replaced with AI. Anything would be an improvement. Good luck, Donald Graber. I and others wish you well.

Congratulations to the Thai navy for saving several metres of water and seabed for Thailand from the seasteaders. If there is anyone left when the earth is mostly covered in water in 80 years, they will get a good laugh if they know about this case.