OPINION

Illiterate authorities

Re: "Prayut no 'dictator'", (PostBag, Aug 20).

The writer concluded that "If he [Prayut] were indeed a dictator, the likes of Felix Qui would have been silenced long ago, perhaps with an "accident" or unexplained disappearance". I disagree.

Felix Qui's writing style is academic, deep, caustic, complicated and requires English literacy and knowledge of economics, social and political science to fully comprehend.

There aren't many Thais who can grasp Qui's ideology and thoughts; it would be one in 100,000, which is my conservative estimate.

Gen Prayut and his lackeys don't read English newspapers, and even if they do they have no clue whatsoever what Qui is talking about, and that's why Qui is still alive and kicking.

That's one good thing about having English-illiterate authorities, though.

Re: "DUI culture a problem", (PostBag, Aug 21).

Like others writing to PostBag, Burin Kantabutra believes increasing punishment for dangerous behaviour will increase public safety.

Driving while drunk or without a helmet can have fatal consequences for those culpable. However, he assumes that fatality is not a sufficient motive to change behaviour. Instead, traffic tickets and impounded vehicles will improve people's responses.

In 1992, the State of California enacted a law mandating helmet use among bicycle riders. In 1993, the number of head injuries from bicycle wrecks sharply increased. As it turns out, when told helmets double riding safety, the public responds by tripling their dangerous behaviour.

The members of the public who benefit from helmet laws are those in the helmet business.

The members of the public who benefit from the drug war are those dealing drugs or investing in prisons.

Good intentions often bring sad results.

Re: "Licence seizures to be banned", (BP, Aug 21).

I think the new measure is ridiculous. It will only make road users more careless.

The authorities should confiscate the licence and the motorcycle, and let them walk until they pay the fine.

If not, the number of traffic accidents will never decrease.

Re: "'Robots' vs 'aliens'", (PostBag, Aug 22).

It is a rare day indeed when I agree with anything Eric Bahrt writes. However, Eric does hit the nail on the head.

I think everyone would agree with his comment that most immigration enforcers are incapable of common sense. They are indeed programmed to act, not to think, and most times they themselves are incapable of interpreting immigration rules, regulations, laws and whatever else intelligently, much less understand all the mish-mash and babble on paper.

So they do the next best thing in order not to lose face. They make much of it up as they go along.