OPINION

Finally, some sense

Re: "THAI may stick to renting after B156bn plane purchase axed", (BP, Sept 28).

Thai Airways' (THAI) board decision to disapprove of the 156 billion baht in new aircraft shows a real improvement in corporate governance at this basket case of a business. Under past governments, new aircraft orders have been a big "cake" for the politicians.

THAI has been mismanaged and losing money for years. They constantly change their CEO with new plans for turning it around which never materialise. Leasing is better than buying. Purchasing ties up the airline's capital and weighs down its balance sheet. Leasing will also enable it to buy newer aircraft, which means less maintenance costs.

The next step is to convert this airline to be a budget carrier. Budget airlines like Air Asia are very well-run and are the wave of the future. THAI has not offered to customers a value proposition for 20 years or longer. A takeover by Air Asia would end the downward cycle. Keeping this airline as it is because it is the "national flag carrier" is a very high price to pay for nationalism and it needs to be considered whether the airline is a credit to Thailand's image.

Shed dead weight

The board's decision against buying new airplanes begs the question: why don't they fully privatise THAI under several conditions to protect our "national interests"?

For example, the government could be empowered to take over flights to evacuate Thais out of harm's way, or displace passengers to make room for royalty, with compensation given at market rates. The airline business is extremely competitive, with even bigger names having gone under: remember Pan American and BOAC? Why saddle ourselves financially unnecessarily? Let's take care of our national interests, at a minimum cost.

Too little, too late

Re: "Horror crash spurs action," (BP, Sept 30).

Another shining example of "Thainess". Why does it take a serious accident involving multiple deaths to "spur action"? What does it take to instil a bit of common sense in drivers who insist on overloading their pickups with people, then perhaps driving while tipsy, or even drunk? What does it take for those who occupy the truck beds to simply refuse to get in? What does it take for an observant policeman to pull the vehicle over and stop it from proceeding? This practice has been going on for as long as I remember, and that is a long time.

Here's an idea...

I found myself filling out a form this week entitled "Application for extension of temporary stay" that the Immigration Bureau insists on every year. Having done this since Chatichai Choonhavan was prime minister, wouldn't it save work for the IB to finally admit I live and expect to die here, issue a permanent stay visa and avoid ever having to see my face again. It's known as "the real world".

It's not just Greta

Re: "Thunberg's attitude is beside the point", (Opinion, Sept 30).

I find it very disappointing that some people here discounted Greta Thunberg's message about global warming because she is so young. If I were as young as she is and I was facing a significantly shorter life because the adults around me are refusing to do anything much about it, I would be even angrier than she is. I strongly suspect that even super polite little Thai kids are going to start getting pretty angry/aggressive as it finally dawns on them their lives are on the line here too, and no adults here are or have been doing much about it.