Perversion of justice
Re: "Stop cyber law abuses", (Editorial, Oct 11).
Unfortunately, since the bad people who thrive on false and distorted news, even outright lies, make up the law, having overthrown the several permanent constitutions to be able to do to so, it is optimistic to expect them to worry about justice or any other good morals. But it remains true that the Computer Crimes Act is a morally corrupt law and that it rejects justice as a principle. Perhaps, if more Thais voice their views on the fake and distorted perversion of justice that is the Computer Crimes Act, they will be heard even by the dictators.
The Computer Crimes Act (CCA) was written by the military, using vague terms, so that it can be used against anyone in any situation anytime the military feels the need to suppress free speech. The CCA is used only against those who do not support the military regime, never against the pro-military supporters. It is a corrupt law used by a corrupt military dictatorship to suppress Thailand's population. To expect this same corrupt military dictatorship to listen to the complaints of those opposed to the CCA is asking too much of them.
Re: "Network urges end of death penalty", (BP, Oct 11).
I rubbed my eyes and did a double-take when I read Gothom Arya, a representative of the Network for the Abolition of the Death Penalty, saying that Thailand has imposed the death penalty for "corruption" and "bribery" offences. I beg your pardon?
If that is the case, death row would have been packed like sardines with politicians, government officials, police, and military officers.
And all roads in the country would have been paved with gold.
"Ladies and gentlemen, and children of all ages" as the ringmaster at Barnum & Bailey's circus used to announce, there are as many rumours and interpretations about the new upcoming health insurance regulations as there are expats in this country. The only people profiting at this time are the manufacturers of Gaviscon. Many websites, including the immigration website and news websites, even those catering exclusively to expats can be a bit nebulous. I decided, enough is enough and went to my local immigration office for clarification. Only holders of A-O visas, the visas granted outside Thailand are affected by the new incoming health insurance rules. Those with "Retirement" visa tamped in a passport are not (yet) affected. So many of us can relax, at least for now. However, this is Thailand, and as we know, rules and regulations can oft be misinterpreted and subject to change overnight. It is better in my opinion to carry some sort of health coverage than nothing at all. It is even better to stop reading websites, listening to others, and get yourself down to your local immigration office to clarify your status in person. In this case, action speaks louder than words.
Re: "Where's the alternative to plastic bags?" (Opinion, Oct 10).
Some of the inconveniences you state are true but people will just have to work around them. If that means considerably more effort and planning in shopping, so be it. There was a time when plastic bags were not around and it worked then because people were adaptable and usually came up with a solution. My parents never had plastic bags for shopping and they did fine. The government is doing this as people are generally lazy and stupid and if single-use plastic bags aren't banned, our children will choke on them. Get over your issues and deal with it for the sake of future generations.
Re: "Not ready for choice", (PostBag, Oct 11).
Vinit Chavala once wrote a letter to another newspaper telling me to leave the country for six months until democracy is restored. Well, Vinit that was over five years ago and you're still making excuses for that same junta.
You're an elitist who supported overthrowing a democratically elected government and you still support the continued suppression of the rights of your own people, Shame of you!
If you think TM30 reporting is, shall we say cumbersome and unfriendly, for goodness sake don't let your driver's licence expire. It is ironic that in a land of unlicensed drivers despite three attempts to renew I'm forced to take time off work and travel all over town by taxi getting forms signed off.
Just trying to be legal, please don't make it so hard!
Oh no! "People could say or do anything they wish, and uphold claims of "democracy. Human rights and freedom of speech do not go hand in hand with sedition!"
And just exactly why, one may well ask, do people not have a right to say what they think? Khun Dusit obviously lives in fear of freedom of speech, is that why? His social or financial status might be jeopardised if someone said what they really thought of our dear leaders, is that it?
Someone might hijack the Thai government perhaps? Or steal from the national coffers without fear of consequences? I guess we are better off not discussing such unpalatable atrocities, it might make Khun Dusit feel uncomfortable.
Re: "Breath of fresh air", (BP, Oct 11).
In typical fashion, Bangkok authorities are treating symptoms instead of addressing the root causes of air pollution. Rather than wasting taxpayers' money by installing unsightly air-purifying towers and ineffective water sprinklers around the city, authorities should be taking serious measures to reduce smog and pollution by curtailing automobile traffic in central Bangkok, removing smoke-belching vehicles from the highways, controlling dust from construction projects, and cracking down on industrial emissions from factories.
Pollution control measures should be complemented with incentives for electric vehicles, acceleration of mass-transit projects, increasing the number of carriages on existing mass-transit lines, upgrading the public bus system, adding "park and ride" lots at mass-transit terminals and endpoints (at no cost for commuter parking), expanding safe bicycle lanes, and improving river taxi services.
Re: "Beach resort banking on Neo Pattaya", (Business, Oct 11).
Pattaya Mayor Sonthaya Khunpluem recently said, "Pattaya is in many regards quite similar to Miami in the US, such as size and number of tourist arrivals". In reality, that is where the similarity ends and no amount of verbal whitewashing will transform the xxxxhole city of Thailand into a "neo" attractive anything.
The Khunpluem family has maintained an iron grip on Pattaya development for decades and the results speak for themselves.
In case readers may not be familiar with the differences, Miami, with 6 million residents is the third wealthiest city in the US with a GDP of US$345 billion (10.4 trillion baht). In comparison, Thailand, with a population of 65 million has a GDP of $455 million.
Miami also has a vibrant culture, fine architecture, haute couture, a distinctive cuisine, and is a centre of finance, commerce, media, entertainment, the arts, and international trade. It has three international airports, a public rail system, a major seaport and clean beaches. One could go on at length. However, of note is the fact that Miami has a city manager with a real PhD, and, though not perfect, a functioning democratic government.
Just to make things clear, Pattaya has a Walking Street, which actually confers a whole new meaning to the term "gross domestic product", and an appointed mayor who is the son of an infamous gangster.
Re: "Portuguese duo brings their melancholy, soulful fado music on the of the closet", (Life, Oct 8).
Queer artists such as Fado Bicha have every right to adopt and change any style or musical tradition as they please. However, when you use a codified musical style and change its musical instruments, its lyrics, its themes, its aesthetic and philosophical universe with the intention of liberating and subverting it and taking it in a different direction, there is clearly not much left of the fado form inscribed in Portugal's cultural heritage. Again, they are completely free to do it.
The problem is when you start pretending that "Fado Bicha's style of fado is a truer form than classic fado". And, obviously, you can't take fado "out of the closet" since fado wasn't closeted in the first place, which is a total fabrication. Claiming ownership of an art form you have subverted and trying to displace and dispossess its traditional exponents just isn't done.
A long sigh to Phil Cox who totally missed the point of my post, and thanks to the 449,900 who did understand it. My complaint about TG was intended to represent the many passengers who do not experience the "smooth as silk" service as promised. And that comes despite it being one of the top 100 in terms of revenue. So, if they will ignore me despite this, they will ignore all of you.
One of my buddies was an adviser at SQ. There, the managing committee would review complaints from PPS members each week. The whole group of them asking why one of their top customers feels the need to complain and how they should respond. I would note that SQ makes it easy to complain, whereas TG does not, it is not on their website and we had to push the name and email address of the "VP for customer service" out of them.
Please note Phil that all of us living here are paying for this mess called Thai Airways. Our taxes pay for them each time they are bailed out. The government owns 51%. And because I like Thailand a lot, it is my home, I want it to have a successful airline. TG is not. So I complain in the apparently vain hope that they will improve.
More than 99% of my staff are Thai. And while patriotic, almost all of them prefer to fly NH to Japan, or EVA to the UK. That surely tells you something about the reality of things.