OPINION

Make facts available

Re: "PPRP MP Parina under fire for Ratchaburi poultry farm," (BP, Nov 12).

I have no problem with Deputy Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Capt Thamanat Prompow ordering Alro to check on Palang Pracharath Party (PPRP) MP Parina Kraikup's poultry farm which rests on Sor Por Kor land, a special public plot assigned to local farmers to make a living.

But "Thamanat, using the name Manat Bophlom, was arrested [in Australia] and charged with conspiring to import 3.2kg of heroin ... pleaded guilty, was released from Parklea prison on April 14, 1997 [after four years' imprisonment] and deported" ("Sinister minister: Thai Parliament to ask for Australia's help over politician's criminal past," The Sydney Morning Herald, October 10, 2019; emphasis added).

"The [Thai] Constitution states that a person who has been involved in narcotics offences ... is prohibited from being elected as an MP" (Khaosodenglish.com, July 10, 2019). On the other hand, DPM Wissanu Krea-Ngam said Capt Thamanat's "eligibility for a seat in the cabinet is not in question because he is not being prosecuted by the Thai judiciary", which seems to be contrary to what our constitution says. Should crimes committed overseas help reveal a person's ethics and integrity, especially since the man claims innocence and no jail record?

Being a Thai cabinet member is a very high honour and we surely should not have a sinister minister in it. While his case is being investigated, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha should move Capt Thamanat to an inactive post, as is customary to stop him from interfering with the probe. The facts should be readily available from the NSW Supreme Court, NSW District Court, and Parklea Prison.

Re: "Financial education key to growth", (Opinion, Nov 4).

Bearing in mind the high rate of debt among normal Thai citizens, I think it would be a great idea to teach budgeting skills to Thai children in school, as the writer stressed. The article noted that math problems can be done in English, while various concepts related to budgeting could be taught in Thai during classes on business and similar subjects.

Once such practically oriented classes are put in place, then young Thais may finally have a future in which they are not saddled with lifelong debt. As things stand right now, only Thais of Chinese heritage seem to have any budgeting skills.

Re: "Alibaba must slay '11/11' beast", (Opinion, Nov 12).

As someone who enjoyed some pretty nice discounts through Lazada on Singles Day, I am a bit shocked to read a column criticising their parent company, Alibaba, for holding such a sale. Apparently the author objects to this sale because he wants the company to be known for being more than just an e-commerce business. As a consumer, I only know Alibaba and Lazada as e-commerce businesses offering a very wide range of products that I can't find at affordable prices in one place anywhere else.

I hope they continue to have these sales for many years to come, no matter what Bloomberg Opinion writers might think.

Given that global warming is exacerbated by carbon put into the air by people travelling, among other things, the government's stimulus programmes which emphasise travelling would seem to be almost as foolish as that populist programme by the Pheu Thai Party which subsidised the purchases of first cars.