OPINION

Old at heart

A Reader, ("I stand with Greta", PostBag, Dec 17), in his apt identification of the failing in some leaders of the Western world's response to Greta Thunberg, identifies perfectly the major cause of the endemic rot in Thai society and politics.

This is also seen in old men's reaction to the bright young hope for a better Thai nation that is Future Forward: "A child should be seen, but not heard".

This is plainly the preferred option of the ruling PM's government -- to support tenacious clinging against all reason to the bad old ways of the past that brought about the state of today.

Thankfully, Thailand's "brats" also sense the urgency, demonstrating moral courage as they take a patriotic stand for their nation while respecting the corruption-ridden old men with the polite disdain that they deserve for having mired the Thai nation, the Thai people, in a cesspit of greed-driven inequality and injustice that is in ever more urgent need of reform.

Worth noting here, as Atiya Achakulwisut reminds us in "Will the Empire strike back at the Skywalkers?", (Opinion, Dec 17), is that the PDRC street mobs of Suthep Thaugsuban, whose willfully disruptive acts conveniently paved the way to the latest coup against the Kingdom of Thailand's form of democratic government with a constitutional monarchy as they boasted of striving to "Shut down Bangkok".

The reality could not have proved more different to the PDRC's false claims. The 2014 coup, led by current Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, was supposed to end the rabble-rousing and put the country on the path towards reform. The obvious truth is it is the Future Forward Party which proposes actual reform that is long overdue. When presented with the possibility of actual reform to move the Thai nation forward, the party of the old proves that it clearly fears and hates such reform.

But at least the deep fault lines dividing Thai society are coming into sharper focus for all Thais to see. That will help them to decide on which side to take a stand for the sake of their nation's future, just as Greta and those belittling her help to clarify what is at stake for our species on the planetary scale.

Make safety a priority

Re: "PM launches road safety blitz", (BP, Dec 17).

With the coming annual "seven dangerous days" traffic enforcement blitz, the PM seems to be deflecting government responsibility for the carnage by asking a rhetorical question about the government's responsibility.

The government is "not" responsible for a driver's behaviour. Drivers are accountable for their actions. The government is responsible for ensuring compliance with driving regulations all year, not just one week out of 52.

Maybe if the government gave the same attention and scrutiny to road safety that they do to the FFP there would actually be a reduction in road deaths and accidents. Maybe a shift in priorities is in order.

NACC as clear as mud

Re: "NACC opaque as ever", (Editorial, Dec 16).

So the National Anti-Corruption Commission ranked the army, the Land Department and the Office of Justice Affairs as first, second and third in its transparency ratings of state agencies.

But that leaves a huge question unanswered. Where did it rank itself?