OPINION

Reckless abandon

As someone who has lived in Thailand for four years, I am surprised at the seeming "shock" at the dissolution of the Future Forward Party (FFP).

During the election campaign last year, the FFP were reckless in how they ran their campaign. They seemed to take an adversarial and provocative stance towards the pro-regime Palang Pracharath Party.

While this was happening I told those who would listen that, unless they were able to win the election and form the next government, it was likely to cause them a lot of trouble. Even though the party did remarkably well for its first election, they did not get the required number of MPs and sadly, I was proven right in my assumptions.

If the party that is likely to rise from the FFP's ashes has any hope of long-term success then it seems obvious that they need to run on hope and change, and what they can do for the people of Thailand, rather than attacking the establishment. Until then, they need to avoid the mud-slinging and they will be able to keep building on what they have started.

Virus not over yet

Wow, Thailand, I am really disappointed to see that you don't seem to take the coronavirus outbreak seriously at all. My son arrived from Taiwan yesterday afternoon and he was surprised to see there were no medical control stations, no fever checks with guns, no medical staff anywhere at the airport and, above all, more then 50% of the airport staff were not wearing any masks at all. Where are you now, Minister of Public Health? Complaining about the foreigners that do not want to wear masks while most Thais are in danger in many places around Bangkok -- shopping malls, restaurants, the BTS and so on.

Most of the locals do not care at all. But please note, this virus is not over yet and can become more ugly then you think. Take action before it is too late.

Land of fuzzy logic

Re: "Unfounded beliefs", (PostBag, Feb 22).

I must concur with Felix. Everything we believe is our own creation -- gods, spirits, soul, and nirvana. We also believe that we are an advanced species with higher intellect than other creatures on this planet. It is rather strange that many PostBag writers bring religion to allude to the sacred nature of the human foetus. There is so much misguided belief in the human soul or a sprit.

Sadly in Thailand, people will eat any creature that crawls, swims or flies without worrying about karma or nirvana. It looks like we do not consider annihilation and killing of animal spirits with the same reverence. In the land of fuzzy logic, we can kill and eat every creature.

But abortion? No, no. It is scared, the foetus has a spirit; abortion will turn it into a ghost; it will ruin our spiritual world. Lord Buddha asked people not to kill creatures -- all creatures.

Demons exorcised

So, Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit and his creation, the FFP, with their fanciful, quasi-farang notions of freedom, equality and accountability, have been laid to rest. Finally the good Thai people can concentrate on their sacred duty -- following the edicts of the one-party state -- in perpetuity.

Miserere animae tuae sit tibi deus (May god have mercy on my soul).