OPINION

History lost forever

Re: "Panels probe house saga", (BP, June 21).

Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) officials continue to assert that the concrete foundation of the historic forestry building was damaged and the structure was thus unsafe for people to enter.

But this is not a valid justification for demolishing the structure.

Engineers could simply have raised the building with hydraulic jacks, rebuilt the foundations, and then lowered the building back onto the new foundations.

I have seen this accomplished with historic buildings that were far larger, far older, and far more fragile than the forestry building in Phrae.

Despite DNP's claim, it seems difficult to imagine that the building can be rebuilt to its former historic glory. It appears that yet another piece of Thai history has been lost forever.

Re: "Green light for foreigners", (BP, June 24).

It's highly surprising that the government is allowing 30,000 tourists to enter for medical and wellness tourism (the reasons may include plastic surgery).

What about the people who hold a green card (residency) in Thailand, spouses and children who have lived in Thailand for a long time and hold a dependent non-immigrant visa?

They have been stuck overseas for months and want to be united with their families. Some of their visas have expired. No amenities for them?

The Royal Thai embassies overseas are not taking any applications for such people nor renewing their expired non-immigrant visas.

Can someone explain to me the difference between a "restaurant" and a "bar"? Here in Chiang Mai, "restaurants" are now allowed to serve booze where often most of the customers go to drink and not eat. (I noticed that a customer at one of those restaurants was a policeman. The owner told me not to worry -- because the policeman was enjoying himself).

On the other hand "bars" are still closed despite the fact that some customers go there and order food. What does any of this nonsense have to do with actually containing or curbing the spread of Covid-19?

I find it mind-boggling that whereas everywhere else in the world, the factors contributing to climate change are major topics of conversation and at least some efforts are being made to reduce carbon emissions, our government here is apparently now intent on building eight new motorways totalling nearly 5,000 kilometres.

I believe that one of our recent governments had made a commitment to the world that it will take some concrete action to reduce carbon emissions in Thailand or was I just dreaming about that?