OPINION

Long and winding roads

I heartily agree with Mind-boggled in their June 26 letter, "Carbon Paradise".

Thailand has no governmental infrastructure to deal with major national projects in a democratic manner and it can be very damaging.

Policies are often naively conceived and there is little or no opportunity for the public or pressure groups to put forward objections and constructive advice. In fact, those who do often find themselves on the wrong side of Thailand's libel and sedition laws.

The destruction of historic buildings is another example.

Furthermore, conservation and environmental damage are also ignored in the name of "progress".

Dams are planned and proposed without any real consultation. Roads destroy habitat and increase traffic, farmland is lost or polluted by new roads.

The motorway system mentioned by Mind-boggled is one of the most glaring examples. It is the product of thinking that is half a century behind the times. The dire ramifications are exacerbated by the poor quality of planning, the actual construction and design of the roads themselves and the scant regard to environmental and public impacts.

Quite apart from the wildlife -- both flora and fauna that will be destroyed as roads fragment and pollute their habitats -- these roads will be a major factor in keeping Thailand's road deaths as one of the highest in the world and contributing to the near disastrous air pollution figures in provinces like Rayong, Chon Buri and Bangkok.

People, their families and their crops will all be affected by this ill-thought out development policy.

Toothless tiger roars?

It is reported in the depths of the Thai news media that Thailand's National Anti-Corruption Commission is finally going to have a go at those gents in the Royal Thai Police Farce, not force, but farce, who were negligent in investigating the infamous Red Bull hit and run accident that killed a policeman many years ago.

The entire story has the plot for a good Agatha Christie thriller, "He Got Away With Murder" or some other such title. It shows that justice in Thailand may be maimed, but not quite toothless or dead … yet.

Let's see how the mega-rich daddy copes with this. Who is there left to bribe? Me? Yes, I'd take the money and run.

Schools, students need help

There are at least 200 international schools and a dozen universities that offer courses in English in Thailand. Most of them are hit by the financial crisis induced by the coronavirus and are desperately seeking students whose visas are most likely to end soon.

Many of them came on campus visits in March on tourist visas, and are now held up in the country due to lack of international flights.

There is an international school on Bangna-Trat Road that started with plenty of fanfare after spending 3 billion baht in infrastructure. Today they want students to join without paying tuition fees.

That is how distressed the educational institutions are. The government must facilitate educational visas to all students by relaxing the visa norms.

That way it will help prevent educational institutions, who haven't paid their teachers for at least a couple of months, from collapsing.

Reunite the families

I would like to applaud Deepak K's comments in his June 26 letter "Wrong priorities" which is thought provoking and timely.

The government should really consider Mr Deepak's comments seriously and should take immediate action.

Yes, I understand the government is looking for hard cash which is understandable but at the same time they should immediately bring back the families who are dying to meet their other half in Thailand.