OPINION

No time for risks

One thing about the coronavirus pandemic that seems certain is that no government will get its response 100% right. Thailand has to try to balance the health and lives of the people against how much and for how long the economy can be decimated. Many Thai people are suffering severe hardship and stress.

Recent medical opinion seems to indicate that the virus affects not only the lungs but the entire vascular system and can cause long-term and life-threatening problems with the heart, brain, liver and other major organs, even if the initial symptoms were not severe. This undermines any notion that the virus is only dangerous for less than 1%.

Daily we read that there are a few cases identified in quarantine, even though the number of people in quarantine is small.

The recent lapse of the Egyptian who avoided quarantine also dispels any idea that "travel bubbles" are going to be safe. If the government is going to offer up Phuket, Krabi and Samui for sacrifice perhaps it should ask for a referendum of the residents and at least a guarantee that all medical expenses will be met by the authorities.

One thing is certain, the virus will re-emerge when borders are open.

Re: "Toxic seesaw not helping", (Editorial, July 16).

The Ministry of Agriculture is reclassifying 13 harmless plants as toxic farm substances, requiring their regulatory supervision. Why are they doing this when it is obviously contrary to the national interest and profoundly stupid?

Only one reason: retribution for their loss of kickbacks in their attempts to continue the use of poisonous agrochemicals which were banned recently.

Glyphosate is still okay due to the power of kickbacks and the ministry needs something to hold over the heads of small farmers.

The media reported that TV hosts had apologised for the disrespect shown for local national hero Ya Mo, yet no mention of her deeds in history were presented, such as her role in the Siamese invasion by the Vientiane king.

Wikipedia: When the Lao invaders ordered the women to cook for them, Lady Mo requested knives so that food might be prepared. That night, when the invaders were asleep, she gave the knives to the imprisoned men. They surprised the Lao troops, who fled, and the prisoners escaped.

There was no background detail on the events of the time or the deeds performed. The Bangkok Post has a mainly farang readership and there's an opportunity to enrich readers with balanced reporting that creates better bonds to our adopted home.

How disappointing that July 16 PostBag consisted of a single letter and how more disappointing that it was China's consistently mendacious claim to be trying to settle disputes over the South China Sea by conciliation. This does not tally with its aggressive annexation and militarisation of numerous small islands and atolls. The big bully is throwing its weight around, exactly reflecting its attitude towards Hong Kong.