OPINION

This is madness

So, the new police chief decides to forgo drink driving checkpoints. Then he decides to stop enforcing random checks of vehicles to deter crime.

Are these brilliant manoeuvres that assuredly make Thai roadways and driving safer and end up enhancing public safety?

But these same public servants have decided to commit 3,000 officers to harass the student protesters. I guess these students are more deadly than drunk drivers and kill people every day. It would only take a 100 or so officers strategically placed to redirect traffic and ensure commuters are not too inconvenienced. But having your family killed by a drunk driver though must be considered an convenience if the resources and manpower is redirected in such a manner.

It would seem that protests that are "peaceful" are being pushed to confrontation with such a draconian police presence. I guess we will have to wait and see if history repeats itself.

Demise of democracy

Re: "Protest leaders, massacre survivors mark sombre anniversary", (BP, Oct 6).

Perhaps saddest of all in the commemoration of the student massacre of more than four decades ago is that every effort to further democracy for the Thai nation for 40 and more years since that brutal abuse of Thai citizens by morally corrupt Thai authorities and right-wing extremists has been ruthlessly suppressed by the repeated coups against democratic progress for the Thai nation.

The Thai people deserve so much more than they have been allowed by those plotting, committing, colluding in, and accepting coups, which have never solved any Thai social or political problem, certainly not corruption or injustice, as the state of Thailand today too abundantly attests.

Let's be flexible

I travel to Thailand several times a year. My fiancee lives in Lat Phrao. I want to fly to Bangkok but cannot get a definite reply from Thai Airways or the government tourist authority which has made ridiculous demands. They are going to lose a lot of tourists which will affect Thai citizens as they rely on tourism to live and survive.

Perhaps foreigners with medical certificates could come to your country and quarantine for, say, three to four days at a hotel or place of choice, then get another medical test. If the test is negative, that foreigner could then enjoy Thailand for a few weeks, not be locked in for three months. Possibly ask foreigners to pay for and wear a security wristband.

Australia

No 'ethnic French'

Re: "Mysterious allure of being French", (Opinion, Oct 7).

In France, if Gwynne Dyer talked of "ethnic French" people, he would be booed off the stage as a racist. Only far-right racists use that notion. There is no such thing as ethnic French people. Our constitution proclaims that races do not exist and ethnic statistics are illegal in France.

Army does a U-turn

In the Oct 3 report, "Army will not 'meddle'", newly appointed army chief Gen Narongphan Jitkaewtae has insisted the army will stay away from politics.

In the Bangkok Post on Oct 7, "Army boss warns students", "New army chief Gen Narongphan Jitkaewtae has urged anti-government protesters calling for the reform of the monarchy to reform themselves first before telling other people what to do".

That didn't last long, did it?