OPINION

0103op-postbag

Ex-convict Deputy Agriculture Minister Thamanat Prompow reportedly might have become a minister.

But our 2017 constitution's Section 160 (7) says a cabinet minister must not have been sentenced to prison, except where the charge is a minor one or involves defamation -- which is why three ministers lost their seats last week.

But "Thamanat Prompow ... pleaded guilty in the NSW District Court to conspiracy to import a commercial quantity of heroin with a street value of up to A$4.1 million (about 94 million baht)", according to The Sydney Morning Herald, on Sept 9, 2019.

For this, he spent four years in Parklea Prison.

Some say that just as Thai law cannot be enforced beyond our borders, the verdicts of foreign courts aren't recognised by our constitution -- so Thamanat is eligible to be a minister.

But if our law can reach only as far as our borders, then we should not be able to prosecute those who commit acts illegal under Thai law if they're overseas.

For example, we should not be able to charge those who criticise our king or monarchy of lese majeste if they're abroad -- yet that's what we've been doing.

Let's ask our Constitutional Court for a definitive ruling, rather than again practise double standards.

Re: "Toothless Asean", (PostBag, Feb 26).

Khun Bigart's frustration over Asean's failure to stand with the people of Myanmar demonstrating against the recent military coup is futile. While it is true the Asean charter includes respect for human rights and freedoms, the overriding principle that always prevails within Asean is "non-interference" in member states affairs. The non-interference tenet has allowed Asean to conveniently turn a blind eye to human-rights violations, military coups, extra-judicial killings, religious intolerance, and suppression of freedoms in several of its member states.

No, Khun Bigart; the failure of Asean to respond to the military's squashing of Myanmar's fledgling democracy is not going to cause Asean's reputation to go down the drain.

The regional entity's reputation with respect to human rights went down the drain, through the gutter, and into the cesspool long, long ago.

Re: "Pedestrian Roadkill", (PostBag, Feb 23).

The highway people, or whoever decides what to build and where, are building a highway that cuts through a quiet area here in Prachin Buri where another super highway is certainly not needed. The money could have been better spent on the poor, or given to a hospital. But no -- we are getting a highway.

Pedestrian road kill is a sure event. It takes place every day. Near-hits with vehicles entering or trying to leave this super highway to local roads, bicycle riders either hit, killed or tossed, and idiot teenagers using the straight section for motorcycle racing after sunset. So much money spent … for what? For motorists to save a few kilometres to connect them from one area to another? What to do with all that money? Give to the residents, especially if small businesses are in danger of closing.

In response to Felix Qui's Feb 28 letter which reads it's injustice to justify the jailing of Ratsadon mob leaders compared with PDRC mob leaders. It's like comparing one who committed homicide with one who robs the bank. They are different crimes but both are deserving of jail sentences.