OPINION

Officials to blame

Re: "New surge a blow to weak economy", (Opinion, April 14). It should also be remembered that it has been the actions of Thai officials that have been the source of the three waves of infection.

First, it was the army boxing stadium, second, it was officials involved in people trafficking, and this time it was government ministers and politicians attending illegal businesses supported by the RTP. The solution to Thailand's woes is obvious. Get rid of all Thai officialdom, especially the Thai military, RTP and hi-so politicians. The people of Thailand deserve so much better.

The Biden administration wants to return to the 2015 nuclear deal between the major powers and Iran.

In Tel Aviv, this week, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin "declared an enduring and ironclad American commitment to Israel" and Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz said "Israel would work closely with the US".

There is only one path to ensuring there won't be a nuclear confrontation between Iran and Israel. Iran must not develop a nuclear weapon, which it has sworn a thousand times to deploy against Israel. In the meantime, it arms Hamas and Hezbollah and moves its own troops and equipment into Iraq and Syria.

Hezbollah, the largest non-governmental army in the world, has 160,000 sophisticated rockets aimed at Israel. If these are unleashed, supported by surrounding forces, and do major harm to Haifa, Tel Aviv or Jerusalem, have you any doubt that Tehran would quickly become a glowing hole in the ground? Likewise, if Iran actually fires a nuclear missile at Israel.

America needs both a carrot and a stick in the Middle East. Terrorist entities must not be rewarded for endangering Israeli and American lives. They have to cooperate fully and transparently if they expect to see another dollar. They must stop all aggressive behaviour and end nuclear weapon development permanently. To treat them otherwise, would be self-destructive.

Re: "Jail terms for Covid decree violations", (BP, April 12).

The police and courts should be highly commended for what has to be a record-breaking speed in prosecuting and sentencing the managers of exclusive Bangkok clubs that violated Covid-19 restrictions.

If only such swiftness could now be applied to the club owners and VIP patrons involved, we would be really impressed. While they are at it, perhaps a bit more urgency could be applied to long-stalled cases, like the hit-and-run incident involving Red Bull scion, Vorayuth Yoovidhya.

Much has been said in the past year about the flu being responsible for far greater fatalities than Covid-19. Not much has been said in the meantime whether this remains the case due to public hygiene protocols that have been introduced globally to combat the pandemic. Consequently, the flu and other infections should have been attenuated.