OPINION

Expose Thamanat's story

Re: "Opposition makes fresh attempt to oust Thamanat", (BP, May 13).

I think the best witness to Thamanat Prompow's lawsuit in Australia is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand. I submit the following information for consideration of the House subcommittee.

When Thamanat Prompow (or any Thai citizen) was apprehended and charged with an offence in Australia in 1993, Australian authorities would contact the Thai Consulate-General in Sydney immediately.

From that day onward, the consular officials would visit Thamanat in prison and assist him in hiring a lawyer and other relevant matters.

The contact between the Consulate-General and Thamanat would continue until his prison term ended in 1998 when he was expelled from Australia with a travelling document issued by the consulate-general.

So, the consulate-general in Sydney, the Thai embassy in Canberra and the Foreign Ministry in Bangkok must have a complete file of inmate Thamanat.

I urge the Foreign Ministry together with former ambassadors and consulate-generals who served in Australia from 1993-1998 to "come out" and reveal the truth about this unforgivable crime.

Your contributions would be a positive contribution to the betterment of our homeland.

Unified approach needed

Re: "Regional vaccine approach is imperative", (Opinion, May 14).

Yes, Mr Thitinan is 100% right that a regional vaccination is imperative. Sadly, the diverse vaccine procurement among Mekong countries does reflect geopolitics as well as vested interests. We know well that the Covid viruses have no regard for geopolitics or national borders.

Although Asean is an economic union, its members should band together and take a unified approach to thwart the spread of Covid. The devastation caused by a new variant in India has reached all its neighbours.

Unless Asean members join hands, the region's population will succumb to Covid and economies will be jeopardised.

A few legal questions

Re: "Foreigners face longer wait for jab", (BP, May 14).

It is heartening to know the government plans to vaccinate Thailand's foreign community against the coronavirus.

According to the Health Ministry, we can't even register for a vaccination until August, which is two and a half months away. And that's just to register.

But there is a question. If I should contract the virus and die before I can get vaccinated, can my estate then sue the Thai for unacceptable delay; procrastination; negligence; incompetence; or some similarly labelled deficiency?

Jab situation farcical

Re: "Foreigners face longer wait for jab", (BP, May 14).

The on-again-off-again statements from the Health Ministry about foreigners receiving the Covid jab reminds me of two sayings from my army days: "Greatcoats on, greatcoats off", and "Hurry up and wait".

In the space of a little more than a week ago, the Bangkok Post carried a story that Thais will be given priority over foreigners for Covid vaccinations.

That was quickly contradicted by another health department spokesman who assured foreigners that they would be treated as equals with Thais.

Then we have today's report that puts foreigners at the back of the queue again. No wonder foreigners are confused. The health department now has no credibility and the situation is farcical.

New uniform, same graft

Re: "New police look in the works", (BP, May 10).

Comparing current police uniforms with the new uniform prototypes, I have to say that the old uniforms are far more attractive visually. The cut and lines of the proposed new uniforms are rather dumpy and more akin to a misfitted security guard at a run-down warehouse. Knowing the importance of appearance to most Thai police officers, I anticipate that the trial uniforms will not garner much support.

The one element of the new prototype uniforms that is likely to be popular, however, is the addition of multiple pockets. These would come in handy for smoothly depositing collected tea money.