OPINION

Listen to outsiders

Re: "Still an outsider," (BP, Nov 30). I beg to disagree with Khun Millie Tan, who says that a non-Thai should not comment on our politics despite that person's having a Thai wife and lived here for 18 years -- unless he has Thai citizenship and can protest and argue like a Thai.

Studying in the US Deep South during the 1960s civil rights crisis, my letters to the editor were regularly published in the campus newspaper, and I always signed myself as coming from Thailand; I was the only Oriental on our picket line. Never did anybody say that I should not comment.

I suggest that considering outside views can be highly beneficial because they give insights which those immersed in the hurly burly of daily activities may not see. For example, my college roommate believed that his Southern Baptist god had created Caucasians to be superior to all other races; I hope that our daily interaction helped him see otherwise. Or, on a national basis, why can some societies, like the Japanese or Singaporean, value and practise honesty and integrity in public life -- while we Thais can give it only lip service?

Also, just as "No man is an island, entire of itself" (John Dunne), so no country is figuratively an island. For example, the Myanmar Tatmadaw patterns itself after our military, and we seek more Covid-19 vaccines from the US. To help others, or expect others to aid us, listening to their points of view is essential.

We should ask from non-Thais only that which we ask from all critics: be civil, constructive, and fact-based. Don't get personal.

Re: "Impatience costs protest leaders dear," (Opinion, Nov 29).

After reading Veera Prateepchaikul's article, it came as no surprise that he has at last got round to naming those dark forces behind the "anti-establishment movement". In addition to the "university professors" there are "foreign NGOs and foreign diplomats". In other words that perennial, existential threat to all things uniquely Thai -- the interfering foreigner.

Re: "Thai Pass worries," (PostBag, Nov 30).

We arrived back to Suvarnabhumi airport yesterday from Europe and were picked up and taken to the Athenee Hotel in Bangkok. On the way we had a drive-through RT-PCR test at Medpark Hospital at 2.12pm. At 9pm we received our results and our quarantine was over. Absolutely seamless. Well done, Thailand.

Dear Thailand Pass support team

Kindly respond to emails as your stance is affecting people and monies they have spent.

You have said that under my Thailand Pass entry, I have to quarantine for 14 days as I come from Africa. But no hotels in Phuket offer quarantine packages any more as the system has changed on your side.

So is is self-quarantine in the hotel I booked originally or are you basically saying cancel and don't come to Phuket as there is nowhere to quarantine?

Or are you arranging quarantine hotel packages and will advise which hotels shortly? This is really confusing and you don't respond to the emails that I sent you at Thailand Pass Support .

Please be so kind as to advise accordingly, as this really leaves one with a bad taste in one's mouth about Thailand and a huge financial loss to travellers.

Yours sincerelyMARC DU TOIT