OPINION

Need to fix system

Re: "English teachers are needed", (PostBag, Dec 5).

Indeed, Thailand can benefit from employing good English language teachers. Sadly, many schools, colleges, and universities in Thailand, especially those in Bangkok, use the farang or "native speakers" as mannequins to look international.

Even after going through a series of courses, Thai students can't communicate or write in English.

Hence, it is important that Thailand grow its own crop of teachers that are well trained. Switzerland, and many other European countries where teaching and learning English is a big success, do not rely on their own teachers of English.

In a nutshell, Thailand's English teaching and learning problems cannot be solved by employing "native speakers".

There is a need for foreign teachers but proficiency in English requires more than classroom teaching or importing "native speakers".

Jabs not the answer

Re: "Covid carousel", (PostBag, Dec 4).

Thank-you Mr Hober for making the point that I've been making for years: Because of mutations you can never defeat a flu-like virus through vaccination.

What should we do? Spend tens of billions of more dollars on vaccines every time there is a new Covid variant?

The Global Fund has reported that because of all the resources spent on Covid, funding for tuberculosis, malaria and HIV have been depleted.

In the UK they are talking about the "biggest cancer catastrophe" in history because all this Covid madness is taking attention away from cancer patients.

And how does the World Health Organization and the media respond to the nightmare they have created? "Vaccinate. Vaccinate. Vaccinate."

A Covid cushion

Re: "B1 trillion to beat Omicron", (BP, Dec 3).

Just days after the Omicron variant hit the news worldwide, the thoughtful Thai government has set aside a trillion baht to help matters.

A glimpse into 2022 and the future has no doubt allowed them to plan a similar or greater amount to "cushion" the next variant which I am sure they know will be announced some time soon.

So where is the loot?

Re: "Marcos Jr takes drug test to dispel claim", (BP, Nov 24).

How sad for the Philippines that the leading contender for the nation's presidency appears to be the scion of the man who did more to ruin the country than anyone in the nation's history -- plundering billions of dollars along the way.

Instead of a cocaine test, Marcos Jr should be subjected to a lie-detector test probing where his family has stashed the remaining looted national wealth that has yet to be recovered.

Waste of good food

Re: "Rotten habit", (PostBag, Dec 4).

I am sure that I am not the only one who suggests that Ellis O'Brien wonders what country this is.

In Thailand, the year is 2564, so a perfectly good packet of smoked salmon was thrown away two days before the expiry date.

Get priorities right

Vaccines save lives, it is true.

But reducing the use of sugar, salt and fat in the Thai cooking would save vastly more lives.

It would also prevent overcrowding in hospitals and much more.

Where is the enthusiasm and excitement for these measures?