Pork pies?
Re: "Vendors urge pork imports to curb soaring prices", (BP, Jan 10) and "Pet pig's death prompts African swine fever probe", (BP, Jan 9).
I don't understand how the government importing pork can reduce prices. If imported pork is cheaper than domestic pork, why isn't it already being bought in preference to the local product? Surely some wily business people would already be taking the profits to be had were such the case.
It is, one must joyously concede, encouraging to have it again confirmed and insisted on regarding the rumours of African swine fever's prevalence consistent with the findings of Kasetsart University's associate dean at the university's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, that Thai government authorities "would never hide an outbreak from the rest of the world", let alone, one assumes, from the Thai people: a clear win for the good public morals of openness, transparency, and accountability.
FELIX QUI
Booze waffle
Re: "Drinking curbed in 69 provinces", (BP, Jan 8).
I was looking for the rationale behind this decision. There wasn't one given, at least not in your report, other than the vacuous waffle, "All measures have been comprehensively considered -- including health concerns and their impact on people".
I challenge Dr Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman for the CCSA, to explain how the civilised enjoyment of a glass or two of wine or beer during dinner in a restaurant is a threat to public health. He will be unable to do so, because there is no logical explanation.
If the agenda is to stop some people turning dinner into a prolonged booze-fest, then the answer is to limit the time people are allowed to sit in the restaurant. An hour should be sufficient to enjoy a meal, and a glass of wine.
Life is difficult enough during the Covid pandemic without the government taking away one of the small pleasures of life.
And when will government officials learn that if they are going to make unpopular decisions, people will be more likely to accept them if they are given a logical explanation for them.
DAVID BROWN
Judge the judge
Re: "Judge fined for crash", (BP, Jan 7).
Deputy chief justice of Region 5 Charnsak Somprayot should have been fired and jailed after causing an accident while driving drunk. The Jan 6 TV evening news revealed that he'd driven against traffic on an one-way street, crashed head-on into another car, argued vehemently against paying for damages caused, refused to take a breathalyser test, and failed to stop to help a damaged party. He also stated that he was a judge -- which was totally irrelevant to the case unless he was seeking favorable treatment.
As a judge, let alone a deputy chief justice, he knows that those charged with enforcing the law must themselves be role models.
Because he's utterly failed as such, his punishment should have been double that of a non-judge. Also, his confession was of no help to the court, because his going the wrong way and refusing to be tested for alcohol were non-disputable and serious crimes. Thus, his initial sentence should not have been halved by the court.
The Ministry of Justice should immediately fire Judge Charnsak without pension for gravely damaging the international reputation of the Thai judicial system.
BURIN KANTABUTRA
