Maximum overload
Re: "Fertility rate too low," (Editorial, Jan 31). It is disappointing to see the Post jumping on the bandwagon of pundits who advocate government action to increase the birth rate in order to boost the economy, while ignoring the larger context of a planet suffering from the ecological effects of too many people.
Without government intervention to promote more births, the editorial argues, the country will face "skill shortfalls in the workforce, resulting in an influx of migrant workers".
These "problems" seem minor when compared to those of a world suffering from climate change, runaway pollution and the extinction of thousands of species, brought on by a still-rising world population of some 7.8 billion people.
JOHN HAIL
Safer streets
Re: "Helmet mystery," (PostBag, Feb 1) and "Shaming the lawbreakers," (BP, Jan 30).
Let's improve existing programmes to lessen fatalities: (a) parliament is considering quadrupling the existing 1,000-baht fine for failing to yield to pedestrians at zebra crossings. We should at least triple all traffic fines across the board to make the lesson effective.
(b) Expand the existing Royal Thai Police's (RTP) programme rewarding citizens for photographs of traffic violators that include licence numbers, etc to enable conviction. Make the process so user-friendly that anybody can easily register, upload pictures, and receive payment within seven days. Give good citizens 70% of the fine to make photographing crooks a profitable sideline.
(c) Expand the existing RTP programme photographing violations at zebra crossings, etc and automatically fine them for any provable violation, eg, driving without a helmet, fining them under the boosted fine schedule. The fines will make the cameras quickly pay for themselves and give the RTP will a major stream of "clean" income.
Enforcement's not that hard if we have the political will. Let traffic victim Dr Kratai's legacy be a sharp and sustained drop in traffic deaths.
BURIN KANTABUTRA
Grab a life
The number of mainly young motorcyclists who have become delivery boys and girls for Grab in Ubon has reached epidemic proportions, in that the majority of motorcyclists in town seem to be working for that organisation, with a smaller number of rivals working for one of the other delivery businesses.
I appreciate that it is a proactive way of earning a living in these difficult times, but it should not be the cause of dying or serious injury on the roads either to oneself, or to innocent parties!
In all my 45 years of driving in many different countries, I have never had one accident, never been given a speeding ticket, nor been guilty of a parking violation, but in the last year of so, I have had countless very near misses with one or other of these courier drivers. When I sound my horn, they simply look back at me as if I was the one at fault.
Yes, they need to deliver hot food in a timely manner in order to keep it warm, but it would be better for the food to be received a few degrees cooler, than for the courier to end up stone cold on a mortuary slab!
However, perhaps the real reason that explains why these people driving in insanely dangerous ways is a result of the sheer number of rivals competing for a more limited demand for rapid delivery. If that is the case then Grab has the responsibility to avoid adding to the carnage on Thai roads by limiting the number of employees that it hires. Perhaps then, a little more sanity might return to Thailand's already deadly roads,
SOS
Spike belts
Re: "Sleeping policemen," (Postbag, Feb 2).
Ellis O'Brien's suggestion for installing speed bumps at approaches to zebra crossings is a good one, but I would go one further. At selected intersections, authorities might install tyre-puncturing spikes that rise up to protect zebra crossings when stoplights turn red. I suspect that a few ruined expensive tyres might be enough to quickly discourage even the super-rich from driving through red lights with impunity.
SAMANEA SAMAN
Moral maze
Re: "Shaming the lawbreakers," (BP, Jan 30).
The great weakness with the theory that shaming lawbreakers might work is that the Thai people too faithfully follow the example set from on high.
There is, first, the illustrious example of the most happy story of the righteous Capt Thamanat Prompow, who has been not so much shamed as seriously honoured; but that elevating story of a man unquestionably great in the Thai way is merely a follow-up detail in the greater example set by his own moral exemplars.
When those who commit, collude in, and enable coups against the Thai nation fail to show any decent shame whatsoever for their high and mighty deeds against the Thai people's popular form of democratic government, how could it be expected that anyone will feel deterred by shame for any lesser acts legally deemed crimes?
FELIX QUI
Wrong of way
Re: "Shaming the lawbreakers," (BP, Jan 30) and "Sleeping policemen", (PostBag, Feb 2).
The world's first zebra crossing was first installed in Slough, England, in 1951 as a measure to provide safety for pedestrian crossing roads.
In 1969, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and John Lennon walked across Abbey Road and it became one of the most iconic covers in the music industry, igniting a decades-long conspiracy theory.
Fast forward to 2022, a bright young ophthalmologist became another victim of a failed system that needs change.
In fact, around the world, pedestrians always have the right of way and vehicle will always need to stop to give way, but in Thailand it seems the vehicle seems to keep on getting the right of way.
Today, no one should be dying from crossing a road in Central Bangkok. The stakeholders and policymakers should implement strict laws and safety measures now.
VEERACHAI SACHDEV
Blame game
Re: "8,450 new Covid cases, 28 more deaths," (Online, Jan 28).
As I looked at Pornprom Satrabhaya's photograph -- well-documenting a populace which is desperate for a vaccine-based salvation -- I could not help but feel tremendous sorrow for Thailand's youth and feel great disdain for our blame-shifting doctor's chiding of our young people for simply enjoying life.
Covid is basically everywhere in the world today, but to see Dr Apisamai Srirangson, a spokeswoman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA), dump almost all of the blame on our kids for having a scoop of ice cream or taking off their (paper/cloth) face masks for even a moment was a pretty pathetic and cowardly state of affairs. The doctor seems content to blame our youth's ice cream habits for Covid problems rather than talk about the alleged "hi-so" club where recent waves allegedly started from.
I suggest Dr Apisamai stop blame-shifting Covid-19 onto our kids and maybe talk about Club Krystal. In the meantime, if the doctor would be so gracious, I'd be happy to share a scoop of ice cream with her. I'd prescribe Dr Apisamai two scoops of either French vanilla, butter pecan, or a Quaalude.
JASON A JELLISON
A question of race
Re: "Goldberg in hot water for Holocaust comments," (BP, Feb 3).
It's a lie to say that Whoopi Goldberg denied the Nazi Holocaust. All she said was that since it involved white people killing white people, it wasn't about race. It's true that Hitler thought the Jews were a race. But Hitler was crazy. Why do we accept Hitler's definition of race but not Whoopi Goldberg's, who happens to be Jewish?
ERIC BAHRT
Veto privilege
Re: "Serious crimes will be punished," (Opinion, Feb 2).
Anyone involved with the UN Security Council or Human Rights Council that claims "serious crimes will be punished" cannot be taken seriously! The structure of the UN itself prevents such declarations from having any validity.
The UN charter allows for five nations (the US, France, China, Russia and the UK) to have special "veto powers" that allow them to cancel or stop any substantive resolutions.
This rule was enacted in 1946 after World War II to confer special status and privilege to these nations while also granting them permanent status.
This has allowed much of the violence and inhumane treatment of humanity to flourish because these five are great perpetrators and supporters of such actions.
This contemptible and hypocritical scheme also sets a role model and influences the actions of other member nations. When you consider the actions of the five nations over the past 70-plus years, the hypocrisy is glaring!
The "do as I say, not as I do" paradigm exemplified by the "special five" has to go if the UN is to have any relevance in the 21st century and if humanity is to have any chance of protection.
The UN charter needs to be disbanded and rewritten with egalitarian principles enshrined for all member states. Anything less is a travesty and will allow for crimes against humanity to continue and increase.
DARIUS HOBER
Correction
In the editorial lead on Feb 4, the location in the second paragraph should have read "Koh Samet." We apologise for any confusion.
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