OPINION

But who's counting?

Re: "Covid-19 to be endemic from July," (BP, March 9).

The government's hope to declare Covid-19 endemic by July 1 is an astounding report about Covid and the government's abilities as well as the integrity of the Ministry of Public Health. The authority came up with the plan to declare the disease endemic, as in European countries, to facilitate tourism and economic recovery. Therefore, the disease is endemic because politicians desperately need tourism income in order to remain popular, and it has nothing to do with unbiased data.

Apparently, the government believes there is an effective vaccine against Omicron. There isn't!

Just ring up Israel, New Zealand or any of the other highly vaccinated countries and ask how things vis-a-vis the vaccines are really working out these days.

In order to reach the government's goal of endemic status by July 1, the director-general of the Disease Control Department said the current fatality rate could drop by 20-30% right away, with data revision, because many of the deaths attributed to Covid-19 actually resulted from other causes such as kidney disease and terminal cancer, but the patients tested positive for Covid-19 after they died.

In other words, the government has been inflating Covid numbers for more than two years but will start telling the truth soon (calling it data revision), just to get tourists back.

What really is in need of revision is the constitution, followed by free and fair elections.

Clean and green

Re: "Let's literally make our cities green," (Opinion, Feb 3).

The Sukhumvit area has a skywalk and green lane. So, why can't the sidewalk along Klong Prapa between the Ministry of Finance and Samsen Kindergarten be kept clean and repaired? Things have really gone downhill since the tanks rolled in.

No saviour

Re: "Veg distress," (PostBag, March 6).

The point about tomatoes is the fact that they're some of the most expensive produce to grow globally, meaning they use more energy than just about any other food product. Energy of all kinds is ever more expensive, as well as often polluting. Hence, people like Eric Bahrt should take into account that non-meat consumers also contribute to global warming, even while they may think or claim they are a saviour on all fronts. Source: How the World Really Works by Vaclav Smil. Published 2022.

Words fail

Re: "Hiding something?," (PostBag, March 9).

Unlike Mr Bahrt, I do not want to hear Mr Putin, or his spokesperson, attempt to justify the slaughter by Russian troops of Ukrainian civilian men, women and children.

In England, we have a saying, which I trust Mr Bahrt will appreciate. It is: "Actions speak louder than words".

Low station

Re: "Hiding something?," (PostBag, March 9) and "Men's tennis AWOL", (PostBag, March 9).

I too have noticed that RT station, for understandable reasons, is no longer shown on Thai television.

But rather than seeing it as hiding something, I view it more as the case that Western countries do not want to give any more additional funds to the Russian leadership in light of the fact that they invaded Ukraine. The bottom line, is that RT is an organ of the Russian government.

With regards to Pii Sam's assertion that men's tennis has not been shown for over a month on Thai television, or at least on TrueVisions, I must say that I have not at all noticed this. What has perplexed me though, is why there is no sound emanating from ESPN telecasts?

War wager

Re: "Hiding something?," (PostBag, March 9).

I have been reading PostBag remarks regarding the Russian/Ukraine war since the beginning. I am amazed at the various Russian apologists pontificating on who is to blame.

They cite various reasons, cultural or otherwise, agreements, etc, all leading them to conclude that it is the West's fault. No matter whose fault it is, there is no justification for killing innocent civilians and destroying schools and hospitals, not to mention the insane decision to attack a nuclear power plant.

In his most recent post Mr Eric Bahrt concludes that the US is a war monger. Here is a simple trivia question for you Mr Bahrt. Five rubles if you answer correctly: name a sitting president who has fought five wars so far. Here are a few hints: Chechnya, Georgia, Syria, Ukraine.

Missed signal

Before the invasion, Russia asked just two things of Ukraine: stop trying to be a member of Nato and withdraw armed forces and troops from the border. They sent a clear signal that if Ukraine did not do so, they would invade Ukraine. The signal was their 150,000 troops and large quantity of arms near the border. The US knew the possible attack and alerted Ukraine about that. Sadly, Zelensky did not heed to the warning because he might want to be a hero or for other reasons. Things then turned out to be what we have witnessed so far.

I have the following opinions.

1) Had Zelensky simply complied with the above two requests, the war would never have happened.

2) He is now just 44 while Putin is 69. He still has more time to reapply to be a Nato member in the future. Putin may not live much longer and can be replaced by someone who may not reject the Ukraine application. Zelensky is not smart enough to think of the above facts to avert the casualties.

Based on the above, you can guess who the real problem maker is. As such, I support a ceasefire and that Ukraine simply comply with Putin's demands for now. The situation will become normal instantly.

Absolute zero

Yesterday, March 8, after living for 22 years continuously in Thailand, an official refused impolitely the renewal of my one-year retirement visa for the first time.

I am a Swiss national and an Italian citizen, working there for 30 years. In the year 2000 I entered Thailand on my Swiss passport, in which my visa is stamped.

Like every year, I brought all the required documents:

I receive my Italian pension monthly into my bank account in Thailand.

In the morning, the Italian Embassy confirmed my annual pension of last year based on the Italian pension office document.

My Thai bank gave me the three months bank statement plus a balance confirmation, dated 08/03/2022.

The total accumulated amount was over the 800,000 baht required by immigration law for the retirement visa.

The reason for the refusal was that I need a document from the Swiss Embassy about my pension. I told them that they cannot give me any document because they have no clue about it.

I complained to the Pathum Thani immigration manager. I told her that I transferred more than 20 million baht in 22 years, bought five condos and am building a villa and a family house. Everything is in the name of my very honest Thai wife, including our car. I take also care of my in-laws without any pension.

All this meant zero, absolutely zero at the immigration office!

Very irritated, I told the manager that am tired of being treated like a buffalo. I will sell everything and will leave Thailand for another country.

After that she extended my visa up to Feb 26, 2023 when my Swiss passport expires.

But, she replied that the pension confirmation from the Italian Embassy has no value and that next year I must show only the income of minimum 800,000 baht in my bank book. Of course, I am still confused.

I asked the manager for her name, but she refused to write it on a piece of paper I gave her.

End of story.

Takes the biscuit

Re: "Tasty UK masterpiece takes the biscuit," (PostScript, March 6).

One of the lasting legacies of the British Raj in parts of Asia is the culture of sipping morning and afternoon tea with a bite of biscuits. In India, the Britannia company still produces a variety of biscuits that have become an integral part of life and the culture. Founded in 1892 and headquartered in Kolkata, it is one of India's oldest existing companies and best known for its biscuit products. Since childhood, children in India have been munching tasty Marie biscuits, which have a hint of British taste. For more than a century, Britannia has built its way up to becoming the highest seller and most popular biscuit brand in India.

Later, Parle Products company was founded in 1929 by the Chauhan family of Vile Parle, Bombay. It began manufacturing biscuits in 1939. In 1947, when India became independent, Parle launched an ad campaign showcasing its glucose biscuits as an Indian alternative to British biscuits.

Today, more than a dozen big companies are in the business of producing a huge variety of confectionery products and biscuits. There is a vast spillover of tea with biscuit habits in other countries, like Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong (China). Thanks to the other iconic British tea companies, biscuits are found in every household in India. And this rich culture of tea and biscuits keeps growing.