Keys to reform
Re: "Police Commission bill clears key hurdle". (BP, June 17).
I fully agree with Pol Gen Sereepisuth Temeeyaves that police evaluation and promotions should be independent of political intervention. The police should serve the public -- especially the common man and woman -- not politicians. Not only that, we should follow the decentralisation recommendations of Pol Gen Vasit Dejkunjorn's panel on police reform, as presented to then-PM Abhisit Vejjajiva -- for the policing problems of each area differ from those of others, and one set of key performance indicators doesn't fit all.
KPIs should be transparent, measurable and job-relevant. For example, achievements of paramount importance are: occupying a position (seniority) is of no use to the public unless and until crime goes down, traffic flows more smoothly, or public trust in local police honesty and competence rises -- all of which are transparent, measurable and job-relevant, depending on the precinct.
Reform the cops so they protect and serve all.
Burin Kantabutra
Make it right
Re: "Lender takes all," (PostBag, June 12).
Kuldeep Nagi maintains that some foreign companies are essentially ripping off the Thai citizenry.
As he says: "Shockingly, American franchises are selling the same products here in Thailand at the same price or more." And this, despite the fact that they pay anywhere from eight to 10 times less for labour costs and raw materials here, he protests.
But what Mr Nagi does not tell you, is that not all of these products were produced in Thailand, but rather in the US or other nations. So of course they are going to cost more here, what with the tariffs and other things that the Thai government imposes on foreign firms.
And once again, the above man talks about the hardships which economic sanctions impose on countries in his letter, lamenting that they are of little or no benefit to the nations imposing them.
Paul
Code correction
Re: "Arms for Ukraine," (BP, June 18).
After World War II, Hollywood produced a seemingly endless series of movies showing how America won the war. But ML Saksiri Kridakorn is wrong to give credit to America for cracking German encryption codes.
That honour goes to Alan Turing, a brilliant British mathematician, and his team who worked in top secret at Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire.
Turing's electromechanical machine, a precursor to modern computers, unravelled the complex code used by German U-boats in the Atlantic, and it was credited with shortening the war and saving countless allied lives.
Unfortunately the honour did not last long, as Turing was prosecuted for homosexual acts, was chemically castrated, and ended up taking his own life in 1954, aged 41. It would be of little comfort to him that the Queen granted him a pardon for his "sins" in 2013, 59 years after his suicide.
David Brown
Open up
Re: "Firms cheer easing of tourism rules", (Business, June 18).
I am not vaccinated and have not been infected with the Covid virus since it held the world hostage some 30 months ago. Recently I made two trips to the UK and to Hungary after being grounded for over two years. Many countries have already removed all restrictions -- no tests, no masks, no quarantine, no vaccination, no nothing. It's back to pre-Covid days and I like it.
For the past 30 years I have travelled regularly to Thailand, except for the period of lockdown and no travel. Now I wish to visit your beautiful country again and I urge the authorities to remove all restrictions including the negative test result 72 hours prior to arrival. Then tourism will flourish again. Let me taste exquisite culinary delights when I visit Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son, see my old friends in Bangkok and Pai.
Lawrence Seow
