OPINION

Ancient know-how

Re: "Chiang Mai wall facing storm risk", (BP, Sept 26).

It was interesting to read that a part of the old Chiang Mai wall that collapsed this week was the section rebuilt in 1957. The remainder built a few hundred years ago is still standing. Is this an indication of a loss of ancient construction skills? Or something like the budget for the project being skimmed off? In 1957? No. Never.

Re: "THAI angles for a return to global glory", (Business, Sept 7).

I have just returned to Thailand after a multi-flight trip back to Australia. I flew Thai Airways, Singapore Airways, Jetstar and Virgin. THAI came out on top by a country mile. The two flights I took with it left and arrived on time (in fact the return flight landed 20 minutes early), the boarding procedures were smooth, and the leg room: a vast improvement on Singapore. The food, while it could not be classified as haute cuisine, was tasty and well presented, and the coffee actually tasted like coffee.

The in-flight entertainment was extensive, and I took in three full-length movies on the 9-hour flight back to Thailand. But above all was the genuine warmth of the welcome by the cabin crew, and their attention to our needs during the long flight.

THAI has copped a lot of criticism in recent times, but they have won me. Keep up this standard, and it should not be long before Thai is again regarded as a premier international carrier.

Re: "Covid platform", (PostBag, Sept 24).

Khun JT complains about Covid vaccine cynics writing PostBag letters because "no one really talks about Covid anymore". Is this dude for real?

Not only do we read about Covid every day in Bangkok Post but everyday health officials are urging everyone to get more and more vaccines. Why are we still wasting so much valuable resources on this nonsense?

Even people who disagree with me will at least admit that getting too many vaccines poses a health threat. But hey, they're even talking about vaccinating six-month-old babies! That is a crime against humanity. When this madness stops I'll stop writing letters about Covid but not a moment before.

Re: "Secret of the greenback's appreciation," (Opinion, Sept 24).

It's no secret why the US, one of the biggest debtor nations, can keep the greenback on the top. Despite high inflation, the dollar remains the currency of choice for international trade.

Historically, the dollar's dominance is largely due to the following three factors. First, every country in the world wants to sell something to the US to sustain its economy. Second, the US has successfully created a capitalist model (some call it a free market economy) in which foreign capital invested in the US provides a guaranteed yield or return. Third, the US economy has steered consumption worldwide in which trading nations benefit most, and others with low consumption and lacking products and services to export suffer.

The US dominance in worldwide trade keeps the dollar where it is. For the short term, the free market monopoly of the US will keep the dollar appreciating. However, major economic disruptions due to the ongoing war in Ukraine may reduce its sheen in the coming years.