OPINION

Unthinking flyboys

Re: "RTAF sorry for airport flight delays", (BP, Sept 28).

The RTAF apologised for closing the airspace over Don Mueang airport for an hour on Sept 27 which caused 29 commercial flight delays. The closure was to allow the RTAF to have its fighters rehearse for the inauguration of the incoming RTAF C-in-C.

It's good that the RTAF was polite enough to apologise. But a little consideration would have been better. The nation's airspace belongs to all Thais (not just the RTAF) and the inauguration's been planned for months.

The planning committee should have included airport civilian executives, and the timing decision should have been a joint one. This would have allowed commercial flight disruption to be at a minimum, and passengers so informed at the time of booking. Also, why does the inauguration include a flyby? Fuel now is very expensive, and with Thailand in the economic doldrums, the RTAF should save the taxpayers' hard-earned money. The RTA doesn't include tanks rolling down Ratchadamnoen Avenue, nor does the RTN have the Chakri Naruebet steam past during their handovers. Be considerate, please, RTAF.

Re: "Building bookworms", (Editorial, Sept 28).

Your editorial lead notes low literacy test scores among 15-year-olds in Thailand, and boys in particular.

Having struggled to learn Thai myself, I can only sympathize with the 30% of kids who can't read proficiently by age 15 (PISA 2018).

My simple view is that the Thai language lacks maintenance as two consonants linger on after being made obsolete; a surfeit of six Ts, five Ks, four Ss, three Chs and eight other consonants doubled up when just one of each would surely suffice.

It seems the 44 consonants could do with a radical trim to say low 20s and please let's not talk about the long and short of the 43 vowels.

This complexity surely does make learning to read and write the Thai language a difficult task for any bright 4-15-year-old.

There is value in maintaining cultural norms and language orthodoxy, but if one in three children are left functionally illiterate, then it must be time for fundamental reform of the language structure rather than leave these children to a marginalised life outcome.

Re: "Boarding school told to punish suspected rapists", (BP, Sept 27).

In this case, I thought prosecution of such alleged crimes is the jurisdiction of the law with official forensic investigation and appropriate sentencing if the perpetrators, despite being underage, are found guilty.

If punishment is referred to the governors of the boarding school in question -- note boarding school and high fees involved -- then these delinquents are likely to be given a slap on the wrist and warned not to be naughty again after their parents have been contacted.

The victims or their families, will, in all probability, be given a bulky envelope and advised to forget about what happened.