OPINION

Not the big problem

Re: "Send the triads packing", (Editorial, Nov 29).

The Thai Nationality Act does indeed provide for the revocation of citizenship of naturalised Thais who commit any act contrary to public morals. This is not applied in an arbitrary manner, but courts can order the revocation of citizenship of naturalised Thais found guilty of serious offences such as drug smuggling. In these cases, the condemned will be deported to their home countries upon completing their sentences, provided those countries will accept them. Since Chinese citizens are obliged to renounce their Chinese citizenship in order to obtain another citizenship, it is not clear that China would automatically accept them, and Thailand might have to retain them as stateless persons after revoking their citizenship. Rendering people stateless would also put Thailand in violation of the UN Convention Against Statelessness.

Since Thailand only naturalises around 150 people a year and vetting procedures involving checking Thai and home country criminal records are actually fairly stringent, I think this type of case is probably rather rare and not something to get too worked up about. The only case I can recall of a Thai court ordering revocation of Thai citizenship from a naturalised Thai was a Burmese drug trafficker who escaped from a Thai prison and returned to Burma voluntarily. I suspect Chinese criminals using fake Thai ID cards are far more commonplace than those who have jumped through all the hoops to become naturalised Thais. Hopefully, Pol Lt Gen Surachate "Big Joke" Hakparn will soon shed more light on the issue of the Chinese triad use of fake Thai ID cards.

Utter confusion

Re: "What the HEPA?", (PostBag, Nov 27).

The depth of confusion at the heart of Michael Setter's understanding of the Covid-19 pandemic is unsettling. Most of us can shrug off his nonsense about masks and HEPA filters with a 15-minute search of the myriad studies done around the world on the subject, but Mr Setter is happy to double down his view that none of the worldwide efforts to contain Covid-19 have been effective.

Except of course sitting in the sun (Vitamin D) and Ivermectin!

Have they read it?

Re: "PM endorses economist's book", (BP, Nov 29).

Since PM Prayut Chan-o-cha recommends us the excellent, groundbreaking economic tome Capital in the Twenty First Century by Thomas Piketty, he should make it a compulsory reading for his entire cabinet and indeed the entire government.

Coincidentally, the book, which I recommend every economist, scholar, politician, and pundit to read, was published in 2014, the year our dear PM and his comrades in arms staged a putsch.

Alas, after eight long years I doubt that any of them have read the book, as the economic and social policies of the government do not reflect the actions that are discussed and recommended by Piketty.

I also hope that all the economic faculties, at all the Thai universities include this fabulous book as a compulsory reading in their curriculum too. By the way, it is not bedtime reading nor the usual economic waffle and drivel as often seen in the Bangkok Post and especially PostBag!

Happy reading.