OPINION

Let's try composting

Re: "Hazy days to diminish 10% if new PM2.5 measures pan out", (BP, Dec 3).

Every year pollution from burning crops becomes news with promises to sort it, and yet little changes and people suffer. India has developed a successful method of composting instead of burning crops.

Compost helps retain moisture in the soil, provides crucial, slow-release nutrients to crops, and can lead to long-term yield increases. Importantly, using compost made from recycled resources is sustainable and can increase soil organic matter and water-holding capacity.

Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai said, "the bio-decomposer experiment has shown that 90% of the stubble can be converted into manure in about 20 days." The minister says that farmers need to be encouraged to adopt this method and that will be the hardest job he will have. The cost of this? Approximately 18 baht per rai. The average farm is 25 rai, so the cost per farm would be 450 baht (US$12). Of course, as in India, the farmers would need to be convinced regarding the benefits. Possibly, initially, with some financial help, or enforce the law that makes it illegal? After all, the health benefits are enormous; thousands become ill/ die. Loss of income as tourists are advised to avoid areas like Chiang Mai, etc.

High tech not needed

Re: "New tech to ease Sukhumvit jams", (BP, Dec 7).

The news states that lane control is to be introduced to manage the chronic congestion caused by expressway traffic queueing to enter Ploenchit Road. While new tech may help, the problem is that cars are forced to turn right when they don't want to. The real solution to this problem is to open up the barrier between the two roads, Phloenchit North and Phloenchit South.

This barrier is sometimes removed when VIP cars are rushing to some important business, eg dinner at an upmarket hotel on Wittayu Road. Occasionally, the man on duty forgets to replace the barrier, and a stream of cars takes advantage of the opening to enter Phloenchit South. This remedies the congestion problem immediately. No need for high-tech here.

We deserve better

Re: "Policy-level corruption rife, anti-graft body says", (BP, Dec 7).

The Anti-Corruption Organization of Thailand found that policy-level corruption by politicians and in state megaprojects remains high -- which amazes nobody.

The best teacher is a good example -- and our leaders are being paragons of the opposite. For instance, to his credit, PM Prayut commissioned ex-graft fighter Vicha Mahakun to find out why the police and attorney-general's office had been so exceedingly slow in bringing the suspect, Red Bull heir Vorayuth "Boss" Yoovidhaya, to justice. Khun Vicha's panel promptly submitted its report in August 2020 -- but PM Prayut now steadfastly refuses to even mention its existence, much less take action. Our loyal opposition is no better.

Voters and the media should push candidates seeking our favour to get the Vicha report discussed publicly so we can hold crooks accountable. We deserve better than black sheep to guide us.

An old precedent

Re: "Germany foils bizarre coup plot by far-right group", (BP, Dec 8).

Who would have thought that a right royal prince, Prince Heinrich XIII Reuss himself no less and wrapped in all his famous benevolence and righteousness, would be involved in a violent plot to commit a coup against his own nation's popular form of democratic government. Could that happen in the 21st century?

That such an effort to overthrow the rule of law is right-wing, regressive, and violent -- the defining characteristics of such conspiracies against justice. Had those enemies of the German people succeeded, they would presumably have also followed the hallowed precedent of promptly criminalising saying anything rudely honest about themselves or their newly installed regime.

Masked efficacy

Re: "Jabs urged ahead of New Year", (BP, Nov 27).

We have been told by government experts and the media that the reason why efforts to contain Covid-19 have failed is that the implementation of lockdowns, masking, and vaccines was not strict enough. The unvaccinated were condemned, and the unmasked arrested. However, the fact is that universal masking is a failure because it simply does not and can never work.

Another high-quality, peer-reviewed, randomised controlled trial on the efficacy of mask-wearing in the prevention of Covid infection has just been published. It confirms the DANMASK study conducted earlier in the pandemic, which also proved there was no benefit from masking in Covid prevention. "Medical Masks Versus N95 Respirators for Preventing Covid-19 Among Health Care Workers," published in The Annals of Internal Medicine, shows unequivocally that not even well-fitted N95 masks demonstrate any effectiveness in preventing Covid-19 transmission or infection.

A lack of law, Felix

Re: "A practical solution", (PostBag, Dec 8) and "Mafia pull alive and well", (Editorial, Dec 5).

In his letter, Felix Qui poses the question, "what is it that contributes to making Thailand a hub of gang-led criminal activity" and then suggests the answer is Thai law. Sorry, Felix you are on the right track but to most of us, it's quite simply the extreme lack of Thai law, the complete and total refusal of the police to enforce almost anything.

It's common knowledge that criminals on the run from other countries have come here to hide out and that billionaire police chiefs have become that way by payments being passed up to the top, so what better place to start your criminal activity than a country where regular payments will ensure that no police official will be investigating your enterprise? No wonder they are flooding in and using all the corrupt institutions to get nationality, powerful friends and high-ranking spouses.

Simply outrageous

Re: "No quacks, please", (PostBag, Dec 2).

Why does the Bangkok Post keep publishing letters from Covid sceptics? There were 12 Covid-related letters in PostBag last week alone. We are so fed up with these endless claims about how vaccines don't work, or masks are a waste of time, or how the pandemic was an elaborate hoax in order to fund the drug companies etc.

Some of the claims published are so outrageous that others feel obliged to respond to the hysteria. This is a totally disproportionate amount of letters for a subject matter that the majority of the public couldn't care less about anymore.

Now I am all for free speech and allowing people to express their points of view. But a dozen letters in one week is overkill. You are doing your readers a great disrespect by publishing this amount. The Bangkok Post should not be giving a megaphone to what is really just a tiny, small percentage, fringe group within our society.

In time, you'll see

Re: "Throwing stones", (PostBag, Dec 3).

When I first said many years ago that marijuana should be legal, I was called irresponsible and dangerous. When I first spoke up for Palestinian rights, I was told all critics of Israel were antisemitic or self-loathing Jews. I started promoting vegetarianism at a time when "all normal people eat meat". And I spoke out against America's war in Iraq when doing so meant being called "unpatriotic".

I believe with time, people will also see I'm right in arguing that the Covid threat and the "benefits" of the vaccines were greatly exaggerated. The reason my unconventional views usually turn out to be right is because I know the "experts" the media always quote are mostly self-serving hypocrites who don't have our backs. In other words, I do listen to experts, but not the ones the media quotes. And that's why I always get it right.

Cheap tests needed

Re: "Govt sets goals to end Aids epidemic", (BP, Dec 2).

I continue to ask for cheap HIV rapid tests, and they do not have them either for Thai or farang tourists. Even touristy Krabi does not have any test kits. Please make a news article about these lies about the goal to end the epidemic.

Too whiny? Bye bye!

Re: "Mask mania," (PostBag, Dec 9), and "Fresh concerns over Covid", (Business, Dec 5).

I see Mr Jellison's letter would have us believe that he's "spoken to many Western tourists who respond by frequently spending less money, complain they didn't have a good time, sometimes were even pressured to wear masks, regret coming and don't intend to come back for a long time". Frankly, I don't think such inconsiderate, whiny tightwads will be missed much.