OPINION

Legalise vaping

Re: "Hazy vape law makes waves: Tide may turn if PPRP wins poll," (BP, Feb 3) and "Thailand improves in corruption survey," (BP, Jan 31).

Regular readers of the Post will be surprised by the report of the Corruption Perception Index for 2022. Thailand with the ranking 101 has again been judged as very corrupt indeed.

But the worst aspect of this old story is the so-called authorities' apparent determination to keep bad habits alive. Witness the account on your front page of anti-vaping laws. Far from curbing e-cigarettes, they only foster cheating and corruption.

How? While the devices are illegal, they're readily available, and little is done to curb the supply. The widespread use of e-cigarettes provides a ready stream of victims for threats by people in uniform. Thus were the Chinese tourist in Pattaya, the actress from Taiwan, and many others ensnared.

Wouldn't it be a good idea simply to legalise vaping, as more and more countries are doing? Then e-cigarettes could be taxed, and the income spent on something useful.

Despite having many more such bad examples, my eyes are burning and I have to stop because of the terrible pollution. But improving the education system comes to mind. Please stop supporting corruption and invest in education!

Censor it all

Re: "Sushi conveyor belt pranks spark outrage in Japan," (BP, Feb 3).

The unprovoked acts of "sushi terrorism" reported in "Sushi conveyor belt pranks spark outrage in Japan" are disturbing. They are clearly the latest symptom of degenerate modern literature being allowed into the hands of innocent children.

Perhaps Japanese youth have been corrupted by other sources of degeneracy spread by NetFlix and its like. How many times in "The Big Bang Theory" alone do innocent viewers encounter perfectly clear references to such food terrorism as when, to cite but one instance, Cheesecake waitress Penny, after a tiff with him, hands Dr Cooper his meal with the ominous imperative: "Eat it! I dare you"?

At least with Thailand's abundant street food, you can pretty much see what's going on before the freshly prepared and typically tasty khao Kha mu or bowl of noodles is handed to you.

Those religiously inspired American Republicans intent on protecting youth are plainly right: a lot more books, series and films need to be banned to protect innocent youth from mortal corruption that can only lead to the further collapse of civilisation.

Let us learn from Japan's experience before it is too late.

Balloon mystery

Re: "Govt tracks 'spy balloon from China'," (BP, Feb 4).

Could any sane person explain to me how does a massive balloon, the size of the Empire State building, travel thousands of miles before being detected?

But more importantly, how does the CIA know that it is of Chinese origin?

It could be a baloon from an innocent party in Pattaya. Or Moscow. Even more importantly, why did the USA military not shoot it down to find out what it really is?

Is it a UFO? Is it a wayward party baloon from a celebration of the Chinese New Year in the Forbidden city, a peace offering, or is it just a bubble ready to burst? It could even be a bubble used at a West Ham United match.

What ever it is, it is certainly as mysterious as the presence of the triads in Thailand.

Meditation cool

Re: ''Thaksin jibe irks Prayut," (BP, Jan 26).

Gen Prayut should start to meditate to cool himself down and practise yoga every morning. It will help him face questions from media as a leader of a nation without getting angry or leaving without replying.

Ask people on the street what they think of Gen Prayut and Gen Prawit, they will give blunt answers. At the same time we must accept the fact that Gen Prayut has done a considerable amount of work. Very few state leaders have achieved such feats like helping poor and unemployed during the Covid-19 pandemic.

On Thaksin, my advice is to follow the example of Nelson Mandela or San Su Kyi: fight the verdict in the courts and face the sentence bravely. Don't run away from it as you have done.