OPINION

Foolish pride

Re: "MFP victory one for the history books", (Opinion, May 20).

The article is well summed up by your assistant news editor who reveals the causes of the unexpected fall of Thaksin's Pheu Thai Party from number one vote-getter to a supporting role.

Indeed, the most disappointed party is not only the military-led parties but Pheu Thai.

Puffed up with arrogance built up by public polls that foretold a landslide victory, it must be painful to play the second fiddle.

It is even more so when the dynamo of excitement rests with Pita Limjaroenrat, the MFP leader whom New York Times on May 20 described as "an ideal son-in-law -- very educated, accomplished, good-looking, poised".

Your graphic on the possible allocation of important ministries to the MFP, especially Defence, Interior, Justice and Foreign Affairs, indicates a new Thailand will take shape if there is no upset from the senators or military.

They are young and educated ministers. So naturally one is concerned they might be too bookish with inadequate experience.

However, one can only hope for the best or at least better than the previous status quo.

The boss loses ground

Re: "Jatuporn gets 2 years over 2007 Prem protest", (BP, May 18) & "No surprises", (PostBag, May 17).

There are no "those who know best" scaremongers.

If you live in Isan (the Northeast) long enough, you realise that the number of Thaksin's red shirt followers is shrinking.

Time washes away enmity. It is natural that many of his followers, like Jatuporn Prompan, former chairman of the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) who went to jail for the movement several times, are reluctant to do it again while the boss is sipping fine wine abroad.

When Thaksin announces that he will return to Thailand in July, it only reinforces the public's suspicion that Pheu Thai is losing ground.

We have to give credit to the Move Forward Party, that they can use social media to convey their message successfully, especially to young voters.

In the final days of the election, many believe they had to choose between PM Prayuth or the Move Forward Party.

Since most voters do not accept the status quo, they chose the latter hoping for change.

And how many of these voters know the consequences if our government, say, allows the US to use Thailand as a military base to counter China in the near future? Has the Move Forward Party announced their foreign policy?

They're a sad lot

Re: "On the rise of MFP", (PostBag, May 19).

I fully agree with Vint Chavala that many foreigners, and I include myself, do not speak Thai well enough to understand all the small details in local politics.

Sadly, any keen watcher of the local political scene hasn't needed to be a linguistic expert to come to some simple conclusions.

Prayut regularly gets annoyed with the media when they ask him questions, Thammanat threatened to sue anyone who suggested he did time in an Australian jail for a drug offence despite the fact that it was true, and Prawit regularly falls asleep when attending important meetings.

Leave weed alone

Re: "Legalising marijuana is big mistake", (Opinion, May 19).

The commentary offers an outsider's view of weed. Never has the view of the user been published.

The effects of weed use are well known and understood. The possible dangers are considered and dismissed.

What people do to themselves is a personal choice and needs no government intervention.

If a person hurts another we have ample laws on the books against assault.

Personal use affecting only the user is the right to use one's body as seen fit. It's just weed; leave it alone.

Variant panic

Re: "More transmissible Omicron variants pop up", (BP, May 18) & "Not newsworthy", (PostBag, May 19).

Eric Bahrt is right that transmissible Omicron variants popping up is not newsworthy.

Just to put things in perspective: worldwide, 12,383 cases of variants XBB.1.16, 1.16.1 and 1.16.2 were found, according to the article. That is 0.00015% of the total world population of 8 billion.

The numbers for Thailand were a whopping 190 cases, or (not even) touching 0.0003% of the Thai population of 70 million.