OPINION

Wage frustration

Re: "Whoever takes office will inherit a mess", (Opinion, June 15).

Barely a few months ago, columnist/economist Khun Chartchai Parasuk wrote with confidence about how global oil/energy prices would likely increase substantially going forward and how this would dent the Thai economy. Yet, just the opposite has evolved as of mid-year now -- and "peak oil" is now the new renewed conventional wisdom.

All over the EU and USA, there is a huge shortage of staff with all kinds of services and more going amiss -- creating mass frustration.

If Thailand keeps its low-ball minimum wage from increasing more than a bit, as he advocates, the same thing may happen here in time.

Re: "'Political vacuum' sparks jitters", (BP, June 14).

I join those who call for the speeding up of the process of recognising the MFP-led coalition to be our next government -- as they have been elected by the largest number of voters in the May 14 election.

MFP leader Pita Limjaroenrat deserves to be head of our government -- provided he has cleared up all the accusations of any legal wrongdoings as well as any unbecoming behaviour.

And I wish that God be with him.

Re: "Peta monkey claims hurt sellers", (BP, June 14).

If people read my PostBag letter of Jan 18, they will see that the coconut industry is still mistreating the monkeys who often live in small cages, are deprived of adequate food and water, are overworked and sometimes suffer broken bones as a result of being manhandled. The Thai coconut industry has no one to blame for its bad reputation but itself.

Re: "Not the majority", (PostBag, June 13).

Khun Vint Chavala asserts that "According to the polls, most Thais want Thailand to be a country with the King as the head of state as stipulated in the constitution". He then declines to give the all-important percentages or to cite the sources for that bold claim based on those uncited polls.

Encouraging as it is to be assured that such polls have, in fact, been done, Mr Chavala really does need to cite them. It will also help his argument to report the exact percentages for the different questions polled.

Re: "Council urges effort to woo foreign retirees", (Business, June 15).

In response to this news, courting foreign retirees is not a difficult task. All the government needs to do is: get rid of the 90-day reporting.