OPINION

What’s Thai policy?

In an effort to counter China’s provocative launch of missiles during the 1996 crisis in the Taiwan Strait, the US staged the largest display of American naval power in Asia since the Vietnam War.

The ongoing and serious territorial dispute over assets in the South China Sea directly involves China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Vietnam. All but China have varying degrees of alliance with the US. So I must ask, with the three submarines proposed to be purchased from China, and in the event of a military dispute in the South China Sea, what does the present Thai government propose to do with its Chinese submarines?

What is Thailand’s present foreign policy vis-a-vis China and the US?

Now that a United States ambassador has been appointed, perhaps this might be a timely topic for consideration. Or has Thai foreign policy been relegated to the same “we’re working on it” status as democracy, human trafficking and freedom of the press?

Michael Setter

Re: “Trafficking confusion”, (PostBag, July 30).

Fongchan Suksaneh asserts that because a North Korean is being helped and North Korea is a pariah country, this shouldn’t be considered trafficking.

What this situation shows is the politics behind the issue. If we are helping a North Korean or historically a Jew escaping Nazi Germany or an East German escaping communism, that is not trafficking. That is good. But if desperately poor people seek an opportunity, in ways that surely look like smuggling, it’s not trafficking. Now we are learning that is trafficking too.

This issue is so completely conflated and sensationalised that “trafficking confusion” is a great title for what we are trying to understand.

John Kane

I just cannot understand the reasoning behind the much touted “amphibious house” concept. (“Architects can save the world”, BP, August 5). This was originally extensively reported on several months ago and highly praised by the BBC.

Apparently, during a flood, this house is designed to rise with the floodwater, thereby keeping the occupants nice and dry. One would hope the building is securely tethered to the gate post to prevent it floating into the Gulf of Thailand!

As a former architecture student (failed) I wouldn’t want to be too presumptious, but why don’t we still build houses on stilts as the Thais and Cambodians did for centuries? With reinforced concrete columns, multi-storey structures can be built high above any potential floodwater at a fraction of the cost of amphibious houses.

With predictions for Bangkok being under water within 15 years, any architect still planning houses and other buildings at ground level (and with underground car parking) must be brain-dead!

John L Sheppard

Re: “Reveal owners’ names”, (PostBag, Aug 5).

Who owns the world economy?

Producer Paul (who replied to my letter) could ask the average American: Would he or she prefer the Milton Friedman years of US capitalism (1981-1993), or the US debt-ridden mess that now exists?

Please let the average American decide this, along with the average Thai.

As for the UN’s prescription, it speaks for itself: All debt and no profit.

The UN does not care in the least that unmanageable household debt in Southeast Asia results in domestic abuse, alcoholism, murders and suicides.

By the way, when was the last time the UN said one useful (or even good) thing about capitalism?

Guy Baker

With all the corruption still blatantly going on, and all these accused of high-scale corruption, one has yet to see one high-profile trial, or one high-profile sentence of the death penalty. Talk, talk, talk, and more talk. All potatoes, no meat, all foam, no substance. The death penalty is only reserved for those who are poor, cannot afford high-class lawyers, or don’t know “influential people in high places”.

Jack Gilead

I have lived in Pattaya for about eight years now. We have a mayor who goes on about making Pattaya a first-class family tourist destination. In my opinion, there is plenty still to be done.

When we have rains, the surrounding roads, particularly around central Pattaya, become open sewers. City Hall had many pedestrian-operated crossings installed at great expense. These are death traps. Road users ignore the red lights.

Jet ski scams were promised to be eliminated, but still continue blatantly.

Each morning, myself and many others enjoy a jog or walk along Beach Road. Now it is an ordeal to get along there because of hundreds of out-of-control Chinese flooding the pavements. You have to step on to the road to avoid them! Also while out walking I notice the amount of karaoke bars where youths leave late at night. They get on to motorbikes obviously drunk and ride off at high speed without wearing helmets.

We do not need a race track in Pattaya. We already have one; it’s called 3rd Road from north to south. We see many motorbikes going at excessive speeds. Why not install a few speed bumps?

We have pavements frequently obstructed by vendors. Again we have to step on to the road to avoid them. Pattaya has a lot of potential, but City Hall, and the police, need to be more proactive and get out and about and see what it’s like in reality. Just maybe something will happen.

Optimistic NormPattaya

Having lived in Thailand 27 years — 13 years in Pattaya — I am well aware of the discrepancies in the Thai medical profession that they employ a policy of discrimination against foreigners. One price for my Thai wife and a huge one for me. I dare not go to private hospitals in this city as I have no medical insurance.

I will be overcharged and prescribed medicines and treatment I don’t really need. At a government hospital, it has become the norm that patients are made to wait for two hours or more to see a doctor who does not understand medical conditions and prescribes useless pills. I think some of these quacks are taxi drivers earning extra money.

In the end, I searched and found a pharmacist I believe I can trust to prescribe and sell me the medicine I need. It’s a disgraceful and ugly situation here in Thailand and it will never ever change ... oops, it’s time for my pills.

Rick Reisman

Re: “How to tackle extreme poverty”, (Opinion, Aug 4).

The fundamental question asked in this article deserves an updated answer as contained in the outcome document titled “Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, finalised at the United Nations on Aug 2. This is a roadmap to ending global poverty to be adopted in September by a UN Summit.

Poverty is mentioned 25 times in this document. Its starting point is the recognition of the obvious fact that eradication of poverty in all its forms and dimensions and ending hunger remains the greatest challenge facing our world today.

Therefore, ending poverty in all its forms everywhere is one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals to cover the period 2016-2030.

Poverty eradication in all its dimensions is the overarching priority and central imperative of this transformative agenda, without precedent in the history of diplomacy.

The final adoption of this agenda and its full implementation will be an exemplary success of multilateral diplomacy in its permanent fight against the tyranny of extreme poverty and in its dynamic efforts to protect our planet against devastating disasters by constantly acting in a spirit of genuine global solidarity and responsibility.

Ioan Voicu

Re: “THAI fails to cut back on spending”, (BP, Aug 7).

Over the period from 1991 to 2009, I travelled on business from New Zealand three to four times per year with THAI to India and Taiwan, making Bangkok my T-junction. Over 16 of those years I went business class and held a gold card. Prices were very competitive and onboard service was excellent.

Some years back Thai became very expensive to fly with and the service also dropped, with the cabin crew attitude changing to very poor quality.

The carrier used old 777s with seats as hard as wood. I changed to Qantas which was, on average, NZ$800 (18,000 baht) cheaper than THAI.

The last trip I booked with THAI, a few months back, their price was cheaper than Qantas. The 777 I flew on was more modern and seat comfort was very good. The service was like it was many years ago — excellent. The only fault was the entertainment — there were very few good movies. I think before they had the attitude of turnover and profits are down so increase prices. This is not done by big Western companies — they look at trimming expenses.

I found out later that THAI issues a large amount of free flights to some government officials and the rich who know the “right people”. It will be good when THAI publishes its yearly accounts so it can show the costs of these free flights.

I don’t believe this kind of perk happens in Western countries. Surely the government should pay for any officials who have to travel on government business and the rich who know someone should never get free flights. It all boils down to the normal tourist having to pay extra to make up the loss.

The PM has been making some very good changes. If this perk stopped and THAI cut back on its over-staffing, I am sure it would be in the black within a few short years.

THAI should look at what Qantas did to turn itself around.

Ken Devey

How can riding a motorcycle without a helmet be deemed an offence when it is openly publicised every day?

One TV commercial repeats this. Will the rider be prosecuted? I don’t think so.

Confused

Re: “Media to blame for cult of personality in American politics”, (Opinion, Aug 3).

Frank Bruni says Donald Trump is going full boil. Well, yes, he is going full boil and I hope he continues to do so.

With Bruni being a columnist with the left-wing New York Times, I would expect Bruni not to be a fan of Donald Trump. However, Bruni said in this piece: “We ask our presidents to be not just commanders-in-chief but also enthrallers-in-chief, and amusers-in-chief, and woe to the Oval Office aspirant who is deemed stiff, serious, or unfunny”.

I can’t help but take that last statement as showing just how oposite Hillary Clinton and VP Joe Biden are, if he in fact plans to challenge her for the Democrat nomination.

Ms Clinton is totally unfunny, while Mr Biden is for sure an amuser-in-chief. Ms Clinton can lie from both sides of her mouth, while Mr Biden screws up anything he says.

On the other hand, Mr Trump is not only funny and amusing, he is point blank forward with what he says and believes. That is what America needs.

Farang Observer

Re: “Navy argues subs protect seas”, (BP, Aug 1).

So, the navy has come clean: The main reason they want these subs is, according to Adm Narongphon Na Bang Chang, because some of our neighbours (the ones with considerable maritime challenges) have them.

We all know how financially crippling it can be keeping up with the Joneses. Perhaps, if we spent 36 billion extra on education and healthcare these other countries will be “in awe of us”, to quote the admiral.

Matt Balmain

For Thailand’s proposed mini-fleet of Chinese submarines to inspire strategic awe, its vessels must be highly conspicuous to potential antagonists; the very opposite of conventional submarine operations.

If acquisition of the submarines eventuates, they should be brightly coloured. At times of imminent conflict, each could be rapidly provisioned, armed and silently despatched, where local ocean depths permit. Meanwhile, local tourism would surely benefit.

Pistolphe de Brouhaha

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