POSTBAG
Your editorial of March 23, "Decentralise to solve conflicts", makes the important points that decentralisation is the most promising path to peace in Thailand's troubled South, and that it would contribute to resolving other conflicts in Thai society. This first point is supported by a 2010 Asia Foundation survey of the South, which revealed a majority of the population believes that some form of local self-government might solve the conflict. The second point is supported by the Foundation's 2009 national survey, where 75% said they would prefer elected rather than appointed governors. While decentralisation may seem threatening to vested interests, both academic research and recent experience in Myanmar suggests that reduction in conflict and improvements in the quality of governance ultimately benefit everyone.
Students from the southern region visit Government House recently. There is a growing consensus that decentralisation is the key to solving conflicts in the strifetorn region. PATTARAPONG CHATPATTARASILL
TIM MEISBURGER
Regional Director
Elections and Political Processes
The Asia Foundation
Listen to His Majesty
I agree with Thammasat vice-rector and law professor Prinya Tevanaruemitrkul, who noted, ''The question is not about 'if' but 'how' we should discuss [lese majeste law reform and other contentious matters]. The discussion must be based on civil rights and liberties which come with responsibility, not with absolute freedom. [Participants] must learn to take responsibility for what they say and respect what others have to say.''
The need for acceptance of responsibility and willingness, even eagerness, to listen thoughtfully to other points of view is accented in discussing lese majeste, for: (a) it involves one of our highest institutions; and (b) we must not abuse the liberty His Majesty has graciously given us when he said: ''Actually, I must also be criticised. I am not afraid if the criticism concerns what I do wrong, because then I know. The King can do wrong.''
In reviewing the lese majeste laws, we should take His Majesty's views into account, for it is his interests that we allege we are defending. Thus, we should note that ''Thailand's law of lese majeste has one very prominent critic: King Bhumibol. In 2005, after an increase in politically inspired lese majeste complaints, King Bhumibol used his annual televised birthday address to convey three concerns: (a) ''The King, he said, is a human being and as such should be subject to criticism; (b) charges against those accused of lese majeste should be dropped, and those held in jail for lese-majeste should be released; and (c) the use of the lese majeste law ultimately damages the monarchy.'' (King Bhumibol Adulyadej: A Life's Work, Grossman and Faulder, 2012, page 313).
Let us be accountable, be open to other views - including those of His Majesty - and debate away.
BURIN KANTABUTRA
Law may need correcting
Re: ''Time is ripe for debate'' (Postbag, March 22).
I agree with Burin Kantabutra that Thais should hold His Majesty as an estimable role model - and accomplish both the goals of mutual understanding and the appropriate role of the monarchy all at once - by allowing debates concerning the present lese majeste law to happen.
In his birthday speech in 2005, His Majesty not only encouraged criticism of himself, but was heard to have insisted upon it. Anyone who doubts this claim should go back and study his Majesty's aforementioned speech minutely.
Another undisputed fact is that, under the present lese majeste law, neither the King nor any member of the Royal Family is able to personally file charges. However, any Thai citizen who ''feels'' the monarchy's sovereignty is being infringed upon has every right to file charges at any police station in the Kingdom. Thus, this law may be contradicting its stated purpose.
Hence, quite possibly there are points to be corrected concerning this law - in order to ensure fairness both to the monarchy as well as everybody else according to democratic principle.
VINT CHAVALA
Fundamental delusion
In ''Crushing royal critics feels so un-Buddhist'' (BP, March 20), Sanitsuda Ekachai writes: ''Buddhism teaches not only tolerance but also cautions against forced and blind obedience.''
Despite the fact that Thai Buddhism is Theravada, based upon the Buddha's actual spiritual practices and teachings, most Thais who call themselves Buddhists are caught up in spiritual materialism and superstition. Dhammakaya's ''spaceship'', protective tattoos and amulets and temple ritualism might be seen as relatively harmless.
Current Buddhist fundamentalism in Thailand finds offence in images of the Buddha on sandals, toilet seats or clothing. The fundamentalists object to foreigners wearing tattoos of ''Buddhist'' imagery. They want abortion (including the morning-after pill) kept illegal because it involves ''killing'' (though Thai monks eat meat simply because it is ''offered'' to them). And they oppose the ordination of women bhikkunis.
First they won't follow the King, and now they won't listen to the Buddha. They don't really care much about Thailand, its people and its future. The fundamentalists are self-deluded and aren't following the teachings of any religion, least of all the teachings of the Buddha.
CJ HINKE
Freedom Against Censorship Thailand (FACT)
Time to catch the corrupt
The writer doubted the checking system for the 2-trillion-baht loan which could be misused over the next 50 years, (''Loan plan shortsighted'', PostBag, March 22).
He is right on the corruption concern but wrong on the timing.
The construction period is seven years.
Therefore, the period of corruption would have to be within that seven-year range and not 50 years of loan repayment.
Most of those officials should still be alive.
Not ''long dead and forgotten'' to face any corruption charges.
Sceptics do have a way of distortion because of their hang-up mentality that all officials and politicians are corrupt unless proven otherwise.
We cannot blame them for this since society is so tainted with underhand payments.
One can only hope that catching corrupt officials will improve hand in hand with material progress.
SONGDEJ PRADITSMANONT
Vaccines not so harmless
Some 40 years ago when the flu vaccination was being introduced to England it was decided to vaccinate all postal workers.
As a result there was a great increase in the number of postmen getting the flu and the Post Office refused to repeat the experiment.
Had it been successful the pharmaceutical industry and its agents would have trumpeted it from the tree tops.
But as it was a failure it was just cast into oblivion.
Vaccinations are dangerous and frequently useless.
Whilst I would agree that the technology has improved over 40 years I would certainly not advocate it.
I find it rather annoying when nameless people give gratuitous advice which gives free advertising to an extremely wealthy industry known for its dishonesty.
PHYSICIAN
Thefts becoming rampant
I was robbed recently by a pair riding on the pavement alongside a building. From their hiding place in the shadows they started up and sped towards me from just a few metres away and yanked my handbag away as they went by; the well-planned ambush happened in seconds.
Handbag snatchings have increased and Bangkok's streets are no longer as safe as they once were. It is time the government faced this unpleasant fact and gave public safety a higher priority. Continued cover ups will only damage Thailand's image but they will cut tourism revenue as word of mouth spreads and more angry people post warnings online (as a Dutch man did several months ago after his daughter was raped in Krabi). Thailand's residents and visitors deserve better.
MUGGED IN BANGKOK
Make sure you're covered
The problem of Westerners and medical insurance anywhere outside their own countries is a real one.
No one thinks of medical insurance when one is younger.
Younger people do not want to be involved with expensive premiums.
This comes back to haunt you as you grow older if your home country provides virtually free medical attention, such as Canada.
Prior to retiring to Thailand one should have looked into medical insurance. Most insurers will insure a person prior to 55 years old and usually continue until 70 or 75 (as with AIA), unless there is a written agreement stating otherwise. My insurer in Thailand guaranteed I would be insured for the duration of my life as long as I continued to pay my yearly premiums on time. They suddenly recanted and told me they would not insure me past 70. I showed my lawyer their written confirmation from years back and suddenly they ''remembered'', and yes, they will continue to insure me for life, and yes, they issued another written confirmation. Medical insurance is expensive, but well worth the premiums which continue to increase. It is the one policy no one should ever be without. It is more important than owning a car, a condo, a house, whatever. My advice to you all is to maintain your good health, continue to have check-ups, exercise, eat well and try living stress-free and hope for the best. The best insurance policy is when you do not need to use it.
LOBZIG
Priced out of Thailand
Can anyone tell me why certain products are so expensive here in the Kingdom as compared to the US or the UK? I wanted, past tense, to purchase an ASUS Nexus 7 tablet PC which is currently being sold at Big C and Pantip for 11,700 baht, around US$400. Most major US retailers advertise this exact item at $250 (7,240 baht) but they will not ship to an address in Thailand. With the rapidly strengthening baht, and my rapidly shrinking US pension, it is really becoming harder and harder to use cost as a reason to remain here. What used to be relatively inexpensive has, over the past six years, become expensive, in some cases too expensive. My real income has shrunk over 30% since moving here in 2007 which in no way has kept pace with the miniscule COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment) increases I've received. If Thailand wants to be competitive it had best do something fairly quickly or it will find itself at the tail end of a long line of more progressive and more competitive countries.
FRED PRAGER
CONTCT: BANGKOK POST BUILDING
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Source: http://www.news.thethailandlinks.com/2013/03/23/decentralise-in-south/
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