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Balance sheet of the coup
Editor:
I sense, on purely anecdotal evidence, that most farang will agree with
Charlie Cox (Mailbag May 30) that the recent coup is to be supported. But
it’s odd that he doesn’t name his former “past home country” which he
doesn’t seem to like much.
But we shouldn’t get too carried away. The 2014 Thai putsch is being
justified by the junta because of the failure of the democratic system to
deliver solutions, rampant corruption and attacks on the institution of the
monarchy. Those are precisely the reasons given for the coups of 1991 and
2006, neither of which can be termed as successful however you describe the
term.
This time there are certainly some differences. General Prayuth has wisely
set up structures to pay the farmers the money owed to them, has abolished
political rally stages encampments in Bangkok, has uncovered several caches
of weapons which had been hidden for use in an insurrection and has released
senior red shirts after a short incarceration to allow them to “rest”. As
with previous coups, we can expect the Thai stock market and the baht to
improve. The appearance of public order always pleases international
financiers.
For the time being, coup opponents are leaderless and several of the
Shinawatra clan are here in Thailand slapped with a travel ban. But the
military government has to move quickly to convince people that it has a
genuine political and economic reform agenda with a clear date next year for
a general election. Also, the generals must abandon any thought of banning
the bulk of the social media which would be disastrous from every point of
view.
Incidentally, nobody should worry about the US and the EU governments
denouncing the coup. They solidly support the ruling clique in Saudi Arabia
which has never held even one democratic election in the whole of its
history. It’s tokenistic hypocrisy.
Barry Kenyon
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No groups larger than 5 people
Editor;
If the country is in Marshal Law and no groups larger than 5 people are
allowed, why is Soi 6 operating normally - with large groups gathered in
bars?
Scott Smith
Ed’s reply: Actually, the coup bans gatherings of more than five people
for political purposes. The key phrase being, “for political purposes”. It
might be that politics is a hot topic on Soi 6, but it is doubtful the
denizens of that area pose any kind of threat to the coup leaders.
Nice tribute
Editor;
Re: Vale Sir Jack Brabham (PM Automania Friday, 30 May 2014) - Nice tribute
by Mark Webber... I saw Sir Jack race at the Tasman Series Race at Lakeside
in 1967, the Tasman Series Race at Sandown in 1969, and finally Easter
Bathurst, 1969.
Gearsau
Smoking an assault
Sir,
Apologies to readers for continuing the already lengthy correspondence on
smoking but it is necessary to correct Mr Arnone’s (MB 30/7) concept of
death certificates once again. Only immediate causes of death and are
normally recorded. Since you don’t fall down dead an hour after smoking it
does not figure on death certificates.
As for as the rest of his letter and that of Mr McArdle (23/5) it is
somewhat fortuitous that a study by Drs James Hardin & James Thrasher et al
of the Arnold School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina
has just been published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
Apart from exposing some of the disingenuous tricks of the cigarette
industry such as designing their product for maximum addiction and adding
ammonia to mellow the taste, the report says that, ‘more people die every
year from smoking than from murder, AIDS, suicide, drugs, car crashes and
alcohol combined’ (my italic).
What is more alarming for most people is an article in the current edition
of The American Journal of Public Health which states that 42,000
non-smokers are killed by second hand smoke every year in the USA alone. For
Mr Arnone’s benefit this means that they will die from heart failure, lung
disease, a cerebral episode or some form of cancer or organ failure as a
result of smoking. However, it is not even this that most of us resent but
the fact that it is an unpleasant assault on our persons and would normally
be classed as a misdemeanor. It has to be stopped whether Mr Arnone likes it
or not.
MN
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Really?
Editor;
Re “No one is dying from second hand smoke” 30 / 5 /2014. Really?
www.webmd.com/baby/news/20140227/secondhand-smoke-linked-to-miscarriage-risk
“These included women who spent more than 10 years exposed to fumes as a
child, more than 10 years as an adult working in a smoke-filled workplace,
or more than 20 years as an adult exposed to secondhand smoke in the home.
“These women were 17 percent more likely to have a miscarriage, 55 percent
more likely to experience a stillbirth and 61 percent more likely to have an
ectopic pregnancy, compared to women without these exposures, the study
found.”
Stuart
Why can’t beach vendors clean up?
Dear Editor;
I have been coming to Pattaya for thirteen years now and have lived here for
long periods. Why are the condo builders allowed to build so high? From the
view point on Pratamnak Hill the sea view is blocked by two very high
condominium projects and the view point is now beginning to look like a
fortress from there.
The owners are nothing but greedy and uncaring in their quest for more money
but how are they allowed to get away with it? Or is that a stupid question
and there is an obvious answer?
It makes me so mad to think that with careful planning Pattaya could look so
much better. Low rise at the front rising to middle and taller ones towards
the back is much more pleasing on the eye instead of looking like Spain’s
Benidorm.
Also, can you tell me why so much money is wasted on most projects but with
a little money spent and a little education for the beach vendors, why can’t
the beaches be cleaned up? At Jomtien and around to Cosy Beach it looks like
a rubbish tip so why is nobody complaining and getting it cleaned up with
machinery and why can’t beach vendors clean up any rubbish in front of their
rental areas?
It makes me angry because I see some tourists doing it themselves just so
that they do not have to look at it or walk around it.
Regards,
Phillip
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Jomtien garbage containers need emptying
Editor;
Re: Thai families leave trash behind (PM Mailbag Friday, 23 May 2014) -
There is lots of trash all over Jomtien. Fly tipping is prevalent and the
Thais who visit the beach leave their trash behind. It affects the overall
tourism of the area. The garbage containers by the beach smell very bad
these days. They need cleaning and regular emptying.
Charles Firth
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