Postbag: 'Henry' Dunant, maybe?

Postbag: 'Henry' Dunant, maybe?

The Thai Red Cross Society should have reacted earlier than this to Andrew Biggs' entertaining "Where the streets have strange names" (Brunch, April 21).

I wish to inform your readers as well as Rob Donnellan (PostBag, April 26) that Thanon Sanam Ma (Racecourse Road) was renamed Thanon Henri Dunant on May 8, 1965, at the request of the TRCS to the Bangkok City Municipality, as the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration was then known.

The road passes TRCS property on both sides. On one side stands the TRCS National Blood Service Centre, where Andrew Biggs kindly donated his blood; on the other are the TRCS College of Nursing and Chulalongkorn Hospital of the TRCS. The road connects Surawong Road to Rama I Road via Chulalongkorn University and the Royal Bangkok Sports Club with its racecourse.

The request of the TRCS to change the name was based on a proposal of the International Federation of the Red Cross, at its meeting in 1963 to celebrate the centenary of the Red Cross, that something should be done to commemorate Henri Dunant.

Incidentally, as far as I know Dunant preferred to anglicise his middle name to Henry, so if there is going to be any change, it should be that. Meanwhile, most Thais continue to call the road by its pre-1965 name.

By the way, Andrew Biggs could have also mentioned Captain Bush Lane or Trok Kaptan But.

TEJ BUNNAG
Assistant secretary-general for administration, the
Thai Red Cross Society


Yingluck is no Iron Lady

I enjoyed Mr Bulldog's letter, ''Bring out the handbags'' in Thursday's PostBag. However, it should be noted that Margaret Thatcher was all brains and brawn, no matter what she wore, or what she carried. Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is all polyester and lace, only a mouthpiece. There is a difference between Thatcher who ran her party, while Yingluck is run by her party (and her brother in exile).

DAVID JAMES WONG


Sack the speech writer

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's speech at the Ministerial Conference of the Community of Democracies in Mongolia was misleading and self-serving. The 91 deaths were not exclusive and comprised three groups: So-called ''democracy-and-freedom-fighters'', rule of law enforcers and innocent third parties.

The speech was out of character for PM Yingluck, especially speaking in front of Aung San Suu Kyi, a previous rule of law victim. The speech writer deserves to be ostracised for the disservice.

Philip Cunningham's article ''Publicity or propaganda, it's all just a matter of spin,'' (BP, May 2), tore the speech to pieces.

It's a must-read for all.

SONGDEJ PRADITSMANONT


Who's really in charge?

Re ''Thaksin backs broad amnesty'' (BP, May 1). So Thaksin Shinawatra has thrown his support behind a reconciliation bill proposed by Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung. He even admits he discussed the bill with Mr Chalerm and urged him to press ahead with it. All of this of course is ''according to a Pheu Thai source''.

Now, let's get real here.

Is it not just possible that this bill is written by Thaksin, and passed on to Chalerm to submit as his own?

I'm sure this would not be the first time Thaksin's orders were carried out by others.

FARANG OBSERVER
Pattaya


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