OPINION

Recover the money

Can someone explain why Klongchan Credit Union members, who lost 12 billion baht, are not officially represented by the justice system? The Justice Minister (BP, May 31) is correct in saying that they appear to have been forgotten.

It is a fact that the Department of Special Investigation is seeking to lay charges related to the receipt of stolen money, totalling only 1.2 billion baht. In a previous report, "Co-op seeks urgent B10bn rehab loan", (BP, April 22), the DSI produced a mind-boggling report showing where most of the 12 billion baht stolen by Credit Union chairman Supachai Srisupa-aksorn went. The amounts included: 754 million baht cash, which was given to four individually named monks, including the abbot. Another 350 million baht was given to the temple.

In addition, 2.56 billion baht was channelled, via Ratpracha Credit Union, to the temple in cash and land.

So far, about 50 wat followers have been identified as being used to channel approximately 75 million baht, as donations to the temple.

Supachai also financed a new Credit Union, Mongkol Setthi, which eventually loaned 230 million baht to finance more donations to the temple.

God knows how many gullible temple followers borrowed money from these credit unions, banks or money lenders, to gratify the demands of some. I have no desire to inflame matters, by naming names. But one has to ask, is this in any way connected to Thai Buddhism? If it is not, then with all due respect, would Thais please wake up from your stupor and support the government's efforts to recover all of the money, please?

Now that the news about the Tiger Temple has made its way around the world it has become a story of great interest to international readers. How the state authorities handle the situation (hopefully better than the sloppy, botched Koh Tao murder case) remains to be seen. Hopefully, the prime minister is not superstitious enough to wear tiger amulets. And maybe, just maybe, there will be an attempt to clean up the Buddhist monkhood which has become an international disgrace.

Re: "Tiger skins, talismans seized at Tiger Temple", (Online, June 2).

The more one digs, the more one will find. It has become a sort of a mini-Auschwitz for tigers. The monks running that temple should be indicted, convicted and imprisoned, preferably inside a small house on an island guarded by hungry tigers, the very tigers they sought to protect. I think the tables will be turned. And, as another postbag contributor wrote, "Take it or leave it." I rather like that.

Re: "Moscow can offer more", (Editorial, May 24).

Indeed, Moscow can do more to promote bilateral relations with Thailand, and Bangkok can do more too. No question about it. In fact, this was the reason why Russia and Thailand held talks between prime ministers on May 18 in St Petersburg. This was also the purpose of the meetings between respective ministers and business people on the sidelines of the official visit of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to Russia.

Never before have so many mutually beneficial agreements been signed between the two countries. And never has cooperation between our law enforcement agencies been as dynamic and effective as now, including in combating drug trafficking. I cannot agree more on the importance of this issue.

What I cannot agree with is that Russian and Thai interests in this area do not intersect. We are living in an interdependent world where terrorism, drugs and crime are among key threats to international and national security, to life and health. These threats do not recognise borders. Only through cooperation between states can we cope with these challenges. No wonder that for Russia and Thailand, confronting illicit drug trafficking is a top priority, and we will both benefit from confronting it together.

Many may not know that in fighting the trafficking of drugs, Russia and Thailand are not only exchanging intelligence and sharing best practices, but also conducting joint operations. This interaction should be further strengthened. To this end, the Russian Ministry of the Interior and ONCB -- an agency under the Ministry of Justice in charge of combating drugs -- are preparing to sign a bilateral Plan of Action for 2016-2018.

The same relates to combating terrorism and transnational crime. In February 2016, Russia and Thailand held the 2nd Meeting of the Working Group on Security Cooperation. It was decided to enhance bilateral counter-terrorism collaboration on various fronts, including tackling problems of militant extremism, cybersecurity and more.

As Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Thailand, I am familiar with the Russian community in this country and I can tell you frankly that I have never met mafiosi among them. Why? Because the so-called "Russian mafia" does not exist here. Serious people prefer to leave this fantasy to crime novelists.

What we are really facing now is continued criminal activity in both countries which needs to be addressed and the desire of Russian fugitives wanted in my country to find a "safe haven" in Thailand. Their hopes are in vain. Readers will be surprised to learn that for the last two years, as many as 31 Russian citizens who had committed crimes in my country and tried to escape prosecution in Thailand were detained by the Royal Thai Police at the request of the Russian Interpol Central National Bureau and subsequently deported to Russia.

Yes, we can do more. We must do more. All of us, including the mass media whose noble mission is to supply readers with accurate and unbiased information and analysis.

To accomplish the goals of increased proficiency in English language, the Thai school curriculum needs major changes. As a part of education reforms, English should be cultivated as a medium of instruction for important subjects. It is a well-known fact that the quality of teaching and learning of a language is based on signs, sights and sounds of the language. Unless the curriculum is transformed for a multilingual cultural setting, mandating a licence will end up being another gimmick.

Jack Gilead (PostBag, June 1) writes that because some famous writers don't use their real names, PostBag writers shouldn't have to either. While I generally agree with that, I draw the line when it comes to people who make personal attacks. It is so cowardly to personally attack someone and yet not identify yourself.

Buddhism in Thailand has gone through so much change in a bad way since a cultist sect called the Dhammakaya constructed a temple on an area covering more than a thousand acres and built a chedi that looks like a UFO and shelters more than 3,000 monks -- this is now the world's largest in terms of inhabitants in a single Buddhist temple.

This is clearly against one of the principal teachings of Buddha: to take the "middle path" in everything that we do.

Since the leader of this sect boasts that nirvana can be bought by paying a large sum of money to help build and enlarge the sect, some of the richest in the country have become its contributors and supporters.

There is a story whirling around that one of the country's most successful stand-up comedians also joined this sect and became very rich quickly, simply because his audiences belong to Bangkok's upper class.

Buddhism in Thailand has gone too far off course for the government to be complacent. Something must be done to correct this acute problem, and quickly.

Re: "Prayut not budging on canal project", (BP, June 1).

The reasoning behind an offhand dismissal of the proposed canal spanning the Isthmus of Kra from the prime minister is not compelling at all.

Stating that the southern insurgency would gain some sort of strategic advantage because a canal separated northern and southern Thailand is akin to saying a rail line or a highway is a useful means to divide a nation.

How facile and specious an argument indeed! In fact, the canal is an excellent way to take a dramatic step forward for the nation, both economically and geopolitically. The arguments against a canal may be seen as further expression of the government's retrogressive policies.

It is high time that Thailand stood on its own as the proud and successful nation it deserves to be. There is no excuse for the nation's leaders to prevent progress simply in order to ensure their own personal gain.

A simple question to the government: Now that 30 more dead tiger cubs have been found at the Tiger Temple in Kanchanaburi, bringing the total to 70, what precisely is the government going to do about it? Is this going to be another sensationalist story only to disappear along with the other so-called sensationalist stories, among the murders, rapes and mismanaged investigations. Or will the government take real action, in a real trial, in a real court?

I sympathise with the writer who complained that in addition to paying for a room at a Bangkok hotel, guests were charged 700 baht a day to gain access to the internet (PostBag, June 3).

However, it is not only Thai hotels that want to rip-off their guests. At a recent stay in a four-star hotel in Cairns, Northern Australia, I was billed the equivalent of 200 baht for a 15-second phone call from my room. When I complained I was told it was "hotel policy".

Well, my policy will be to avoid that hotel in future!

Re: "Lost connection", (PostBag, June 3).

"What a rip-off" writes Miro King having been ridiculously overcharged for internet usage in a Ratchathewi hotel. Actually, it's far more serious than that.

Major corporations are at the forefront of a hostile and sinister transformation of the worldwide hospitality industry. Corrupt underlying mechanisms are destroying sustainable and humanitarian business principles.

The hospitality industry is now all about the money, bigger is better, profit before safety. The new corporate ethos penalises hotel staff, customers and communities whilst hotel owners and shareholders are worshipped like gods. Out of control multi-brand programmes jeopardise traditional brand values. International corruption is easily but covertly embraced, transparency blotted, regulators deceived, whistleblowers stifled. Greed, rhetoric, lies and denial represent present-day hospitality.

"When morality comes up against profit, it is seldom that profit loses." (Shirley Chisholm, former US politician)

Each year I go to the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery for Anzac Day services; it's a solemn occasion for the nations of New Zealand and Australia. Both services are run extremely well and great credit is due to those that organise it. However, the after-service function which is normally organised by the embassies have caused several inconveniences to travellers for a number of years. Anzac Day is extremely important to current and former servicemen and women, and their families.

Many travel from Australia at great cost and hope to meet up with friends from times past. I sent a letter to the embassy prior to the service highlighting some of the difficulties experienced in previous years with some suggestions; I got a very short reply. The inconveniences include a shortage of seats and the parking location. More importantly, I think a bar that offers "girls for hire" is not the appropriate establishment for guests to retire to after such a ceremony.

If Phra Dhammajayo claimed he met Steve Jobs in heaven he is clearly delusional.

Does he really expect us to believe Steve Jobs is in heaven?

I guess he didn't see the movie showing his nasty side.