OPINION

Thought control chills

I cannot think of a more chilling way to control information and thought than the government's plan to license reporters and penalise unlicensed ones with heavy fines and possible imprisonment (BP, April 27).

Pol Maj Gen Pisit Pao-in defines reporters as "those who have the intention and continuity in reporting news to the public and earn direct or indirect revenue from doing so". As a practical matter, this overly broad and ambiguous definition leaves a lot of people vulnerable to fines and jail time for reporting news that the junta doesn't like. As a matter of principle, the state simply has no business regulating the press whose purpose is to ensure government transparency.

The open production, dissemination, and discussion of information and ideas is critical to advancement in any society. Reporters Without Borders already ranks Thailand a miserable 142nd out of 180 for press freedom. Should the government proceed with licensing reporters, Thailand can look forward to dropping further down these rankings. But by then, the licensed "reporters" probably won't be able to report that.

General Surapong has reiterated again the need for Thai submarines as being essential for Thailand's security. What the general has not answered is who presents a threat to Thailand's security? The biggest threats to Thailand's security probably come from drunken tourists here on vacation, and the lack of enforcement of national traffic regulations. Maybe the submarines should have wheels so they could be driven around the country to patrol the roadway systems. That way they would be in use regularly and not become rotting hulls in the port at Satahip, sitting next to the amazing yet useless aircraft carrier.

RH Suga suggested in his April 26 letter that the Thai navy is better off buying anti-sub aircraft to counterbalance neighbouring countries' submarines, saying it is cheaper and more efficient. And for good measure, the aircraft can be used for rescue missions and typhoon warnings.

But how do you train anti-sub aircraft pilots without having our own submarines to act as practice targets?

Meanwhile, I wonder why no admirals came out to cheer for the subs. I only heard from deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwon, who is pretty chummy with the Chinese military top brass. I know the navy wants submarines, but does it want Chinese ones? In the past it sent its officers for sub operation training in Germany and South Korea.

Government types, please take note: Just because the submarine store is offering very attractive rebates is no reason to emulate the store owner's policies concerning the media.

Two years in jail for reporting the news without a licence? Apparently if one feels comfortable buying useless naval things while hiding behind closed doors it becomes conceivable to require journalism licensing. In my opinion, chefs should be licensed first. Food kills, words don't.

Nothing in this world is free! The military junta suggests that one benefit from buying the proposed submarines from China is that "it comes with free missiles". They should also ask for a set of free steak knives as well!

And to suggest that the submarines "suit the average 50-metre depth in the Gulf of Thailand" is patently absurd! That would mean they would be safely operating at around a 20-25m depth at best. An easy target for the "enemy". Even if the enemy were only scuba divers!

There's something fishy here!

Good to see some reactions to the attack on street food and to the submarine purchase.

They are products of the same attitude: We have power, we will decide, we know what is best for Thailand and Thais. It's the 21st century and people will become less tolerant of being told what to do and think by the elite.

Re: "Srivara insists Mae Hong Son governor tied to sex trade scandal", (BP, April 28).

Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha must realise that since the governor of each province in Thailand is appointed by the central government, hence the government must remove that governor immediately if it is found he or she has acted in an inappropriate manner and posed a danger to the locals. This should apply to the Mae Hong Son governor.

Local citizens must be protected from bad officials who the government sent to provide them with security, morality as well as a lawful environment.

Re: "Red Bull heir no-show", (Online, April 28).

This is one of those cases where people should hold their heads in utter shame. The whole establishment and core of Thailand as a country is being watched by the world. The justice system, the very structure of a decent country, is being judged, all over the international media. All because of one spoiled boy.

Re: "Interventionist 'help'", (PostBag, April 28).

I agree with David James Wong's assessment that American military intervention over the past 70 years has not been initiated for "conquest or occupation" purposes. His perspectives on Korea and Afghanistan are also generally valid. But, the facts do not support Mr Wong's statements about Vietnam or Cambodia.

Vietnam has indeed progressed phenomenally after reunification, but its achievements were made without American assistance. The US certainly did not "pump in" American aid as asserted. In fact, the US began only the tiniest of aid programmes in Vietnam, in 1989, channelling modest support for war victims and orphans through a non-governmental foundation. It was not until 2000 (fully 25 years after the end of the war and the reunification) that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) opened an office in Hanoi and initiated a modest development programme.

In Cambodia, it is simply not true that the US helped oust Pol Pot and the murderous Khmer Rouge regime. The brutal administration was in fact overthrown by anti-Khmer Rouge elements, supported by an invasion force of Vietnamese. Stinging from its defeat in the Vietnamese War, the US strongly condemned the Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia and there is evidence that at least some US support reached Pol Pot's guerrilla army for many years after his regime had been overthrown. On the political front, the US continued to support the so-called "Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea" (which was in fact dominated by the Khmer Rouge) as the "legitimate representative of the Cambodian people" in the United Nations all the way up to 1993.

I have been a client of Nakornchai Air buses for over 25 years. A good experience usually.

But a trip to Bangkok from Sakon Nakhon on March 24 was different. The bus I was on had an accident while travelling in Nakhon Ratchasima province. As far as I could tell, the driver fell asleep. When I asked him, he claimed that he had to avoid a car. I do not recall him making any sudden move before the crash.

I know, accidents can happen. What upset me is the way the accident was handled by the bus company which was terrible. The passengers were not informed (not even in Thai which I speak fluently) as to the reason for the accident, when we would be transported, and how we would be compensated (if at all) for the delay resulting from this accident. I reached Bangkok about six hours late.

When picked up in another bus, we were transported in a very old bus, for half of the way. At the Nakornchai Air bus station I went to information. "Yes, you will be contacted," the lady said and took note of my number, but, no, I never was contacted.

I think I need to inform the public of this, so that they know what can happen to them. I hope Nakornchai Air will improve their response after accidents.

In a recent news report, Finnish experts identified that the main problem is the "inequity" of educational opportunities available for children in urban and rural areas.

"If you have a lot of inequalities in your education system, it makes it that much more complicated to increase the quality of education," said education expert Pasi Sahlberg.

"Only applicants who score highly in their exams and have a positive attitude toward teaching will be selected for the teacher training programme each year. All applicants must hold at least a master's degree in education." (Statement of Ms Tiina Malste, expert in pedagogical resources).

To date, these are the biggest problems in the Thai education system. It seems that the government and Thai society are unwilling to make any changes at all.

I had a disastrous experience with the Thai education system. I was committed and dedicated to learning self-defence and combat fighting at the hand-to-hand combat school in Chiang Mai. However, the owner and the teachers were not serious about transferring the knowledge and clearly failed to provide proper training and a minimum service level as mentioned below:

Teach the concepts (systems), not just isolated moves;

Limit the number of students to a maximum of 15 per class;

Distinguish a minimum of three levels: Beginners, intermediate and advanced to monitor a student's progress; and

Students must take real tests, not mock tests (both in theory and practice). Instructors need to undergo professional training.

Only a radical change in the mindset and behaviour of the government, educational bodies and the Thai society will significantly improve the education in Thailand, or else the prospects remain grim and gloomy!

Re: "Zipline faces damage claim", (BP, April 26).

The report appears to be very one-sided, with false information.

Unfortunately, Thailand has a long history of self-inflicted ecological disasters. Inland prawn farming, filling in klongs to provide building space, and fishing techniques that destroy the breeding grounds are but a few examples.

For once, in Thailand, there is an adventure that does not create vast amounts of noise pollution, does not destroy the environment and provides invaluable local employment opportunities.

This is none other than Canopy Adventures Thailand. This is a zip wire business where the method of propulsion is gravity itself. The views are spectacular, the sounds of the jungle only. This is a truly sustainable eco-tourism model that Thailand would do well to embrace.

Perhaps, the Royal Forest Department should note that gliding serenely through the forest canopy does not destroy the forest. However, forest clearance to provide land for resort development or such like most certainly does destroy the forest; for unknown reasons the Royal Forest Department usually chooses to ignore this.

So, Mr Basuki Purnama, mostly known as Ahok, has been mercilessly bullied and robbed of a probable victory in the election to be governor of Jakarta (BP, April 20).

A silly and unfair charge of blasphemy was brought against him some months ago and demonstrations by Islamic fundamentalists in the streets and the legal proceedings against him turned the tide against him and he lost the election. By the way, the silence from the West on this issue is sad.

Re: "Police collar cabbie for raping Brazilian", (BP, April 27).

The cooperative that leased a taxi cab to an unqualified driver with two previous criminal convictions, especially for raping passengers, should face heavier punishment than what was imposed by the DLT.

Rape is a crime of power -- not sex. Thai police will never understand the truth of that.