OPINION

Privatise THAI

The transport minister has approved loss-making Thai Airways' purchase of 38 airplanes, estimated to be worth 136 billion baht, to increase its competitiveness (BP, Aug 6). However, this will do as much good as replacing the roof of a shaky and already-decrepit house. New planes are just one way to draw in new customers.

What passengers really need is competitive pricing, new and flexible routes, convenient departure times, better customer service, and for Thai Airways to manage their union effectively. In all of these cases, no new aircraft are required -- only a good sense of strategic management. As taxpayers' money is involved in the acquisition of new aircraft, its investment worthiness must be scrutinised by the public and not rushed through.

In the sea of change and stiff competition from low-cost airlines, Thai Airways has remained the same; uncompetitive, inefficiently run, accumulating debts every year, and handing out excess perks to board members and families. The increase in tourists to the country is largely driven by low-cost airlines, not our national carrier.

To me, Thai Airways is a political organisation, with 51% of its shares owned by the Ministry of Finance and supervised under the Transport Ministry. As such, making the company lean, profit- and customer-driven isn't its priority. Hiring a competent CEO to run the company wouldn't do much good, with political pressure lurking behind. The only option left for this ailing national carrier is privatisation. Let the private sector, with the right skills and resources run it, free from political interference and appointment. Then watch it take off.

Sacrifice for Rahu

Re: "Don't fear Illuminati", (PostBag, Aug 7).

Never mind the Illuminati, Thailand has bigger things to worry about. My astrologer, who prefers to remain anonymous, says that Thailand entered the Years of Rahu about three months ago. (For those who don't know, Rahu is the Hindu god of darkness.) The Years of Rahu are an indeterminate period of time in which the malign influences of the Kali Yuga, the age we're in now, become inflamed. Call them the Kali Yuga on steroids. In short, we can expect things to get much worse.

My astrologer is currently working on calculations designed to determine how long the Years of Rahu will last. His current take is that they will last from three to 10 years, but admits he could be wrong.

So if the nation experiences unusually bad luck in the foreseeable future, don't worry, folks. It's nobody's fault, it's just the age we live in. All we can do is relax and suffer. Since this is Thailand, it's probably best if we do it the Thai way, and suffer with a smile.

A tip: My astrologer thinks that the evil effects of the Years of Rahu may be mitigated by eating black eggs and sacrificing black chickens to Rahu. If you can't find any black chickens, he thinks black pigeons might do.

Good luck to all denizens of Thailand in getting through the Years of Rahu relatively unscathed.