OPINION

Motorcycle madness

Re: "Carving up city roads to make motorcycle lanes", (BP, Aug 11).

If the motorcycle lanes can keep motorcyclists off footpaths, flyovers, tunnels and stop them from riding against the direction of traffic, please do it.

One question, though. Are motorcyclists required by law to use only the special lanes, or they can use the lanes as an option? If they are required by law, would they comply? The law strictly banned them from footpaths and look what they are doing.

I'm afraid the motorcycle lanes are not going to work because Thais are lazy and undisciplined. For example, pedestrians choose to slither across the traffic instead of using a pedestrian bridge. Motorists won't stop at a zebra crossing or if they kindly stop because of a red light, they stop on top of the strips.

While we are at it, the good professor should also consider building special quarter-mile race strips to keep young and unlicensed motorcyclists off the streets at wee hours. If you can't beat them, please them.

Re: "Govt defends plan for nuclear reactor", (BP, Aug 11).

Forget the risk of a US war with North Korea or Iran. Ignore global warming. Let Thailand's plan to build a nuclear reactor in Nakhon Nayok strike fear into your hearts.

We all know from Chernobyl what can happen when things go wrong. Thailand has a long history of enthusiastically spending on large capital projects, costs suitably inflated, followed by a failure to then properly service and maintain them.

Remember the fast airport rail link to Suvarnabhumi Airport that had to be stopped because there was no budget for maintenance? The expensive blimp that could not fly because of lack of funds and other problems? An aircraft carrier without planes? What percentage of military vehicles and aircraft are actually functional? Even the drains and canals in Bangkok cannot be cleared each year before the monsoon comes. Build anything lads, but please, please, not a nuclear power station.

"Sontirat revives long-shelved grass-growing biofuel project", (BP, Aug 11), is a real head-scratcher. Long-standing government policies have made the most efficient source of renewable biofuel -- biodiesel from palm oil -- untenable in Thailand due to corrupt restrictions upon what would otherwise be a viable free market.

There is virtually no export of crude palm oil and import is not allowed. Small-holder farmers who make up the majority of palm fruit producers in Thailand are unable to compete with neighbours Malaysia and Indonesia. Many biodiesel plants have closed or are money-losing operations.

It would seem that soon people will be smuggling grass into Thailand in order to make a few baht. The government would be well advised to hire professionals when the urge to toy with the economy arises, or maybe simply take a nap instead.

The raising of taxi rates puzzles me as a consumer that has to rely on cabs daily. Most days, I get turned down by drivers on average five to 10 times when I ask them to take me to my destination. With these actions of pickiness demonstrating wealth, why do they need a raise in rates?

How about tying the raise in rates to compliance? If a driver is reported to refuse a customer or use the meter, then their licence should be permanently revoked. This way the surcharge increase benefits both the consumer and provider. As it stands, exploitation is the order of the day.