OPINION

Money grows on trees

Re: "BMA starts removing trees for walkway scheme", (BP, June 14).

I've suggested before that someone ought to investigate where the timber goes from all the trees that city authorities regularly cut or "remove" (tear out of the ground). I suspect someone is making some quick cash from the timber.

The latest atrocity against greenery is particularly insulting as it is reportedly being carried out with the approval of the "Rattanakosin and Old Cities Conservation and Development Committee". I fail to see anything about the removal of large, mature shade trees to make way for tunnels and toilets that is in any way consistent with "conservation". I suggest the committee may wish to consider removing the word "conservation" from its name.

Scans are the answer

To me the answer to Brian Corrigan's question in his June 20 letter about what immigration officers would need instead of paperwork is simple -- they would need a scanner to digitise the paperwork. At first they would need to do a lot of scanning (work for some of the millions of unemployed here?), but eventually they would have to digitise only a few pages or, if they trusted the applicant (highly unlikely I would guess), they could let the applicant submit a few easily checkable scanned pages by email to bring their application up to date.

Admittedly, given how distrustful immigration officers seem to be, I don't have high hopes that a more efficient, less time consuming system will ever be established, but one can always dream, can't one?

Just grin and bear it

Loved Brian Corrigan's letter regarding the paper shuffle. Computers, however, are only a partial answer. Upcountry internet does not always work due to fai dap (power cuts), trees felling lines, weather conditions, and plain computer illiteracy. The internet can be delivered via cable or wireless transmission. Both are good, but offer better service in city areas and suburbs rather than upcountry.

Also, I'd like to note that immigration registration online for many things is not always clear, with boggling instructions and repetitive, poor English. It is sometimes more advantageous, less frustrating and annoying, to simply go to the local immigration office, put up with the harassment and get it over with. Then hit the local pub, raise a beer with a chok-dee and praise another immigration survival … until the next time.

Cater to masses, not the rich

The minister of tourism has said he wants to use the coronavirus hiatus to reset tourism to attract only big spenders. Big spenders are always desirable, but over the past 50 years Thailand, encouraged by its governments, has courted and catered for mostly mass tourism.

This means that up to 5 million people are dependent on the industry, which some estimates say contributes up to 20% of GDP. Airlines, taxis, hotels, guest houses, small restaurants, car hire, retailers of clothing and souvenirs; the list is endless.

If you filled every five star hotel I doubt 95% of these people would get a single baht of income. The money would go to the already rich and international hotel chains.

Europeans and Americans already have a multitude of luxury holiday locations like Majorca, Sardinia, the south of France, Italian Riviera, the Caribbean. How successful are we going to be getting them to take a 12-hour flight post coronavirus? Or are we to rely on the rich Chinese? We put our eggs in that basket before and it did not end well.

The most important focus for the government is to improve the lot of the mass population. Not develop policies that will intensify the extreme disparity in wealth distribution.