OPINION

'Pretenderloin' not so bad

Eric Bahrt in his Dec 12 letter is back again with his "Meat is murder" campaign. I'm not in agreement with Eric, but this time he did touch a sympathetic nerve. During the late 50s when Chicago was the meat packing capital of the USA, (and I was still a teenager), I was taken on a tour of the Swift and Armor meat slaughterhouses and packing plants. I vomited copiously at the disgusting spectacle before me, and swore never to eat another piece of meat. I lasted about a year before I recanted and had a burger. Did I learn my lesson? Yes Eric, I did. But I'm still carnivorous.

This past year I was diagnosed with a stage-four cancer. My oncologist said I needed a high protein diet for my white blood cells to cope with the chemo. Only chicken and pork would do it.

Fish contains less protein per gramme by comparison. I do not like Thai beef, (would love a juicy prime rib in San Francisco, or in Puerto Rico's Chart House), and certainly cannot afford the Aussie beer-fed beef or the Japanese wagyu beef. Vegetables could not even give me anything near what I need for a high protein intake.

In his reply to former Democrat Party MP Warong Dechkitvigrom, Karl Reichstetter ("We need mockery", Dec 12) acknowledges that laws similar to Thailand's internationally famous lese majeste law, Section 112 of the criminal code, also exist in other nations, who also feel the need to offer some protection to their heads of state. But rather than take the example of what logically follows from a republic such as the US, would it not be more respectfully fitting for Thailand to emulate the legal practices of another democracy with a constitutional monarchy? With its ancient monarchy that remains an anciently respected pillar of the kingdom, surely England provides more appropriate lessons than the United States?

Thai TV could, for example, introduce Thai history and culture to the world, whilst making a tidy profit and garnering much renown, by producing a Thai equivalent of Netflix's international hit series The Crown, regarding which it is worth noting that there has been not a whisper of a hint of a rumour of any prosecution for lèse majesté for offence caused to my own dear Queen Elizabeth II, herself now verging on venerable ancientness. Yes, by all means give Thailand's monarchy the same legal protections under lèse majesté laws that are extended to other heads of state, including the head of the Commonwealth nations such as my own country. Who, what nation, could not fully support such perfectly adequate legal protection consistent with democratic principle?

I cannot comprehend why foreigners who will get the new anti-Covid vaccines, by Pfizer for example, and Moderna soon, are not included anywhere in the Thai authorities' plans for re-opening the country.

The UK has started the mass vaccination process and several tourist-exporting countries will do so soon.

If one can produce proof of having received the vaccine, why can't they get a visa without the nightmarish quarantine?

Under the current regulations, foreigners will stay away for the most part. The quarantine is a non-starter. And not enabling expats to travel and return is very draconian indeed.

The protester's calls for Thailand to become a republic will result in failure and harm their legitimate calls for reform. The older generation have grown up under a so-called constitutional monarchy and consider it sacrosanct while there are also those who use it for their own personal benefit. Better to stick to reform.

Re: "Prosecutors pass buck in 'Boss' case," (BP, Dec 10).

The OAG now tells us they cannot proceed to trial until the RTP "track down" the offender. How, I wonder, do Thailand's best and finest intend to do that. How can they enlist the aid of Interpol if no current charges have been laid against him?

I'm sure that any cop with half a grain of tech savvy, could pin down his location in a flash (if it isn't known already). Wealthy, high-profile figures like Vorayuth don't hide out in a cabin in the woods! But I think we all know why there is no serious political will to do other than let this case eventually, quietly, fade away.