OPINION

Jab should be for all

Your Feb 17 report, "Tourism veering from bad to worse", underscores the point that this industry, and much of the economy, depends upon international tourists. These visitors will not return to Thailand until the 14-day quarantine in force upon arrivals is removed. This quarantine period cannot be safely removed until a large proportion of the Thai population is vaccinated.

The solution to rapid vaccination is not to have the government as the monopoly provider. Remember it was scientists and pharmaceutical companies that developed the vaccine and, other than, in some cases, providing funding, governments kept out of the way. To speed up delivery, private hospitals should be allowed to administer the vaccine. These hospitals should be allowed to import any vaccine already approved and administered in the USA or Europe. Logically, employers across the country should line up in droves to pay to have their staff vaccinated so that their businesses can operate safely.

Only when Thailand is viewed as a fully vaccinated, Covid-free destination will international tourists return.

My experience of riding the BTS and MRT is that no matter what the current pricing is, it would be impossible to increase the percentage of commuters using the trains because of gross overcrowding at peak times which is not just a "rush hour" … it's closer to three or four hours.

Having to wait for two or three train arrivals before being able to embark, and then having to squash in like sardines in a can, is not a reflection of "too high pricing for tickets deterring commuters". Insufficient frequency and insufficient train cars result in long queues every day at some stations, stretching across the platforms to the other side, and in some cases up the escalators to the station entrance.

On one occasion, on a normal (pre-Covid era) day at 6pm I needed to use the MRT at Sukhumvit station. People were blocked at the station entrance by MRT staff from going down the escalators to the ticket office level because there was simply no room left at that level or on the platforms.

Supply and demand dictates the requirement, and subsidising fares will not result in increased use of trains by commuters when it's simply not physically possible.

Re: "Time to bid farewell to Thai Airways?", (Opinion, Feb 18).

In addition to Chartchai Parasuk's note, the rehabilitation plan of the national carrier should include a capital haircut. Owners should be penalised before creditors or other third parties.

THAI must reduce its capital shares to a cent a dollar first and may convert all or part of the unsecured credit into share capital, before moving to secure new borrowing.

Good luck, THAI, I love to fly with you too.