OPINION

Show some respect

I agree with Atiya Achakulwisut that we give lip service to our beloved HM King Rama IX but act the opposite (Commentary, March 24).

Following his royal father, HM Rama X has asked that the authorities go lightly in applying lese majeste laws -- yet the Prayut government and a multitude of Thais are using Section 112 to go after protesters and other opponents as vigorously as their predecessors whose fervour caused the royal warnings.

For example, Gen Prayut slapped opposition leader Thanathorn with a Section 112 charge for recommending that we diversify our Covid vaccine sources -- a charge which was so lacking in substance that the brave court quickly dismissed it.

In his 2003 and 2005 birthday speeches, King Bhumibol clearly expressed his wish for our lese majeste laws to be reformed.

As Nicholas Grossman noted in the Palace-approved book, King Bhumibol Adulyadej: A Life's Work, "Thailand's law of lese majeste has one very prominent critic: King Bhumibol … [who] used his birthday address to convey three concerns: "The king is a human being and as such should be subject to criticism; charges against those accused of lese majeste should be dropped and those held in jail for lese majeste should be released; and the use of the lese majeste law ultimately damages the monarchy".

If, as I fervently believe, kings Rama IX and X are correct, we, led by PM Prayut, are "ultimately damaging the monarchy" by such widespread usage of S112.

To minimise such damage, I suggest Privy Council approval be obtained before charging anybody with lese majeste.

Protect our highest institution -- not political ambitions of the government.

Human rights cant

It seems the whole world is demanding that sanctions be taken against the Myanmar government because an estimated 250 civilians have been killed since the coup. So why did the United States restore relations with that government when they, together with Aung San Suu Kyi's supporters, have murdered an estimated 24,000 Rohingya since 2018? Of course, two wrongs don't make a right.

But why is the world so selective when it comes to fighting for human rights? I imagine the Palestinians as well as the Rohingya would like an answer to that question too.

Pricing trickery

Re: "It's all in the maths", (PostBag, March 15) and "Odd product pricing", (PostBag, March 14).

It all started when a supermarket priced a bag of 500g grapes at 139 baht and a 250g bag at 69 baht, raising concerns of unfairness that buying larger quantities should have a lower unit cost.

Logic, economics and mathematics aside, there is a psychological explanation for this.

Since people read from left to right, 69 baht seems significantly cheaper than 70 and that's why the supermarket priced it that way. Plus it encouraged buyers to buy two small bags to save 1 baht. (The 500g bag was a decoy).

It is a part of psychological pricing tactics that we see every day.

A set lunch menu at 99 instead of 100 baht.

A car priced at 999,900 instead of 1,000,000 baht.