OPINION

Dark Myanmar forces

Re: "Backsliding by Myanmar," (Editorial, May 14).

This editorial headline on Asean's role in Myanmar could not have been better chosen to describe the current impasse between the rogue military junta represented by the senior army general and his brutal army.

The Feb 1, 2021 military coup was done as a copycat replication of the 1962 putsch which saw the country slide into military dictatorship and was backed by two regional powers, the then USSR and PR China.

The 1962 brutal seizure of power was accompanied by instantaneous killings of innocent citizens, the nationalisation of assets owned by the rich, control over religious practices, the introduction of socialist style "ration cards" for essential food supplies and the subjugation of the will of the people by bullies.

History also teaches us that the United States which had engaged in two futile wars in the region, had some handy allies among the Southeast Asian countries, and when the Asean five-nation sponsored framework was signed into a treaty on August 8, 1967 a rather docile pact was established that the five nations would be good partners to each other, engage in neighbourliness and lend their united voice to any UN or other international causes such as the Asian-African framework of agreement, and the Non-aligned movement among the mostly Commonwealth group of countries.

Asean has become more open in its attitudes, brought in its other non-Asean neighbours such as Vietnam, Laos, Brunei, Cambodia and Myanmar. Asean grew bigger, but its values remained the same with non-interference in the internal affairs of member states being a sanctimonious rule of engagement. This really is the crux of the present enigma within Asean as to how to cut through its silence-is-golden rule.

The other reality is that the Myanmar icon Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is perceived as an intruder in military-style politics, governed by a communist philosophy, and of course, gender equality and respect for individual human rights has never been a factor for the Myanmar military which even to this day is an all-boys club.

While sympathising with the hapless Myanmar citizens and wishing for a fairy-godmother end to the sad current history of Myanmar, it is imperative for the international community of nations to stand firm in support of the Myanmar citizens in their efforts to defend democracy and put an end to the military's grip. Secondly, the role of education for peace is needed.

The choice of life and wellbeing of all should be preferred over dark and insidious forces.

Re: "Thousands of inmates infected," (BP, May 13).

Protest leader Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul revealed upon her release on bail that there are many Covid-19 cases in prison. These 2,835 cases -- and counting -- in Bangkok's two main prisons were totally preventable. It should have been obvious that Thai jails' over-crowded conditions make social distancing impossible, not to mention frequent hand-washing -- and wardens make ideal if unwitting spreaders as they make their rounds.

Was extensive testing of inmates, wardens, and visitors in Thai jails nationwide carried out soon after we found the first Thai Covid-19 case in January 2020? If not, why not? Have we had such testing this year at all? What lessons -- if any -- have we learnt? (My Google search on these topics was futile.)

Re: "Thousands of inmates infected," (BP, May 13).

After reading this news, I felt outraged at the actions of the Corrections Department.

"Nearly 3,000 inmates at Bangkok's two main prisons… have been found to be infected with Covid-19." Was it not painfully obvious that thousands of inmates massed in well-documented over-crowded conditions might cause a potential super-spreader event?

Why were protocols not in place to detect and respond to Covid cases? How could it suddenly happen that these inmates were found on a single day to be infected with Covid-19?

Or perhaps it was not so sudden. "Corrections Department director-general Aryut Sinthoppan revealed the 2,835 infections yesterday after democracy activist Panusaya Sithijirawattanakul marked her release on bail by telling her Facebook followers that she had contracted the virus. She acknowledged that many inmates have infections."

If Ms Panusaya was aware that many inmates had infections, how could it have remained a secret from the Corrections Department?

Or was there a conspiracy at work to keep the news of the infections from spreading to the general public -- thereby forcing the Corrections Department to admit reality after Ms Panusaya blew their cover?

Why is Mr Aryut not as outraged as I am? Clearly Mr Aryut himself does not see any cause for alarm. "Mr Aryut said he considered the number of infected inmates to be small when compared to the number of infections throughout the country." Surely that is the most pathetic excuse for obvious incompetence I have ever heard expressed willingly by a public servant.

The television station Al-Jazeera just aired at the beginning of the week an interesting documentary on Thai migrant workers in Sweden -- Sweden's Thai Berry Pickers | 101 East.

It focused on the trials and tribulations experienced by a couple from Udon Thani and a man named Cheng from the same province, who went to the northern country to pick a rare form of berry that is found only in Sweden.

The documentary showed the amazing contrasts between the hot and humid farms of Isan with the cool and at times wet weather in the forests of Sweden, where temperatures even in the middle of summer in July were 7 degrees Celsius!

The narrator was amazed at how people could move from a hot and humid climate to one where coolness was the norm near the Arctic Circle. One got the sense that the makers of the documentary felt that the migrant labourers were exploited in some form, stressing more than one time that the workers were only making meagre wages.

Yet, when asked about their situations, the couple from Udon stated that in a good year they can make about US$3,000, or around 90,000 baht each, but that in the year the film was made, they only made less than half that.

Nonetheless, they stressed that this was still good enough money for two or so months of work, and that they would come back again. The other man featured named Cheng also stressed that he would come back again, and that it was a good learning experience for him, considering that it was the first time that he did the job.

Quite clearly, many Thais have given up on the "Thai dream". One hears numerous stories now, especially in northeastern region of Isan, about how one or both parents of children have left the kingdom for only a few months or permanently in order to support their families. The above story gives substance to this tale.

The women stressed that without the money she and her husband were making in Sweden, they would never have been able to finance the education of their daughter at a decent school.

The documentary also showed clips about how others in the Udon Thani village where the featured couple live have been able to buy land, tractors or even cars from the funds obtained in their sojourn in Sweden, and that most now do not really labour in the rice or sugar cane fields anymore, leaving the work to others, since the money accrued here quite simply does not compare to that made in Sweden.

Re: "Learn from past woes," (PostBag, May 13).

Isn't the Trabant assimilation an example of a military-led government's way of thinking? It begins with the "Everything must be uniform" syndrome.

Lateral, progressive thinking is not encouraged. Nor is change.

It makes life easier for those at the top to continue in the "We have always done it like this. They should be grateful that they are getting a vaccine" attitude that prevails.

Re: "Phuket banking on 129,000 arrivals," (Business, May 13).

Your newspaper reports TAT governor Yuthasak Supasorn making the assumption that 129,000 visitors are expected in Phuket, and are willing to pay 150,000 to 200,000 baht for the privilege of staying in Phuket for seven days.

At today's exchange rate they expect each individual to pay US$6,000 each for the privilege. Not only the US$6,000 but you must have Covid insurance for coverage of US$100,000.

Please be realistic. Who in their right minds would pay this amount of money for seven days amid the height of Covid-19 pandemic?

The government came up with the idea and expects everyone to believe that this will happen. Meanwhile, they still have not finalised the vaccine that is due in the country in June. The country is falling apart because of this government and its lack of foresight.

Seven days in Phuket for US$6,000! Please wake up and smell the coffee.

It occurs to me that there are no guidelines on home treatment given to patients after they have received a positive Covid-19 test result. People are told to go home, self-isolate, and when the symptoms are unbearable come to a hospital, where many will die.

Why not? There is a prescription for ivermectin, vitamin D3, zinc, aspirin (for thrombosis) and anti-inflammatory medicine. This inexpensive home care or some version of it, would save countless lives.

Why is all the emphasis on vaccines and none on treatment? It is bizarre to imagine any talk of treatment is labelled as misinformation. Those who advocate for home treatment, including physicians, are being systematically persecuted and denigrated. That this evil bias is instituted for the sake of greed is obvious. It's time for a change.

Every day the government reports the number of new infections and deaths. When reporting deaths the reports always show the underlying illnesses related to these deaths. The simple truth is that older people with underlying conditions are at the greatest risk of death as a result of Covid. It is also true that the vast majority of these people with underlying conditions would be alive today if not for becoming infected with Covid. So the primary cause of these deaths is Covid and not the underlying conditions. By blaming underlying conditions for Covid deaths the government is sending the wrong message to younger, healthy people. The underlying message seems to be if you are healthy do not worry about death from Covid. This message can lead to more risky behaviour.