OPINION

Combat unready purchase

Re: "Air Force eyes F-35 stealth jets", (BP, Dec 3).

RTAF commander-in-chief ACM Napadej Dhupatemiya wants to buy 8 F-35 stealth fighters at hopefully $70 million each. But, according to Forbes: "US Air Force leaders in early 2021 all but admitted what critics have been saying for many years -- the $100-million F-35 stealth fighter is unreliable for hard, day-to-day use...

"Just how big of a mess is the F-35? Officials continue to struggle against a tide of F-35 design flaws.

"Nearly every time the engineers solve one problem, a new one is discovered. The F-35 still has 871 unresolved deficiencies.

"Ten of these are the more serious Category I deficiencies that 'may cause death, severe injury, or severe occupational illness; may cause loss or major damage to a weapon system; critically restricts the combat readiness capabilities of the using organization.'

"The F-35 program made some reliability improvements in 2020, but is still failing to live up to its maintenance and sortie requirements, despite the fact that those expectations were set very low." (Source: "After 20 years, the F-35 Stealth Fighter is Still Stuck in Testing," Forbes, Feb 25, 2021).

Why buy a plane that, after 20 years of building and testing, still isn't combat-ready, has 871 unresolved flaws, and is unreliable?

No imminent risk of attack

Re: '' Air Force eyes F-35 stealth jets", (BP, Dec 3).

I am so happy that the Thai Air Force is going to buy billions of bahts worth of F35 jets. I was a bit worried about an invasion, but I feel really safe now.

Yours,

Kids Covid cash a waste

Re: "Reshape priorities", (Postbag, Dec 26).

Khun Burin makes a great point that since children rarely die from Covid 19, the resources wasted on vaccinating them could be put to better use.

Over two million children die from diarrohea every year and millions more face starvation in Afghanistan.

If the CDC, WHO and Dr Anthony Fauci gave a hoot about children they would demand the money spent vaccinating them instead be used to save lives elsewhere.

In a related matter, German health authorities are complaining that vaccinated Germans who might have been exposed to Covid 19 are not coming forward because they assume they are safe.

But since the health authorities and the media have lied to the public about how wonderful the vaccines are, who can blame the vaccinated Germans if they let down their guard and inadvertently spread the virus?

The paper you can trust?

Re: "Roaring into 2022 by Sithinart Thongmee", (Life, Dec 31) & "Horoscope by Jeraldine Saunders" (Life, Dec 31).

I'm a regular subscriber who reads your astrological prognostications mainly for amusement. I was born on March 23.

On Dec 31 your Guru magazine pegged me as an Aries (March 21-April 19) and on the same date your Life section had me down as a Pisces (March 14-April 13).

How can you be "The Newspaper I Can Trust" when you can't even get the signs of the Zodiac straight?

Pining for milk and honey

I am in the UK for another week. I have my Thai Pass all sorted out, booked my tests both before AND after the flight, plus a hotel stay for one night. You know what? I cannot wait to get back!

While it has been marvellous for my family to catch up with loved ones after a two year hiatus, and my wife and daughters have certainly made the most of their time here, I am fed up with the constant bickering going on between Left and Right, vaccine supporters against anti-vaxxers, Boris appeasers and Keir lovers!

Thailand may have a relatively small economy, and have no place at the top table but, to my mind, the Thai people plus those of us lucky enough to live and work there and the government have pulled together to do what we felt was best for the country and people as a whole.

Obviously we all fervently want to return to the days of milk and honey when Khao San Road was full as were the islands, and it might just be that we are turning the corner now.

The vaccination roll-out seems to have worked as well as anywhere else and we are on track to open schools and colleges full time in the new year.

Let's all hope the Omicron variant is as weak as scientists are predicting, and we can all look forward to a New Year where we can tentatively begin to live our lives again.

Take care everyone, and here's to a great 2022!