OPINION

Baby factories

Re: "Low fertility tops 'Smart Families' agenda", (BP, Aug 23).

The Apec meeting seems to be setting its agenda on increasing the region's population under the guise of "Smart Families". A more accurate euphemism might be "Breeding Units" or "Baby Factories".

Now that the world's population has passed 8 billion, with food and other resources stretched and most wild species under threat of extinction due to human encroachment, is it wise to exhort people to have more children to stimulate the economy?

Shouldn't sustainability be at the top of our agenda?

Leader's promises

Re: "Prayut: I won't prolong my stay", (BP, June 12, 2015) and "Pressure mounts on PM tenure", (BP, Aug 22).

I'm delighted to hear ex-government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana recently emphasise that "The PM is ... a man of his word", for in June 2015, "PM Prayut Chan-o-cha reiterated his plan to end his tenure once new elections are held". He said: "We will do what we can on reforms and hand over the baton after ... elections."

PM Prayut, you are a man of your word, your ex-spokesman it declared seven years ago. The time's long past due to keeping your promise.

Pining for amnesia

Re: "Govt frets over Rohypnol sales", (BP, Aug 21).

Although I'm not sure the 25-year-old man cited quite fits the shocking claims, it is nonetheless disturbing to learn that the drug Rohypnol is all the rage among fashionable Thai teens. I thought Rohypnol just made people pass out, especially when mixed with alcohol, and that it prevents the formation of memories.

It's all very well and expected that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has asked the Royal Thai Police to perform as usual. We have, however, to wonder which aspects of the existing Thai nation that the prime minister of almost eight years, along with colluding parents and grandparents, have made for them that young Thais are so desperate to blot out from consciousness.

Battle lines

Re: "Short on ideas", (PostBag, Aug 21).

Bruno, there is no easy alternative to Ukraine's current bellicose state of affairs. It is you, not me, suggesting that Ukraine submit to Russia. The occupying forces in Afghanistan were none other than the Soviet forces. After 9/11, the USA became the new occupier.

There are no winners in any war, period. Ukraine becoming a proxy for the EU and the USA will not turn into a winner either.

Of course, Russia is paying the price, but the rest of the world is also paying. How many million Ukrainians must flee to the EU or the USA to declare victory?

So, both fighting factions must weigh the price of a long war.

Kill quarantine

Re: "Health Ministry defends Covid 5+5 policy", (BP, Aug 23).

Why should there be any quarantine at all for Omicron, which is a wimp?

Why not quarantine people with the flu since it kills more children than Omicron?

How about a quarantine for people with pneumonia (at least for two days until the antibiotics kick in) or bronchitis?

All these diseases are far worse than Omicron or Covid.

Isn't it time to say to the medical establishment and the vaccine industry: Look you already made your billions of dollars giving millions of healthy people worthless, dangerous vaccines?

Now leave us alone and let us finally get on with our lives.