OPINION

Daylight robbery

Re: "Act fast on lottery sets", (Editorial, Jan 23).

I remember that about a year or so ago, many writers, such as Burin Kantabutra, were implying that the problem of overpriced lottery tickets would be solved once they were sold online.

Well, that has now happened, yet lottery tickets are still overpriced, both on the street and now even online!

The Government Lottery Office (GLO) has now complained asking that the matter be looked into and rectified.

Tickets that should only be sold at 80 baht are routinely being sold at well over 100 baht; and ticket bundles of five which should be sold at no more than 400 baht, are being sold at about 50% more both offline and on the internet.

The editorial's solution of allowing the GLO to sell lottery tickets online at above the retail price would thus seem to be a good idea, as this way the profits could go into the state's coffers, instead of to unscrupulous vendor companies. It could also keep the prices from becoming inflated too much in the private sphere.

Novak was right

Re: "Djokovic claims Aussie crown", (Sports, Jan 30).

It was just such a wonderful victory, an elderly giant against a young and talented lion, Stefanos Tsitsipas.

And on a personal level, everybody could see that Novak was vindicated for last year's physical expulsion over refusing an experimental vaccine.

Bravo also to a great human being who will not bow to "authority" that is in league with the dictatorial and corrupt pharma.

Fast and furious

Re: "Points system can deter bad drivers", (BP, Jan 4).

All of us who live here are well aware of the appalling standard of driving in the country, which dreadful accident statistics bear out. We read recently of the new "points deduction" system, increased fines for offences and so on, but the main problem, as I see it, is the attitude and ability of drivers coupled with an almost complete lack of active deterrence by the police.

In my 25 years here, I have driven hundreds of thousands of kilometres in most parts of the country, but over New Year, I had to be on the roads a great deal, something I would normally avoid.

After 60 years of driving, I no longer feel the need to prove my prowess and travel usually at 90-110kph, so I was constantly overtaken by vehicles, including sometimes lorries, at speeds that made it look as though I was driving in reverse!

Drunk driving apart, speed is the major cause of accidents here. I have to wonder why the previous plethora of cameras, both hand-held and fixed, has clearly declined -- although I notice more fixed ones now.

Police vehicles are seldom seen on the roads, and even when they are, the drivers seem oblivious to vehicles flashing past them, even as they themselves exceed the limit.

So how to educate a driver with a bullock-cart mentality to cope with a vehicle capable of speeds up to 200kph? It's not going to happen overnight, but an effective driving test and a lack of police indifference may improve the situation. But This is Thailand (TIT)!