OPINION

Congrats to the SEC

Re: "SEC files charges versus KTBS executives", (Business, Sept 13).

Congratulations to the SEC. As in stock and financial markets generally, confidence is everything!

Many global investors first and foremost take a look at a country's policing on insider trading -- and if they see that over time no jail time is mandated and/or there is just lame-duck prosecuting, they just go elsewhere. It will be interesting to monitor this going forward.

How much longer?

Re: "Kamnan surrenders after 'ordering' officer's killing", (BP, Sept 8).

Apart from watching the usual news about the busting of underground casinos or illegal online gambling under alleged police protection, the public rarely know much about behind-the-scenes police corruption.

An exception was the recent case when a police officer was murdered in cold blood by a gunman at a party organised by an influential kamnan (subdistrict head) in front of more than 20 guests who are police officers.

In a clip of the deadly party, we can see sturdy men with close-cropped hair, flooded with euphoria, buzzing around the potent kamnan like butter wouldn't melt in their mouth.

Anyone who walks into a Thai police station to file a complaint or to seek police assistance, would most likely find the officers there different from those jolly fellows they saw in the clip.

Ten years after the military coup, there has been no reform of the police force as the coup makers had promised. How much longer do we have to wait?

Kindness of strangers

Re: "Power of words", (PostBag, Sept 13) & "Thailand is a 'sick' nation", (BP, Sept 12).

And now for something completely different! The Land of Smiles is still alive and kicking.

I am partially disabled. Yesterday, I was getting out of my taxi in Hua Hin. I need a few seconds to get the strength back in my leg. A young lady, probably on her way to work, paused as she walked by and asked politely, "Sir, do you need my help?" It made a big impression on me and made my day!

Law of democracy

Re: "Thailand is a 'sick' nation", (BP, Sept 12).

Having lived in Thailand and having protested with Thais to establish democracy in Thailand in 2014, I feel PostBag contributors and many others fail to understand democracy. Thailand is perhaps a sick state because it is not a democracy.

Democracy is about law enforcement and accountability under the law. It is this principle that separates democracy from other forms of government. In any country where there is no enforcement of the law and no accountability under the law, that country is a failed state.

Thaksin Shinawatra was voted into the top job with a resounding number of votes but he was not PM of a democracy. Hence the uprising by the people nine years ago. Thailand is still not a democracy. This was clearly shown on Thaksin Shinawatra's recent return to his homeland as a convicted criminal: he was saluted by senior members of the Thai police force.

I recall Thaksin's followers stamping on pictures of the King of Thailand. Thaksin recently sought a pardon from the King of Thailand to commute his sentence.

In 1932, universal suffrage was established in Thailand but the essential principle of democracy was not. Unfortunately, the right to vote, itself, was therefore understood to be democracy. The right to vote, as we see in other non-democracies where universal suffrage exists, allows leadership by dictators because there is no accountability under the law.

When the law is applied and enforced fairly to rich and poor alike and every single person is accountable under the law, then and only then, can Thailand be considered a democracy.

Thaksin's 'betrayal'

Re: "What's next for post-Thaksin Thailand?" (Opinion, Sept 8).

He (Thaksin) sold his soul for a ticket home. With a single calamitous decision, he segued from hero to millions to traitor to many more. Now we are a nation awash in betrayal. Yellows are outraged at Thaksin's return and rehabilitation. Reds in despair, his dreams they bought, shattered.

But May 14 remains a bright shining light, a beacon beckoning radical change.

What to do now? A critical choice for the powers-that-be. Either extend their tools of control, attempt to destroy the upstart party, jail its leaders, risk rebellion. Or wait until the next election, face certain defeat at the ballot box, and take the Myanmar road to oblivion.

What MFP promised

Re: "Never had a chance", (PostBag, Sept 14).

I have just read Eric Bahrt and I fully agree with what he is saying about non-democratically elected senators. As he clearly says, the MFP by far won most seats to no avail.

Also, the new government intends to give 10,000 baht out to those eligible, along with other sweeteners such as increasing pensioners' income. At least MFP promised each pensioner 3,000 baht monthly.

A waiting game

Re: "Give govt a chance", (PostBag, Sept 12).

In his tirade against my objections to legal and political machinations committed against the election outcome of May 14, Randy Hurlburt overlooks salient facts.

Setting aside his reckless rounding down of Move Forward's share of the vote from the actual 38% to his deceitfully correct "more than 25%", he also fails to note that Move Forward's popularity has risen even more since May 14, as confirmed in the by-election in Rayong held on Sept 10.

Mr Hurlburt seems also unaware of the fact that Thais voted for Pheu Thai on the explicit understanding that that party would never form a coalition with any party complicit in a coup or seen to be aligned with military figures seeking greater business opportunities. Pheu Thai broke that promise to its voters for no good reason.

But I agree with Mr Hurlburt that we should now peacefully await the next election, when the evidence already points to an outright landslide for a government that will make the reforms that Thais increasingly want, that they voted for on May 14, and that the nation has so sorely needed on all fronts these many decades.

Sporting soft power

Re: "Proud moment for a girl called 'Proud'", (PostScript, Sept 10).

The negative image of Thailand as a mecca for cheap thrills, beaches, beer, bars, beauties, and bimbos has prevailed for a few decades. Sadly, the proud boys of Thai politics have further ruined the country's image on the world stage.

It is heartening to see the changes in its image brought by the hard work of Thai athletes and players. Thai athletes and players have excelled in various sports -- golf, volleyball, badminton, and soccer.

Their efforts on the world stage have enhanced the nation's soft power. Its abundant natural resources and world-class facilities allow it to excel in other sports, such as bicycling, swimming, motor, car, boat races, and sea surfing events.

Thailand should indeed be proud of its achievements in sports. Kudos to Roger for highlighting the proud moments of Thai culture and the girl called "Proud."

Ideas for education

Re: "Making education keep up with change", (Opinion, Sept 13).

Thanks to the Post for publishing Mr Nattawut Permjit's timely article on education reform that Thailand badly needs.

My observation for the last three decades is that Thailand's education system and curriculum require massive change, especially in the mindsets of the elite establishment of Thailand who control the education system if they really want Thailand to be in the first world category. Some ideas:

1) High-level criteria must be set for those eligible to become kindergarten and primary teachers.

Top students must be encouraged to take up work as kindergarten and primary school teachers with lucrative offers to stop them from joining multinational companies.

2) Set up a high-level teachers' training school. Import world-class professional educators to groom and nourish our pedagogues and uni students during education majors. Teachers must have a masters degree and fluency in English.

3) Thailand should introduce English as a compulsory subject at kindergarten stage.

4) Thailand should introduce at least four foreign languages from the primary stage for students to choose one or two foreign languages.

5) Introduce "ethics" as a subject in the curriculum from primary stage until year 10. We lack knowledge and discussion around ethics.

6) Introduce meditation and yoga from a very young age to develop spiritual mindsets.

7) Invite all kinds of professionals from corporate companies and professors from universities to spend time with the students to make the curriculum more fun and practical.

8) The Education Ministry should introduce a voting system for students to evaluate teachers.

9) The Education Ministry must set up hotline numbers for parents and students to complain or comment on teachers and school management.

10) The Education Minister and his team should visit schools without prior notice and interview students and parents in private.

11) A new curriculum should introduce "Patriotism" from an early stage.

12) Teachers should be trained to be open-minded and ready to listen students with patience. Fear will not help the kids become inventive, innovative or to be free thinkers.

13) The Education Ministry should encourage international schools to introduce full scholarships to kids from financially-constrained families.