OPINION

Rice idea!

Re: "Scandal taints Thai rice", (Editorial, Jan 30).

It's a national shame on our part and present governments that rice is supposedly what we're world-famous for -- and yet we studiously ignore its development, giving only 100-200 million baht annually. Our arch-competitor Vietnam last year alone received 1 billion baht to develop rice seeds. Their strains are so good that Thai farmers reportedly smuggle their seeds in to grow locally.

Instead of billions for rice subsidies, we should spend those billions on R&D to develop the strains most wanted by our markets and develop ways to add value to rice -- like domestically. Instead of selling bananas by the bunch, 7-11 convenience stores sell many thousands of them individually wrapped.

While we await our R&D results, buy improved strains from other countries and sell them at subsidised prices to farmers to grow. Follow Lao Tzu: "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."

Crisis-mongering

Re: "Government says economy in crisis", (BP, Jan 30).

Is the government crying wolf and saying the economy is in crisis simply to justify borrowing 500 billion baht in order to redistribute this to 50 million people to the tune of 10,000 baht each? The "crisis" was blamed on high household debt equal to 90% of GDP.

Thailand has the seventh-highest ratio in the world in this respect among the most developed countries after Switzerland, Australia, Canada, South Korea, Hong Kong and New Zealand. So while this is a concern, it shouldn't be labelled a crisis especially given the oversight provided by the Bank of Thailand, which sounded the alarm a few years ago. It is somewhat lame to point to a crisis when the economy is still being effectively managed by a competent authority.

Climate alarm

Re: "Heat to hit in late Feb", (BP, Jan 27).

There has been both record-breaking snow and cold temperatures in the minus 40 to -50C range in Canada and the northern US states during the last couple of weeks or so, and similar weather in Europe about a month ago.

Thus global warming is just a charade, it would seem. Yet extreme weather conditions are exactly what the climate alarmists have been warning us is a feature of global warming.

To wit: 2023 has been recorded as the hottest year on record, and the temperatures were much higher than normal, with a noticeable lack of snow during December in the now frigid North America. So we should still be worrying about global warming, it is clear.

Kids over pandas

Re: "Envoy supports panda lease idea", (BP, Jan 30), "Mandatory English tests for uni students", (BP, Jan 26) & "Govt bids to cut child deaths", (Jan 6, 2023).

Thailand thinks more of pandas than the youth of today, who are our future.

There has been a pledge to put an English programme in place for all schools. When will this happen? This month, the government promised to upgrade English proficiency among university students. Isn't it a bit late? Last year, the government made another promise to provide young people with survival swimming courses. Where are they?

Take a look at my town, Buri Ram. We have nothing except our famous football club. The public swimming pool, exercise areas, and children's play areas have all been closed.