OPINION

Misplaced blame?

Re: "Clean air comes before animal feed", (Editorial, May 12).

I read with interest in Sunday's editorial that "field burning in corn plantations" is "the main source of toxic haze in the North."

Only last week, the Thai government's Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (Gistda) released data that shows that forest fires, including conservation forest and national forest, accounted for 94% of the burn area in Chiang Mai between Jan 1 and April 30 this year. The data used by Gistda is based on data from the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Is the Bangkok Post suggesting that Nasa and the Thai government are lying and making data up?

Around a week ago, a spokesperson for the Northern Breath Council was quoted in the media saying that along with the main cause being forest fires, not agriculture, the main problem with dealing with fires is that they are often difficult to reach. Is the peak body for tackling PM2.5 in the north lying, and does the Bangkok Post believe that space aliens or cargo helicopters are bringing corn out of difficult-to-reach forest areas that can sometimes take 3-4 hours on foot for firefighters to reach?

Going back a year or two, Chiang Mai University presented data on emissions from fires in Northern Thailand in 2019 at an air quality conference supported by the US Consulate General in Chiang Mai. The study found that between February and April of that year -- burning season, PM2.5 emissions from corn/maize accounted for 2.8% of the smoke in the air in the north of Thailand (not just Chiang Mai) versus 96.87% from the burning of forests. Did they make that up as well?

People in the North, myself included, who have two eyes can see what the overwhelming majority of forest fires are about -- something you clearly can't see from a gilded tower in Bangkok. The reality on the ground, not Greenpeace talking points, is that the fires are primarily related to forest products ranging from hed thob mushrooms, pak whan, red ant eggs, honey, illegal logging, animal hunting and more.

Political speculation

Re: "Govt wants to sell all old stocks", (BP, May 14).

Maybe I am making a moot connection?

Is it possible the sale of the 10-year-old rice, stored in warehouses, has anything to do with a certain former prime minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, wanting to return to her homeland?

Fairness in faith

Re: "Complaint against 'reincarnated son' of Lord Buddha", (Online, May 13).

Those zealous protectors of Buddhism who are bringing charges against the amazing claims of Thailand's latest Buddhist hit are surely right to follow the Buddha's wise teachings about critically examining all claims, including his own, which he knew perfectly well to be fallible.

But if the claims of Nong Nice are to be subject to legal action merely because they are unsubstantiated by any verifiable evidence to justify the donations pouring in, mustn't the same standard be applied to the equally solidly substantiated, and equally lucrative claims of reincarnation, the trade in merit, magical amulets, relics, and so on?