OPINION

Safer building

Re: "Crane probe overdue", (Editorial, Dec 16).

Regarding your editorial piece in today's paper, would you please address the litany of construction incidents with the gravity it deserves? Again, these are not accidents, they're avoidable events which should not result in people losing their lives. Referring to them as glitches or mishaps simply trivialises the situation, which, unless addressed, will end in further catastrophe. These construction companies need to be held accountable; it's simply not good enough. So, not only do I have to be mindful of manhole or drain covers when I use the pavements, but now it seems I have to be as vigilant when driving in the vicinity of any ongoing construction.

Mainstream mess

Re: "Inside rightist YouTube world embraced by Yoon", (Opinion, Dec 17).

"Inside rightist YouTube world embraced by Yoon" from Reuters has made a modest attempt to include references to both sides of the recent Korean political situation, but, taken in total, is a poorly disguised attempt to discredit the conservative right. The Reuters authors assume a tangibly self-affirming elitism and employ the term "YouTuber" pejoratively as if it were synonymous with "conspiracy theorists" and amateurism.

One does understand their plight. Trump has made the corrupt corporate media's fake news common knowledge to such an extent that CNN has itself become a meme. Independent media, including YouTubers, are now the only trusted source of the news, and the more Reuters and their ilk try to change the tide of public opinion, the more independent content is embraced by the masses.

Which of these stories (there are hundreds to choose from) brought to us by mainstream media do you still believe: social distancing and getting vaccinated prevent Covid, Hunter Biden's laptop was Russian disinformation, Russia blew up the Nord Stream pipeline, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was an austere religious scholar -- not a terrorist, Ivermectin is a horse dewormer, and the Trump campaign colluded with Russia? Despite independent journalists breaking the truth about these stories, mainstream media failed to openly apologise for their coordinated deception, which is one of many reasons their integrity may never be recovered.

Bottom line -- the extent of the destabilising influence of North Korea and the Communist Party of China upon Korean politics is massive, and independent media has gotten it right again.

Strange but true

Re: "Going bookish", (PostBag, Dec 16) & "There's nothing like an old book title", (PostScript, Dec 15).

With respect, I would like to advise the letter writer Rupert Sedgwick Smedley-Pryce disputing the existence of Nakon Nowhere that, in fact, it did exist. It was on the edge of the Golden Triangle. It was home to the long-extinct Fookawi tribe. They are still revered in rugby songs by teams claiming to be members of the tribe after a hard-fought game.

Eye on Washington

In my now many years in Thailand I have been surprised to see US politics played out in the PostBag more than any other issue. Monday is an example. Two of three Post letters explained how little honour is associated with Time's Person of the Year award, and the other chides outgoing President Biden for attempting to pardon people who had been criminalised and openly threatened by the incoming president. I suggest that, as US citizens, we should hold our breath and see what happens. In Thailand, we are on the sidelines and better off for that.