OPINION

No more excuses

Re: "Shrinking the naughty list", (Editorial, Dec 24).

The headline of this editorial piece just mirrors the typical mindset of Thais. "Naughty" list?

No! This is bloody serious!

This is the culture of impunity. It's deeply ingrained in the psyche of Thais of all ages.

Somewhere, there seems to be acquiescence that it is OK to override the system.

This is a pure cop-out!

Each Thai needs to be taught that you are no more or less important than others.

If the system doesn't work, why hasn't the system changed yet?

Shining bright

The lights of Christmas are meant to reflect beauty, peace and celebration.

We cannot overlook the rich symbolism of the festive occasion by allowing war, hatred, vile political connivance and hypocrisies to eclipse the radiance of love, peace, hope and the joys of humanity at Christmas time.

May the shine of the lights of Christmas shine upon better times in our world.

Let there be true peace, understanding and amity.

Feast of feuds

Re: "Population puzzle" & "Crossing the line", (PostBag, Dec 24).

Not a great deal of cheer and goodwill in my PostBag stocking this Christmas Day!

First up was Michael Setter struggling to keep up his record of a letter-a-day with a jumble of incomprehensible statistics about China's birth rate, seemingly just to contradict a letter from Ioan Voicu.

Following that was a missive from Songdej Praditsmanont in support of Mr Setter's appeal for letters on all topics.

Somewhat surprisingly for many of us, he praised the Post for having disabused him on misleading information from other dubious sources over the years.

This was all the more ironic given that Mr Setter has been the most prolific purveyor of disinformation in PostBag in the six years I've been a reader.

Khun Songdej didn't hesitate to remind us that, regardless of the criticism he has received for previous threats of libel action, he remains poised to sue for defamation.

That's the moment he perceives that disagreement in a letters column constitutes character assassination.

It's looking like 2025 is going to be more of the same, same.

Worth the search

Re: "Smart reading", (PostBag, Dec 24).

I think the book Cyro Sa is searching for is Mai Pen Rai Means Never Mind an American Housewife's Honest Love Affair with the Irrepressible People of Thailand.

It's available new from Amazon or used from Abe Books, though shipping costs may be prohibitive.

It was recommended to me on arrival in Thailand in 1991 and proved both enjoyable and instructive.

I do hope Cyro finds a copy!