OPINION

Down with tinting

Re: "Safer roads or just talk?", (Editorial, Dec 31, 2024).

The ability to make eye contact is an essential component of safe and courteous road sharing. Pedestrians should be able to make eye contact with drivers to assure themselves they have been seen before attempting to cross the road.

Cyclists should be able to lock eyes with drivers opposite before turning. And car drivers should be able to see other drivers, if only to give polite hand waves of thanks or "you first" signals when manoeuvring.

Yet the current trend for ultra-tinted car windows means this is impossible. We have no idea who is behind the wheel, and therefore it is too easy for drivers to forget that they are sharing the road with fellow humans.

Let's not forget that dark tinting seriously reduces nighttime visibility through the windscreen. This leads to dangerous driving with no regard for human life.

What is the legislation on window tinting levels on Thailand? It could be enforced when motorists go to renew their car tax and if the police carry out spot checks, assuming there is a will to do so.

Challenge to Hamas

Re: "Justice warrior", (PostBag, Jan 13).

Eric Bahrt makes the oft-repeated claim that Israel is committing genocide. To date, there has not been a single shred of evidence provided by any reputable news organisation to back up this wild and outlandish accusation.

It's a baseless claim made by the propaganda wing of Hamas which has been designated as a terrorist organisation by several countries including the US, Canada, the UK, Australia and Israel.

Other preposterous and outlandish claims made by Hamas are that Gaza is an "open-air prison/concentration camp", that Israel is an "apartheid state" and that it is "starving and freezing children and babies to death". All baseless lies.

Another baseless lie is that Israel is deliberately targeting hospitals and schools and mosques to kill civilians, when it is Hamas using these facilities as bases for their terror activities against Israel, including storing weapons and launching rockets against Israel, making them legitimate targets.

The IDF (Israeli military) has pointed to efforts to minimise civilian casualties such as issuing warnings via leaflets and text messages before striking buildings. It is unfortunate that civilians have died, but this is a war started by Hamas and one of its strategies is to use civilians as human shields.

It's all a bit rum

Re: "Rum conundrum", (PostBag, Jan 11).

In response to this letter by John Kane asking whether rum being produced in Thailand, Sang Som / Sang Thip, and the craft distillery on Ko Samui spring to mind as Thai rums; there are probably others that I don't know about.

I don't know if they still do it but Sang Som used to print the manufacture date on the inside of the front label which used to enhance the buying experience if you could seek out the oldest or most recent, depending on taste.

Elephantine cunning

Re: "Elephant plans need public input", (Editorial, Dec 29, 2024).

There has been recent content about human/elephant conflicts. I have been in Thailand for years and the elephants I've met are docile and polite. Some, however, do cheat when playing five card draw.