OPINION

Protecting the rot

Re: "Corruption still a problem", (Editorial, Feb 15).

As it yet again rails impotently against the traditional corruption that is systemic, endemic, and too often blessed by legalised impunity, the Bangkok Post yet again fails to point to a major enabler of that long-standing disease on the nation.

Thailand's defamation laws, beloved for good reason by the likes of ex-PM and ex-convict (not inmate) Thaksin Shinawatra and his best mate since mid-2024, that self-made former PM Prayut Chan-o-Cha, actively suppress healthy, honest speech. And what cannot be spoken can neither be known as it richly deserves to be nor corrected. Forced ignorance is surely its best mate; it is an informed opinion of worth from open dialogue that can, in contrast, oppose entrenched corruption.

Unless and until the pro-democracy, pro-justice reforms advocated by Move Forward and now by the People's Party are adopted, the Post will be able to again wail about still flourishing corruption next year, and the year after, and the decade after, and the century after.

Asean's next move

Re: Asean, in disarray, needs to recalibrate", (Opinion, Feb 17).

Kasit Piromya's take on Asean should be viewed for its value of opinions that are focused on realities shaping the new global world order, led by the US, Russia and China and, of course, new threats to global trade shaped by US domestic priorities.

Clearly, the times from 1967 to the present are different. Asean needs to redefine itself relative to its strengths and what the rest of the world needs to do to realign with the directions of Asean. Here, the self-reliance doctrine preached by Mahatma Gandhi in the last century, which propelled India's freedom struggle, is one example of what Asean or any Asian trade bloc can espouse for starters. This does not in any way counsel self-isolation under the "make Asean great again" banner, but to take a leaf of inspiration out of Kasit Piromya's article, a call to Asean nations to take themselves seriously and to reposition their collective strengths on new inviolable supremacy. It's now or never.

No aid, no future

Re: "Refugees face deepening crisis", (Editorial, Feb 16).

Eliminating USAID is a betrayal of the most vulnerable. For years, it has funded scholarships for Myanmar (Burmese) students, giving them a chance to rebuild their country. With USAID gone, these students are abandoned, their dreams shattered by an America that once promised to stand for democracy and human rights.

These scholarships were more than just financial aid; they were lifelines for young leaders escaping persecution. Without them, the promise of a brighter Myanmar dims. Thailand has long served as a refuge and a bridge for Myanmar's future by providing quality education to Myanmar youth at its top universities and institutions, but with the US turning its back, hope is fading. The US must honour its commitments. Abandoning these scholars sends a message that it no longer stands for the oppressed.

Correction

The sentence in the lead editorial on Feb 15 should have read, "Globally, Thailand is in 107th place, an improvement from 108th the year before, and on par with Algeria, Brazil, Malawi, Nepal and Niger." We apologise for the mistake.

CONTACT: