OPINION

Present from Putin

Re: "Putin call 'a test' of deal-making skill", (World, March 19).

The Trump-Putin talks have apparently led to a small concession: Russia will stop destroying the Ukraine energy system. Is this an empty gift in that Mr Putin believes that it will be Russian territory soon and he would then have to pay to repair it?

Visa folly

Re: "Visa-free stay set to be cut to 30 days", (Business, March 19).

The long-suffering Thai tourism sector has just had its first very profitable season in six years but this year's welcome cash flow will just start to undo the damage done to small- and medium-sized tourism businesses by the coronavirus lockdown and the global economic destruction it caused.

The wider local economy is already in very bad shape, and at the beginning of April, President Trump -- the demented emperor of the country that buys more than 17% of Thailand's exports -- is going to smash the Thai economy by imposing very high tariffs on all Thai exports to the USA because Thailand imposes very high tariffs on American exports and because the Thailand government is seen to be a currency manipulator by the USA.

A wise government would be proactively reducing tariffs and talking politely to the Americans about what other steps to take to prevent an economic apocalypse in three weeks' time. What has the government actually been doing? Talking vaguely about taxing the already-taxed income and assets of expats, but refusing to provide any details, and then claiming to be surprised that the SET has crashed and the sales of new apartments have come to a grinding halt.

The successful rebound of the tourism sector is an isolated piece of great news for a country that increasingly resembles a failed state. Millions of Thai people make a living, directly or indirectly, from the money spent by the 40 million visitors in the past 12 months.

Rather than celebrate this one success, this one bit of good news in an imploding country, the moronic political class are responding by reducing the tourist visa-on-arrival to 30 days. The dinosaurs responsible for such ignorant and economic and socially destructive policymaking should be immediately sacked and have their pensions cancelled. Use law enforcement to deal with criminal activities, not visas.

Take the self-sabotaging and unworkable idea of an expat tax off the agenda by instead attaching a 10,000 to 15,000 baht infrastructure services fee to every annual visa renewal. Yes, long-term expat residents should be making a contribution to the roads, electricity, water and health infrastructure we use, and this is the rational way for Thailand to acquire money legitimately. Introduce an annual fee and, who knows, the SET may rise again. Fill the Thai government with professional young people who understand the ways of the world and who can think through the full implications of various policy options before talking about them in public.

Thailand or Thaitanic? To be or not to be? Time is short. Very, very short.

Questionable trip

Re: "Uyghur trip 'not fake'", (BP, March 21) and "PR trip to Xinjiang?" (Editorial, March 21).

The Uyghurs have all returned to their homes, and judging by recent news footage and a recent visit from the Thai verification team, they are happily reunited with their families. Regardless of their ultimate destination -- if not China -- it is only natural for individuals to wish to reunite with their families after a decade of separation. The agreements by these ex-prisoners to return to their homes are entirely in line with human rights norms. It is crucial to emphasise that these Uyghurs committed no offences in their own country and are not listed as wanted or subject to arrest by the Chinese government.

These Uyghurs are not refugees. They entered Thailand illegally to commit crimes 10 years ago. Our returning of them to their home country after serving their sentence is well within our rights and international commitments under the Penal Sentences Act BE 2527 for foreign nationals convicted of a crime in Thailand. Additionally, it is not Thailand's job to ascertain the well-being of another country's citizens for the satisfaction of Western countries.

But the saga goes on for Thailand. According to a statement on the US State Department website by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, it is a matter of life and death for these returnees. Consider what evidence has been presented so far that this act has been detrimental to the well-being of these Uyghurs.

The waving of a purported handwritten letter from a supposedly imprisoned Uyghur in front of a TV camera by the opposition party does not constitute admissible evidence for an injunction of any kind in any court of law. Lest we forget, on Feb 5, 2003, Colin Powell, then-chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff and a Four-Star General, stood up and waved indisputable proof of weapons of mass destruction to the UN Security Council that turned out to be false and resulted in millions of deaths and destruction of Iraq as a country.

"The United States has worked with Thailand for years to avoid this situation, including by consistently and repeatedly offering to resettle the Uyghurs in other countries, including, at one point, the United States", Reuters reported, citing a US official who asked not to be named. The use of "unnamed official" and circular references are common tactics used by Western media to imply possible underhanded actions.

In conclusion, the use of "unnamed official" is a smear tactic by the Western press directed and controlled by the US government. There are no official documents of any offer by the USA to support the above claim that the USA was willing to accept these Uyghurs as refugees.

Officially, there was only one request submitted by the Chinese government through the official channel via the agreed-upon protocol signed between Thailand and 38 countries.

The announcement of sanctions on the State Department's website marks the fourth round of actions taken by the US against Thailand regarding this issue. These actions include: 1) an official protest and condemnation, 2) coordinating protests and condemnations from European countries, the EU Parliament, and Japan, 3) issuing a travel warning for Thailand related to potential terrorist incidents and pressuring Japan to issue a similar warning, and 4) implementing these latest minor sanctions to demonstrate that the US still holds influence over Thailand.

Thailand's exports to the USA in 2024 comprise about 18% of our total annual exports, and the EU bloc adds another 8%, totalling about a quarter of our exports. We are an export-oriented country and clearly cannot do without these trades. As the smaller economy, we are at a disadvantage should economic imperialism be revisited upon us.

Thailand considers itself a newly developed country. However, this incident is a reminder to all of us that we are still a little fish in a big pond and that economic imperialism still exists. As a member of Brics, the Thai government should intensify its efforts to trade more with like-minded countries that will not resort to moral pretences to pressure us into compromising our values and beliefs nor subtly showcase their ability to destabilise our economy. A true friend would never act in such a manner.

Who dunnit?

Re: "Indian pair arrested over island rape", (BP, March 16).

I was speechless and upset by the Post news editorial desk and reporter Supapong Chaolam regarding the coverage of this news. The report did not show the crucial element of criminal law, failing to identify the missing dots. It reads like a third-rate Bollywood movie script where medical, forensic evidence and factual physical evidence are missing.

Let me borrow statements reported by the Post:

1) The woman said the incident took place at 5.40am and it was very dark. The woman was highly intoxicated and couldn't identify the faces.

2) The witnesses interviewed by police said the German woman had consensual sex with the white man shortly before the alleged assault.

Now, here are my questions to the Bangkok Post editor and the reporter:

a) How did the Post reach the decision that these two Indian men can be officially labelled and published in printed media as "Indian pair arrested over island rape"?

b) Has the German lady officially registered a written complaint to the local police on the basis of rape?

c) Have the DNA tests on the German lady and the two Indians been submitted to the Thai court? Did they match the samples in her vagina and not just on her clothes?

d) Has the judge sentenced them based on the evidence submitted to the police?

e) In the entire report in the Post, does it say anywhere that the German lady mentioned the word "rape" or that the police claim it is a "case of rape"?

f) Why does the Post and its reporter refuse to publish the nationality of an alleged "white man" who had consensual sex with the German lady that same night?

g) The so-called witnesses, as claimed by the local police, were interviewed. Did the police check the alcohol level and run blood tests on all the witnesses?

h) Since this happened in total darkness, and if we assume the witnesses were intoxicated as well, how can their statements be considered valid?

Is it that important to name their nationality on the front page without legal proof of guilt?

If anyone sues the Post for irresponsible reporting, I am sure you will need to appear in court.