OPINION

Digital Thailand

Re: "Thailand nudged to utilise AI in growth pursuit", (Business, April 8).

Yesterday I hopped on the bus, paid by swiping my HOP card, and sat down. Due to the usual construction backup on Ratachaprarop Road I had plenty of time to do some online shopping and placed orders with Lazada, Shopee and SuperSport.

Alighting at Big C I did some shopping there and at Central World, paying for all by scanning the provided QR codes.

I was even able to pay for my tuktuk ride home by scanning the driver's QR code.

I was quite happy until I realised that, in a few weeks, I would have to go to Government Centre to renew my visa and that I had better take a satchel of cash as there is no provision for the use of digital payment at any government facility.

Go figure!Fred Prager

Blast from the past

Re: "I just saw the future. It wasn't in the US", (Opinion, April 12).

There is usually wisdom in the classics. A recent revisit to Orwell's 1984 provides material to consider in 2025.

The reverse logic of a key theme, "Ignorance is strength", is being enacted through the imposition of Trump tariffs on so many countries and a few penguins.

There is a final and serious warning from 1984: "We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it." It could happen, take note of the warning.

If you have the time, reread 1984, it is still scary, and relevant.

Hope and despair

Re: "Anutin swats away talk of rift" & "Faint phone light sparks rescue hope", (BP, April 12).

Reading the news of the possible rift over the casino entertainment complex legislation between one party leader and its party founder through his son is somewhat depressing when the priority our nation is facing now is the problem of import duty of 46% (10%+36%) imposed by our largest importing nation.

It is a well-planned meaningful strategy that one is looking for and not a textbook response in how to deal with President Trump. The complex, including a casino, may have a long term economic benefit but this is not a time to consider it when immediate economic benefits are not there.

However, one's depression immediately evaporated when news emerged that a survivor might be found at the site of the collapsed State Audit Office skyscraper.

The words "faint phone light" sparks hope of life beneath the rubble of that skyscraper that has already given a bad name to Thailand.

Powerful friends

Re: "Tariffs pause fails to calm Wall Street", (Business, April 12).

Imagine if you had the power to manipulate the stock market by informing your friends and your supporters that you were about to announce massive global tariffs that would inevitably cause your stock market to crash.

They would be able to short stocks before the announcement and make billions of dollars.

Then you could tip them off that you were going to announce, say, a 90-day delay to these tariffs, giving them time to buy back into the market and make billions more as the market recovers.

No-one would be investigating this scam, because you could fire the only Federal Trade Commissioners that you can't control, say, a few weeks before you did it.

And then just before leaving office, you could pardon all the crooks you helped make billions.

And people are worried about call centre gangs?

Correction

The photo caption of "An ever evolving MFA turns 150" should read: The photo shows a statue of King Mongkut (King Rama IV) in front of Saranrom Palace. The palace was the MFA's first home. We apologize for the mistake.