OPINION

More impunity?

Re: "A culture of impunity", Editorial, May 27.

Your editorial highlights the ease with which well-connected Thais can snub their noses at the law, further highlighted by today's story about the agonisingly slow pace of laying charges against Benz driver Janepob Veeraporn.

But let us not forget about justice for the common man.

On April 2, Pvt Songtham Mudman and Pvt Chatpisut Chumpha were beaten and tortured by fellow soldiers, led by a young officer. Chatpisut died of his injuries, which is surely grounds for charges of premeditated murder.

But what happened? It was reported the offenders would be confined for 30 days.

That 30 days is well and truly up, so where are the offenders now? Are they back on duty? Is the officer still holding a commission? Are they facing further charges? We don't know, because the army is keeping very quiet about this whole affair, no doubt in the hope it will go away.

We must not let that happen.

I'm delighted PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has indicted Janepob Veeraporn for reckless driving causing death and other serious crimes after his Mercedes Benz crashed into the car of two students, killing them. It's long past time that the high and the mighty came under rule of law.

But what about the Red Bull heir who allegedly hit and killed a cop at high speed with his Ferrari? That was four long years ago, yet Vorayuth Yoovidhya still hasn't been arrested, let alone stood trial. PM Prayut shouldn't let him stall until all statutes of limitation have run out. Show us that on Gen Prayut's watch, the poor have justice.

Enough foot-dragging by the junta; arrest Mr Vorayuth now and show us that PM Prayut not only talks the talk, but walks the walk.

I can't understand why Thailand can't embrace waste-burning power plants. There is enough waste for it.

The PM insists people should use cloth bags but does nothing about the tsunami of plastic that is handed out like some sort of contest to see who can pollute the fastest. Plastic bags should be banned completely.

The only reason I can see why they haven't is that the people making plastic bags must be very generous to law-makers. The country is littered with plastic.

We are one of the top five ocean polluters in the world. Wake up. Ban plastic and embrace waste-burning technology. You could import garbage from neighbouring countries and they would pay you for it.

Re: "Thailand's reversal of  fortune with Vietnam", Opinion, May 27.

Please understand the "realpolitik" of US foreign policy with regard to Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand, as there are three policies, one for each country.

Myanmar has fossil fuels, and that is the salient factor there. Vietnam has cheap labour that keeps US investors happy, and that is all there is to that.

The US lost its nice little puppet regimes in Thailand that were provided by the Shinawatra family, and that is the crux of the matter here.

Fossil fuels, cheap labour and interference in internal politics are what US foreign policies in this part of Southeast Asia are really all about.

Ahh, so now the government wants to open a sports university, just like in China.

It reminds me of one of my teacher's favourite expressions when I was a little kid: "Monkey see, monkey do".