PM must explain PAD leader’s arrest

Written by changthai11 on Tuesday, October 7th, 2008

POST BAG

PM Somchai owes us a quick and clear explanation on why the police have arrested Chaiwat Sinsuwong, one of the PAD’s core leaders, just when political reform is starting.

True, there’s an arrest warrant out for him on a charge of insurrection, but the warrant has been out for weeks now, and for the other PAD leaders as well; why arrest Mr Chaiwat now? If there is some clear and present danger from letting him stay free, what is it?

The timing of the arrest, and lack of justification for that timing, makes me think that it was done to heighten tensions, sabotage the building up of trust, and slow down or wreck the efforts to have more public participation in government decisions, which is the alleged goal of our political reform.

BURIN KANTABUTRA

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A long overdue victory for migrant workers

An historic Thai labour court ruling that owners of the Praphasnavee fleet of deep sea trawlers must compensate Burmese ethnic minority victims who were left adrift in the open sea without food and water, represents a long overdue unconscionable admission of shameless neglect.

Of the 100 or so crew members, 39 died at sea, their emaciated bodies simply tossed overboard. Employers must be held accountable for exploitative mistreatment, abuse and blatant violations of morally acceptable international standards.

Workers, whether legally documented or not, are entitled to humane treatment, compassionate toleration, dignified respect, basic civil rights and minimum wages.

Most of the Mon and Karen, feeling alienated by joblessness, discriminatory persecution, harsh poverty, devastating hurricane destruction and war atrocities wrought by the iron-fisted junta, fled to Thailand (Land of the Free).

Instead of a tolerant welcome, these hard-working ethnic migrants are too often met with corrupt border officials, socio-economic hardship, restrictive government policies and biased, slave worker conditions.

DR CHARLES FREDERICKSON

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False protein booster

To Herve B’s letter of Oct 3, ”Melamine in milk, why?” Because melamine is an amino resin, its presence in milk will boost the nitrogen reading of the milk, thus showing a high protein level (amino acid).

Of course, melamine has absolutely no place in infant formula milk.

One wonders who is the initiator responsible for misleading China’s dairy farm communities? Must be someone with a good brain but a black heart.

SANTHAD PRAKKAMAKUL

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Not acceptable at all

Why should any amount of melamine be allowed in any product sold in Thailand? Other countries around the world are banning anything that contains melamine, so why does Thailand allow ”acceptable” amounts of an industrial chemical?

Dutch Mill wanted to immediately return their tainted milk products because they knew they had melamine contamination. Dutch Mill’s president should be detained if there was any conspiratorial decision to try to evade the truth behind the contamination.

Any CEO who tries to cover up industrial contamination should be arrested _ it is the public which suffers, gets sick and some even die. Those who covet greed have a total disregard for their fellow human beings.

ENLIGHTEN US

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Awful pap

The teaser for the unfortunate ”Rita” in Brunch was hideous.

I feel embarrassed to repeat it here, but you printed it once, so you may as well as shame yourself all over again: ”Model and actress Sririta Jensen has started her own lingerie line, but will she be flashing her frilly bits?”

At least it wasn’t false advertising; the story was as crass as promised.

It’s a real shame to observe the current swan dive of the Bangkok Post. Finbarr Saunders laddism was rarely a feature of the old paper. This current witlessness, publicly and repeatedly noted by many of your veteran readers, is going to bury you.

EDWARD RUSH

A reader for 11 years