POST BAG
Re: About Politics item of Sept 27 headlined, ''Shinawatra clan jumping with joy.'' The Bangkok Post comments on a ceremony at Wat Rongtham Samagi that will be hosted by the PM's family, noting that the Shinawatra family ashes are kept at the temple. It was further noted that the Thaksin government had passed a 30-million-baht budget to restore the temple, which was cancelled after the coup. Thaksin has reportedly ordered his sister to find a budget for the project.
Love him or hate him, Thaksin Shinawatra was one of the few premiers in Thai history to have a real vision for Thailand and the energy to move his vision forward. Most will agree that the other side of Thaksin is his complete lack of values and the resulting confusion and chaos for Thailand.
The Wat Rongtham story demonstrates the absolute truth in the Deepak Chopra statement: ''A billion dollars in the bank, without the experience of charity, is a state of poverty.''
I propose for Thaksin's consideration that, had he the state of mind to simply open his wallet for what was fundamentally a family matter and easily affordable to the Shinawatra family, in this and countless other matters, he would now be in Bangkok and not holed up in London.
In my many years as a resident here, the most frustrating aspect has been that the Thaksin coin is so shiny on one side and so dark on the other. Thaksin, I used to believe in you, so please show us who you can be and take care of the temple yourself, instead of ordering your sister to find public money.
DALE BAILEY
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Cassava for gasohol
Re: ''State help sought for cassava glut'' (BP, Sept 26). This article suggests that research and development related to cassava enhancement projects by the Department of Agriculture and Biotec have filtered down to the cassava growers, as a result of which they have been able to expand plantation and increase yields. The issue of commodity surplus is much easier to deal with than insufficiency.
With a surplus of cassava, the government has various options to work with, such as expanding exports to new markets. The government may also consider using surplus cassava in the production of gasohol.
RAMJITTI INDARAPRASIRT
Pathum Thani
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Ad in very poor taste / To the wave of opinions regarding the new Sunday edition of the Bangkok Post, both pro and con, I would like to add mine. I find the Sunday edition easily readable and the Spectrum section with its informative articles a most welcome addition. At the same time, however, I do not hold the BP's slick weekly publication of lifestyle and entertainment, Guru, with the same enthusiasm.
Guru's audience is very selective and at best the magazine seems to serve primarily as a vehicle for luxury condos, watches, women's clothing, gourmet food and wine advertisements. All of which bring big financial rewards to the Bangkok Post.
The advertisement on page 33 of the Sept 26 issue is a case in point and, to my mind, crosses the line. ''Arouse him with big boobs and a tight puss'' is the type of ad that usually appears in the tabloids at supermarket check-out stands. Hardly for the same audience of the luxury condo, Rolex watch class which the Guru caters to. Does this indicate a new, and lower, Post standard for soliciting ad accounts? That the ad is in extremely poor taste hardly expresses my disgust. Shame on you!
MR BILL
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At mercy of the state / Re: ''Corruption is humanitarian disaster,'' BP, Sept 24. Singapore, a country that has been taken over through state capture by an elite few, is considered less corrupt than open, democratic and transparent societies in Europe by the TI corruption perception index. This upside down ranking tells us more about the instrument than about corruption. I am guessing that the TI instrument is good at measuring corruption in the small, not very good at measuring corruption in the large, and completely unable to detect state capture.
CHA-AM JAMAL
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