Time up for Teerakiat

Re: "Education reforms", (BP, Aug 9).

J Pollock's article cited "example, expectation and consequence" as the no-nonsense mantra that Education Minister Teerakiat Jareonsettasin has based his approach to reshape Thai education. Had Mr Pollock studied Mr Teerakiat's background before writing this article?

If the author did, why didn't he make any reference to Mr Teerakiat's messy backtracking drama in early February during a visit to London, condemning the "watchgate" deputy prime minister and apologising a day later in Bangkok. For me, that episode has caused untold damage to Mr Teerakiat's credibility, integrity and accountability, which are the "opposites" of Mr Pollock's example, expectation and consequence.

Here are my thoughts:

1. Mr Teerakiat should "leave" the Education Ministry. He has already done damage to the ministry and his continuation will only add long-term damage to the Thai education. "He's a bad example for the younger Thai generation."

2. Mr Pollock, as a writer, has to be more careful in presenting balanced information to the public, not one-sided as in the referred article. Let the readers make their own decision.

CK
Beijing vs Pooh

A new film featuring Winnie The Pooh, the popular character from AA Milne's classic children's books, has apparently been banned in China.

The ban might seem puzzling, because nothing could surely be further from political controversy than these gentle stories about Christopher Robin and his friends.

However, the answer might lie in a photograph taken back in 2013 of a tall, slim President Obama walking next to a shorter, chubbier President Xi Jinping. Some imaginative people began posting this photograph next to a startlingly similar, and very amusing, image of rotund Winnie The Pooh walking next to his taller, slimline companion Tigger. This started a trend, to the point where Winnie may have become an unlikely, subversive symbol of mockery and dissent in China, and thus now seems to be persona non grata.

Here in Thailand there was a recent announcement of a very detailed list of requirements, some of them ridiculous, which needed to be followed by press photographers trying to capture an image of the prime minister, who says he didn't know about them, or maybe he did. Anyway, he made it clear he didn't object to the photographers bowing or making some other gesture of respect before and after snapping away.

That, of course, is what defines dictators -- extreme sensitivity to perceived loss of dignity, to criticism, or to "mickey-taking" of any sort. Is it because they believe their power entitles them to absolute loyalty and deference, or are they aware that, in reality, their power hangs by a thread, that enemies and power-seeking opportunists lurk behind every door, waiting to pounce, leaving them feeling insecure and vulnerable?

Or do they fear that the fawning masses, officially herded together to roar their adulation, could so easily turn into a baying mob, seeking their destruction? Poor fellows, it must be a tough life. No wonder they get a bit tetchy now and again.

Robin Grant
Nightmare 'neighbours'

I am a long-term resident of South Pattaya. I am writing this letter at 3am as I can't sleep with the noise loud music coming from the bars on the third road just past Tony's Gym.

I have contacted City Hall and phoned 1337 but nothing gets done.

I don't mind loud music until about 1am but until 3am or 4am is unacceptable in a family resort.

Paul Ward
Trump's nuke bias

Can someone please explain why President Trump has attacked North Korea and Iran about nuclear weapons but not India, Pakistan and Israel. None of whom have signed the NPT treaty (whose objective is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology)?

I might add, what gives the countries that already have nuclear weapons the right to dictate to countries who want to correct the imbalance for their own security?

Motoguzzibob
Cambodian uprising?

The BBC is presenting a four-minute video called Remembering the 1988 Burma Uprising. Perhaps Cambodians will be able to watch it too.

David James Wong

Contact: Bangkok Post Building 136 Na Ranong Road Klong Toey, Bangkok 10110 fax: +02 6164000 Email: postbag@bangkokpost.co.th

All letter writers must provide full name and address.

All published correspondence is subject to editing at our discretion.

09 Aug 2018 09 Aug 2018
11 Aug 2018 11 Aug 2018

SUBMIT YOUR POSTBAG

All letter writers must provide a full name and address. All published correspondence is subject to editing at our discretion

SEND