Showing 1 - 10 of 16
Short-term thinking
Oped, Postbag, Published on 04/01/2024
» Re: "Govt vows cut in energy prices", (BP, Jan 2). Instead of temporarily cutting energy prices, PM Srettha should heed Lao Tzu's wise words: "Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime." For example, Energy Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga is mulling subsidising oil for farmers. But when the handout ends, farmers will revert to their old ways.
Cultural stain
Oped, Postbag, Published on 03/03/2023
» Re: "Victim, not villain", (Editorial, March 2).
Grim logic
Oped, Postbag, Published on 12/11/2022
» Re: "Financial injustice" and "What a cop out", (PostBag, Nov 11).
Perfect scapegoat
Oped, Postbag, Published on 24/07/2021
» Re: "'Sorry' for slow vaccine supply," (BP, July 22).
Tax e-cigarettes
Oped, Postbag, Published on 22/01/2021
» We can clearly see that making gambling illegal is not effective in stopping gambling among Thai people at all. A complete ban is considered a measure that is too extreme without taking into account the social context or the needs of the people in the country. Therefore, we see illegal gambling, illegal casinos or even the underground lottery everywhere.
Agencies out of sync
Oped, Postbag, Published on 01/12/2020
» Re: "Unequal retirement", (PostBag, Nov 28).
Just desserts, Suu Kyi
News, Postbag, Published on 09/02/2021
» Re: "Myanmar journalists wait and watch", Opinion, Feb 7).
Malls can wait
Oped, Postbag, Published on 24/04/2020
» The mall operators are the same moguls who want to help the government. It is the right time for the government to think and act in new ways as Thai society passes through the turmoil caused by Covid-19. Starting next month, the focus should be on four key issues, not on opening the malls. They are: How to prevent the current stage of the virus from reaching a next-stage outbreak; how to help poor people affected by the Covid crisis; how to reform immigration laws to attract foreign investment and prevent our image from deteriorating; and how to reform education and integrate online learning at all levels. Surprisingly, online businesses are thriving, hence malls can wait. It is high time to bring structural reforms in commerce, immigration and education.
Mass testing best
News, Postbag, Published on 21/03/2020
» The most effective and cheapest way of controlling the Covid-19 pandemic will be to conduct mass testing of the population, as urged by eminent French infectious diseases expert Dr Didier Raoult. He has pointed out that cheaply mass produced testing equipment is already available and is being used effectively in South Korea. Countries, including Thailand, should build up this mass testing capability as fast as it can and test as many people as possible. That way it will be possible to isolate only those who test positive and it also makes it possible to treat those who start showing symptoms early which boosts the chance of a favourable outcome for them. This will be far more effective than locking down entire populations of people who are not infected and causing a massive economic dislocation in the process. In Thailand's case, it may cost US$325 million (10.5 billion baht) to test the entire population, but that would be a drop in the bucket compared to the $8 billion cost of a 5% decline in GDP.