Serious candidate?
Re: "Paetongtarn tipped as candidate for PM," (BP, March 22).
If Khun Paetongtarn Shinawatra is to be a serious prime ministerial candidate, she should show whether she will be the true decision-maker or just a ventriloquist's mannequin for her father Thaksin.
To help voters decide, she should take on all other major PM candidates in a live debate of the issues, with a neutral, mutually agreed-upon mediator, as with the US presidential debates. She should also go one-on-one with PM Prayut Chan-o-cha and Khun Korn Chatikavanij on Jomquan Laopetch's TV show.
BURIN KANTABUTRA
Hazy on meaning
What is going on in Thailand with the word "haze"?
First of all, a word normally associated with a summer mist is used to describe choking pollution.
Now it is being used to describe the practice of beating to death a fellow student.
I always thought "haze" was quite a nice word. I must reconsider.
In English, we "normally" categorise a fatal beating as murder or manslaughter, depending on whether the outcome was or was not intended.
ALAN MEHEW
Angling for the truth
Re: "Panel to seek polygraph test for Tangmo five," (BP, March 21).
Does the good senator know that the lie detector tests he is proposing in the Tangmo saga have been proven to be unreliable?
If they were reliable I'm sure there would be many cases where these tests could be put to good use.
Certainly in the cases of some in high positions, who seem to have problems with the truth.
RON MATIN
Vlad gets it wrong
Re: "Banking on Biden and Zelensky's Plan A," (Opinion, March 23).
Thanks, Vlad, for unifying Europe and strengthening Nato resolve in a way that was unimaginable just months ago.
Noteworthy is Poland's unprecedented solidarity with Ukraine, which will be felt for generations.
Now what? Sure, Ukraine can offer neutrality in exchange for the removal of all Russian forces from Ukrainian soil.
But having learned that Russian "paper security guarantees" are worthless, hopefully the Ukrainian leadership and western allies realise that only a fortified military and EU membership will ensure Ukraine's future security.
As for war reparations to rebuild devastated cities and towns, how about tapping into the now-frozen Russian foreign reserves?
And, if there's anything left over, perhaps it could compensate for illegally nationalised Western assets in Russia.
Great job Vlad. Enjoy your billion-dollar retirement palace, if you can.
K MALEVICH
Subsidies don't work
Re: "Fuel subsidies need thought," (Editorial, March 21).
I oppose any kind of fuel subsidies, petrol diesel or LPG.
The most prudent petroleum fuels management is to let the market do its job and discontinue the Oil Fund.
And if the petroleum fuels are considered necessary commodities, not luxury ones, the government should cease imposing excise on them.
To make the government coffers' ends meet, it may increase VAT another 1% instead.
JAMES DEBENTURES
