Re: "Volvo fire on Thai motorway 'not a battery issue'", (BP, May 23).
Volvo has recalled 73,000 plug-in hybrid vehicles worldwide across multiple separate recall actions, citing high-voltage battery short-circuit risks that could lead to fire. As an interim safety measure, affected owners have been advised not to charge their vehicles until repairs are completed.
The Office of the Consumer Protection Board (OCPB) is aware of this problem, but their actions have clearly not provided adequate protection. In terms of a vehicle fire on motorway, the OCPB should have immediately declared the incident a crime scene. My question is why Volvo was allowed to inspect the cause of damage to one of their PHEV's which spontaneously caught fire -- in which the preliminary conclusion by the manufacturer was -- "it's not a battery issue".
Michael Setter
Red carpet rollback
Re: "Some curbs needed", (PostBag, May 18).
PostBag contributor Ron Martin makes a good point in detailing how the people of Europe, and I might add the North Americans and Oceanians also, have had enough of the endless streams of asylum claimants and refugees who have come into their countries in recent years living for free off the public trough without really contributing anything to the host nations.
Western countries have been rolling out the red carpets to Asians, blacks and Latinos, among others, for quite a while now without receiving reciprocal treatment from their guests.
Do you see Thailand, for instance, rolling out the red carpets to peoples of the Occident wishing to immigrate and live permanently here? No, instead the government puts up various roadblocks just for Westerners to live in the kingdom even for a short time. Witness the reducing of the visa exemption policy for tourists from 60 days to a month. Witness the necessity for long-term visitors to have to continually be paying for a visa to stay here each year. Witness how it is mandatory for foreigners to report to immigration every three months just for having lived in Thailand.
With all due respect, sir, Thailand has been clamping down on expats for at least a few years before this statement was made.
Pauleur
Eurovision unity
Re: "Let nationalism arise only in contest", (Opinion, May 25).
In response to the latest opinion piece by Sally Tyler on the Asian version of the Eurovision Song Contest, to be held in Bangkok in November, I would like to talk about the original version. The Eurovision Song Contest is one of the world's most influential televised music events, bringing together countries through performance, culture, and entertainment since 1956. Studies on Eurovision voting patterns and audience behaviour have demonstrated how cultural proximity, migration, and geopolitical relationships influence voting trends, making the contest a subject of academic and sociological research.
But it extends far beyond entertainment. Eurovision has also launched international careers for artists such as ABBA and Celine Dion, generated billions of online interactions, and strengthened cultural diplomacy among participating nations. At the same time, Eurovision often mirrors political debates, social activism, and regional solidarity, illustrating how music competitions can function as entertainment and political symbolism.
Saikat Kumar Basu
