OPINION

Give a man a fish...

Re: "Thai household debt at record high", (BP, Sept 10). The average debt per Thai household is now 606,378 baht, up 8.4% from 2023 -- the most since the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce began its survey in 2009.

Ominously, debt owed to loan sharks has soared to 30% from 19.8% last year as borrowers reached their limits at formal lenders.

Handouts have repeatedly failed to alleviate the situation, yet "Ung Ing" (Paetongtarn Shinawatra) has blindly pushed ahead with another handout.

We should follow Lao Tze: "Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man how to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime."

In short, sustainably boost productivity and thus income.

This can be done by:

(1) allowing foreigners to own land on the same basis as Thais, giving farmers the funds to get productivity-increasing training, equipment, etc, by selling part/all of their land.

Many will say that such a step means many of our poor won't be able to own their own homes. However, rising land values will boost revenues from land transfer fees, VAT, and sales income as the land develops.

Part of this rise should go to subsidise first-time homeowner mortgages.

If we fear land speculation, then ban selling within, say, 10 years regardless of nationality; target the harmful act, not the actor's nationality.

(2) Subsidise training and equipment that will sustainably boost income and raise living standards, e.g., high-yield seeds or growing organic crops.

Free speech battle

Re: "Opposition berates govt over charter", (BP, Sept 13).

Again, the People's Party, likely Thailand's most respected political institution, is correct: a constitution that allows the legalised suppression of peaceful, free speech is not conducive to democracy.

Thailand has not had a pro-democracy constitution for many decades, if ever.

Fake claims to the contrary do not make that judicial autocracy less anti-democratic.

Fading values

Re: "West's stealthy assault on democracy", (Opinion, Sept 12).

In response to the opinion by Indian scholar Brahma Chellaney, it is true that today, authoritarian regimes outnumber liberal democracies.

Unfortunately, the efforts led by American right-wing extremists to promote democracy in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, and various countries in South America and Asia have largely failed.

Meanwhile, the state of democracy in Pakistan, Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Vietnam seems to receive little attention in the United States.

The US also has significant investments in communist China and Vietnam.

A closer examination of US politics raises concerns about whether the values that once made America a beacon of democracy are fading.

The rise of social media, search engines, and mobile apps -- innovations created in the US has led to an influx of fake news, conspiracy theories, political manipulation, bullying, and shallow commentaries by the media.

The erosion of fundamental American decency is evident, casting doubt on the health of democracy itself.

Global challenges

Re: "Time to boost South-South ties", (Opinion, Sept 12).

One of the key topics on the agenda of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, which commenced on Sept 10, is the State of South-South cooperation.

The debate on it will be based on a report submitted by the UN secretary-general that highlights significant developments in which South-South and triangular cooperation have played a pivotal role.

These efforts have been crucial in addressing the collective challenges of recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic while also building resilience to climate change and other development issues.

However, an urgent warning accompanies these discussions: a rescue plan for both people and the planet is needed.

Alarmingly, only 15% of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are on track to be achieved by 2030. If current trends continue, 575 million people will still be living in extreme poverty by that year.

There is no doubt that South-South cooperation is vital for building capacity and advancing shared development objectives.

At the same time, it must not diminish the responsibilities of the Global North.

It is to be hoped that the upcoming UN Summit of the Future in New York will provide a crucial opportunity for renewal and reform -- grounded in genuine solidarity and justice.

US's image falters

Re: "Felon or president?" (PostBag, Sept 12) and "Why I still think that Trump will win this election?" (Opinion, Sept 10).

In response to letter by Kuldeep Nagi on Sept 12, it is not only Trump who has made the US "a global laughing stock". It is the nearly four years of the weak, bumbling, stumbling, giggling Biden/Harris administration.

Yes, I think the actual dictators you named are actual tyrannical dictators, definitely not elected by the legal votes of the people, as in the US.

I also think that, after lately writing about things of some merit, you are back at disparaging the country that gave you citizenship.

Toxic comments

A comment section in an online newspaper is a highlight of freedom of expression. However, attacks on commentators or article authors undermine this freedom.

Aggressive reactions to opposing opinions, hostility towards individuals perceived as outsiders or opponents, as well as prejudices and stereotypes based on gender, origin, or other characteristics, are examples of cognitive biases.

Bias can lead to the escalation of discussions in the comment section, resulting in personal attacks. The anonymity in the BP forum amplifies this bias, as people feel safer expressing their biased opinions and attacks without consequences.

In the Post comment section, such attacks on the freedom of expression of commentators or article authors occur daily.

A few months ago, we discussed this issue in the forum, but the inadequate moderation has not improved.

The "report abuse" button to report violations of the "conditions of postings" is a fake button, as there is no response from the moderators. This supports abusive comments.

The Post continues to tolerate attacks in the comment section or does not take them seriously. This affects the community: constructive discussions are hindered, and trust in the community is undermined.

The "conditions of postings" are binding for both commentators and the Post. If a commentator is attacked, the conditions oblige the Post to respond immediately, review, and remove the offensive comments.

Every commentator must be able to trust that they will receive prompt support from the moderators in the event of an attack in the community.

If one disapproves of a comment, they can click the "don't like" button. If a comment is discriminatory or racist, it can be reported via "report abuse".

One can also post a counter-opinion, but no one has the right to insult other commentators or lecture them condescendingly.

If the moderation removes a comment, they should warn the responsible individual and, in case of repeated offences, temporarily or permanently ban them.

I recommend that the Post establish a dedicated moderation team that actively monitors and enforces the comment rules.

For example, use AI-powered tools to detect and report offensive comments more quickly.

I urge the community to share their own experiences and suggestions on this topic to increase pressure on the Post to take effective measures.

Improving moderation will strengthen the community and freedom of expression.

Antics in Venezuela

Re: "5 Venezuela facts", (PostBag, Sept 10).

An important fact that Mr Chufflebottom overlooks is that Venezuela is top of the list for America's regime change programme, which first saw the light of day in Iran and Guatemala in 1953.

The programme's purpose is to replace regimes that are not subservient to Washington with regimes that are.

The US has a long history of interfering in Venezuela. Why is it their business? It's not. But they want to grab the oil. They have seized this opportunity to give it another try.

Oil exports are the mainstay of Venezuela's economy. The big drop in prices in 2014 -- from $130 to $30 per barrel -- caused an economic crisis which persists. Venezuela is also subject to American economic sanctions, which add to the country's problems.

I don't know who's won this election; that's something for the Venezuelans, not Anthony Blinken, to decide.

But the Americans have poured in money to pervert the democratic process in various ways -- typical ploys include misinformation, funding rent-a-crowd anti-government protests, and paying people to vote for the opposition.

With all that foreign interference can it be said that the elections were free and fair? If not, it is understandable that the Venezuelan authorities might go in for some counter-cheating.

This is not how democracy is supposed to work.

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