Going bookish
Re: "There's nothing like an odd book title", (PostScript, Dec 15).
Once again, I have cause to take issue with your correspondent, one Roger Crutchley and the release of his oddly named book Beyond Nowhere.
One assumes this is a veiled reference to his previous, erroneously named missive, The Long-Winding Road to Nakhon Nowhere, which we established some time ago, actually refers to Nakhon Nayok as there is, and never has been a Nakhon Nowhere within the Kingdom of Thailand.
Hence, the title Beyond Nowhere should, in fact, be Beyond Nakhon Nayok or simply Prachin Buri, as it is the next major destination from Nakhon Nayok.
PS: Can you please provide a map or further details regarding the strangely named bookshop "www.dco.co.th"? I have not been able to find any reference to it on any maps of the Amazon delta or surrounding areas.
Rupert Sedgwick Smedley-Pryce
A little biased?
Re: "India's top envoy to visit Bangladesh", (World, Dec 8).
While I was reading this report dispatched by Agence France Presse (AFP), I encountered carefully selected words that signify anti-India rhetoric.
For example, AFP has failed to provide pertinent information about Bangladesh's interim leader Muhammad Yunus. Apart of being a Nobel laureate (a title thought to be the outcome of lobbying by the Clinton family), he is also an ex-convict. Neutral journalism or correct reporting is missing.
Indeed, India's relationship with (ousted) prime minister Sheikh Hasina grew from strength to strength. She cooperated with India by closing all the terrorist cells that used Bangladeshi soil to destabilise India.
In return, India helped to build infrastructure, supply electricity at the cheapest price and train civil service officers and defence officers for free. The list is long for India's involvement and investment in Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, Mr Yunus is very much anti-India since India supported Ms Hasina unconditionally, under whom Mr Yunus was convicted.
All the judgements came from Supreme Court judges in Bangladesh, not by Ms Hasina.
Jayut Jayanandana
Mystery leader
Re: "A global concern", (PostBag, Dec 14).
I am an American, and proud to be living in Thailand.
I can't disagree with the facts presented in ML Saksiri's letter reproving the US for its foreign policies. But I take issue with some of his conclusions. I do agree with ML Saksiri that diplomacy and cooperation are extremely important.
Where I'm having trouble is ML's conclusion that the world will gravitate to a new leader committed to peace and collaboration. Who will this new leader be? China? Russia? India? Thailand? Not yet... One could hope that the United Nations will someday play such a role.
We must also remember that the world still has a propensity for violence and war. We need look no further than Southeast Asia, and then add the Middle East, and Eastern Europe (some would say Western Russia), Africa, Latin America, you name it.
Whoever the "new leader" is must also have the means to enforce whatever peace which collaborative efforts decide. Does ML have a recommendation?
Randy Hurlburt
