Smarter flood plans
Re: "Our broken system fuels flood crisis", (Opinion, Dec 18).
Thailand should build on Hat Yai and Japan's success stories to prepare for and tame our extensive flood damage.
In particular, Hat Yai shows that different agencies can effectively work together towards common goals, while Japan shows how Hat Yai can do an even better job with sustained support from Bangkok.
PM Paetongtarn should promote inter-agency coordination on river basin management, setting long-term goals and key performance indicators for the ministers concerned, upgrading governors to be "super CEOs" empowered to coordinate water-related agencies in their provinces, and promoting flood research centres in universities.
Let's learn from Hat Yai before the next flood.
Burin Kantabutra
No pay, no growth
Re: "Panel aims to delay wage hike", (Business, Dec 5).
If the government pushes ahead with increasing wages, businesses will be destroyed. However, economists must accept that if workers don't have money, businesses will not grow.
Regmi Suman
Precedents matter
Re: "Pardon me?", (PostBag, Dec 19).
Indeed, I did write that preemptive pardons are "unprecedented and probably unconstitutional". Tarquin Chufflebottom claims that I conveniently ignored Ford's pardon of Nixon and Bush Snr's pardon of Casper (sic) Weinberger. As we shall see, these two pardons were not without antecedent crimes established by legal process.
Regarding the pardon received by Nixon, there were antecedent crimes, which were three in number as determined by the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee: obstruction of justice, abuse of power, and contempt of Congress. These were included in the committee report which detailed articles of impeachment against Nixon. Congress was overwhelmingly in favour of impeachment. Preferring to resign rather than face further humiliation, Nixon's resignation was followed by statements from special prosecutor Leon Jaworski that Nixon must face federal criminal charges. Forty-eight people were convicted of crimes related to the Watergate scandal, and Nixon was recorded on tape conspiring to commit those crimes. It is widely believed Nixon received a pardon from Ford in exchange for his resignation.
Weinberger was pardoned by Bush Snr while Weinberger was under an indictment for crimes committed during the Iran-Contra affair.
Although many believe Anthony Fauci should face prosecution for crimes against humanity and despite abundant evidence, no legal action has been undertaken by the US Department of Justice. Therefore, a pardon issued by Biden in his case would be without antecedent criminal charges and would thus be unprecedented and probably unconstitutional.
Michael Setter
No personal jabs
Re: "Variety is the spice", (PostBag, Dec 17).
Regmi Suman stating I'm interested in the "controversial variation of thought" among PostBag readers has it backwards.
As stated earlier, I believe personal attacks between individuals should be excluded from PostBag letters.
Jerry Feldman
