OPINION

Report cards in

Re: "Phuket beach inspected", (BP, March 13).

Each year, Thailand's National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) releases Integrity and Transparency Assessment (ITA) scores for public agencies across the country.

These assessments provide a national benchmark for evaluating how well government offices -- such as police stations -- adhere to principles of transparency, accountability, and ethical governance.

The latest scores for Phuket's police stations' performance in 2024 reveal a wide spectrum of performance, from commendable to concerning.

Patong Police Station leads with a strong score of 92.35%, the highest in the province, followed by Chalong at 85.48%. Several other stations, including Kathu, Phuket City, and Thalang, performed in the moderate to above-average range.

At the other end of the spectrum, Kamala Police Station scored 56.42% -- not only the lowest in Phuket but also significantly below the national average for police stations, which typically ranges between 70–80% in most provinces. This places Kamala well into the underperforming category on a national level.

While these figures are not meant to cast blame, they do highlight areas in need of attention. Stations with lower scores -- particularly Kamala -- may benefit from internal reviews, community outreach, and training in transparency and public service standards.

The annual release of ITA scores provides an important opportunity for self-assessment and growth. By recognising both the successes and shortcomings in these rankings, the government administration in Phuket can continue to strengthen the integrity of its public institutions, ensuring fair and accountable service for both residents and visitors alike.

Tariff power plays

Re: "Tariff roulette", (PostBag, April 5).

President Donald Trump's "reciprocal tariff", as the name implies, simply charges an extra customs duty on goods coming to America if there is a trade deficit with that exporting country.

The calculated percentage is simply the dollar amount of that deficit divided by the dollar amount of goods the US imported from that country. The result is to be divided by two.

Hence, there is no round figure for the percentage rate. In the case of a country suspected or known to be a conduit for China, an extra discretionary rate is added, like in the cases of Vietnam and Cambodia.

Countries with trade surpluses, like Singapore or the UK, are still subject to Mr Trump's 10% import duty, which is the new basic duty imposed on all goods imported into the US at midnight this Saturday.

It is now reported that he has congratulated himself for creating economic and financial havoc in the world and is now pleased that all the countries have called on him and stated how powerful the United States is, and he has become now.

Obviously, the reciprocal tariff is not the aim. It is the means to reach the ends -- making America Great Again -- starting from the defence in Europe, roping Canada as the 51st state, taking possession of Greenland, taking control of Panama, and even changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.

His leverage is to call for fair shares of having the largest number of "able to pay" consumers, being the most powerful country on earth, and being the most advanced in technology.

China, his nemesis, aggravates him to the level of "bullying" others. It is getting to be like a poker game in that we have to determine whether he is bluffing.

We, outsiders, can only take comfort in the fact that the imperial power bestowed on him was their country's democratic choice. Fortunately, it can always be challenged at any time through a democratic process.

Previously, the timeframe for his rule was another four years to 2029, and now, some who believe in his goodness want another four years to 2033 despite the US constitution.

Guessing games

Re: "The wealthy do help", (PostBag, April 6).

How does Lionel Biers know that Felix Qui is a pseudonym, as he claimed in the above letter? If true, could it be that both are the same person? If not, then Mr Biers is making a serious misjudgment, and Mr Qui has every right to be angry at him.

On the warpath

Re: "Probability of Ukraine peace rises", (World, April 9).

In the midst of a trade war, US President Donald Trump is up against another war which has been dragging on for the last three years.

Mr Trump wants to stop the war in Ukraine in the role of a peacemaker and thinks he can put Russian President Vladimir Putin in his pocket after taking over the White House.

But Mr Putin has quickly disabused his counterpart of such a fanciful notion. The Russian strongman is still on a warpath, and there is nothing Mr Trump can do about it. Peace is not on Mr Putin's radar.

In the first place, why should Moscow bend to the will of Washington? Russia is waging a ruthless war that no outsiders can stop, not even the United States.

Even Mr Trump is "angry and pissed off" with the Kremlin leader and is mulling imposing sanctions on his country for not moving fast enough on negotiations to extinguish the Ukraine inferno.

If the so-called peace talks are not going to Mr Trump's liking, it is simply because Russia is holding the trump card. Hence, the behemoth can take all the time in the world to come up with the ultimate solution.

What's Mr Putin's final solution? It will definitely not be an American-initiated peace plan but one based purely on Russian terms. His territorial ambition -- the subjugation and probable annexation of Ukraine -- is a huge engine that "knows no rest".

How can puny Ukraine hold back the Russian juggernaut? With its armed forces standing at 1.5 million military personnel, Moscow has the firepower to hold off Nato and even the US if there is a showdown between the two superpowers. Who then is Mr Trump to dictate terms to a real dictator whose armed forces have slaughtered thousands of Ukrainians and have the ability to overrun Europe?

The modern "tzar" must be sneering at this American "cowboy" who is trying to play the role of peacekeeper when there is so much turmoil in his own backyard as he roils friends and foes alike at home and abroad with his divisive policies and actions.

If the Ukraine war must end, only Mr Putin can silence the big guns. He doesn't need mediators, especially archfoe America, to instruct him on how to turn swords into ploughshares.

Mr Trump is not talking to a tinpot dictator but a ruler who commands a vast military machine and an awesome arsenal of nuclear weapons.

Mr Putin, once described as a "pure thug", doesn't care two hoots about what Mr Trump says. In fact, the word "peace" doesn't exist in the Russian lexicon.

So the bombing campaign continues unabated, with Russia showing no signs of relenting. Mr Trump can only fume from the sidelines and watch his peace proposals go up in smoke.

If the American hero wants to play hardball with the Russian bear, will he dare put American boots on Ukrainian soil? Or threaten Russia with nuclear attack?

It is unlikely the US will go to war and potentially trigger World War II because in this nuclear Armageddon, both countries will be obliterated along with planet Earth.

While "Captain America" races against time to bring peace talks back on track, Mr Putin (a judo master) will keep moving around, throwing off Mr Trump, executing some flying kicks and choking Ukraine until it falls on the floor into submission.

Mr Trump will be gone after four years, but Mr Putin will still be on his feet to continue playing with his favourite war game. After all, he has seemingly endless years ahead of him.

Claim falls flat

Re: "Quake survival tips", (PostBag, April 4) and "BMA wants quake safety reports filed", (BP, March 31).

In a recent letter, I suggested that amateurs avoid making statements about earthquake science as it is an arcane science.

But our PostBag's beloved contributor, Khun Burin Kantabutra, couldn't resist. His classic, "last week's quake of 7.7 was equal to 334 atomic bombs, and only one Bangkok skyscraper collapsed" is exactly why the suggestion was made.

It is fine to be proud of one's country, but the 7.7 measurement of the magnitude of energy released by the earthquake applies to the epicentre, in this case 1,200 kilometres north of Bangkok and 10 kilometres underground.

Furthermore, "atomic bombs" is not a measurement seismologists normally use, but it is a phrase used to scare people (especially favoured by CNN, where this specious news originated).

The tremor's strength as felt in Bangkok was significantly lower than 7.7 on the Richter scale. If the epicenter had been located here, I guarantee that the damage would have been unimaginably horrific. Soils here liquify easily and constantly subside over time. This makes earthquakes particularly hazardous for structures in Bangkok.

I dare say most of the buildings in Bangkok were built before the 2007 earthquake regulations came into effect; many are similar to those in Myanmar, which suffered catastrophic damage.

The authoritative pronouncement by Khun Burin should, therefore, be ignored, and building-specific recommendations should be followed.

Furthermore, the BMA should inspect all multi-story structures built pre-2007 and post appropriate evacuation guidelines for occupants in the event of an earthquake. Tall buildings preferably have sirens which must be inspected annually. And most importantly, the much-delayed national emergency warning system needs to be implemented as soon as possible.

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