Thaksin's 'high noon'
Re: "Whitewash on way?", (PostBag, May 30).
Is whitewash coming? One doubts it!
Thaksin Shinawatra was moved from a state prison (there only to register) to a luxurious ward on the 14th floor of the Police General Hospital (PGH) overlooking the golf course of the Royal Bangkok Sports Club to serve his reduced one-year sentence.
Unexpectedly and to the surprise of many of Thaksin's lawyers, the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Office later ordered an inquiry, scheduled for June 13, to ascertain the reality of the case -- Thaksin's "high noon".
The crux of the matter is the justification of the doctor's certificate for the transfer. The Medical Council of Thailand's majority judgment decided the doctor's certificate constituted professional misconduct. Unfortunately, in law, its decision is subject to the acceptance of Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin, who yesterday vetoed the council's judgment.
It is ironic that a person with a conflict of interest and who previously boasted of never having been in opposition and forever holding ministerial positions under the patronage of his party's de facto leader has the power to challenge the professionalism of the Medical Council.
The goal of the court's inquiry is to ascertain the justification of the transfer and not whether the decision of the council of 49 wise men (doctors) out of 70 council members in suspending those doctors is legally acceptable. It is now the duty of the court to judge who is more reliable between the council and the public health minister.
In the opinion of all fair-minded people, one would tend to give heavier weight to the council on facts that the court is seeking. In my humble opinion, Mr Somsak's veto is irrelevant to the court's inquiry.
Songdej Praditsmanont
Weed no panacea
Re: "Thumb's down for cannabis certificate plan", (BP, May 24).
Daycha Siripatra, a traditional medicine practitioner, says, "People who invested a huge amount of money in the cannabis business will not keep silent. They will come out to voice their disappointment with the policy". Okay, so the whole thing is about money. I thank the doctor for clearing that up.
Meanwhile, a Google search indicates traditional medicine providers in Bangkok are still offering "cupping", an outdated, pre-medieval medical procedure to move blood around. What's next from traditional medicine doctors, leeches?
General physicians are not going to usually refuse cannabis scripts because of conflicts of interest, or because they are allegedly in the pockets of Big Pharma (which most doctors here clearly are not). They will refuse because cannabis is quack medicine which leads to addiction, possible psychosis and routinely poor treatment outcomes.
Jason A Jellison
Keep half your coin
Re: "Bitcoin blues", (PostBag, May 23) & "SEC looks into Coinbase user numbers", (Business, May 17).
It's true -- as Dennis Fitzgerald says -- that you can't use bitcoin to pay for anything; but just because that wool (that bitcoin is a coin) keeps getting pulled over everyone's eyes doesn't mean that bitcoin has no value.
Anyone whose country's currency has plummeted in value would have been better off if they hedged by owning bitcoin (and everyone else would be wise to own some just in case).
Full disclosure, I don't own any bitcoin because just like Dennis (and any financial adviser worth their salt), I too see it as a tulip-shaped balloon. My advice for anyone holding bitcoin: if you've doubled your money, sell half now, pocket your original investment and watch (with your free bitcoin) whatever next happens with glee.
Eddie Delzio
RIP Salgado the artist
Re: "French-Brazilian photographer Sebastiao Salgado dies aged 81: French Academy of Fine Arts", (World, May 24).
I was indeed fortunate to have visited the Thailand Cultural Center's exhibition of Salgado's magnificent images in 2017.
I have kept a large file of his work in my digital library for many years and often revisit it for the inspiration and awe it never fails to provide.
What a huge contribution Sebastiao Salgado made toward elevating photography and photojournalism to truly fine art status!
Although AFP failed to capture this quintessential aspect of his life's work in its glowing obituary, they did manage to associate him with their political narratives.
AFP disingenuously called him "a dedicated climate activist", which is not accurate.
Salgado was a dedicated environmentalist who funded reforestation projects. His photographs often depicted examples of severe environmental degradation juxtaposed with the sublime beauty of nature captured in superb black and white silver gelatin prints.
Sebastiao Salgado was a great artist, not a scientist.
Michael Setter
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