Fit enough for jail
Re: "MCT reaffirms stance on medics", (BP, June 13).
I am glad to see that the Medical Council of Thailand (MCT) had the courage to stand up to Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin's veto of their recommendation to take action against at least three doctors who agreed that the former fugitive was fatally sick to warrant a six-month stay in a de facto prison at 14th floor of Police General Hospital. Now it is up to the court to decide if the former fugitive deserves real jail time. In my opinion, the courts should take into consideration the following facts:
When ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra, a fugitive, arrived in Bangkok, he was all smiles and walking around like nothing was wrong with him. If he were so "ill", he would have been in a wheelchair.
So, if the court decides against him, will he go into self-exile again, or will he accept a jail sentence? And by jail sentence, I mean real imprisonment, not house arrest. He may be over 70, but he is fit enough to travel, campaign for people, and give his thoughts on how the country should be run through his daughter, so he is fit enough for prison.
Just the Facts Maa'm
Elon walks it back
Re: "Musk admits some online jabs at Trump 'went too far'", (World, June 12).
Elon Musk has realised that he must be more careful with what he says, as his latest post admits, "I regret some of my posts about President Donald Trump last week. They went too far."
Many people have regrets, some acknowledge them, and a few do something about it beyond a cursory apology. The world's wealthiest man is attempting to restore his "buddyship" with the world's most powerful man, but it might be too late.
It seems to be a case of checking your parachute after you have jumped off a cliff; it's a bit too late. Musk has blown up his credibility and diminished his wealth while others are blowing up his Tesla vehicles.
Dennis Fitzgerald
Selective justice
Re: "Should non-medicinal weed be legal?", (Opinion, June 9).
How quaint to punish "recreational" use of weed but to overlook homicidal use of the same herb.
Vince Gilles
Smoky airport air
Re: "AoT seeks smoking rooms for international airports", (BP, June 8).
It appears that the Airports of Thailand (AoT) wishes to expose travellers or volunteers to what is known to be harmful levels of air pollution, including particles and gases released from burning cigarettes, in order to demonstrate that pollutant levels in their smoking room are safe. Since evidence in past research, including research conducted in Thailand, shows high levels of air pollutants in smoking rooms, this seems unnecessary and dangerous.
An academic proposal to test such a smoking room, if reviewed for funding, would not be approved, given existing research findings of hazardous levels of air pollutants dispersed in smoking rooms and that are also known to exist from point source exposures for those close to smokers. I urge the AoT to abandon this questionable idea for their smoking room.
Unfortunately, they have constructed this room without regard to the Thai law prohibiting smoking inside rooms built for airport travellers. Because of existing knowledge that designated smoking rooms are unsafe, testing this "experimental" smoking room with humans is, at minimum, unethical.
Stephen Hamann
CONTACT: BANGKOK POST BUILDING136 Na Ranong Road Klong Toey, Bangkok 10110Fax: +02 6164000 email: postbag@bangkokpost.co.th
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