Dubious tax plan
Re: "Minister pledges to finally implement B300 tourism tax", (Business, Oct 4).
At a time when holidaymakers have started to look elsewhere, new tourism minister Artthakorn Sirilatthayakorn has proposed levying a tax on new arrivals to the tune of 300 baht, with instructions for staff to communicate the benefits of the tariff to all and sundry stepping off the plane.
We are told that the proceeds will be used to fund insurance and new infrastructure. So, will this mean personal health coverage is now unnecessary?
The previous four attempts to enact this cunning plan have all failed, presumably due to prospective sun seekers having a negative response once informed. If this strategy does prove fruitful this time around, I will suggest to my local restaurant to charge an entry fee before handing out the menu.
Ian Dann
Make my day
Back in the 90s, I had a rather heated exchange in this column with a now-deceased gentleman about Thai police strategy to address miscreant motorcyclists.
The issue was making the offender do 50–100 pushups/pressups on the pavement (if it existed), presumably after extracting 100 baht first. Not exactly punitive, but at least a token effort to do something. I thought this was a good idea.
Anyway, my critic took great umbrage at what he strangely perceived to be a right-wing approach to correction from a baby boomer (me). He doubtlessly came from the previous generation but would be revered by his wishy-washy counterparts today.
Anyway, what spurred this memory? Today I was watching and very much enjoying a Dirty Harry movie on True Visions until the ending was spoiled by the euphemistic "sun outage".
It will come as no surprise to the politically correct readers of Postbag that I still remain a great admirer of Inspector Callahan and maintain that his approach to crime is much more effective than the beating around the bush in force today in many countries.
I remembered Mr Jones rather fondly.
Ellis O'Brien
Flotilla gains benefit
Re: "Last Gaza flotilla boat intercepted by Israel", (World, Oct 4).
The approach by Israel to the latest Gaza aid flotilla seems illogical.
Stopping the activists and boarding their boats in international waters is a crime and probably a war crime, as weapons were shown as a threat. It would have been more sensible for the Israeli military to let the activists keep going and arrest them later as "invaders".
As a number of the people on the flotilla were well-known, more international attention was created, and this portrays the boarding of the boats poorly.
It seems the more practical approach would have been to let them continue on, under escort, land and then arrest them, making sure that any food and medicine is passed on to one of the charities operating there.
Of course this war, and any war, is illogical. Too many people are being killed or displaced. A better solution must be found.
Dennis Fitzgerald
