Zero-inflation risk
Re: "New central bank governor envisions expanded role", (Business, Nov 24).
Thailand's 0% to even slightly continued negative inflation is not good. Healthy economies usually aim for about 2% inflation as this is enough to keep money circulating, but not so high that it erodes purchasing power quickly.
This 0% inflation sounds neat, but it often signals weak demand. This can mean slow growth, low investment, businesses hesitant to expand, and wages staying stagnant ... it increases the risk of slipping into deflation.
Deflation is trouble as people then just delay purchases, companies cut prices, profits shrink, and layoffs start.
Debts become costlier, as with 0% or negative inflation, the real burden of debt rises -- for governments, companies, and already heavily indebted Thai consumers.
Paul A Renaud
Catapult tech shift
Re: "Know the difference", (PostBag, Nov 21).
Sibeymai is correct that I am not a military strategist. But with a science background from Imperial College, London, though many decades ago, perhaps I can offer a simple, easy-to-understand insight.
The water that circulates through a nuclear reactor, in a sealed primary loop of pipes, absorbs heat from nuclear fission. These highly radioactive waters carry heat from the core to the steam generators, which then heat the water and steam in a secondary loop that builds the massive steam required for the catapults [on an aircraft carrier].
After creating a massive pulse by steam and ejecting an aircraft, a significant portion of water is lost overboard, and this is the water that the ship's desalination plant must constantly replace.
Such inefficiency in building up steam is only one of many reasons why America's super nuclear-powered carrier, USS Gerald R Ford, abandoned the steam catapult. The conventional steam system offers less precise launch control, is difficult to adjust for varying aircraft weights, and incurs high maintenance costs.
The Chinese carriers are not powered by diesel engines; they use different propulsion systems across their current three carriers.
The latest 003 Fujian carrier is conventionally powered by integrated electric propulsion.
The soon-to-be-released 004 carrier will use nuclear propulsion and is coupled with the unique Chinese electromagnetic catapults.
Donald Trump should be happy that some others are cheering the obsolete system like him.
Yingwai Suchaovanich
Surrender disguised
Re: "Kyiv rocked by US plan to end the war", (World, Nov 23).
Many people find politics confusing and have little regard for their politicians, and the few who do understand politics think even worse of it.
The 28-point plan to stop the Ukraine war, promoted by Donald Trump, seems to be basically a request to surrender completely and sell out the country.
For those that don't follow politics closely, it's like you get to your football game, the opposition arrives late and says they're going to take the game as a forfeit.
We're also going to take your ball, net, and uniforms and charge you our transport costs. A bit extreme, it would seem, for your team, but when you add up to a hundred thousand killed and cities devastated, it's a disaster, a crime, and never an opportunity.
Stop trying to score points, President Trump. The war is wrong, but stopping it instantly is the only correct step now, a simple single step, not 28 points.
Dennis Fitzgerald
