Baht headache
Re: "BoT cracks down on surging baht", (Business, Dec 17). While the baht's currency strength is an ever-more concerning issue, as pointed out numerous times, what is rarely mentioned is the likely excess Thai foreign reserves, nearing an astonishing US$270 billion.
If Thailand is alarmed regarding its currency's strength, it should consider taming these reserves even a touch, for perhaps infrastructure projects or other much-needed national deeds.
In my view, this would almost instantly take "the wind out of the sails" of the overly-strong baht, which is doing far more harm than good.
Paul A Renaud
Democracy denied
Re: "Peacetime illusions", (PostBag, Dec 16).
Communist Party of China apologist Yingwai Suchaovanich says, "Pita Limjaroenrat was not suitable to declare himself the elected prime minister of Thailand."
Obviously non-conversant in matters of democratic governance, he confuses the CCP's totalitarianism, which he has unreservedly endorsed time and again in the PostBag forum, with that of the parliamentary quasi-democratic system in Thailand.
The young and charismatic Mr Pita easily won the majority vote, which means the majority of voters made him the prime minister.
Yet his path to Government House was taken out by the entrenched power brokering and ultra-conservative factions -- a move that walks away from democratic principles.
Michael Setter
Shared humanity
Re: "Bondi gunmen 'driven by IS beliefs'", (World, Dec 17).
Violence begets more unless it is conscientiously interrupted. Martin Luther King warned that "violence begets violence … adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars". Gandhi was convinced that "an eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind". Nelson Mandela, having lived through institutionalised brutality, concluded that "violence can only breed more violence and repression".
These insights matter today, particularly when cycles of violence spill over into hatred against entire peoples. In my recent troubled dreamscape, I see the thousands of pro-Palestinian marchers crossing the Sydney Harbour Bridge, stare across Circular Quay towards the mournful menorah cast upon Sydney Opera House sails, as the first symbolic meeting of the ways to understand one another's fossilised animosities and endless cycles of violence and retribution.
Palestinians and the Jewish peoples can live side by side peaceably, even if they remain divided by the slim slip of harbour that divides the bridge from the opera house. To foster peaceful coexistence, we must continue the struggle to narrow the fixity of a historical schism. There is no other option.
Joseph Ting
Clash of narratives
Re: "Artists resist repression in Thailand, US", (Opinion, Dec 8).
In the article "Artists resist repression in Thailand, US", the content displayed in the exhibition concerning China distorts China's policies on Xi Zang, Xin Jiang and Hong Kong. China has opposed using art and cultural exchanges as a pretext for political manipulation and interference in China's internal affairs.
Hou Pei, Diplomatic staff of Public Diplomacy Division of Chinese Embassy in Bangkok.
