OPINION

Border losses

Re: "Amlo confiscates B778m from syndicates", (BP, Feb 21).

Please publish a detailed list of Thai people's and businesses' financial losses due to the skirmishes on the Cambodian border. Tell the readers how many billions of dollars of trade have ceased flowing into Thai pockets because of blockades and boycotts.

I know it is a big undertaking, but it is interesting and important to expose all of what squabbling over a few acres entails.

Enforce the law

Re: "Data matters", (PostBag, Feb 22) and "Harnessing data to boost road safety", (BP, Feb 17).

Wil Kelsall is right to suggest proper data collection would provide better information as to the causes of most accidents, but he glosses over the most important point, and the one which Andy Parker addressed in an earlier letter.

The majority of accidents are caused or exacerbated by flagrant disregard for the law.

No helmets, speeding, drink-driving, ignoring red lights, unregistered and/or unsafe vehicles and unlicensed drivers/riders, not to mention all of the other reckless and dangerous driving, are all symptoms of the fact that traffic laws are rarely enforced and, on the few occasions they are, word gets around of the token "roadblocks" and drivers (and riders) simply go around them.

When they have had drink-driving crackdowns in my city, most of the people caught attend the police station then leave without ever being prosecuted -- and we all know how and why.

Until people feel there is a realistic chance of them being caught and punished for disregarding traffic laws, Thailand's astonishingly poor traffic safety record will never improve. This is a serious public health issue and it needs to be addressed urgently if there is to be any change.

Then you can collect all of your data and see what gaps need to be filled.

Sporting analogy

Re: "Trump tied up by snag after snag", (World, Feb 22).

The recent decision by the US Supreme Court was correct, but surprising. A 6-3 vote count was expected but rather as 3-6. Sometimes people do the right thing.

Sport can be an analogy for many parts of life. Do your best, train hard, play fairly, accept the umpire's decisions and accept your losses when they happen. Not everyone does this and a few do none.

As a coach of many school sporting teams, I have tried to encourage these attributes in my players.

I have never called a player that I selected a "loser" even on the few occasions when their performance would perhaps justify it.

I doubt that Donald Trump ever coached one of his children's sporting teams, for which many other children could be thankful.

I think Mr Trump's team, the Republicans, aren't going to have many victories this year under his leadership.