A prudent path
Re: "Thailand braces for fallout from Mideast war", (Business, March 9). While we wish the leading political party in the new government fortitude and resilience in its efforts to steer Thailand through these turbulent times, we must also remind ourselves of the wise counsel of King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great when he proposed the Sufficiency Economy as the most viable philosophy to help Thailand surmount the challenges of external threats and global shifts in economics and political destabilisation.
In principle, the Sufficiency Economy advocates sufficiency in mind, society, natural resources, technology and economy, and as such, the national agenda had best depend on indigenous resources and capabilities.
In the face of global climate change and depletion of natural resources, resource sustainability is the better way forward. In spite of changing circumstances, fortune favours the prepared and sufficient mind.
Glen Chatelier
Invasion logic
Re: "Russian envoy praises Thai neutrality", (BP, March 9).
In his interview, Russia's Ambassador Evgeny Tomikhin once again states that Ukraine's possible membership in Nato is, and was, the security concern that Russia had to respond to by invasion.
Though at the time, "de-Nazification" and the protection of Russian speakers (this is almost all Ukrainians) were also given as reasons, I remember.
Can he explain why Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, which are all Nato members and border Russia, should not be of the same concern?
In fact, Sweden and Finland both joined Nato as a result of the Russian invasion, and Finland's accession almost doubled the existing land border with Russia.
Possible Nato membership has nothing to do with the invasion; Russia just wants to have Ukraine.
Thailand's neutrality is a sensible diplomatic stance. However, it seems keen to defend its own borders in the region!
Drahid
Learn from the past
Re: "Canada PM in town to talk defence, minerals, cyber", (World, March 7).
In terms of US President Trump's wild idea to make Canada the 51st state, (put on the back burner now for obvious reasons), the Potus and his mouthpieces would be well-advised to watch the movie Argo, the closing words of which describe Canada's invaluable collaboration with the CIA to free some of the American embassy hostages during the long-lasting crisis there in Iran in the 1980s. But, as usual, such help is arrogantly overlooked because the minions or their boss don't read their history books or watch essential movies.
Which they most certainly should do now, as other powers could exploit this situation while the US expends all of its military resources, while being encouraged to do so by a well-known beneficiary of its treasury.
Bill Renoise
Try again, Fred
Re: "Rabbit madness", (PostBag, March 8).
Some years before, I had to renew my Thai driver's licence and answer why my new passport did not match their records. I showed them what Sriracha immigration had nicely written on the first new pages -- previous passport number, previous and current visas and previous entries. There was no further problem getting the driver's licence.
Maybe the BTS staff can read these details when politely shown to them. But if you're coming with a brand-new passport and a new visa from abroad, then unfortunately, there will be no details written on the first pages.
Fred, try it again and good luck.
Grantler
