POSTBAG
Khun Sanitsuda quotes Japan and the US as having a 1:200 ratio of nurses. Although that is true, what she may not know is that the US still has a shortage of nurses. They try to recruit from overseas. Unfortunately, Republicans in Congress make this very difficult. In the US, states compete against each other for nurses. Most hospitals back home [in the US] own their own apartments right next to the hospitals. When they do recruit from different states, and from overseas, the nurses get free rent and have their transport paid for. They do pay their own utilities and meals. All apartments are fully furnished. And lastly, as the daughter of the woman in your story said, ''she does not want to work under these conditions''. She is right. One should be compensated for one's investment in going to university with a decent salary.
BRIAN
United States
Explosive US hypocrisy
Re: ''Rohingya thank Obama'', (Postbag, Nov 22).
Nay San Oo thanked President Obama for stating ''there is no excuse for violence against innocent people'' during his maiden visit to Myanmar. Does Mr San Oo know that the United States supplies arms to Israel, which enables Israel to bomb and blow up innocent people in Palestine?
DANIEL LAWSON
Less spice from THAI
The new president of Thai Airways (THAI) said there will be a lot of major changes to the airline. He also plans to present ''the best restaurant in the sky'' with all flights having complete Thai menus. I have news for you, Mr President. I and many others fly Singapore Airlines because they look after non-Asian customers with their menus. They provide a choice of Asian or Western cuisine and the last thing I want to eat on a morning flight from Perth is spicy Thai food.
BRIAN FORLONGE
Sow and you shall reap
If Thailand is indeed a democracy as you so loudly proclaim, then you, Madame PM, should not be telling the public they should stay away from the Pitak Siam rally. Thaksin did nothing to discourage the red shirts from rioting and burning sections of Bangkok. You and your bullyboy, hatchet man, big-mouth Chalerm have done nothing to quell red-shirt incitement of mobs or gatherings elsewhere during your administration. You appear so confident in public that your government is infallible, but you are actually worried that you might not be as popular as you think you are. The old smile and demure look is not going to work forever, is it? In the old American cowboy movies of yesteryear, the Indians used to say, ''You speakum with forked tongue''.
YELLOW YARMULKE
Govt running scared
Re: ''Govt invokes security law'', (BP, Nov 23).
As the Constitution Court evaluated, the Pitak Siam rally is just another political rally like all the others we have experienced. I am afraid that over-reactions by scared governments worsen the environment and stir up chaos. The security measures seem almost equivalent to what the previous government took against the massive red-shirt rallies that occupied the centre of the city. The defensive actions by the government show they have lost confidence in their ability to maintain power.
R H SUGA
To the streets, farang!
The Bangkok Post is a great forum for farang to air their views and complaints about life in Thailand. But how many of us will be in Bangkok today to display our disapproval of this government that appears to consider only its own interests rather than those of the country?
Thailand is our home. We cannot vote but we can protest.
It is clear that this Yingluck government is somewhat in fear of a powerful protest that will severely test them democratically. A strong protest might just shake them up enough to do something about the deep grievances of the people, particularly the annual threat of flooding.
Go to Bangkok today, join the thousands, and show your disapproval of the way the country is ignored. Talk with your feet and help Thailand towards a true democracy.
Apathy achieves nothing and Thailand deserves better governance.
J C WILCOX
White elephant warning
Re: ''Kittiratt says rice scheme losses won't reach B300bn'', (BP, Nov 23).
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong must realise that he owes Thai taxpayers an explanation as to why the loss-incurring, corruption-plagued rice pledging scheme must go on.
This rice pledging scheme is similar to riding an elephant to catch a butterfly. Properties and lives are foolishly put at risk.
Mr Kittiratt, as finance minister, must explain the project's relevance and necessity.
Defending your scheme in parliament is not enough.
The majority of this country's taxpayers will not allow this to pass easily.
Please be warned.
VINT CHAVALA
Still water runs deep
It is no surprise that the Public Works Department should make a million-baht error in the poor lady from Udon Thani's account, if their service in Chiang Mai is any indicator. Since they took over some months ago, the availability of water has been nothing short of a nightmare of incompetence. We have water seemingly at the will of someone who decides if we may have this luxury. Sometimes plenty, sometimes (mostly) little and sometimes none. There is no point in trying to call as you get no answer, except the 1662 number when you are told it will be ''fixed shortly''. The same applies to emails to either Bangkok or Chiang Mai. The people of this area are both angry and frustrated. Perhaps if this lady paid the one million baht it might get us better service?
WM LAWRENCE
Chiang Mai
Asleep on the job?
Why doesn't Dom Dunn tell us the nature of Yingluck's ''full-time job to do elsewhere'' outside parliament?
And what is [British PM David] Cameron's full-time job outside the British parliament? It may be appeasing his party's Europhobes.
HORST BULLINGER
In pursuit of justice
Foreign Minister Surapong recently met the International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor, seeking to bring the ICC in to help investigate the deaths of civilians during the 2010 turmoil. As Robert Amsterdam, counsel to the UDD, points out, this can be done only by Thailand making an ad hoc acceptance of ICC jurisdiction, under Article 12.3 of the ICC Statute.
I have no problems with such an acceptance, and, like Mr Amsterdam, I urge that we join the other 121 nations that are now States Parties to the ICC so that the ICC can have jurisdiction over future crimes.
Mr Amsterdam says that the purpose of accepting ICC jurisdiction is ''not to launch a political vendetta against Abhisit, Thaksin or anyone else. Rather the goal is to pursue justice wherever it may lead''.
Few can argue with such a noble objective, and the ICC certainly would be more neutral than a Thai government. The ICC can investigate crimes against humanity _ such as, Mr Amsterdam says, the killing of civilian demonstrators in 2010. So let the ICC open a preliminary investigation into, say, the identity of the ''men in black'', as well as those who, say, shot the nurse at Wat Pathum Wanaram or the Japanese photographer.
But why stop with only the 2010 victims? Dictionary.com defines ''crimes against humanity'' as: ''A crime or series of crimes, such as genocide, directed against a large group because of race, religion, country of origin, or other reason unconnected with any individual's responsibility for having committed a criminal act.''
If the red-shirt demonstrators of 2010 fall into that definition, then so should the non-violent protestors of Tak Bai and the peaceful men headed for a funeral at Nong Chik.
Also, to say that all of the alleged 2,500 people killed during the 2003 anti-drug campaign were killed by criminals and not the authorities sounds as credible as to say that all those killed in 2010 were shot by one side or the other; surely the anti-drug war victims, too, deserve justice.
Let's all work ''so that the Thai cycle of recurring massacres, followed by impunity, will finally be brought to an end'', as Mr Amsterdam puts it. Let's pursue justice, whether it leads to Thaksin or Mr Abhisit _ or both. Are you with me?
BURIN KANTABUTRA
All aboard push for safety
Khun Sutipunt questioned the safety of Chinese railway technology. First I would like to point out the company that supplied the failed signalling system to the Yongtaiwen railway line is 50% French owned.
I agree with Khun Sutipunt that safety is the first priority. But the question is much broader than who supplies the technology.
On that note, please allow me to add that the number of railway accidents in the US over the past five years is five times that of in China. Still, rail is the safest mode of land transport. The more we can move traffic off the roads to the rails the better.
Thailand has actually been going in the opposite direction. So anything that helps rail transport regain its popularity should be a good thing. But I am afraid that good things won't come to the Thai rail sector easily. The sector doesn't just need an investor (or investors). The sector needs a total revamp.
Who is in charge of rail safety in Thailand? The SRT supposedly, at least on their own railway lines. How about the BTS and the MRT? They all seem to be self-regulated as far as safety regulations are concerned. Is that the best practice? I rest my case for the need for a total revamp.
VISOOT PHONGSATHORN
Shape up or ship out
Re: Tony Bingley's letter ''Unwelcome in Thailand'', (Postbag, Nov 23).
If you had asked the Immigration Office prior to you putting your money into the Government Savings Bank bonds, they would have informed you that they would not accept your 800,000-baht deposit for your visa renewal based on retirement. There is no such thing as a retirement visa; it is an O/A visa based on retirement in the country.
If the UK applied the same criteria that Thailand does we would have a lot less scroungers in the UK. All the requirements that have to be met are not a problem to me. If I felt the same way that you do I would just leave.
C GROSS
CONTACT: BANGKOK POST BUILDING
136 Na Ranong Road Klong Toey, Bangkok 10110
Fax: +02 2403666 email: postbag@bangkokpost.co.th
All letter writers must provide full name and address.
All published correspondence is subject to editing at our discretion.
Bangkok Post online classifieds
Try buying selling goods and properties 24/7 in our classifieds which has high purchasing power local expatriate audience from within Thailand and around the world.
Article source: http://www.thethailandlinks.com/2012/11/24/nursing-comes-up-short/
0 comments:
Post a Comment