POST BAG
THE WIND OF CHANGES
Six months ago I decided to visit the PAD protests in Bangkok. I took my
15-year-old daughter along because she showed a strong political and
social interest in what was going on at the time. I thought it would be an
interesting lesson for her on democracy and freedom of speech.
Scenes at the rally were friendly, safe and educated. The mob was
outside _ represented in red T-shirts, clubs in their hands and drunk. The
protesters in yellow (PAD) were all polite and sober.
Now my daughter asks me what happened to make the formerly peaceful
PAD protests turn so disgusting and ugly. We both shake our heads in
disbelief when we think of six months ago.
Now Thailand is wrecked, brought down by those who claim to love their
nation and their King. My daughter has learned the lesson she had six
months ago, and today we both ask the same question: When will
Thailand become a peaceful country again, with 65 million smiles for
every tourist and their King?
Armin Hermann
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
The PAD is damaging not only the government, economy and image of
Thailand but also Thai families abroad and Thailand as a whole.
Exports of Thai vegetables and spices have been stopped to countries
around the world. Thai restaurants around the world are very important
to the Thai economy. Farmers, distributors and export companies benefit
from the success of fine Thai food worldwide. Employees and owners at
Thai restaurants around the world are often the first Thai people
foreigners met, and we are the first channel to promote Thailand as a
fantastic tourist destination, with great food and great tourist sights,
superb Thai hotels and resorts. Now we have to tell our customers that
we cannot serve Thai food with the original ingredients. Will they stay or
choose another restaurant?
Protest is the right of everybody, but it should be done with common
sense. Why not demonstrate around government sites? The PAD is
looking for a conflict which will hurt Thai people in Thailand and all around
the world for a very long time.
The tourists stranded in Bangkok will probably reconsider helping Thai
people if there is another major disaster like the tsunami. In my country
millions and millions of euros were collected to rebuild Thailand after the
tsunami and help the survivors.
I feel really sorry for all the hard-working, nice and smiling people of
Thailand, such as farmers, taxi drivers, hotel employees, waiters, shop
owners, restaurant owners and many more people who make Thailand
the place I love to visit. What a pity.
Sonny Buter
www.ThaiFood.nl
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THE BAD NEIGHBOUR
The mess that Thailand has brought upon itself is fundamentally a
domestic problem. But the reckless and unacceptable seizure of the
Suvarnabhumi airport is taking a number of neighbouring countries
hostage.
Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Burma and the Chinese province of Yunnan all
depend on Bangkok as the transport hub of the region. They all see their
tourism arrivals dwindle due to a matter in which they have no part.
It is essential that Southeast Asia not depend on a single hub for all
traffic, but rather spread the risk. Vietnam is an obvious potential rival;
some more long-haul flights and simpler visa regulations would make it
an attractive alternative to Bangkok. China should be able to connect
Yunnan province to the rest of the world via its hubs. Cambodia, Vietnam
and Laos can also easily be reached from KL and Singapore. Voila, the
Thai monopoly is broken.
As long as the PAD is a factor in Thai politics we cannot consider Thailand
a stable and reliable economic partner. The damage done is beyond
repair.
Eskil Sorensen
Luang Prabang
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THE LAND OF HATRED
Today, an export customer cancelled orders worth in excess of 10 million
baht over the next couple of months. Unfortunately this means that staff
are not going to receive salaries unless we can find another customer to
take over their air shipments. Does the PAD not realise they are hurting
their Thai friends by not allowing the country to operate?
Vietnam is welcoming us with open arms; maybe it is time to change
because the land of smiles has turned into the land of hatred and there
doesn't seem any way of going back to the true values of Thailand!
Matt Christie
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