Good old nepotism

re: "The Isoc solution" (BP, November 26)

Dear editor,
What is so special about ISOC that it deserves to be handed monopolies that will naturally be shrouded in the usual impunity conferring secrecy so inevitably beloved of the corrupt on all things so very profitable, as Mr Dawson points out, "from the low-intensity war to the lucrative drug trade, from human trafficking to dependably profitable gun-running"?

Of course, they are good old mates of the good old PM who thinks a spot of good old brutal discipline up to and including a bit of death a jolly acceptable thing from his own good old days of learning to be one of the good old gang running the nation for their jolly selves. But is that quite good enough to bestow such bountiful blessings?

 Felix Qui

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The above letter to the editor is the text as submitted by Felix Qui to the Bangkok Post.

The text as edited was published in PostBag on November 28, 2017, under the title "Good old nepotism" at https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/postbag/1368227/courtesy-unreturned
  

Censorship blues

re: "Thailand's internet freedom 'in decline'" and "Anti-coup elements in the crosshairs" (BP, November 16)

Dear editor,
Two reports in the Bangkok Post of November 16 unhappily complement each other. In "Anti-coup elements in the crosshairs," Thai authorities boast "that many [with dissenting opinions] have already been detained," solidly confirming the Freedom House report that Thailand's internet freedom of speech has been downgraded to "not free," joining the likes of the repressive Russia, Myanmar and China.

The ruling Thai politicians making up a rule of law to force their agenda on the nation plainly do not want and are not willing to allow that Thai citizens actually understand or even be aware of matters of great importance to the Thai nation, the sole reason for such censorship against free speech being to enforce ignorance on the censored topics so that lawful opinion is untested, unchecked, unsubstantiated, and hence worthless.

Bizarrely, this entails that foreigners and those outside of Thailand have a better chance of understanding what is going down inside Thailand than any captive domestic Thai citizen is lawfully allowed to have under current Thai rule of law. Reasonable, rational people must wonder: Why is this Thai government terrified of Thai citizens having informed opinions of worth on important Thai affairs?

 Felix Qui

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The above letter to the editor is the text as submitted by Felix Qui to the Bangkok Post.

The text as edited was published in PostBag on November 17, 2017, under the title "Censorship blues" at https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/postbag/1362055/censorship-blues
  

Regime blocking democracy

re: "PM's 6 questions 'designed to rile critics'" (BP, November 10)

Dear editor,
Whilst agreeing with most of the writer's well-stated concerns, I'm not sure that it's "the regime's intention to block old power cliques." On the contrary, Prayut overthrew yet another Thai constitution so that his oligarchy against democracy and good morals could protect the old power cliques who were threatened by the rise of wholesomely disruptive new powers such Thaksin and the Thai people. It is the rise of the Thai nation to justice and democratic principle that the regime is intent on blocking as it further corrupts the rule of law to keep itself and those colluding in unjust power whatever the outcome of any promised election that might occur at some time in the future.

 Felix Qui

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The above letter to the editor is the text as submitted by Felix Qui to the Bangkok Post.

The text as edited was published in PostBag on November 12, 2017, under the title "Regime blocking democracy" at https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/postbag/1358931/regime-blocking-democracy
  

Can't force respect

re: "China: Disrespecting anthem may bring jail" (BP, November 4)

Dear editor,
China clearly has much to teach the West as well as the East: fallen for a common theme through history, China confuses dissent with disrespect, repeating the common mistake of equating mindless adulation with respect. Like all such anti-democratic laws, the law that criminalizes what is deemed disrespect to it but confirms that the Chinese national anthem cannot attract respect on its own merits or on the merits of what it represents. Similar laws abound throughout the world wherever dictators or despotic oligarchies, including those operating under a sham of democracy, need a false image of social consensus to deceitfully paper over deep dissent from mythic ideologies religious, historical, social or political that reject truth and honesty as virtues. Laws against free speech, however sincerely motivated or genuinely popular, necessarily undermine the worth of the opinions they are needed to protect from reality and from good morals.Whilst perhaps strongly disagreeing, decent people respect dissent.

 Felix Qui

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The above letter to the editor is the text as submitted by Felix Qui to the Bangkok Post.

The text as edited was published in PostBag on November 6, 2017, under the title "Can't force respect" at https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/postbag/1355267/cant-force-respect