A poll, not a conclave

Re: "Foreign poll observers 'not needed'", (BP, Nov 7).

Whilst it is encouraging to see Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai contradict those who persist in the false belief that Pheu Thai and other elected governments of the Thai nation were not fairly and properly elected by the Thai people to represent the Thai people, surely it would, nonetheless, add credibility to invite foreign observers to Thailand's upcoming election due for some as-yet-unconfirmed time in the future. Nor would doing so be an admission of incompetence as the foreign minister implies: competent people do sensibly ask for help.

And after all, if those now busily politicking for the multiply long-promised election have nothing to hide, why wouldn't they want the elections to be certified as sound by the international community? This would also reassure those Thai citizens, the voters, who might reasonably suspect the dictator politicians of running a corrupt election.

Felix Qui
Political Wild West

We hear and read in the media that the next election will not be free and fair because of Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha. Well, at the time when he opens up for the parties to go on, what about the billions of baht then brought into politics by the billionaire(s), will all that money make the election clean, free and fair, or give Thailand a system of "rule by money" instead of rule by the people? And is it OK if the fugitives in self-imposed exile are interfering by pulling the strings in some of the political parties? And how fair if some of the new parties are just proxies of this fugitive? And is it problematic and undemocratic when political parties seem to be established by family dynasties or close aides of the two Shinawatras in hiding? And what about foreign interference in the preparations for the election? Consider the Russians. The US doesn't like foreign interference, why should Thailand?

I think the election will be as fair and free as possible under the currently quite difficult circumstances because of Gen Prayut, not because of the Thaksin and his parties. Gen Prayut has the upper hand now and uses it, and should use it, to the very end, before those billions of baht come into play and corrupt the idea of democracy, and we get a political Wild West circus in Thailand as never before seen.

A Johnsen
Clowns not heroes

In his Nov 8 letter, A Johnsen tells us that Suthep Thaugsuban and the other clowns who attempted to shut down Bangkok are "heroes" whose actions took Thailand on "a more true and democratic course". Can anyone tell us that what is happening now in Thailand is more democratic than what you had before? I get so sick and tired of hearing the former government called "self-serving". Whose interest did the elitists in Bangkok such as Suthep ever represent? Whose interest does the military represent?

Eric Bahrt
Abolish army slavery

Dear Army Chief Gen Apirat Kongsompong,

I truly appreciate your comment that you "would make sure soldiers treat [military] conscripts as their younger brothers" (BP, Nov 4).

If you sincerely mean it, please put an end to the existing practice of allowing conscripts to be used as "servants" at army generals' homes. As you are clearly aware, conscripts are drafted to serve "the nation", not "the generals". This is a conflict of interest.

Your action to end this inhumane practice would be a big plus in terms of cementing your legacy and helping the Thai people.

CK
Gulags of joy

A Nov 5 report with details of the widespread Uighur internments that have taken place in the Xinjiang autonomous region in northwestern China is interesting.

Amnesty International refers to them as "arbitrary detention centres" where the local authorities guard the Uighurs using "electric cattle prods and stun guns" whilst the whole area is sealed by "razor wire fences".

Meanwhile, Beijing describes such places as "vocational, education and training centres" where happy students can study Mandarin and pursue hobbies such as folk dancing.

I note the number of YouTube views of the rap video Prathet Ku Mee has now exceeded 30 million. This is equivalent to over half the adult population of Thailand. With Section 44 in place, would it not be propitious for the NCPO to declare all Thailand a "vocational training camp" for the purpose of re-education and the restoration of happiness?

Yanawa David
Gallic amnesia

In your report about France's 100-year commemorations of the end of World War I, Germany (the enemy and invader of France) is mentioned four times, while the United Kingdom (ally and saviour of France) is mentioned just once in a throw-away line. And of the other 50 or so countries in the Commonwealth and then-British Empire whose soldiers lie buried in French soil fighting for French freedom? Not a single mention.

Is it any wonder the UK voted by 460-plus electorates to 160-plus electorates to leave the German-French EU? No doubt, after another 100 years, the French will be celebrating the World War 1 heroic victory of France and Germany over the UK and her perfidious allies.

David Iggulden
Driving me crazy

Re: "Get real on motoring", (PostBag, Nov 8).

The problem of writing reviews of very high performance and expensive cars is not endemic to the Bangkok Post. It seems to be a "thing" in most major newspapers I have ever read, worldwide. There seems to be a fascination with a car most people could never hope to own or drive. It's sort of like watching the programme, The Rich and the Famous, or a Thai soap opera where the actors portray wealthy people driving BMWs, Benz's and the occasional Rolls Royce, living in multi-level mansions surrounded by lawns, catered to by lots of subservient people continually grovelling and wai-ing. I like to test drive most vehicles. It is a hobby of mine. I recently test drove a BMW SUV, top of the line. It was scary. The car appeared to drive me. It was loaded with lights, buttons, glowing dials, etc to the point of dangerous distraction. I like to drive a car, to be in control, not the other way around.

David James Wong
MRT quality stinks

As reported this week by local media, the MRT will increase fares in December. A fare increase should be commensurate with better service. So far, what we presently get for what we pay for, in quality… stinks!

Marigold
Rules for radicals

Joseph Stiglitz in his Nov 5 article, "Can US democracy make a return?" has torn another page from Saul Alinsky's Rules for Radicals and used it to paint President Trump as a dictator hell-bent on destroying democracy.

Mr Stiglitz complains, "the minority is dominating the majority", but he well knows the US is a republic which distributes representation in a way that has evolved since its inception and sometimes produces results which would be different if there were a simple democracy which passed laws directly by popular vote. Mr Trump did not design this system, merely conformed to it, just as the Democrats have exploited it for decades.

A dictator seeks total and exclusive power,often by force. Yet President Trump has nominated two justices to the Supreme Court who may be characterised as constitutional originalists or textualists, indicating they will uphold separation of powers among the three branches of government.

This is to be distinguished from former US president Obama's record of appointing judges inclined to legislate from the bench according to their personal inclinations.

Mr Stiglitz says the majority wants more gun controls (despite no evidence of its effectiveness in reducing violence in America) and Mr Trump is limiting the will of the majority to enact it. Actually this is only accomplished by repeal of the 2nd Amendment, a constitutional requirement. Mr Stiglitz's employer wants to enact gun control by decree. The "democratic" socialists, such as newly elected Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, want nothing less than open borders and the overthrow of capitalism at any cost. So I ask, who really desires a dictatorship in the US?

Socialism is only possible under an authoritarian regime which deigns to seize the means of production (often by force) and deny the individual control of the fruits of their labour.

Mr Stiglitz, as liberal academics are want to doing, seems to have sold his soul to the Open Society foundation and rejected the US Constitution entirely. Fortunately, despite his unashamed efforts to propagandise globalist sentiment, common sense will prevail in the United States.

Michael Setter
Fired up over sauce

It's time Thailand takes back the rights to the name of a chili sauce that is associated with a Thai geographical region. The sauce's name was usurped from Thailand without any benefit to the original producers or the Kingdom of Thailand in 1979. And the consumption of it has grown by leaps and bounds along with the popularity of Thai cuisine. Very likely not by coincidence. If you have not guessed already, I'm referring to the Sriracha brand of sauce now being produced in the US from peppers that are not grown in Sriracha and may not even be of same varietal. By the way, even the word Sriracha is mispronounced by most consumers!

The brand is hugely popular in the US and throughout most of the world. It is produced by a Vietnamese company in California, Huy Fong, and has gone viral in the US in the past 10 years. There are a variety of product spin-offs based on the Sriracha taste and uniqueness of its colour. All the way from chocolate to supercar-like colour schemes. It hurts my Thai pride every time I see the Huy Fong Sriracha imitation sauce being served in a restaurant and even more to hear the mispronunciation of the word Sriracha. It gets me hot under the collar. Certainly hotter than the Huy Fong Sriracha sauce can generate on my palate.

Sriracha-designated origin products deserve the same designation of origin protection as any other intellectual properties that the West has been using for its products. Similar rights have been claimed by producers of Champagne, Balsamic vinegar of Modena and Reggio Emilia. The names of these products are protected by the European Union's Protected Designation of Origin. According to the WTO: "A product's quality, reputation or other characteristics can be determined by where it comes from. Geographical indications are place names (in some countries also words associated with a place) used to identify products that come from these places and have these characteristics (for example, Champagne, Tequila or Roquefort)."

According to a story by the Los Angeles Times published in February 2015, David Tran "invented" the sauce, but never trademarked the brand. I would like to make two points here. The prestigious US paper did not even know that Sriracha sauce was not invented by David Tran, and David Tran probably did not trademark it because he knew he didn't invent it. It was invented in Sriracha, Thailand by the Sriracha company!

Thailand joined the WTO in the same year it was started in 1995. Huy Fong sauce started in 1979. So there was no mechanism in place in 1979 to stop Huy Fong Food from naming their imitation sauce Sriracha. To get the name Sriracha back under Thailand's control we need both the private sector and the Thai government to work together. First, the government must apply to the WTO for protection of the usage of Sriracha sauce under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) TRIPS. Second, all the Sriracha sauce companies in Thailand should pitch in and distinguish their products from imitations by labeling them "Original Sriracha from Thailand" accompanied by a brief explanation of the origin of Sriracha sauce. Third, with the popularity of Thai cuisine and a large number of Thai-owned restaurants around the world, the Thai government can ask for voluntary assistance to promote our Thai Sriracha sauce through education by making the "Original Sriracha" sauce available and not the imitation from Huy Fong food.

It's never too late to to claim what is rightly yours.

ML Saksiri Kridakorn
09 Nov 2018 09 Nov 2018
11 Nov 2018 11 Nov 2018

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