Re: "Thai athletes' Olympic outfit stirs debate online", (BP, July 19). I never thought I'd laugh at the uniform designed for Thai athletes participating in the Paris Games. That's no design, it's a copy of the phra rajathan suit that we've seen on Thai bureaucrats for over 40 years.
Explanations from the PM didn't help. The Paris Olympics are no small venue especially when a country needs a big boost to spur the economy via its "soft power" to stimulate tourism. First, we need to offer an attractive and modern outfit.
Designs can make it more attractive (such as a khon mask). AI designs look great and athletes deserve an outfit that can be sewed up in time for the game. Thais do not expect our athletes to grab 20-30 medals but we want to enjoy seeing them in nice, modern uniforms fit for 2024, not those designed 40 years ago for official functions.
We want to showcase the fact we're part of today's world culture. J Xuto Re: "Fishy failures", (PostBag, July 20) & "Time to solve fish invasion", (Editorial, July 19). I'm puzzled by how Michael Setter's proposed solution to the invasion of blackchin tilapia would work.
No doubt it is possible to create a genetic variant of the blackchin which is incapable of reproducing, but then how do you produce large numbers of fingerlings? Even if there is a technology for this, what is the scenario when the sterile males of the new variant get chucked in with the already vast numbers of the invaders? Is Mr Setter suggesting that the new boys in town will automatically beat the guys already controlling the 'hood in winning the attention of their lady blackchin molls? Given that the new variant can't reproduce and increase the numbers of its own gang, it seems highly unlikely they could get on top of the out-of-town blackchins' prodigious breeding capability. All flippancy aside, I realise this is a major problem for Thailand, but I am not convinced that Mr Setter's solution is the answer. Ray Ban Re: "Tracksuits to replace silk uniforms", (BP, July 20).
Sorry, I didn't see any young athletes or even young faces in the National Olympic Committee of Thailand. This body is supposed to stand for young athletes competing among their peers of the world. But from the news, there are no young faces around.
Is it about time to change and share responsibility with the future generation? Ole Re: "Ruining Koh Chang", (PostBag, July 19). I am with Miro King in mourning the loss of what used to be one of the most tranquil and beautiful islands in Thailand. I first visited Koh Chang about 25 years ago.
There was no car ferry across to the island, which made sense because there were no roads on the island, only a narrow dirt track that ran around part of it. We stayed in a bamboo cabin on the beach, slept under mosquito nets, and used a hurricane lamp because there was no electricity. There was no restaurant close by, but the boys in the small resort had been fishing, and barbecued some fish over a log fire on the beach for our dinner.
It was paradise. But as Miro so poignantly points out, it is now lost in the cause of tourist development. David Brown CONTACT: BANGKOK POST BUILDING 136 Na Ranong Road Klong Toey, Bangkok 10110 Fax: +02 6164000 email: postbag@bangkokpost.
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