Letter to Post Bag

[an675720@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Dear Post Bag:

I was astonished by the level of ignorance displayed by Ithiphon 
Khemmarat in his recent letter criticizing Bangkok Post's editorials on 
Burma.  His assertion that this newspaper is "quite unpopular over there" 
is ludicrous, given the fact that it is unavailable over here except to 
those entitled to very "special benefits" indeed.  It is not even for 
sale in the hotels which cater almost exclusively to foreigners.  Either 
your reader went around asking people if they read the Post and took 
their negative response to indicate that they didn't because they didn't 
agree with its "biased attitude", or he canvassed only his Burmese 
friends who, if they are entitled to receive it, are recipients of the 
"special benefits" that only the very privileged few enjoy.  Anyone who 
reads the government-controlled Burmese newspapers is very familiar with 
how unpopular "totally negative" attitudes, such as those expressed by 
the Bangkok Post, are among the governing elite.  

Most Burmese do indeed want a chance to enjoy the things that any decent 
human being wants.  I have lived here for several years, have talked to 
many hundreds of "locals" around the country, and would like to add that 
the Burmese people also want to live in a country where they can be 
confident that justice is upheld and individual rights respected, where 
people are safe from the cruel and arbitrary actions of a government that 
is accountable only to itself.

Your reader's assertion that corruption is the same everywhere, whether 
the government is elected democratically or not, reveals a very narrow 
world view.  The problem of "special benefits going to the nearest people 
to any government" is much reduced in countries where strict laws on 
corruption, bribery, nepotism, and conflict-of-interest are passed and 
upheld, where a free and vigorous press can expose corruption and 
violations of such law, where government is accountable to the people and 
its powers are checked by an independent judiciary and elected 
legislature.

The people of Burma can only dream of living in such a country, and of 
opening a newspaper to find an editorial that disagrees with the 
government's policies or actions.  If the Bangkok Post were freely 
available alongside the government-controlled newspapers in Burma, there 
is no question which would be more "popular".  

I wish that your reader's kind thoughts for his "friends'" health and 
prosperity would be extended to the millions of Burmese who are suffering 
under the present regime.  I also hope that, on his next trip to Burma, 
your reader is willing to open his eyes a bit further.

A foreign resident of Rangoon

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