Things are getting more difficult for foreigners almost daily, particularly for long-stay people. It is difficult to buy a house, as you cannot buy land unlike in Western countries; so why not let them buy land _ after all, they cannot export it?
This would encourage long-term stayers and in addition let them have long-term visas at a cost without having to leave Thailand every 90 days to renew visas and, in my case, pay Burma 500 baht for the privilege. Why doesn't Thai Immigration let me pay the 500 baht locally? Thailand would benefit rather than Burma. Thailand should encourage foreigners to help the country, not discourage them.
HOWARD
Chiang Mai
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Sexual licence
I read with interest the piece ''Sex through the ages'' (Outlook, Jan 22) and the response from my namesake, Patrick (Postbag, Jan 24). A couple of caveats:
It is always assumed that the Victorians were so prudish that they covered the legs of their grand pianos, lest they corrupt parlour morals. But it was also the most hypocritical of periods. It may have been covert, but there was an obsession with sex: more than 40,000 prostitutes on the streets and in the bordellos of London is testament to that.
As a farang, I cannot speak with authority on Thai attitudes _ about the article's stated belief that ''sex... for reproduction, not for physical pleasure'' is a Victorian importation to Thailand. But such puritanical values do not appear to be strongly in evidence in a culture that, inter alia, accepts the practice of mia luang (first wife) and mia noi (mistress); that is tolerant even in village communities of transsexuals (katoeys); and whose economy is openly reliant on sex tourism.
Maybe we should look initially to the American military for the spawning of resorts such as Pattaya. In such places, GIs with wads of money and libido to match, encountered bar girls happy to make ''boom boom'' for easy returns. Such factors helped kick-start a trade that now makes Thailand a byword for sexual licence.
If in past times, ''sex was much more open and diverse than we think'', it remains the case today.
DR PATRICK CAMPBELL
Phuket
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No.1 refugee exporter
Thailand now possibly has three world firsts ready for inclusion in the next edition of the Guinness Book of Records. A brave (and unusual) lady's amazing effort to break the world record for spending an exceedingly long time in a glass box with a horrifying number of rather large and incredibly dangerous insects, and maintaining the No.1 spot as the world's largest exporter of rice are admirable achievements, in their ways.
I am, however, a little worried at the current ongoing attempt to create a new record as the world's largest exporter of Burmese refugees. I wonder if it will be recognised. Just a thought.
GRAY ROGERS
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Blaming the victim
Re: ''The Big Issue'' (BP, Jan 25). The Post, in a no-byline article, calls Hua Hin shooting victim Donald Whiting a ''property development scandal-monger''. The dictionary defines ''scandal-monger'' in very negative terms: ''someone promoting something undesirable''.
The number of poor quality property developments in Thailand are numerous and often reported in the Post. Since when, then, is a person who complains about the deficiencies in his home construction a ''scandal-monger''? Is it undesirable to call contractors to account? The Post writer seems to be blaming the victim for the crime of his own shooting.
After the developer refused to correct the deficiencies, Mr Whiting attempted to prove his allegations in court but was gunned down just days before the case was to be heard in Prachuap Khiri Khan criminal court. Curious coincidence or something more?
HUA HIN RESIDENT
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Whither justice for all?
At last, we know. I duly noted your article, ''Vagabond Thaksin to fight on'' (BP, Jan 26) at the end of which the PM is reported to have said: ''The government provides justice for all Thais. As he is a Thai, we will give him justice in line with the law.'' So, is it official Thai government policy not always to give foreigners justice in line with the law?
HAMILCAR
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