Re: "Donor issues", (PostBag, March 21) and "Review blood donation criteria", (Opinion, March 18).
Beef products were banned from being imported into Thailand over 20 years ago due to this. Despite the ban by the European Union on British beef products being imported into Europe being lifted in the early 2000s, they are still banned in Thailand despite stringent health controls in the UK. Try buying Knorr beef cubes in the supermarket. Now is the time for the Red Cross to update its system to allow donors to donate.
RON MARTIN
Masks' real benefits
Re: "Face the facts", (PostBag, March 18) and "Covid-19 to be endemic from July", (BP, March 10).
"Anyone with a slight modicum of biology and medical knowledge" should know that masks are not to prevent the passage of virus "particles" -- they don't last very long in the air -- but the much larger droplets that sustain and transport them.
TARQUIN CHUFFLEBOTTOM
An invasion theme?
The incident in which a country invaded another country in Eastern Europe seems to have coincided with a currently popular song: Unstoppable by Sia. The song goes like this: "I'm unstoppable. I'm a Porsche with no brakes; I'm so confident. Yeah, I'm unstoppable today."
So far, no song has come out in answer to this one. Or won't there be any at all?
VINT CHAVALA
Despotic tradition
Re: "Father of hazing victim rejects B500,000 offer, will take case to court", (Online, March 18, 2022)
It was a most welcome departure from the usually reported to see the parents of the young man most recently sacrificed to the despotic traditions of "Seniority Order Tradition Unity Spirit" (Sotus) reject the proffered bribe to acquiesce in that voracious social more responsible for killing their son just as he was setting out on life. As the killers themselves explained, they were merely following hallowed tradition, in this case Sotus, in respectful reverence to the institutions that they deem sacred enough to literally sacrifice human life to.
It brings to mind that famous image from October 1976 wherein is captured the same perfect faith in a too similar social more that led to even greater human sacrifice. Who could forget that image iconic of modern Thailand? Indelible is their ecstasy blazing on the faces of the cheering devotees gathered to honour with ritual blood sacrifice their equally sacred and revered institutions.
Let us pray that all faith in such social mores is swiftly wiped from society.
FELIX QUI
Hip-hip-hip hooray?
Re: "Thailand ranks 61 in annual happiness index", (BP, March 20).
This ranking is hardly worthy of a column, due to current circumstances, and no-one has asked me, but as the old song goes: "The sun has got his hat on hip-hip-hip-hooray. The sun has got his hat on and he's coming out today. Now we'll all be happy hip-hip-hip hooray. The sun has got his hat on and he's coming out today All the little boys excited, all the little girls delighted. What a lot of fun for everyone. Sitting in the sun all day." Etc etc.
With a tip o' the hat to Ambrose and his orchestra, lyrics by Noel Gay & Ralph Butler.
ELLIS O' BRIEN
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