Our debt economy
Re: "The thorny roots of debt", (BP, Nov 18).
In Thailand, around 87% of the money supply is issued by banks as loans plus interest, i.e., debt (this figure is 97% in the UK). This is the root of debt. Debt is a problem because 87% of the money supply is just debt. Trace the implications of this for the economy and the very structure of society, in respect of education, businesses that are funded, wages and employment, etc.
Then you'll see how damaging it is. Find a way of issuing money that doesn't involve loans plus interest, and that honours the value of productive work done, and then you'll have a solution.
Plastics are killing us
Re: "No 'safe' pollution", (PostBag, Nov 18).
I agree with Diane Archer regarding the guidelines for PM2.5 particulates in the air. There is a complex problem which remains unaddressed at the root of air and water pollution. Highly toxic nanoplastics and microplastics are falling from the sky all over the planet 24 hours a day. Plastics are killing more living creatures than smoking ever did.
The current selective measurement, which aims at anything smaller than 2.5 micrometres, is misleading. The most accurate measurement system uses a filter to remove particles and then weighs the result. But nanoplastics escape this filter. Most other methods also fail to detect nanoplastics since they are extremely small.
This being the case, and due to the ubiquitous nature of nano plastics (current autopsy results are finding that the human brain contains as much as 0.5% plastic), unless all bottled water is packaged in glass and passes a dual laser independent test for plastics contamination, they must have a "hazardous to human health" label prominently displayed. Plastic food packaging materials should also carry warning labels. Plastics are killing us slowly, and their devastation goes entirely unnoticed; we must not wait any longer to face this problem head-on.
End the domineering
Re: "Nail in the coffin", (PostBag, Nov 17) & "Ex-PM sees no risk to Pheu Thai", (BP, Nov 15).
The writer is mistaken in reading the news. In Thaksin Shinawatra canvassing for his party members in Udon Thani province, there are no grounds for accusing him of being constitutionally wrong in trying to win for the Pheu Thai Party that he is loyal to. Indeed, the news was related to Thaksin's opinion on the ongoing accusations of his previous deeds of domineering over the Pheu Thai Party at a crucial moment in forming a coalition government for his daughter to be prime minister. The election law does not allow non-party members to dominate the political party despite the political party's leader being his daughter.