Gift bust a start

Heartiest congratulations to RTP's Anti-Corruption Division chief Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat Pankaew and Kaeng Krachan National Park ex-head Chaiwat Limlikit-aksorn for their daring sting that netted DNP chief Rutchada Suriyakul Na Ayutya. But rooting out rot is just the start of cleaning out the DNP. The entire environment must be reformed -- or else all apples on the tree will rot, sooner or later.

For example, each position needs transparent, job-relevant, measurable key performance indicators. When a post opens up, offer it to the person with the highest KPI relevant to the new post, for him/her to accept/reject without prejudice. That's what we did at Bank of Hawaii in the US when I worked there. That way, customers get the best person for the job, and the boss cannot demand bribes for placement or promotion.

Also, despite Mr Rutchada's previous instructions that staff not give him gift baskets and presents, he was caught welcoming them bearing such items, showing that his words were just for show. In the future, such gifts must be prima facie evidence of graft.

I support Singapore's policy of offering compensation to public servants that's competitive with the private sector's, and note that when Pol Gen Vasit Dejkunjorn was commissioned by then-PM Abhisit Vejjajiva to propose RTP reforms, boosting compensation was a prominent factor; for only then can the public expect performance equal to the private sector's.

Minister Varawut Silpa-archa, thanks for accepting accountability for the DNP's fiasco. Back your welcome words with decisive action now -- when all eyes are on you and elections loom.

Burin Kantabutra

Irrelevant demand

Re: "Get tourists tested," (PostBag, Jan 1).

Tim Wilson confesses that he has not read the news concerning Covid, and believes the "safe and effective" marketing slogan. It has also been repeatedly demonstrated by real world data that they are not effective. Therefore, these vaccines are neither safe nor effective.

A record of vaccination for Chinese tourists is irrelevant. Why? The new and rather benign variants of Omicron have been acting like a live vaccine, and the vast majority of people worldwide have already been infected and have long lasting strong natural immunity.

Even the draconian lockdowns, mandatory vaccinations, and universal masking in China have failed. But Mr Wilson somehow cannot comprehend the implications of this worldwide failure and demands there is no option but to continue enforcing compliance with policies that obviously do not work.

Michael Setter

Tests needed

Re: "China arrivals to skip virus testing," (BP, Jan 1).

It seems the Department of Disease Control has things the wrong way around regarding the policy for Chinese tourists.

They decided not to test arrivals from China for Covid, despite a massive outbreak of the disease currently under way in China.

Instead of testing for the disease in the same way as the US, the UK, India and other countries are doing, they want to check their vaccine certificates, despite knowing full well that China's population has been vaccinated with homegrown Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccines which have had little or no efficacy against Covid strains from Delta onwards.

Surely it would make much more sense to test all arrivals from China without demanding their vaccine certificates.

George Morgan

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