Why can't we sort out this mess?

I have just returned from a trip to Bangkok after an interval of ten years, and wow what a difference!

From the beginning to the end, I totally enjoyed the experience, and was certainly impressed.

Ten years ago Jakarta was better-off than Bangkok as Bangkok then was polluted, congested and disorganized. Now the reverse is true.

The Bangkok Post and The Jakarta Post are almost interchangeable in their stories of political infighting corruption, mismanagement and so on but while these activities seem to have paralyzed Indonesia, Thailand has gotten on with the job: building the Sky Train, reducing traffic congestion, cleaning the streets and teaching its population the value of tourism and foreign investment.

Arriving at Soekarno-Hatta airport with its long queues at the immigration and hordes of harassing touts, left me, a longtime resident, depressed and disgusted. What do you imagine visitors are thinking? The thoughts certainly won't be "can't wait to return!"

Isn't there anyone up to the task of sorting this out?

JANTHY NIHARDJO

Jakarta