Asian Economies

* Re “Asia’s Recovery Looks More Sickly Every Day,” Commentary, June 7: I agree with Tom Plate. Asia is still deep in the dark woods and flirting with disaster by not making critical reforms.

Asia needs modern accounting standards, major judicial reforms, transparency, major governmental reforms, meaningful democratic reforms and streamlined distribution systems to consumers for starters. Asia lacks a modern economic infrastructure that can effectively deal with coming shocks. Asia’s way is to sweep things under the rug or just keep hoping things will work out for the best.

Singapore, from all I have read, is the exception. It evidently is doing things right and has avoided disaster by having a clean government that insists business conform to Western standards.

GORDON PATTISON

Irvine