OPINION

Firearms aren't funny

This is a response to David James Wong's June 15 letter "Keep your wig on".

I am happy to hail from a country where "funny hats" is the fashion as opposed to a culture where people sleep with firearms under their pillows, or even worse, allows people to take weapons into shopping malls and, in some states, into schools. There is gladly nothing dangerous about funny hats.

Regarding Mr Wong's foray into UK politics I would suggest (if he has the time) to research his assertions a little deeper. Putting aside his disparaging remarks about Jeremy Corbyn ("facial hair is today's fashion in Europe") the next leader of Great Britain, assuming a "Brexit" is more likely to be one Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, born in a rich suburb of NYC and holding joint US and British nationalities and prone very often to spout "Trumpisms".

I sincerely hope that this possibility is not allowed to occur after the referendum next week.

The article on ridiculous Golden Chedi (Life, June 15) reminded me of another stream of consciousness about national identity: Brexit.

This is probably the most passionate discussion among Brits everywhere, and among Europeans with whom they associate, apart from the diversion of football.

Public and privately owned TV, print media, online media, social networks and individuals freely express the whole panoply of views concerning British national identity. Every single aspect is examined, taken apart, irreverently sometimes and refined by our monarch's recent 90th birthday party.

The differences between the Thailand and Britain in our national debate about identity are massive: A vast chasm.

In Thailand it is about a Suwanna Chedi or a Pla Tapien. Much of the rest is off limits.

Re: "SRT promises trains with 'wow' factor", (BP, June 14).

I was wowed reading this news report. But I was also disappointed. How about wowing us on the Bangkok-Kabin Buri-Aranyaprathet-Bangkok run. Five trains a day back and forth, slow, dirty, broken seats, windows you can't open, slimy floors, stinking squat toilets, and people smoking between the coaches, with silly, pot-bellied railway police relaxing.

Countless tourists, locals, students, soldiers, use this commuter line. How about gracing the rest of us with your bit of wowing? I've been waiting to be wowed for years.

An open letter to the government of Thailand:

First, let me say I want to become a Thai citizen. I only, however, know enough Thai to get by in my small village. The local Thais I live among have no problem understanding me, nor I them. I am a Buddhist, maybe not the best Buddhist, but the monks in the wat I live in don't mind.

Second, what I now propose is a change in the citizenship laws.

I do not need to vote, nor serve in the military. So, what I propose is a second-class citizenship granted to foreigners who have retired here, spend their money here, and are willing to take an oath supporting His Majesty the King, the government, and Thailand.

I would expect an application fee, but that application would be approved after some degree of scrutiny. Perhaps, a required number of signatures by Thai citizens supporting the application.

At my age, getting my retirement visa renewed yearly and reporting my address (which hasn't changed since I moved here over five years ago) every 90 days is a hardship.

I am too old to properly learn to read, write and speak Thai. I am not of Asian heritage.

But a second-class citizenship would be my dream come true. I shall never leave Thailand, I shall die here, be cremated here, and my ashes placed in a stupa.

Please (karuna), grant my humble request.