OPINION

Into the unknown

I'd be interested to know the authoritative source for Nigel Pike's implied claim that 75% of British laws are made by the bureaucrats of Europe (PostBag, June 21). It sounds like one of the many exaggerations coming from the Brexit camp.

"I want my country back." Yes, it sounds a great rallying cry. Nigel believes Brexit will launch Britain into a glorious era of independence, master of its own destiny. That's a chimera. The world has changed since Britain joined Europe, and pulling out of Europe will not bring the pre-Europe days back.

Like many in the Brexit camp, Nigel gives us an incomplete picture regarding immigration. The official net figure is around 333,000, but perhaps Nigel just doesn't like even that many foreigners (in which case I hope he doesn't live in Thailand). Actually, they are not all "foreigners" since 83,000 of his 630,000 migrants to the UK in 2015 were British citizens. And 277,000 of the remaining 547,000, were non-EU migrants. Brexit would make no difference to that figure. The only relevant figure is the net migration of EU citizens, which is 184,000.

As for the issues in his penultimate paragraph, when I was in the UK for a couple of months last year, British culture and the British way of life (vague concepts as they are) seemed to be thriving. Any worsening in the quality of life in the cities seemed more the consequence of British political incompetence or neglect than of Europe.

I agree the Remain camp has run a largely negative campaign, but the Brexit campaign has been pretty negative also, and I have yet to read a sufficiently coherent case by the Brexiteers for taking an irrevocable step into the unknown. I'm also unhappy about a number of aspects of the EU, but I do not trust anyone leading the Brexit campaign, especially one Boris Johnson, who had no strong anti-Europe stance until he realised it was his opportunity to grab the Tory crown.

A report published on Thai PBS online stated that PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has rejected a probe into the procurement of the GT200 bogus bomb detectors. Meanwhile, Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwon reportedly defended the army's procurement of the bomb detectors, saying the purchase scheme was transparent and in line with the regulations.

How reassuring. If that's the case, why no investigation? If there's no wrong-doing, there's nothing to hide, right? Actions speak far louder than words, and logic would therefore dictate that in blocking an investigation, there is indeed something to hide.

I loved the following quote from an online news story yesterday about the Thai tycoon whose brother had a hornbill on his property. "His brother Vikrom, who posed with the bird in a photo posted in social media, would not be charged as authorities deemed he had simply made an honest mistake."

Right on. This is yet another example where money talks and the perp walks. Same with the Red Bull heir, the four sons of ranking police officers who murdered a disabled bread seller in front of witnesses, and a few well-known others not even worth mentioning. Why bother? We all know who they are, and the results of "police investigations". Why even bother reporting it in the news?

Some people can state eloquently in one sentence, a single thought that sums up the feelings of the rest of us. Nigel Pike in his June 21 letter said he wants his country back, and so do the rest of us want ours.

I hope Mr Pike gets his wish very shortly. I unfortunately have to wait for the next presidential election, and, as I want my country back too, you can surmise who I'll gladly vote for, politician or not, big mouth or not. He stands for making America great again, and protecting home grown values, which are not for sale or subject to change.