LawrenceChee

I am unsure if people will look back 5 years from now and give credit to Philippines for being a skilled negotiator.....see what they are getting according to the links mentioned by Comrade P.

That is the to my point earlier...Philippines is playing USA, Japan and its allies for lots of freebies. 

Chinese were communist and didn't invent capitalism....you guys did mate. But the commies are better are deals than you guys are...so it's does feel like a pinch. 

You are missing the point Craig...

Philippines played USA for free defence pacts , equipment upgrades and got the deal sweetened by the Japs...the Chinese don't feel threatened by a decommissioned craft donated to the Philippines but for the Philippines it certainly a free upgrade for them without spending any $. Watch the Subic Bay area, Duarte is intelligent....if he plays it right, he will get some roads and major infrastructure fixed there at no cost to him or his government while he sends Ramos in HK and to Beijing to mend ties and get another deal. 

If you feel that being a vulture means that, thank goodness there is more vultures sitting at the sidelines instead of rushing in hot headed with no plans....asked the Afghans, Syrians, Iraqis, running off to parts of Europe and Turkey as refugees if they would value that vs "superheors who like to start wars" ...the millions of mothers there will tell you good riddance to USA and Assad and Russia and please stop these macho missile launch and leave them alone...so that they can bring their kids to school everyday, haggle at the market for fresh produce and allow their children some freedom to grow their Arab ways. 

The reality is Chinese are doing multi deals...they may lose the train deal with Thailand for now ...key word is for now....The Chinese know negotiations take time. Taken the new train carriages from Bangkok to Chiangmai ? They started about a 2 weeks ago and yes made in China. 

Just saw a Rolls Royce in Chiangmai in Dhara Dhevi with Kunming plates...old friends coming down to Chiangmai and Chiangmai to start acquisition deals...it's the first for Chiangmai to see a RR and wont be the last as he is bringing his Bentley next. 

You are right...those not dealing at the government levels at missing out a lot of information on what's happening behind the scenes...I am heading to Manila again today and it's not to buy Cebu Mangoes at the Duty Free. 

The last escalation between Taiwan and China had more hardware moved than the current...and yet for all the brutal  treason talk and escalated tensions...not one missile was fired at each other. ...even during good times, there was 1600 warheads pointing at each other and this is at a distance shorter than the Catalina island ferry ride to LA port.

The Chinese value trade more than war and will never go down the opath of the USA who likes to waste money, escalate tension, fire missiles and with no long term plans leave it for the next President to solve, move to the next theatre and create another mess. 

Craig...your posts and links highlight what I mentioned earlier ...

Philippines played the damsel card well and got free USA defence in terms of free coast guard upgrades and now Japan is offering a new railway with loans which was cheaper than the original quote of the Chinese....the Japs and USA got played and will never admit it by a cunning negotiator.

Watch the Chinese come back shortly with a new rail deal and the Chinese will win this one not the Japs in building the railway but the Philippines will get what they want at a bargain. 

Vietnam playing into the dispute, got its arm embargo lifted and can now freely buy from Russians and USA at a bargain setting up negotiations from both....Russians need to sell but USA got played but won't admit it

USA spent all the money patrolling in the last few months to naught and the bill is staggering but again won't admit it as in it internal memos, it has fulfilled another police man role and "saved" the world.....

ASEAN countries have long played the USA and Japs for free aid and this is a free for all grab...smartly Philippines and Vietnam have chosen to take their "bonuses" now...when the Chinese have simmered down, they have to come back and pay more...not a smart move but they overplayed the card this time and has to pay financially 

The TPP like many of the grand schemes thought through by the G20 and G7 nations are always grand in vision and hard in implementation. Both incoming Presidents have vowed against it and interesting both VPs elect voted yes for TPP and now backtracking to say no to support their potential commanders in chief. 

It's this wishy washy methodology that China exploits as it runs into bilateral deals fast and furious , cuts to the core of the issues and often ask what's the price which for all the entertainment, dining etc...is the crux of the negotiation. What's the magic number to make both sides smile and sign on the doted line without worrying about hurting someone's feelings. 

I don't see the TPP working at all and the AIIB set up by the Chinese will be dominant in this region.  Like many of Chinese's initiatives, this one hits right to the core...being a bank , lending money for infrastructure projects and no political or religious tied to the condition to the loans. Exactly what developing countries in Asia like Philippines need. 

I will register mine to my kid ...he's 5 be fun to see him get busted in class for sleeping


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Thanks for all the suggestions we will be looking at the Japanese ones


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On the last point alone of the nude lesbian photos ...Melanie wins unless there are some sick bastards that can say HC looks better in those


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China has been keeping that terrier on a short lease but it's hard to control the fat boy as he needs attention along with his monthly Swiss cheese rations

The USA and South Korea can keep prodding him with thaad

The guy has nothing to lose


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With he cold season coming soon, we were looking at changing out the instant water heaters in our place...we have low water pressure and really like it consistently hot.

So far...seen a few brands Mex, Siebel & Panasonic...we like the copper ones better and the sale people at different places are telling us you need at least 5000 watts to get it nice and warm in the cold season. I am not a fan of cold water showers..

any recommendations ?

Agree with you.

Bangkok and the outlying islands holds a lot of attraction to the Chinese as there is space and resorts for their version instagram 

Chiangmai got into the radar because of the comedy movie that was #1 a couple of years ago and the interest is waning off for them as temples and sticky rice with mango is available almost everywhere in Thailand and the distance to travel is not convenient unless you are from Kunming and the likes where it's easier to drive down / fly down. 

Either way...i am happy to see the interest dying down although for those how have expanded into the business etc I feel for them as it will affect them.

True....the thing is Thailand is a good cheap spot for the first tour out of the country and money wise that was what attracted hordes of Europeans and Russians as well...we all went through that phase ...they will not be gone soon but the numbers will start to decline which is where all the business dependant on them may not be the happiest 

the wechat group tour channels are strong on the fact that Chiangmai is whimsy and nice for a few days outing but nothing much special once you have done the tigers, temples and eaten your mango sticky rice and went to Central Festival. 

So if the interest continues to die down, it will be good for us in Chiangmai but not so good for those who have bet their dollars to the trade.

We saw their projects and while the price point is attractive we decided against it in the end as many gave us the same feedback on the workmanship and problems later.

It seems Pruksa has a good reputation along with the 2 big boys L&H & Sansiri.

4 hours ago, ev1lchris said:

China is a hell hole. That's why they act like animals.

Not all of China is a hell hole and not all of them act like animals..i have explained it so many times..it's just scale and I am not defending them.

head to the hutongs, clan houses, places in Lijiang ...hangzhou...lots of cultured spots and the art of conversations , nature and art scenes will surprise you

1% of badly behaved Chinese is 13 million...that's a hell lot of them ! 

Guy is an absolute idiot...if he wins by a freak result like Brexit....China will have fun with this idiot ...he almost makes foreign diplomacy a joke !

Strangest laws ever the USA have...

I would love to see a President / Congress who has guts to just say enough of this nonsense and killing and pass a law and just stop this. hanging on to this argument by the NRA to some ancient amendment law is dumb and stupid...people are dying because they are too gutless to make a sensible government decision. 

Dumb Dumb Dumb

As for the prisons and other infrastructure , this is why Philippines need help in...real help as I travel there frequently and even in Makati once you drive past the glitzy greenbelt area, the surrounding areas of Manila need a lot of improvement. There are the rich elite in Manila and also the kids using recycled water to wash their clothes etc on the streets.

Whoever was the elected President of Philippines will always have that problem as it's a lot of infrastructure development and improvement needed.

China and Philippines will recalibrate the relationship soon enough. Uncle Sam has no real $$$ to help and Uncle Japan is struggling to match the aid programs of China in the region and will play a role as they have for years in ASEAN but the Japanese have always been modest in their contributions as they are spread thin here. 

That is why boomer they are learning fast from the USA ...how does a economy like the USA sustains itself and never implodes...with so much national debt etc.

China is world economy No 2 and USA is No 1 ....both have hit the stage where neither can fail....so the market allows corrections / no implosion or downright failure

For this year, I have entered on the 30 day visa exemption rule on multiple times.

I count 20 such stamps on my passport. On 16th one onwards, I was pulled aside for an interview, once I had to show my funds, the others were filling up a form and some general questions.

On stamp #20 , I was told by the Immigration Chief in CM airport that I had to get the right visa and she did it very politely and I told her I would ...so off I went to Laos to get a multiple entry O as I was always in / out for a few days and off to work for another meeting. 

Now she stamps me in with a smile with my multiple entry O. So I would say even though at Stamp No 6 they flag you on the computer screen, it is still a matter of who is stamping at the counters and how much they want to apply the rule. 

P/S - I have never entered through a land border for 2016 on all these visa exempt stamps ; all was done through mainly CM airport and a few at Bangkok. 

I done this a couple of times enrouteto USA....have to be a road warrior to enjoy it and I am on flight no 82 this year already ....

You leave at 2355, which means by the time you get on the air proper ...food is served to you at about 1245am and in 4 hours you get to Seoul where they wake you for a light breakfast. Plane & service are great and I have taken both classes before the business an economy and the korean food is okay but run out quick if they have a whole plane full of them heading home.

You arrive at 0655 Korean time which is 0455 :-) so a little jet lagged but the terminal in ICN is good for showers etc and food and you will be recharged for the next leg. 

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Not sure what houses you are talking about...there is only 2 that I know off...the racist republican house represented by Trump now and the lack of integrity and common sense democrat house represented by Hillary ....either or ...both will not get you a USA Sea or USA Ocean ...kinda of sore right ?

You are too much fun too because most of the points talk about the grandeur of war....we all know the senate is purred and powered by donations from the arms manufacturers....so thanks for reminding us they can be bought...all legally of course through donations, executive perks etc...how fun and how capitalistic 

These publications  are the equivalent of Fox News in USA. No one pays a lot of attention these channels as they are mouthpieces and make their money from being provocative. Not different from the Page 3 girls on Sun in the UK.

Those who seek a balanced viewpoints don't buy this publication or take too much notice...I would encourage others in the forum to ignore it. I personally read WSJ, ST, SCMP, FT and NYT on a daily basis. hahahah when I am bored, I head to the forum a times and read some entertaining posts...makes the day more interesting at the airport while I wait out the next flight and typhoon. 

Chinese respect the Brits because they have the gentleman code of conduct and willing to admit mistakes when they have done some.

When people keep posting about honoring the law, they should remember the illegal things they have done at the UN and never once accepted responsibility for it....there are just too many to quote in the last 20 years and recent days but I do not want to get with the mods of baiting...

The Chinese is not impregnable and will make mistakes along the way as they run a very unique governance ...it's communist and has capitalist economic responsibilities to continue to grow the country.

They are not Russia or North Korea and hence I believe China deserves some respect for the role they play in the world affairs. If the world want 3 bogey communist countries, then by all means isolate China but China have grown in all spheres trade, military , political because they are not man in suits and certainly not caught in dynasty thinking but in trying to balance the best for the Chinese people and made some hard choices.

In this case in the SCS, they have made an diplomacy error of pushing the Philippines too hard but they will recover from it and one should have the patience to wait in a year or two for the announcements. As for the USA military , they can continue to play their lego sets here...the SCS us big enough for all to sail around it round and round....China has a right to sail here and have their military exercise...it's called the SOUTH CHINA SEA....I know it is a sore thing for the USA they don't have an ocean or sea named after them but then your history is not 5000 years old.

There are those who have been berating the Chinese for their behaviour and rightfully they should improve over time as we see the younger generation of Chinese travelers especially female in small groups is expanding globally.

Just be kind to them and point them the right way...the Chinese are a friendly bunch and when you spend 360 days in your province shouting and fighting lines...they cannot fly into Thailand for a 4 day vacation and all of as sudden abandon that behaviour and go soft tone and sawadee us etc ...the frequent travelers to Thailand you can detect as they are taken to the local culture and behave appropriately.

Look at HK, they despised the Chinese and rightly so the Chinese have also responded and declined instep numbers in 2016...so all those working in Tourism trade - hotels, guesthouses, transport, restaurants, shopping etc will be looking at a very bad year end to 2016 and most have been told by their mgt already there is no bonus for this year as they have all missed the targets.

Be careful what we wish for....if they really disappear overnight from Chiangmai...while the streets will be cleaner etc...all of the Thai business and their employees will suddenly be jobless. Ask the lady that sells pork leg named Feng Fei Fei stall at the old city where you have the street stalls opp the big market...she must have bought 30 to 40 houses in a moo bean based on her sales of a simple dish to the Chinese crowds nightly.

There are those

Does the forum rules states here that only academic research is allowed in postings ? If so, it would be an appalling drop in academic standards if the topic is held so tightly reined like the North Korean News Agency that no other relevant points to the political arena is considered.

Does trade matter in all these ?

Watch the latest Presidential Party coverage and see that both candidates is against TPP including 2 Vice Presidents who changed their stance once they were picked for the running ticket having voted yes to fast track it before, that is American politics that is wishy washy and blows with the wind and lacking of long term foresight...

If congress sinks this TPP deal, it would give China the advantage while Europe is sorting out their Brexit mess to head in and make headwinds again. Those with real business experience in managing government contracts, massive projects would understand this better.

So consider not only the missiles / military stuff which the USA has always used as the spearhead of foreign policy and interaction in a very ineffective manner and consider the practical aspects of governance too.