Jim Waldron

Good call by Thailand! Especially as the Nipah virus has no vaccine or cure, and there are reports of cases in India. Precautionary screening at key entry points is exactly the right call, using the systems they perfected during COVID to prevent any outbreak before it starts. As I see it, the key issue here is the large number of international visitors to Thailand. Thailand's initiative doesn't just benefit Thais, it will potentially benefit many other countries as well by peventing the virus from entering and potentially being carried abroad as these visitors return home. Well done Thailand!

Blind, stupid, or conniving, or all three? Didn't Pheu Thai see Musk's cringey, illegal "$1.5M/day for Trump votes" lottery idea that got laughed off the internet? If they did see it then not only have they just copied it, they've added a dystopian twist! While Musk’s stunt was just crude vote-buying, Pheu Thai is dressing theirs up as "economic digitization." But, I suspect their real goal isn’t just handing out cash, rather it's using the lottery bait to get everyone to scan and tag every purchase with a mandatory receipt, hooking the entire informal economy into a state surveillance system. They’re not just buying votes for a day, they're trying to buy the entire financial footprint for their database, forever. It's a cheap imitation with a sinister upgrade. Worse still, apart from the actual odds of anyone winning, they want this 9-million baht daily give away to be government policy, with all Thais having to pay for it through their taxes! Mark's idea of using this money for skills funding is a far more sensible approach.

As expected, the Ukraine peace talks in Abu Dhabi have collapsed. Russia intensified its air strikes even as its diplomats were wrapping up these talks. Last week, Trump swiftly withdrew an invitation to his 'Board of Peace' after Canada's PM Carney criticized the US-led world order. So, are we now to expect that Trump will also be withdrawing Putin's invitation, given that his delegation talks peace while his military bombs Ukrainian energy grids, leaving civilians in the cold. Or, do the rules only apply to allies who dare to speak up?

Trump's 100% tariff threat seems less like a trade policy and more like a declaration of economic war on Canada for engaging with China. If Trump wants to contain China's influence, then alienating and crippling your closest ally is a funny way of going about it. Canada's Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc claims "...they’ve only resolved some tariff issues—nothing more, nothing less..."! Perhaps, it might have been better received had he said that they reached a "framework of a deal"? With Trump's threat of 100% tariff, is it any wonder that Canada and others are now looking into economic partnerships that exclude the US, ultimately accelerating Carney's 'new world order'. Already in China, Trump is known as Chuan Jianguo, meaning "nation-builder", a mocking title that suggests his foreign and domestic policies are driving countries away from Washington and pushing them closer to China.

What's unfolding in Minneapolis is a stark testament to the profound moral crisis facing the US under trumpian-rule! We are seeing concerned local citizens, braving the biting cold, standing as a courageous frontline against an evil regime whose actions increasingly betray the fascist hallmarks of their unaccountable power; militarized repression of dissent; and, the dehumanization of those who dare to oppose it. This struggle for justice by the people of Minneapolis is a valiant defense of fundamental rights as decreed in the First Amendment, while federal agents continue to operate with terrifying impunity and government blessing. Each frozen person in the protest is a rebuke to the vile system that places the cruelty of enforcement above the community's basic right to protest against a government bereft of any human decency. Yet, this tragic episode with the death of Alex Pretti (who was a healer, not a combatant) forces a deeper reckoning. The protesters’ righteous cause is being met with a level of brutal escalation that risks rendering their sacrifice Pyrrhic. With a second civilian now dead at the hands of a federal agent, and the government machinery swiftly moving to label these citizens as "terrorists", the government's strategy becomes crystal clear: to justify further violence by criminalizing anyone who dissents. For those brave people of Minneapolis, the cold is not the only deadly enemy they face; it is the chilling and calculated narrative of a power structure that would rather vilify and bury its victims than address the foundational injustices that forced people into the streets. These citizens' fight for their community continues, but at a mounting cost that highlights the trumpian-regime's utter lack of morals or scruples. Trump's "terrorists" are, for me at least, democracy's true "patriots"!

A return of 181% to 3,680% annually, come on now? As a long-suffering investor on SET, I know damn well that even with its wild fluctuations those numbers aren’t just unrealistic; they’re pure fantasy! What’s really concerning in this article is the naivety of the victims for not doing a basic regulatory check. In Thailand, any legitimate securities broker or investment firm must be licensed by the SEC and registered with the SET. A few minutes on the SEC or SET website to verify a firm’s status would have saved these "investors" from their losses. It’s good though to see the Economic Crime Suppression Division handling the case and expanding the investigation. Hopefully, this serves as a reminder for all investors: if returns sound too good to be true, they almost always are.

Bovino's uniform controversy moves the discussion from uncomfortable symbolism to a glaring historical echo. The German media's use of terms like "Nazi aesthetic" is not a loose analogy; when placed side-by-side with the uniforms of the SA (Sturmabteilung) and the SS (Schutzstaffel), the visual parallel becomes a direct and disturbing reference point. This is no longer just about a coat that looks vaguely authoritarian. The specific cut, the stark presentation, and the deliberate authority it projects draw a line to the most potent and sinister symbols of 20th-century state terror. The SA ("brown shirts") represented the paramilitary arm of the Nazi Party, used for intimidation and violence, while the SS became the ideological enforcers of the regime's most horrific policies. To dismiss this as "manufactured outrage" over "standard issue" gear, as the DHS spokesperson does, is to ignore the entire purpose of political and state uniforms: they are designed to communicate power, ideology, and intent. When a modern US border official's chosen public image can be so readily juxtaposed with these specific historical uniforms, it signals a profound and alarming normalization of their associated imagery. This isn't about accusing an individual of holding a specific ideology. It is about recognizing that the aesthetics of fascism are being rehabilitated and repurposed within the framework of democratic governance. As Governor Newsom suggested, such symbolism reveals a troubling underlying tendency. Bovino is issuing a deliberate visual challenge that Americans, and all who value democracy, must recognize and reject.

While the Department of Highways is right to consider all options, including termination, after such a serious incident, simply canceling the contract now seems like the wrong kind of solution. Termination at this stage would likely guarantee massive further delays for the entire motorway project. The process of finding a new contractor, re-tendering, and restarting work would take years, punishing the public more than the company responsible. A more effective penalty would be to keep Italian-Thai Development on the hook under a new, brutally strict regime. The contract should be amended to include: 1. Severe Financial Penalties: Enforce massive, escalating daily fines for any further delays and for any failure to meet design and safety tolerances. 2. Mandatory Independent Oversight: Require the company to fund a team of independent, government-approved engineers and safety overseers. This team would have full authority to monitor all work, halt unsafe operations, and verify every stage meets the highest standards before proceeding. This approach forces the company to bear the direct cost of fixing its failures, maintains project momentum, and ensures unprecedented levels of safety scrutiny. Termination lets them walk away from a problem they created; stringent oversight forces them to solve it correctly, under a microscope, with their profits on the line!

The article highlights a truly reprehensible moment. As someone who deeply values the contributions of our allies—including the brave servicemen and women from the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and across NATO—I find Trump's comments not just "insulting and appalling," but profoundly dangerous. To dismiss the sacrifice and frontline service of allied troops with baseless claims is more than a political gaffe; it's an affront to every family who lost a loved one in Afghanistan and a betrayal of the solidarity that defines our alliances. This pattern of undermining and slandering steadfast allies does exactly what you said: it delights our adversaries and weakens the free world's united front. Prime Minister Starmer's condemnation is necessary and correct. The strongest rebuke we can give is not through personal insults, but by universally and unequivocally reaffirming the valor of these soldiers, stating the factual record of their service, and rejecting any rhetoric that seeks to divide us. We should all hope for, and demand, a full and embarrassing retraction—not for his sake, but for the honor of those he has slandered. Maybe, one of Trump's cronies should point out that NATO, and others answered the call of the US to send military personnel to Afghanistan. Major Contributors (Non-NATO): 1. Australia: A key contributor with substantial forces, special operations, and air assets. 2. Sweden: Contributed troops, including a Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) in Mazar-i-Sharif. 3. Finland: Provided troops and an integrated PRT (with Sweden and Norway). 4. Austria: Provided medical personnel and support. 5. Ireland: Deployed troops for force protection and training roles. 6. New Zealand: Contributed special forces and a PRT in Bamyan Province. 7. Singapore: Provided support personnel, medical teams, and weapon locating radar teams. 8. United Arab Emirates (UAE): Deployed special forces and medical units. 9. Jordan: Provided special forces, training teams, and a hospital. 10. Georgia: Became one of the largest per-capita contributors, with troops serving in high-risk combat areas. 11. Ukraine: Deployed demining experts, medical personnel, and helicopter crews. 12. Azerbaijan: Provided troops, airspace access, and ground transit routes. 13. Mongolia: Sent multiple rotations of troops for security and training roles. 14. Bosnia and Herzegovina: Contributed tactical support units. 15. Colombia: Sent instructors to assist in training Afghan security forces. 16. El Salvador: Deployed troops for security and reconstruction tasks. 17. South Korea: Provided medical and engineering support, as well as civilian reconstruction teams.

Especially as it's Mexican 🌮

Polls don't lie, do they? The Newsweek article referd to an American Research Group (ARG) poll conducted among a national sample of 1,100 adults between January 16 and 20, 2026. It carries a standard margin of error of +/-3 percentage points. The poll finds President Donald Trump's approval rating at 35%—the lowest of his second term. Wow. Only 35%. Yet, he won the 2024 election with a lower percentage of the eligible votes. To understand how, look at the electorate: he secured the presidency with votes from approximately 30% of the total voting-eligible population. A staggering 37% of eligible voters did not vote at all. Does this not then mean that his current 35% approval—over a year into his second term—actually represents a consolidation and even a slight expansion of his political base since taking office? At the very least, it confirms the ironclad loyalty of his core supporters. The US system is designed to produce clear Electoral College winners, not national unity. A president can hold power while nearly 70% of the eligible population did not, and still does not, support him. The constant focus on swing-state margins meant his 2024 victory was never about national approval ratings, but about state-level results in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Trump's chronically low national approval is probably real, but it was also the precise mathematical foundation of his 2024 victory—and it's a foundation that appears to have grown slightly stronger since! American politics, as demonstrated, is not about converting opponents; it's about turning out your side in the right zip codes.

Unfortunately, Trump's current presidential immunity shields him from immediate legal jeopardy. But this testimony has major implications for him. We now have a sworn record - from the chief investigator, no less - asserting there is 'proof beyond a reasonable doubt' of Trump's central role in the January 6th riot. That's going to be well-nigh impossible for him to fully discredit in the history books. Of course, he'll just double down, claim victim-status, and pitch it to the MAGA base as nothing more than an ongoing 'witch hunt.' So politically, the main effect will be to further polarize the already deeply-divided electorate for some time to come. As I see it, a key battleground in that fight will be his pardons for the rioters, which the testimony specifically highlighted. So, in the end, perhaps Trump - 川建国 to the ironic netizens of China - has fulfilled the ultimate pseudo-Chinese curse: ensuring we all live in profoundly interesting times for the foreseeable future!

Most world leaders have applauded the Carney Doctrine. Even Canada's Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre offered some rare praise for Carney's speech in Davos earlier this week, calling it "well-crafted and eloquently delivered" Meanwhile all a sourpuss Trump could come up with was "Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements." How sad, turns out when you can't argue with the message, you just threaten the messenger.

This latest reported incident is more than just a shocking headline. It is a distressing case study of what happens when immigration enforcement is stripped of nuance, compassion, and proportionality. The official ICE statement and the community's outcry present two irreconcilable narratives: one of a protocol-driven safety measure; and, another of an unnecessarily traumatic act against a child. For me, this dichotomy lies at the heart of the problem. When policy frameworks, like those emphasized under the Trump administration, explicitly minimize discretion and operate on a blanket categorization of "illegal alien," human tragedies like Liam become collateral damage. Trumpian-law, in its rigid application, makes no allowance for the circumstance of a terrified five-year-old! While there is a legitimate conversation to be had about border security (and addressing individuals who pose a genuine criminal threat), simply combining those threats with the vast majority of undocumented people (who are often fleeing violence, oppression, and extreme poverty) is a profound moral and practical error. As is so indicative of Trump, it reflects a philosophy that has chosen to view a complex human reality in monolithic, punitive terms. The result is what we see here, an unspeakably ugly cloud over the US, where fear, division, and inflexibility override better instincts and compassion. What Trump and his cronies have achieved in just one year is to make a nation built by immigrants lose its ability to distinguish between a threat and a vulnerable person seeking a better life.

I don't believe Trump's "Board of Peace" is a new idea. Rather, it's part of a grander plan to sabotage the UN than began with his disgraceful speeches last year, and his abandonment of the WHO in a pandemic. And now, when the existing architecture is deliberately weakened, he rolls up to Davos to sell his own branded replacement. It's the same playbook he uses in the US, just scaled up! He treats Blue States (and their priorities, funding, and votes) as internal political adversaries to be punished, undermined, and bypassed, not as equal parts of a union. He's now doing the exact same thing to the UN and the post-war order. They're not partners or the foundational table for global cooperation, they're just another set of "disloyal" institutions to be weakened, insulted, and then supplanted by his own personal brand of winner-take-all deal-making. FDR must be spinning in his grave! The man who built the system to save the world from authoritarians is now watching a would-be authoritarian try to replace it with a glorified VIP lounge where peace goes to the highest bidder. Trump's goal, as was clearly evident in his pathetic self-aggrandisement at Davos this week isn't to lead the system, it's to break it and declare himself the only alternative!

Like others, I was quick to blame the government and the high Baht. However, it would appear that Thailand's slower economic growth relative to ASEAN peers is not due to a single cause, but a combination of three well-documented structural factors. First, Demographics: Thailand is aging rapidly, officially becoming an "aged society" with 20% of its population over 60. This shrinking workforce reduces domestic consumption potential and increases fiscal burdens, a challenge not faced to the same degree by younger, faster-growing neighbors like Vietnam and the Philippines. Second, Stalled Economic Upgrading: The economy remains reliant on mature, lower-value exports (automobiles, petrochemicals, agriculture) and volatile tourism. It has missed key shifts into higher-tech manufacturing, a gap filled by competitors. This is reflected in chronically weak investment rates and lower FDI inflows compared to peers. Third, Internal Imbalances: Exceptionally high household debt (over 90% of GDP) severely limits consumer spending. Furthermore, deep market concentration in key sectors by a few conglomerates stifles competition, innovation, and SME growth, contributing to high inequality and inefficient capital allocation. While a strong Baht and political uncertainty pose challenges, they are amplifiers of these core issues. The persistent trade surplus, for example, stems from this same structural mix—generated by old industries and tourism rather than dynamic new sectors. The fundamental issue is Thailand's struggle to transition from middle-income, legacy industries to a high-productivity, innovation-driven economy amidst an aging population. But, don't just take my word for it. This data was sourced from: Bank of Thailand, 2023. Economic and Monetary Conditions for [Year/Month]. Bangkok: Bank of Thailand. Available at: https://www.bot.or.th/en (Accessed: 22 January 2026). Deunden, N., 2021. Market Concentration and Competition Policy in Thailand. Bangkok: Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI). Available at: https://tdri.or.th (Accessed: 22 January 2026). International Monetary Fund, 2024. Thailand: 2024 Article IV Consultation—Press Release and Staff Report. IMF Country Report No. 24/[xx]. Washington, DC: International Monetary Fund. Available at: https://www.imf.org (Accessed: 22 January 2026). United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, 2022. World Population Prospects 2022: Special Focus on Population Ageing. New York: United Nations. Available at: https://population.un.org/wpp (Accessed: 22 January 2026). World Bank, 2024. Thailand Economic Monitor: Aging Society and Economy. Bangkok: World Bank Group. Available at: https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/thailand (Accessed: 22 January 2026). World Bank, 2025. Global Economic Prospects: East Asia and Pacific. Washington, DC: World Bank Group. Available at: https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/global-economic-prospects (Accessed: 22 January 2026).

The full text Wow - that was a real effort to read through, I need a few Beer Chang's now! Trump's speech is a case study in self-aggrandizing, hostile rhetoric. It presents a stark "us vs. them" worldview, where HE is the singular source of all success ("I," "my," "me") and his opponents are vilified as malevolent, incompetent, or "stupid." He portrays himself as the exclusive architect of all positive outcomes, from economic "miracles" to settling foreign wars: • "I settled eight other wars... I settled it in one day." • "It was my idea... I came up with the idea." • "Every one [of my military actions] was perfectly executed... I said, 'I know.'" He makes outlandish claims about unprecedented achievements without providing credible, verifiable context: • "the fastest and most dramatic economic turnaround in our country’s history." • "$18 trillion... That’s never been done by any country at any time. Not even close." • "We’re leading the world in AI by a lot. We’re leading China by a lot." He uses contemptuous labels and insults for opponents, foreign leaders, and entire nations with his vitriol: • "Sleepy Joe Biden," "the radical left Democrats," "stupid people," "fake Congressperson." • "Somalian bandits... these are low IQ people." • References to "the Green New Scam" and "the fake news." He describes governance through intimidation, recounting interactions where he threatens allies with punitive measures to force compliance: • The extended anecdote about threatening Emmanuel Macron with tariffs: "if you don’t, I’m putting a 25 per cent tariff on everything..." • Regarding Greenland: "They have a choice. You can say yes... Or you can say no and we will remember." Classic Trump, he makes claims that are presented as fact but are unsubstantiated at best, or just outright lies and falsehoods that have previously been debunked: • "the 2020 U.S. presidential election [was] rigged. Everybody now knows that." • A confusing, likely fabricated story about corporate "air plants" and securing power plant approvals in "two weeks." • Claims about China's wind energy policy that contradict known fact that China is the world leader in wind power generation! Unlike Canadian PM Carney's delightful speech calling for a more cooperative and resilient world, Trump has yet again transformed an important international forum for global dialogue into a platform for personal myth-making and grievance airing. The only moment of genuine humour in the entire speech was when, in his geopolitical masterstroke, he managed to blame Iceland for a stock market dip in a rant that was supposed to be about forcibly acquiring Greenland - laughably achieving a diplomatic double blunder in a single sentence! No wonder In China, Trump is humourously referred to as "川建国" (Chuān Jiànguó), which translates to "Trump the Nation-Builder," a mocking title that suggests the US president's foreign and domestic policies are driving countries away from Washington and pushing them into the embrace of China!

"...concern about whether the US can still claim its status as the world's oldest democracy." While the US may indeed be one of the oldest surviving constitutional republics, it is not the oldest true democracy, that’s more myth than history! If democracy means universal suffrage, competitive elections, civil liberties, and continuity, the US only really qualifies from the Voting Rights Act of 1965! By those measures, countries like New Zealand (1893), Australia, Finland, and the Nordics have a far stronger claim to being the world’s oldest true democracies. To our American friends, at this profoundly challenging time, as the foundations of your democracy face unprecedented pressure, our thoughts are with those of you who continue to demonstrate remarkable resilience and courage in the defense of your most cherished principles!

From strategic ambiguity to strategic annihilation — unclear or nuclear!

Trump’s proposed 200% tariff on French Champagne may be his fizziest policy yet — though it’s less ‘magnum opus’ and more ‘magnum oops.’ But fear not our American friends. While you’re being priced out of La Grande Dame, there’s an affordable alternative ready to fill your coupe: Phuyuck. Yes, that Phuyuck — the legendary (and fictional) Champagne James Bond once ordered in ‘The Man with the Golden Gun.’ And here’s the kicker: it’s Thai! Thanks to this tariff, Thailand now has the unprecedented opportunity to become the world’s premier exporter of Phuyuck. It’s bold, it’s dry, and it comes with built-in diplomatic plausible deniability. Who needs Dom Pérignon when you can have Dom… Phuyuck? So let’s raise a glass — of something inexpensive, slightly suspicious, and undoubtedly tariff-free. Here’s to turning a trade war into a truly golden opportunity for Thai sparkling ingenuity. Santé… or as they’ll soon say in Bangkok: Chan Phuyuck!

How appropriate!

As an interesting aside to this topic, the ABC Australia is reporting today that (as a direct result of the actions of Trump), inside China, there's a nickname for him that tells you everything you need to know about how his actions are increasingly seen as a gift to Beijing. They call him Chuan Jianguo, which translates to Chinese "nation builder" — a mocking title that suggests his foreign and domestic policies are driving countries away from Washington and pushing them into the embrace of China! One only has to look at the relationship between Thailand and China to see this in action.

"... Trump stated that the UK’s actions were of “GREAT STUPIDITY”...". That, coming from the acknowledged world-expert on great stupidity! Regardless of Trump's endorsement, this action by the current UK government shows that (on this occasion at least) they, unlike Trump, are prepared to acknowledge International Law. As reported by CNN, in 2019 the International Court of Justice ruled that the UK must return the Chagos Islands to Mauritius “as rapidly as possible.” CNN also notes that, although the judgment was non-binding, the UK has faced growing international pressure to give up control of the islands. Even Sky News is reporting that in February 2025, Trump expressed preliminary support for the deal which is backed by Canada, Australia, New Zealand and India.

And the winner is... What a clown!!!