John Drake

One healthy thing I do think Thai lifestyle lends itself to for Americans is relative lack of car culture. In the US, I wouldn't be surprised that a large amount of the population doesn't even walk 100-200 yards per day. A few feet to the bathroom or kitchen, then a few to the recliner. Walk maybe 30 or 40 ft. to the car on the way to the big trip for the day, the 50-60 ft. trip to the office and back. My life here lends itself naturally to walking at least 8 or 9 km per day. More active around the house too.

Yes, that's true. But it does have clients in Laos, Cambodia, and for all the disguised complaining on Vietnam's part, Vietnam. Thailand is becoming one, too. Already, in northern Laos, and this was ten years ago, Chinese nationals have simply moved into the country and set up shop. The figure I saw at the time was 800,000 Chinese. Now, with Thailand's visa free entry for Chinese, the way is set up for the process to be repeated in Thailand. Once they're in, you'll never get the Chinese out. Besides they already have plenty of "cousins" in Thailand to help with their settlement and colonization.

It is clear that Thailand has chosen to be a Chinese satrapy. I think this pretty much seals the deal for most of mainland Southeast Asia. Accordingly, the US needs immediately to stop funneling money and investment into Thailand. So too should it stop dreaming that Vietnam is an alternative. The Vietnamese are just trying to leverage money out of the US. They will never realign from China. That leaves Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar firmly in China's grip. If the US still wants to fund and build up a country in the region, it should refocus on the Philippines, which has strong cultural, political, and military ties to the US. The Philippines' population is better educated and more capable of participating with the US as an economic partner. But the US should go cold turkey on Thailand. Cancel Cobra Gold immediately, raise import tariffs on Thai goods to match Thai tariffs, curtail Thai ownership of US property and companies, and put Thailand immediately under sanctions if it allows Chinese companies to relocate to Thailand in order to evade existing sanctions on them. Sever all military and political connections--all that does is provide information that will go directly to China. Let Thailand be free to act in its best interests. The US is free to do so as well. And it is no longer in the US' best interests to waste anymore time and resources on Thailand.

You think India is happy with this?

Isn't their an opposition political party in Thailand that could make a comment on this? Or do they just agree with PTP? Do they ever say anything about anything important?

Yes, these educational programs have made the UK what it is today.

Hub of crackpot ideas. 500+ billion for the digital wallet. More than 1 trillion for the land bridge. 20 baht fare for Purple and Red lines, assuring they'll need to short cut maintenance.

Are you thinking of Run for Your Life, with Ben Gazzara. Ran from 1965 to 1968. Another excellent series to come from Roy Huggins.

And wait until you see the invitation Srettha is giving the Chinese today;

It's getting worse. Khaosod quotes from a speech Srettha gave in China today: "It is like the saying that China and Thailand are not far from being siblings, but I would like to confirm that China is the elder brother. I hope this visit will lead to positive results for tourism, including increased visa exemption." Everybody still happy with the election results???

What type of treatment can we Westerners expect after Russian and Chinese troops have occupied Thailand?

The 10,000 baht will never be allowed to be cashed out. It will remain in the digital financial ecosystem circulating forever. The effect is to narrow choices to a few national chains operating across the country. Think 7-Eleven.

And one of those lines soon might be Thailand.

The model is China.

American Samoa. Peaceful and attractive. Were it not for my wife, I would already be there.

I discussed this yesterday on another topic. These Thai elite buy homes, property, and sports teams in the West. Yet their alliances are with China and Russia. On a similar note, look at all the land that state owned Chinese companies purchase in the United States. Do you think they do it because they love America?

I nominate bob smith.

How many snowbirds are just pigeons?

Sorry, Mr. "quality" European tourist, get ready to fork over a pile of dough if you stay over 180 days.

If you celebrated the Thai election results, you were a chump.

You'll have cash, but you want be able to spend it on most things.

I thought they had already applied.

Hard as it may be for some people to believe, Prayuth and Prawit were much more careful and strategic in their thinking and especially in their actions. Whenever there was a move toward China, it was balanced with a turn towards the US and Europe. Many of us said before and right after the election that PTP was Thaksin and Thaksin hates the West.

I think that is likely to occur. Some many months back there was a story on AN about how 7 intended to put a store in every village. Pretty handy, eh? This 10,000 baht to me looks like something that is going to be endlessly circulated within its own financial eco-system and can never be cashed out. In fact, the reverse will occur, cash will gradually be forced into the digital wallet, and, like you say, purchases must take place at the G(overnment)-Store.

And perhaps a demotion to the Tier 2 Watch List or even Tier 3 on the 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report. Not so much a win, then.