John Drake

Not choosing a side means you have chosen Russia. Choosing Russia means you have chosen China. Not choosing a side, then, means you have chosen China.

I've had long waits with them. Alas, my US bank is Bank of America And Wise doesn't pull out ACH transfers except during banking hours. Then, when it comes to Thailand, it needs to wait until Bangkok Bank is open to make the transfer. One time I telephoned Bangkok Bank to ask them why I had not received a transfer as it was past noon here in Thailand. I got put through to their foreign currency transfer office and the woman there told me there were still 50 transfers in front of mine but that I would get mine within an hour. I did. But what that means for Bangkok Bank is that they are going through these transfers from the US individually and using staff to clear each transfer. So if there are a lot of transfers in front of yours, as there might be at the end of the month, then you just might have to wait some time.

I made a similar point a day or two ago. Putin is nearing 70 years old. He ditched his old wife for a trophy wife about ten years ago. Much of his persona rests on shoring up his literal shortcomings (he's a little over 5'1" according to some sources, although he likes to claim 5'7") through posing in all sorts of he-man outdoorsy settings. But pictures of him recently show a man with a puffy face, gray complexion, and decided weight gain. Put that together with the weird conferences, with Putin at one end and visitors such as Macron and then his generals at the far end of a table that looks 20 feet long or more, and things just appear wrong in a number of ways. Putin and Xi may both be trying to jump the timelines because they want to see their empires enlarged and enjoy the sight before they kick off. https://www.statista.com/statistics/971100/life-expectancy-at-birth-in-russia-by-gender/

And meanwhile, in Thailand.

Yes, I agree with that.

Yes, indeed. I think that is the point. And if American and other forces are drawn away from Asia and the Pacific, that gives China a clear opening. The maintenance and reinforcement of deterrence in Taiwan is vital. I think it's clear that Xi and Putin plotted to go for a one-two punch. Now that Xi sees Putin having trouble, the Chinese leader might be willing to double cross the Russians.

Which is why perhaps the Europeans have finally muscled up against Russia. They and everybody else realize that Taiwan is a far greater prize and perhaps the fate of the world would turn on China invading and then leapfrogging one island chain after another out from it. Europe can do nothing in Asia or the Pacific to protect their interests there. That is entirely up to the US and perhaps Japan and Australia. So I hope what is true is that the European resupply of Ukraine is all about maintaining the US posture in Asia and not abandoning a relatively defenseless Taiwan to China.

The point is no Thai would be losing a job to prison labor because those jobs would just go to more Burmese.

I didn't realize we made anything anymore, except maybe crash-prone jet airliners. At any rate, the boycott is nothing but fundraising PR for the organization behind it. KKFN at least hasn't sold anything to the US in several years. Their main customers are China and Indonesia.

Well, Cuba, still a Russian and increasingly a Chinese ally, is still there. If Putin takes the Ukraine, is the US free to move in on Cuba? Probably half of southern Florida would volunteer for the invasion force.

Apparently not from the US they don't. When is the last time they targeted the US in a travel ad campaign? Plus there are no direct flights between the US and Thailand, as there are between Russia, China, India, and Thailand.

Some people are getting carried away and losing their cool in this. Lots of fake images and captions being put online. https://twitter.com/ReutersFacts/status/1496871979701321729

Asean statement on Ukraine: FWIW, the Taliban issued a stronger response than this:

There are important reasons to maintain online connectivity, no doubt. But don't get carried away. At one point Ukrainian officials were asking people not to post photos or video online, because it might reveal their operations and movements to Russia.

Well, that's important. The most bloodthirsty and aggressive warriors are on Twitter.

Well, there is a worldwide coalition building against Putin, and they are mighty in numbers. The problem is they are all on Twitter.

Plenty of people work for KKFN. But most all those on the floor making nets are Burmese.

Never heard of her. She hasn't descended to my social circles, yet.

The Indian government currently is consulting with Russia for a work around SWIFT if there are SWIFT sanctions. They want to keep money funneling through to Moscow. It is surprising that so many people have been lulled into thinking that India was a possible alliance partner. Sure, they want help against China. But their primary and main backer has always been the Soviet Union/Russia. The price for that showed up a couple of years ago when a Pakistani F16 shot down two Indian Migs.

Thanks for pointing that out. I did read it but "meet all travel requirements" sounds vague to the point of meaning different requirements for those in the bubble than those outside of it. Also note the use of the word "could" in "facing health control measures," which, again, is vague and subject to interpretation.

Questions. 1) Does the "travel bubble" mean Indian visitors will be exempt from Covid testing? 2) Will they be required to stay in semi-quarantine until receiving test results? 3) Will they be put into quarantine upon testing positive? Will they be required to buy the $20,000 insurance? Or does a "bubble" mean they get in without restrictions?

Essentially, Thailand has through its silence sided with Russia.

Thai generals don't want the exercise. They're more interested in the deployments they do with China. The US needs some strong pushback, here. It needs to stop begging and caving in to Thailand in the hope that they'll return to being a reliable US ally. They aren't and they'll never be again.

US uses prison labor extensively. Inmates even do call center jobs.

In the case of India, it is because Russia is their primary ally, the source of nearly all their military hardware. So, no surprise they sided with Russia. What is surprising is the US continues to allow India to colonize the United States and monopolize the H1B visa program.