John Drake

I do know where I don't want to live and it's China, a country that welded people into their apartments without food and medicine during Covid.

I wonder how many hotshots in Thailand, even on this forum, work for companies here that would be devastated by tariffs. A little bit of the guffawing might be those guys getting ready for the unemployment line.

If the US only applied reciprocal tariffs and the same limitations on import control that Thailand does, then Thailand would collapse. Thailand has a $10 billion trade surplus with the US, while it has a trade deficit with China of about the same amount. If that $10 gets dented, then Thailand is in trouble. There is nothing that Thailand makes that the US absolutely must have.

With the goal of becoming a full member in August. See my link above.

It's a BRICS "partner country" that wants full membership by this August.

Because that was what Trump said he would do, if they didn't make a commitment to backing the dollar.

Whatever the faults of Joe Biden and/or Donald Trump, I would much rather live in a world that their America dominated, rather than one in which Xi, Putin, Khamenei, Kim Jong Un, and even the dictator in waiting, Modi, exercised dominant power.

It's a replay of Japan, Germany, Italy and the smaller axis partners, Rumania, Hungary, and even the Indian collaborators of the Indian National Army.

With a goal of being a full member seven months from now, in August.

No, BRICS was formed to replace democratic governance worldwide with authoritarian/dictatorships.

I agree that the attack on TSMC is stupid beyond belief. But I'm not so sure that the other end of the argument, backing away from Taiwan, is such a bad idea. The opposition KMT is in a coalition that controls the legislature and most local governments. Only the executive is in the hands of the DPP. And the KMT wants a Hong Kong style solution (one country; two systems) to the current conflict with the PRC. Going down the same path as Hong Kong would likely soon result in complete control by the PRC. In those circumstances who would want to pour investment, American weapons, and other support into a KMT-ruled Taiwan if it runs the risk of being turned over to the PRC in a few years?

They've already applied to join.

Already grow rice in Louisiana and tropical fruit in Florida and California.

It could be good for us. China does this sort of thing all the time. They use tariffs and import inspection slow-downs to get their way with countries such as Australia, South Korea, and Japan. And I remember the government apologizing for the nation a few years ago when a Thai immigration officer slapped a Chinese tourist. China takes care of its people and its interests. Why shouldn't the US do the same?

Like most things Trump, its effect is unpredictable.

Possibly. No, maybe even likely. But I still like to see it, because it ought to scare the bejabbers out of the Thais who have been quietly undermining US interests through things such as openly inviting Chinese companies to set up in Thailand to evade US sanctions and restrictions.

Maybe people have awakened in DC and aren't waiting for another Pearl Harbor this time.

It's not enough that they just don't agree. They will need to make a commitment, according to the posting: We are going to require a commitment from these seemingly hostile Countries that they will neither create a new BRICS Currency,

You're spluttering.

It's joining BRICS. And Trump has just proclaimed any intent on the part of BRICS to weaken the US dollar a hostile action that will result in 100 percent tariffs and/or exclusion from exporting into the US.

Thailand is joining BRICS, isn't it?

hah, hah, hah. Thailand has an irreplaceable trade surplus with the US. It's not a friend, it's a Chinese colony. The Philippines is a US friend.

Try the little link that says Show More and you'll get this; "We are going to require a commitment from these seemingly hostile Countries that they will neither create a new BRICS Currency, nor back any other Currency to replace the mighty U.S. Dollar or, they will face 100% Tariffs, and should expect to say goodbye to selling into the wonderful U.S. Economy.

I think Thaksin's job just got a little bit harder. 100 percent US tariffs incoming.

Oh, no. Maybe joining BRICS was such a good idea after all.