Thailand Seeks China Loan For Ambitious Highway

[churchill]

HUA HIN, Thailand, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Thailand wants to tap China's $15 billion Southeast Asian infrastructure loan programme to build an ambitious network of highways linking parts of Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar and China, a Thai official said.

The proposed road will link the eastern Vietnamese city of Danang city to Myanmar's sea port of Moulmein, passing through Thailand. It would also link Thailand's western province of Kanchanaburi to Myanmar's deep-sea port of Tavoy and provide a route from Yunnan province via Bangkok to Singapore.

"The Chinese minister reaffirmed that the ASEAN-China Loan Programme can be used for the construction of the logistical highway network of ASEAN member countries," the statement said.

The idea was discussed when Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming met his Thai counterpart Porntiva Nakasai on the sidelines of the 16-nation East Asia summit in the Thai seaside of Hua Hin.

China is separately establishing a $10 billion China-ASEAN Investment Cooperation Fund, a private equity fund that will support private infrastructure, energy projects in ASEAN and technical cooperation between China and ASEAN, the statement said.

-- Reuters 24/10/09

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/SP456736.htm

[churchill]

Thailand proposes using China's ASEAN loan for highway projects

CHA-AM, Oct 24 (TNA) – As China met with ASEAN Saturday in the context of the 12th ASEAN-China Summit, Thailand proposed to apply the Chinese funds to build a highway network linking China with Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam to promote infrastructure development as well as boosting trade, investment and contacts between the peoples of ASEAN and China, Thai Commerce Minister Pornthiva Nakasai said on Saturday.

Mrs Pornthiva told journalists after meeting with China’s Trade Minister Chen Deming earlier in the day that Thailand thanked China for its financial assistance in setting up the China-ASEAN Funds on Investment Cooperation and on Commercial Credit, both funds aimed at supporting infrastructure development in the China-ASEAN region and enhancing trade and economic ties.

The bilateral meeting between the Thai and Chinese trade ministers followed the formal establishment of the China-ASEAN Funds on Investment Cooperation and on Commercial Credit, to which China pledged to contribute US$10 billion and $15 billion respectively.

The establishment of the Funds was first announced by Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao in April during the annual Boao Forum in Hainan, aiming at supporting infrastructure development in the China-ASEAN region and enhancing trade and economic ties.

Applying the funds to infrastructure development will benefit expanded trade, investment and mutual people-to-people contacts after the full implementation of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area (FTA) in January next year.

The proposed roadway will link the central Vietnamese city of Danang via Thailand to the Myanmar seaport of Moulmein, and also link Thailand's western province of Kanchanaburi to Myanmar's deep-sea port of Tavoy and provide a route from China’s Yunnan province to Singapore, passing through Bangkok.

Mrs. Pornthiva said the Chinese minister reaffirmed that the ASEAN-China Loan Programme can be used to build the highway network for routes passing through any ASEAN member countries but that feasibility studies should be done.

The announcement was made as the 10-member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations hold a three-day summit with six dialogue partners -- China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand -- in the Thai resorts of Cha-am and Hua Hin. The summit ends Sunday. (TNA)

http://enews.mcot.net/view.php?id=12448

-- TNA 24/10/09

[Scott]

I wonder if they can use some of the money to teach people to drive!

[dumball]

Maybe not to teach people to drive so much as to enable the BIB to enhance their tea funding , probably already have their road blocks marked out on the map .

[Publicus]

Any trade and economic development project PRChina funds also has specific silent strings attached of a military nature. The PRC is developing commercial ports in Burma for Burma while simultaneously constructing PRC naval facilities at and around the ports - same in Sri Lanka and other places along the rim of the Indian Ocean and in other parts of the world.

In this project the PRC so connects itself to several SE Asian countries in one bold stroke.

This is normal and routine practice by any country with a large or powerful military and geostrategic interests. The US for instance just handed over a USD $7billion 'aid' package to Pakistan only a couple of months after the Pakistani government began its anti-terrorist campaign in the Swat Valley and elsewhere in the country. On the PRC's 60th National Day Oct 1st Tienaman Square was aflow with new military hardware that left the Chinese bloated with pride and feeling ever more on schedule to become invicible.

Unlike the PRC, Japan for obvious reasons can't attach military strings to its hundreds of billions in USD value it distributes throughout SE Asia.

So start looking soon for Chinese naval and other military personnel to start the deliberate but immediately imperceptable liberation of oppressed countries around these parts.

[metisdead]

Won't it be great to get ambitious and drive on an ambitious highway ambitously without overly ambitous drivers?

[jasreeve17]

Will the Chinese get upset when only 75% of the roads are built and never connect to anywhere. Or, after the first bit of rain they crack up and fall apart because the 1 million baht per metre super durable concrete was replaced with 1 baht per metre sand, by the local Pu Yai...

[wilsongbrown]

What about an 'ambitious' rail network? (travel's safer, scenery's better) What about an 'ambitious' extending of the 'light rail' network in bangkok? What about a good public transport network on Phuket? Nah. Didn't think so.

[ballpoint]

What about an 'ambitious' rail network? (travel's safer, scenery's better) What about an 'ambitious' extending of the 'light rail' network in bangkok? What about a good public transport network on Phuket? Nah. Didn't think so.

Come on, they only said ambitious, not impossible.

[PhilHarries]

I was going to add that the first thing they have to sort out is which side of this super-highway they are going to drive on then I looked out of the windon onto Doung Tran Nao and realised it don't matter.

[sokal]

I wonder if they can use some of the money to teach people to drive!

They know how to drive fine. Lots of close calls but no more accidents then any other places. Maybe you are just scared of the roads.

[sokal]

What about an 'ambitious' rail network? (travel's safer, scenery's better) What about an 'ambitious' extending of the 'light rail' network in bangkok? What about a good public transport network on Phuket? Nah. Didn't think so.

Yeah, I am sure that is high on their priorities. Keeping some whiny tourists happy. Industrial infrastructure is more important.

[BanTamo]

Some serious gravy headed this way!

[technologybytes]

Someone needs to be spending money on the roads, when I first came to Thailand 8 years ago I was amazed at how good the roads were in Thailand.

Yesterday I drove from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, the section of road between Nakon Sawan and Thoen (100k north of Tak) is terrible with enormous pot holes and it's a real danger to the traffic.

I have driven up and down this road every few months for the last 5 years, it's been getting worse every time but right now it's worse than it's ever been.

The section from Tak to Thoen is so bad that the road is in read danger of just falling apart.

[givenall]

I wonder if they can use some of the money to teach people to drive!

Probably not. This way you will see a lot more trucks filling up the road as they move containers from area to area and see the way they drive, it will be more like race track for trucks and small cars in between

[dsprtliving]

I wonder if they can use some of the money to teach people to drive!

They know how to drive fine. Lots of close calls but no more accidents then any other places. Maybe you are just scared of the roads.

Have you really ever actually driven here? Your comment suggests otherwise.

[speedybuffalo]

I wonder if they can use some of the money to teach people to drive!

They know how to drive fine. Lots of close calls but no more accidents then any other places. Maybe you are just scared of the roads.

Have you really ever actually driven here? Your comment suggests otherwise.

That there is some reluctance to give up up traditional driving styles is more easy to accept up in Nan than in larger agglomerations - but that there are plenty of Falangs apparently proud adopting the same style (and risks) is puzzling. Traffic is a collective behaviour and 'Blending in' a surviving skill, but where are the limits?

[Stumbo]

A similar highway project was tossed around back in the Taksin days. And yes it will prove a gravy train bonanza to pollies.

[BSJ]

I think it's a grand scheme and I sincerely hope that it comes to be.

PS: Anyone know of any Mercedes or BMW dealerships for sale around Bangkok?

[EvilDrSomkid]

This scheme just smacks of Chinese Imperialism.

It involves an iceberg of attached strings. Most of them under the surface. The PRC is wallowing in cash and sees an opportunity to increase their control over the rest of SEA. They are doing something similar close to the North Korean border. Massive seaport construction. The Chinese are on long range strategy planning. The current regime in the lovely DPRK will fall one day. Whether the PRC will have anything to do with it does not matter. The Chinese are expecting to move in fast when it oes fall. If they do not move in, the country could descend into a civil war between local generals jockeying for the Dear Leader position.

The PRC is already heavily invested in Burma. Even though relations have cooled quite a bit recently, they will improve agian.

LaoPo, let us have some of your wisdom in this matter, considering your admiration of the PRC.

[EyesWideOpen]

I am amazed that Thailand and surrounding countries are foolish enough to allow China to build invasion roads from China down into SE Asia. Thais of all people know there is no free ride. If China is handing out money, there is a reason. And I can guarantee the final beneficiary will be in fact China. But this is Thailand, so I guess the thought of the endless potential corruption money from a project of that size is too tempting..........

[Publicus]

Two features of the contemporary PRC make them long term deadly dangerous to world peace. The first is their self imposed isolation from the world for the past 3,000 years. The second is their genetic constitution which, from the time long ago when their ancestors declared themselves the Middle Kingdom, makes them certain they are the superior beings/ethnicity on the planet.

The first, isolation, causes the PRC leaders and their population to have no knowledge or understanding of other cultures, societies, civilations. The Chinese simply haven't any idea of what other people in the world know, especially in respect to the advanced countries. The PRC loves to boast that it's been 30 years now since they opened themselves to the West. However, the only opening made is to open for business. Hence the road project among fledgling countries in SEA and the PRC's business and financial dealings with the rich countries.

The second, racism, dictates to the Chinese that they shall regain their status as the Middle Kingdom. The PRC leaders preach of a peaceful China but prepare to exact revenge against Japan and to destroy the United States. Chinese with too many beers in them speak to me of sinking US aircraft carriers (with which they are obsessed) and of bring the US economy to its knees, at which time the totalitarian government of the PRC will militarily browbeat the US into submission.

If the governments and corporations of SEA want to succumb to the lure of money from the PRC, they shall awaken one morning to find their sovereignty dissolved, any hopes of democracy destroyed and themselves incorporated into the mad and patient long term mindset and design of the PRC.

[Rumfoord]

Two features of the contemporary PRC make them long term deadly dangerous to world peace. The first is their self imposed isolation from the world for the past 3,000 years. ...

The second, racism, dictates to the Chinese that they shall regain their status as the Middle Kingdom. The PRC leaders preach of a peaceful China but prepare to exact revenge against Japan and to destroy the United States. Chinese with too many beers in them speak to me of sinking US aircraft carriers (with which they are obsessed) and of bring the US economy to its knees, at which time the totalitarian government of the PRC will militarily browbeat the US into submission.

..

har, har. the chinese deadly dangerous to the world peace because of a 3000 years old history of mind their own business. what a logic.

in all, your argument looks to me like that you hate the chinese because they don't love the self-obsessed USofA.

[Publicus]

Two features of the contemporary PRC make them long term deadly dangerous to world peace. The first is their self imposed isolation from the world for the past 3,000 years. ...

The second, racism, dictates to the Chinese that they shall regain their status as the Middle Kingdom. The PRC leaders preach of a peaceful China but prepare to exact revenge against Japan and to destroy the United States. Chinese with too many beers in them speak to me of sinking US aircraft carriers (with which they are obsessed) and of bring the US economy to its knees, at which time the totalitarian government of the PRC will militarily browbeat the US into submission.

..

har, har. the chinese deadly dangerous to the world peace because of a 3000 years old history of mind their own business. what a logic.

in all, your argument looks to me like that you hate the chinese because they don't love the self-obsessed USofA.

A succession of posts makes clear who is obsessed about the United States, its citizens and its expats especially.

Edited October 25, 2009 by Publicus

[Rumfoord]

PM encourages Chinese businessmen to invest in Thailand

PHETCHABURI, 25 October 2009 (NNT) – The Prime Minister has encouraged Chinese businesses to invest more in Thailand in his bilateral talk with the Chinese leader this morning.

The Deputy Secretary General to the Prime Minister, Mr Panitan Watanayakorn, revealed that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva had the opportunity to hold bilateral meetings with the Prime Ministers of China, Australia and New Zealand this morning.

In his talk with Premier Wen Jiabao, the Prime Minister invited Chinese businesses to invest in the rail system which comes under the Strong Thailand Project. The PM plans to visit China after the Cabinet has approved a rail development blueprint to introduce the scheme to interested investors. The Chinese Prime Minister is also likely to return to Thailand next month to observe the development of public infrastructure.

As for Australia, Mr Kevin Rudd agreed to help provide English training for Thai teachers and to review alien labour laws requiring foreign workers to have English proficiency so that Thai chefs could work in Australia. As for New Zealand, Prime Minister John Key asked the national flag carrier, Thai Airways International, to increase flights to Auckland. Thailand and those countries also reaffirmed close collaboration to ensure good relationships in the future.

-- NNT 25 October 2009

http://thainews.prd.go.th/en/news.php?id=255210250037

[sokal]

I wonder if they can use some of the money to teach people to drive!

They know how to drive fine. Lots of close calls but no more accidents then any other places. Maybe you are just scared of the roads.

Have you really ever actually driven here? Your comment suggests otherwise.

That is all I do when I am in Thailand. Rent bikes and beat the wheels off of them. People say that Thai roads are like a racetrack. Do race car drivers not know how to drive ?

Thai people drive aggressively, that does not mean they don't know how to drive. It takes more skill to drive in Thailand then it does to pussy foot around in North America.

[sokal]

This scheme just smacks of Chinese Imperialism.

It involves an iceberg of attached strings. Most of them under the surface. The PRC is wallowing in cash and sees an opportunity to increase their control over the rest of SEA. They are doing something similar close to the North Korean border. Massive seaport construction. The Chinese are on long range strategy planning. The current regime in the lovely DPRK will fall one day. Whether the PRC will have anything to do with it does not matter. The Chinese are expecting to move in fast when it oes fall. If they do not move in, the country could descend into a civil war between local generals jockeying for the Dear Leader position.

The PRC is already heavily invested in Burma. Even though relations have cooled quite a bit recently, they will improve agian.

LaoPo, let us have some of your wisdom in this matter, considering your admiration of the PRC.

I understand what you are saying. It kinda reminds of of the IMF and the World Bank, they have been up to the same thing for decades.

[khonkaen man]

Why is it that this government wants money for a new highway when they still have not finished the East West Trade Corridor (EWEC) that runs from Mawlamyine in Myanmar through Thailand into Laos and Finishes in Da Nang Vietnam. This project was initiated over 10 years ago , by the Asain Development Bank, and was intended to run through 13 of the poorest provinces in South East Asia.

The idea was to help alleviate poverty in these regions and lift their standard of living. Why do we now need another super highway that is basically doing the same thing. Ah maybe they dont want to relieve poverty

[EvilDrSomkid]

Two features of the contemporary PRC make them long term deadly dangerous to world peace. The first is their self imposed isolation from the world for the past 3,000 years. ...

The second, racism, dictates to the Chinese that they shall regain their status as the Middle Kingdom. The PRC leaders preach of a peaceful China but prepare to exact revenge against Japan and to destroy the United States. Chinese with too many beers in them speak to me of sinking US aircraft carriers (with which they are obsessed) and of bring the US economy to its knees, at which time the totalitarian government of the PRC will militarily browbeat the US into submission.

..

har, har. the chinese deadly dangerous to the world peace because of a 3000 years old history of mind their own business. what a logic.

in all, your argument looks to me like that you hate the chinese because they don't love the self-obsessed USofA.

Deflecting are we? The PRC already OWN the USA. Its not hatred of China. Do you not respect your enemy? That is what they are. That is not a racist or fearmongering thing, it just how it will be. If you do not respect your enemy, you are a fool.

Criticism of the PRC is often twisted into racism and ridicule. Why, the evidence is there to see. The Chinese are successful in almost any venture they put their efforts into.

Why? Because they work their f*cking asses off. Human lives in China are nothing. Its all for the good of the country (read: Empire).

A 3000 year old tradition of Imperialism did not go away with Mao. On the contrary, it was merely given another name.

The Chinese have rapidly expanded their influence in the world because they do not have scruples like the west does. That should be feared and respected. This nation will control the world. Forget about the threat of fundamentalist Islam. The Chinese will deal with them swiftly, should they stand in the way.

The Chinese have bought up US debt, are buying up raw materials and resources in Africa, are building up their naval fleet (in order to protect PRC nationals outside China, yeah right, Chinese interests, you mean) and insidiously building a presence where other will not go.

Even if you have just perused The Art of War, you will see that this is basic strategy. They are setting up the right conditions to take over. They will win the war before any fighting has been done.

The point is, this loan scheme is just a tiny piece of the chain. A chain that will strangle the satellite states into submission.

Edited October 25, 2009 by EvilDrSomkid

[delmersomsri]

I wonder if they can use some of the money to teach people to drive!

They know how to drive fine. Lots of close calls but no more accidents then any other places. Maybe you are just scared of the roads.

Controlled Kaous. Bumper cars in action.