As anticipated Thaksin is prepared to send Thailand back to the stone age if necessary to reach his goals. So how does this bode for other neighboring countries in terms of tourism and industrial development? Seems to me anyone seriously considering relocating on a personal or business basis would be giving serious thoughts to options besides Thailand. Rather ironic that the neighboring communist/socialist stamped governments appear to be much more stable than Thailand's fledgling democracy.

Thailand's infrastructure and business support is still far superior than that of Laos, Cambodia, and even the Phillipines. Vietnam is the only serious competitor and it's still a ways off from being a true regional player. It won't effect the big industrial players at all because the factories will still run hel_l or high water. Plus Thailand is an export driven economy..those things being produced in Thailand are still being shipped overseas without any issues.

The protests impact domestic Thai companies a lot more. The central and "The Mall corp" department store monopolies will take a hit as the protesters have shut down some of their main stores. The government will be wasting lots of resources which impacts taxpayer dollars.

Like Burma ? as if they have no problems.

Its too early too tell the long term effect. Thailand is still in the middle of this; no way to predict the outcome now. Things aren't good though, that's for sure.

Anyone with a modicum of education in social/political studies will see Thailand's current 'problems' for what they are - proof positive that Thailand's political life is developing. And compared with the teething problems of most western democracies the 'problems' Thailand is facing now are a mere tiff.

Thaksin has let the popularist political cat out of the bag, change is now inevitable.

That change towards a more inclusive politics is in the end a good thing for national growth and stability.

Laos is pretty awesome but it is definitely behind Thailand in infrastructure and educated population. There also are questions about the openness of the government to foreigners. My wife is Laos and I love going there but I have to say I always feel happy coming back to Thailand.

Thailand's infrastructure and business support is still far superior than that of Laos, Cambodia, and even the Phillipines. Vietnam is the only serious competitor and it's still a ways off from being a true regional player. It won't effect the big industrial players at all because the factories will still run hel_l or high water. Plus Thailand is an export driven economy..those things being produced in Thailand are still being shipped overseas without any issues.

The protests impact domestic Thai companies a lot more. The central and "The Mall corp" department store monopolies will take a hit as the protesters have shut down some of their main stores. The government will be wasting lots of resources which impacts taxpayer dollars.

Actually Malaysia, Vietnam and Cambodia have all been doing much better than Thailand for several years in terms of annual GDP growth rate.

Infrastructure development is taking place in all three of these countries--especially Vietnam and Cambodia.

I also believe education is far better in all three of these countries, so the workforce is better educated.

Why invest in Thailand when you can invest in Malaysia, Vietnam or Cambodia?

I certainly would not invest in Thailand. It does not make any financial sense.

Thailand's infrastructure and business support is still far superior than that of Laos, Cambodia, and even the Phillipines. Vietnam is the only serious competitor and it's still a ways off from being a true regional player. It won't effect the big industrial players at all because the factories will still run hel_l or high water. Plus Thailand is an export driven economy..those things being produced in Thailand are still being shipped overseas without any issues.

The protests impact domestic Thai companies a lot more. The central and "The Mall corp" department store monopolies will take a hit as the protesters have shut down some of their main stores. The government will be wasting lots of resources which impacts taxpayer dollars.

Actually Malaysia, Vietnam and Cambodia have all been doing much better than Thailand for several years in terms of annual GDP growth rate.

Infrastructure development is taking place in all three of these countries--especially Vietnam and Cambodia.

I also believe education is far better in all three of these countries, so the workforce is better educated.

Why invest in Thailand when you can invest in Malaysia, Vietnam or Cambodia?

I certainly would not invest in Thailand. It does not make any financial sense.

OK- Malaysia sure it has better education- its a very developed country. But Vietnam ad Cambodia are well behindThailand in infrastructure and education (just check out any of the stats from any source you care for Un, World Bank, CIA fact book etc).

In terms of investing in thailand- i have been making a tidy profit on the thai stock exchange even in the last 2 weeks- in the last week i made the following returns from selling stock i bought in january- Thai air stock 40% return, KBANK 20% profit, Lanna up 10%. If this is thailand's investment situation in a 'worst case scenario', then im sticking around:)

Anyone with a modicum of education in social/political studies will see Thailand's current 'problems' for what they are - proof positive that Thailand's political life is developing. And compared with the teething problems of most western democracies the 'problems' Thailand is facing now are a mere tiff.

Thaksin has let the popularist political cat out of the bag, change is now inevitable.

That change towards a more inclusive politics is in the end a good thing for national growth and stability.

That is the most sensible thing I've read in quite a while.

Thailand's infrastructure and business support is still far superior than that of Laos, Cambodia, and even the Phillipines. Vietnam is the only serious competitor and it's still a ways off from being a true regional player. It won't effect the big industrial players at all because the factories will still run hel_l or high water. Plus Thailand is an export driven economy..those things being produced in Thailand are still being shipped overseas without any issues.

The protests impact domestic Thai companies a lot more. The central and "The Mall corp" department store monopolies will take a hit as the protesters have shut down some of their main stores. The government will be wasting lots of resources which impacts taxpayer dollars.

Actually Malaysia, Vietnam and Cambodia have all been doing much better than Thailand for several years in terms of annual GDP growth rate.

Infrastructure development is taking place in all three of these countries--especially Vietnam and Cambodia.

I also believe education is far better in all three of these countries, so the workforce is better educated.

Why invest in Thailand when you can invest in Malaysia, Vietnam or Cambodia?

I certainly would not invest in Thailand. It does not make any financial sense.

OK- Malaysia sure it has better education- its a very developed country. But Vietnam ad Cambodia are well behindThailand in infrastructure and education (just check out any of the stats from any source you care for Un, World Bank, CIA fact book etc).

In terms of investing in thailand- i have been making a tidy profit on the thai stock exchange even in the last 2 weeks- in the last week i made the following returns from selling stock i bought in january- Thai air stock 40% return, KBANK 20% profit, Lanna up 10%. If this is thailand's investment situation in a 'worst case scenario', then im sticking around:)

Making money in stocks is not going to produce many quality jobs for Thailand. Thailand needs real investment in small and large scale businesses.

I strongly disagree with you with regard to your placement of Cambodian and Vietnamese students behind Thai students. I think Cambodia and Vietnam have done a much better job than Thailand in terms of producing an educated workforce.

The stats may or may not show something different. I am talking from experience and not stats.

Give me a Vietnamese or Cambodian worker any day..........

Wikipedia, there I said it, I love to see dolts cringe.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Next_Eleven < read what experts have concluded

then read>

Thailand cannot be mentioned in the same sentence with the Philippines or Viet Nam. For one thing, in the Philippines they have enough brains and confidence in their cultural identity, to school all of their children in the International World Language.

Yes, Thailand can be mentioned in the same breath with Laos, Cambodia, Burma/Myanmar, for sure.

Not that long ago, Thailand WAS being compared to Taiwan and South Korea.

Right now they would have to make a Next 100 List for Thailand to get Posted.

[oh, it's not MY list, I don't get the Iran ranking either, however The Next 11 List is bound to have more sense than most TV Posters]

I'm really mad right now, over the recent deaths to both the soldiers the protesters and the Japanese news photographer, especially as THERE IS A SOLUTION ever body would be glad, over joyous, and agreeable to live with, well almost everybody, not the communists and not the corrupt politicians on both sides of the divide.

dang forgoti spell chax aagin

so, do these protesters have the support of the regular people? to me they just look like a bunch of rowdy farmers. if some go to far some will die, doesnt mean they are a legitimate bunch.

so, do these protesters have the support of the regular people? to me they just look like a bunch of rowdy farmers. if some go to far some will die, doesnt mean they are a legitimate bunch.

If you drive to Issan, or virtually any location outside of the big cities, you find that "regular people" do support them on a large scale (of course not all people support them but large numbers do in rural Thailand).

They have reason to be pissed off (bad economic situation).........but, unfortunately, they have placed the wrong guy at the top of the totem pole.

And they do not seem to be interested in a peaceful solution via the democratic process.

Anyone with a modicum of education in social/political studies will see Thailand's current 'problems' for what they are - proof positive that Thailand's political life is developing. And compared with the teething problems of most western democracies the 'problems' Thailand is facing now are a mere tiff.

Thaksin has let the popularist political cat out of the bag, change is now inevitable.

That change towards a more inclusive politics is in the end a good thing for national growth and stability.

sounds about right to me.When this happens the farangs will moan that they cant pay off a cop due to being stopped drinking and driving