China ready for role in projects
Nuntida Puangthong
The Sunday Nation

Sihasak

BANGKOK: -- Sihasak says Beijing committed to infrastructure development; 'understands reasons for coup'

China has affirmed its interest in taking part in Thailand's basic infrastructure development, including projects that will provide better linkages throughout the country like high-speed rail, Foreign Ministry permanent secretary Sihasak Phuangketkeow said yesterday.

Sihasak, who also serves as acting foreign minister, was speaking after chairing a meeting in Beijing of Thai diplomats, government officials and businessmen working in China.

He was on an official visit to China to participate in the two-day second China-Thailand Strategic Dialogue, which concluded yesterday.

"China has expressed continuing interest to take part in Thailand's basic infrastructure developments such as the high-speed train, which will provide linkage for the region, and the water management project," Sihasak said.

"We have responded that the National Council for Peace and Order intends to proceed with the plan, provided there is transparency and the funding for the projects is manageable within the annual budget. China has accepted our stand in this regard."

Thailand also sought Chinese investments in projects that will give added value to Thai agricultural products, including rubber, rice and cassava, he said.

Sihasak expressed satisfaction with the results of his trip, saying China has a good understanding of the reasons for the May 22 power seizure by the military.

He said China understood that the military had to rein in the situation because the country was tilting dangerously towards major civil strife.

He said he had also explained the reasons behind the coup to western countries and assured them that Thailand still upheld democracy. However, the country needed stability and security because this was the only way democracy could be strengthened.

"Thailand is in a transition period," Sihasak said. "We have to show the world that we can still move forward, especially on foreign affairs."

"We must play strong, proactive roles in bilateral relations with our neighbouring countries in Asean and on other international stages."

Sihasak said his visit to China was aimed at strengthening economic cooperation between the two countries, as China was one of Thailand's biggest economic partners and a major export market.

He has proposed to China that a high-level committee be established to oversee all economic cooperation between the two countries.

China has expressed a wish that a third meeting of the joint-committee on trade, investment and the economy be held when Thailand is ready.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/China-ready-for-role-in-projects-30238368.html

-- The Nation 2014-07-13

NOTE TO USA: great job with your condemnation of Thailand over recent months . . . you've succeeded in pushing them even further into the arms of China, the polar opposite of what you actually want. Thumbs up on that one.

I would be very cautious when dealing with China , China's track record in Africa and Papua New Guinea has seen low standard interference with the Chinese actually trying to mussel in with Chinese shops and other industries in these countries, in new Guinea they burnt them out and the villagers rioted , the Myanmar Government threw them out, they soon realized where the dollar was and it was not from China , also the Chinese might object to not being able to own land.

NOTE TO USA: great job with your condemnation of Thailand over recent months . . . you've succeeded in pushing them even further into the arms of China, the polar opposite of what you actually want. Thumbs up on that one.

what has America got to loose here, it's not as if America had a high tech train industry lobbing for this contract.

NOTE TO USA: great job with your condemnation of Thailand over recent months . . . you've succeeded in pushing them even further into the arms of China, the polar opposite of what you actually want. Thumbs up on that one.

what has America got to loose here, it's not as if America had a high tech train industry lobbing for this contract.

America has lost its only ally in the region. I had expected trouble after an exercise in Cobra Gold went horrifically wrong which led to a wide body jet being shot out of the sky over the Gulf of Thailand and led to one of the biggest coverups in human history.

I would be very cautious when dealing with China , China's track record in Africa and Papua New Guinea has seen low standard interference with the Chinese actually trying to mussel in with Chinese shops and other industries in these countries, in new Guinea they burnt them out and the villagers rioted , the Myanmar Government threw them out, they soon realized where the dollar was and it was not from China , also the Chinese might object to not being able to own land.

Yes. I'm sure there is a long term plan. Get the toe-hold, finance some people into the local society to hob-nob, get a stronger foothold...get special dispensation to buy land or buy land under a holding company with Thai partners that are totally beholden to them, effectively making the land their own to use in perpetuity......Agricultural land and water will be high priorities. Industry will be geared to import from China......

The diaspora started decades ago, and now is phase 2; get into big business and land.

NOTE TO USA: great job with your condemnation of Thailand over recent months . . . you've succeeded in pushing them even further into the arms of China, the polar opposite of what you actually want. Thumbs up on that one.

what has America got to loose here, it's not as if America had a high tech train industry lobbing for this contract.

America has lost its only ally in the region. I had expected trouble after an exercise in Cobra Gold went horrifically wrong which led to a wide body jet being shot out of the sky over the Gulf of Thailand and led to one of the biggest coverups in human history.

??????????????. Please explain your comment and how you know this, otherwise I think you should retract.

Look at the nature of China's historic claims to the South China Sea as "indisputable" Chinese territory.

Then walk around Wat Pho in BKK and see how many of the ancient and antique artifacts are Chinese.

Then do some math. Put 2 and 2 together.

I thought the high speed rail was removed from the table....

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I thought the high speed rail was removed from the table....

There's still a beautiful exhibit of Chinese high speed rail "technology" in the Airport Rail Line Express foyer.

NOTE TO USA: great job with your condemnation of Thailand over recent months . . . you've succeeded in pushing them even further into the arms of China, the polar opposite of what you actually want. Thumbs up on that one.

what has America got to loose here, it's not as if America had a high tech train industry lobbing for this contract.

You're not seeing the bigger picture. It's not about "trains", it's about "influence" in Asia and the USA is losing theirs rapidly, and being replaced by China. The exact opposite of what they want to achieve.

NOTE TO USA: great job with your condemnation of Thailand over recent months . . . you've succeeded in pushing them even further into the arms of China, the polar opposite of what you actually want. Thumbs up on that one.

what has America got to loose here, it's not as if America had a high tech train industry lobbing for this contract.

You're not seeing the bigger picture. It's not about "trains", it's about "influence" in Asia and the USA is losing theirs rapidly, and being replaced by China. The exact opposite of what they want to achieve.

And military strategy.

NOTE TO USA: great job with your condemnation of Thailand over recent months . . . you've succeeded in pushing them even further into the arms of China, the polar opposite of what you actually want. Thumbs up on that one.

what has America got to loose here, it's not as if America had a high tech train industry lobbing for this contract.

America has lost its only ally in the region. I had expected trouble after an exercise in Cobra Gold went horrifically wrong which led to a wide body jet being shot out of the sky over the Gulf of Thailand and led to one of the biggest coverups in human history.

You really need to elaborate on that.

one needs to be concerned with China's long term agenda

NOTE TO USA: great job with your condemnation of Thailand over recent months . . . you've succeeded in pushing them even further into the arms of China, the polar opposite of what you actually want. Thumbs up on that one.

Really? Everything is the USA's fault? Why is it that you don't mention the EU? or Australia? didn't they also cut aid money and issue statements? Or are you just someone else with an axe to grind as far as America is concerned?

I give a ratz azz if this place is over run with Chinese. Serves these greedy souls perfectly.

Along with the concession for the high speed train network will be the lease/ownership of the corridor of land that goes with it. That will be a huge chunk of Thai real estate.

America has lost its only ally in the region. I had expected trouble after an exercise in Cobra Gold went horrifically wrong which led to a wide body jet being shot out of the sky over the Gulf of Thailand and led to one of the biggest coverups in human history.

??????????????. Please explain your comment and how you know this, otherwise I think you should retract.

Don't worry, you're soon get used to the idea that some posters will post anything without corroboration, or based on conspiracy theories such as this one.

It's probably a reference to a loony tunes theory that the the Malaysian Airlines MH370 was shot down during Cobra Gold as "revealed" in a book (http://www.chinatopix.com/articles/2423/20140519/news-mh370-first-book-mh370-released.htm) by Nigel Cawthorne (who?) whose oeuvre appears to be sex - from his website:

I live in a flat girlfriends have described as a book-writing factory in Bloomsbury, London's literary area, and write in the great British Library, which is supposed to be one of the best pick-up joints in London. However, my reputation is such that people will tell you I am a more often seen drinking in Soho's famous bohemian watering hole, the French pub - still known to some denizens as the Yorkminster - with a beautiful young black woman on my arm.

The people there will tell you I write sex books. It's true. I am certainly most famous for my Sex Lives… series which now reached its dirty dozen with Sex Lives of the Popes, Sex Lives of the US Presidents, Sex Lives of the Great Dictators, Sex Lives of the Hollywood Goddesses, Sex Lives of the Hollywood Idols, Sex Lives of the Great Artists, Sex Lives of the Great Composers, Sex Lives of the Famous Gays, Sex Lives of the Famous Lesbians and Sex Lives of the Roman Emperors.

http://nigel-cawthorne.com

Yeah, I'd believe his theory

China has bought 100 sq km of land in norther Laos, they are building a massive city, they've just built an £80 million casino on that land...... That's just the start!

Don't worry, you're soon get used to the idea that some posters will post anything without corroboration, or based on conspiracy theories such as this one.

Well better late than never. I take this as a tardy apology for your continued insistence that Thaksin's lawyer Nopphadol acted alone without checking with his boss when the PTP share saga and mega bucks reward shennanigans unfolded. Well done mate, I never expected you to man up.

NOTE TO USA: great job with your condemnation of Thailand over recent months . . . you've succeeded in pushing them even further into the arms of China, the polar opposite of what you actually want. Thumbs up on that one.

Americans are very narrow-minded. I know, I am one, but I have lived in other countries. Americans, in general, only see through a narrow lens. Since America was founded on rebels fighting oppression, that is how they see the rest of the world. Hence, part of helping to topple leaders of other countries, despite the fact that the outcome is worse than before. Lately, it's come down to aiding Syrian rebels. As if they are better than Assad. Oh, well.

So, Americans think the coup was a very bad thing. I had relatives asking me about the war over there in Thailand. So I sent them an article on people getting selfies with the Thai military troops, to give them a picture of what it's really like there.

The New York Times came out and condemned the coup. The author of the article had no idea what they were talking about. Of course, in the comments section of the article, expats in Thailand were posting such: that the author was clueless.

Every country is different, and certainly, Thailand is unique in its own way.

NOTE TO USA: great job with your condemnation of Thailand over recent months . . . you've succeeded in pushing them even further into the arms of China, the polar opposite of what you actually want. Thumbs up on that one.

what has America got to loose here, it's not as if America had a high tech train industry lobbing for this contract.

America has lost its only ally in the region. I had expected trouble after an exercise in Cobra Gold went horrifically wrong which led to a wide body jet being shot out of the sky over the Gulf of Thailand and led to one of the biggest coverups in human history.

Hardly. The Thai army knows who can butter their bread better.

I give a ratz azz if this place is over run with Chinese. Serves these greedy souls perfectly.

When it comes to greed, I think even the thais are outgun by the chinese.

Sent from my C6833 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Just one big Pizza Express !

The high-speed train, which will provide linkage for the region,to chinatown.

I would be very cautious when dealing with China , China's track record in Africa and Papua New Guinea has seen low standard interference with the Chinese actually trying to mussel in with Chinese shops and other industries in these countries, in new Guinea they burnt them out and the villagers rioted , the Myanmar Government threw them out, they soon realized where the dollar was and it was not from China , also the Chinese might object to not being able to own land.

True, but we can't own land either, so they can pant and shout all they want with little reaction or change from the Thais. But me thinks one of the primary reasons for Thailand not allowing land ownership for foreigners is exactly because 1.3 billion Chinese people, who can't own land outright in their homeland are sitting just outside Thailand's doorstep.

Anyway, wasn't it just a couple of weeks ago when the head of the military said he doesn't want China involved in the high-speed rail (HSR) link here in Thailand, mainly due to security concerns? The concerns raised were that China would try to demand a long term lease on land near the railway and use only, or mainly their own workers, despite that being in violation of the 4-1 WP worker ratios.

I was under the impression that the high speed rail link to China was now buried and the military was talking about only a shorter high speed rail link from Bangkok to Pattaya and Rayong and for all other lines a duplication of the tracks? Also a line from Den Chai to Chiang Khong but not HSR?

Why is it this project comes up all the time? Or is it simply because the deputy PM is currently in China, wants to appease the Chinese, so for lack of anything better to say comes up with this drivel?

I think the Chinese better realize that this HSR train project has been put on the backburner. Developing industry in western Chinese provinces (which this railway link would benefit) is really not of national importance for Thailand. So let's improve the railway system we have now, build that shorter HSR line that links Bangkok with Thailand's most important tourist beach town (Pattaya) and it's industrial heartland to the port (Laem Chabang) and be done with this discussion already.

Note that I'm not completely opposed to a Kunming-Thailand high speed rail link, but I just think that now is maybe not the time to be looking at this. Maybe in 20 years, but not right now.

China has bought 100 sq km of land in norther Laos, they are building a massive city, they've just built an £80 million casino on that land...... That's just the start!

Well technically it's a long term lease, not outright purchase as that's not allowed.

I think you are referring to King Romans casino in Tonpheung, directly opposite Thailand's Chiang Saen.

China did the same at Boten, next to it's own border crossing, which until last December was the only international crossing between the two countries (now there's 2). However, at Boten the casino town died basically overnight when the Chinese and Lao governments decided to shut down the whole place due to murders, money laundering and other criminal activity in town. I've been there - it's a ghost town now. A Chinese friend of mine stayed at one of the "casinos" there, which is now one of only 2 hotels still left that haven't been abandoned. 100 Yuan or equivalent a night with no breakfast and get this: no WIFI! Unbelievable for SEA but true. Needless to stay I refused to stay in that dump and drove down to Udomxai myself before returning the next day.

China understands the reason for the coup... = They understand the need for no democracy. "Thailand is in a transition period," Sihasak said. "We have to show the world that we can still move forward, especially on foreign affairs." Move forward like China? Gee, that's great! When a country that has such an appalling record in human rights wants to lead the way for you that kind of says a lot about Thailand, unfortunately.

Beware, the Barbarians are at the Gate.

NOTE TO USA: great job with your condemnation of Thailand over recent months . . . you've succeeded in pushing them even further into the arms of China, the polar opposite of what you actually want. Thumbs up on that one.

what has America got to loose here, it's not as if America had a high tech train industry lobbing for this contract.

It's not just about the train.

Analogy: Your arguing loudly with your wife often. The neighbor on your left says I'm married I understand I know you will work it out, the neighbor on your right thinks they are perfect and criticizes you while you are having these problems. Perhaps it is old fashion thinking but I was always taught if you do not have anything good to say, then say nothing if you can not contribute positively. Never get between to brothers fighting unless you are prepared to fight them both.

For the record I am from the US, where the pols and diplomats should learn to shut up.