just noticed the other day that mitsubishi opening up new plant in the phillipines,acountry with a larger population that will look for work ,

will honda follow and move production to other ASEAN member countries if stability "diplomacy" do not improve.

Ford pulled out of the Philippines a number of years ago, I think in part due to the

massive corruption there. But yes with a great English speaking workforce, if the

country can ever get a handle on corruption they will be a force to recon with...

Why does Thailand need the US? Investment in Thailand recently for high speed railways has come from China. Toyota has pulled out most of its investment in Thailand. Exports of rubber go mostly to China. Tourists now are mostly Chinese and Russian. The Asean communtity has its own military why do Thailand need US help? The US is 14 trillion dollars in debt mostly due to loans from China. What can the US offer Thailand? KFC?

Does the phrase third largest export market for Thailand have any meanng to you ??

Amazing what the Chinese achieve without a single soldier anywhere outside their country nor big mouthing around.

Thailand, as many other Ase/ian countries, turn voluntarily to China.

Same with Putin, being mobbed by the clowns in Brussels. In ten years from now we'll see EU steamrollered by paid entertainers like Russell while Asia and Russia will be in an unbreakable alliance with China.

Or we will see the more likely scenario of China violently crushing dissent once the bubble pops, and Russia as a failed state trying to forget the feckless military spending spree of Putin. There is a reason why mortality is so high in Russia and why the Chinese PLA keeps a tight rein on the country. They have problems as serious if not worse than in the west.

It seems some members, rather than look at what is actually happening are basing their "opinions" 9which they aren't) on the "I don't like Chinese, Russians or any other foreigners" precept

The US and Japan have already invested in large tracts of land in Burma at Yangon, as a backstop to Thailand. I guess Burma will become the next hub of ultra cheap labor. But in this fast changing world when 3D printing starts to be commercially viable and also the next generation of Robotics starts even the cheapest labor will be unable to compete. Things will then have come full circle. Who needs cheap Chinese made products shipped half way around the world when you can make em at home for basically the cost of electricity. But then there is always the problem of who has money to buy all crap pumped out. You know the old saying about idle hands being the Devil's handmaiden.

Amazing - that Thailand and the US fail to use the vast amount of political science expertise on display in this thread - truly an astounding display of intellect and prognostication. Nostradamus would be so proud.

It is obvious the military is not letting go of power until they have enough votes to get the current pm officially elected.

Obvious! I've seen nothing to suggest that.

From where do you get that?

Considering most the "Thai elite" are Chinese-Thais (just like the popular newscasters etc) I think they will be happy about China controllin Thailand.

This has been discussed before...it is worth bearing in mind that many of the "Chinese" in Thailand fled here for one reason or another and their attitude to China the state is at best ambivalent.

Not so sure about that. I seem to recall that the residents of Hong Kong were Chinese,

and they ended up not so happy about being taken over by China. Regarding the

Thai/Chinese that own and rule Thailand, I suspect their ancestors were the peasant

class ,who entered Thailand, dominated the local population, and went through

them like a hot knife through butter

Don't "suspect" read up on your Thai history and find out about the various waves of migration from VARIOUS parts of China....and look at the hoops they had to jump through to stay in Thailand.