Thailand's Economy

[Martin]

Thank you, 'Steven'.

Clearly, you have felt the same sentiments that I had when I looked at this thread yesterday.

[plachon]

4) I am a big fan of the idea of the Kra canal (sorry, Singapore). Feasability studies have to be done in earnest, and financing can be found by letting foreign companies in.

Oh dear, Colpycat. All credibility you had built up in your arguments so far just went out the window at this sentence!

The Kra Canal has been one of Thailand's biggest white elephant schemes for years, and the last attempt to revive it by one General C from Nakhon P went tits up after some huge corruption scandal broke over it. As I recall, it was just a cynical attempt to play on Thai nationalistic urges and extract rent from the feasibility studies you so earnestly desire.

As I understand it, there is too much land to cut through, the costs would be too high and the chances for mega-corruption for such a mega-project would be just too tempting to go begging. Added to which, the costs for a supertanker or freight carrier are not that great doing the extra few kms round the Malay Peninsular and stopping off in the highly efficient and modern port facilities of Singapore along the way, for a spot of Duty Free shopping. The only thing that might change this scenario would be much higher rates of piracy in the Straits of Malacca, but Singaporean, Japanese and US interests and navies would ensure that this situation never came to be reality.

In other words, the Kra Canal is a non-starter and always will be.

[lannarebirth]

4) I am a big fan of the idea of the Kra canal (sorry, Singapore). Feasability studies have to be done in earnest, and financing can be found by letting foreign companies in.

Oh dear, Colpycat. All credibility you had built up in your arguments so far just went out the window at this sentence!

The Kra Canal has been one of Thailand's biggest white elephant schemes for years, and the last attempt to revive it by one General C from Nakhon P went tits up after some huge corruption scandal broke over it. As I recall, it was just a cynical attempt to play on Thai nationalistic urges and extract rent from the feasibility studies you so earnestly desire.

As I understand it, there is too much land to cut through, the costs would be too high and the chances for mega-corruption for such a mega-project would be just too tempting to go begging. Added to which, the costs for a supertanker or freight carrier are not that great doing the extra few kms round the Malay Peninsular and stopping off in the highly efficient and modern port facilities of Singapore along the way, for a spot of Duty Free shopping. The only thing that might change this scenario would be much higher rates of piracy in the Straits of Malacca, but Singaporean, Japanese and US interests and navies would ensure that this situation never came to be reality.

In other words, the Kra Canal is a non-starter and always will be.

The Kra Isthmus Canal is really about the interests of China and Singapore, Those "influential" Thais that support it are pro Chinese and those that resist it take their honoraria from Singapore. It's billed as The Great Thai Project, but if it ever comes into being it will be built and controlled by the Chinese. The Chinese are ultra paranoid that Mallacca shipping lanes could be controlled by westerm navies one day. BTW the Chinese now control tthe Panama Canal