Transcript of the above video:

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing the Sino-Lao Rail link. For those who are unaware, there is now a rail link between Laos and China and over time, these rail links are supposed to be covering a big portion of Southeast Asia as well. As the years roll on, it seems we are going to see more and more connectivity here in Asia from a rail standpoint. There are a lot of upsides to that, maybe there are some downsides to that; it is kind of a mixed bag but long story short, this is probably what we are looking at over time here in Southeast Asia is seeing more and more rail linkage between not only China but other places too. Further down south into Singapore from here in Thailand and possibly even off into the West, definitely over to the East. I think we are going to see rail connectivity become more and more common here in this region. If you look at the infrastructure of Thailand, especially involving all the light rail and things in and around Bangkok and Eastern Economic Corridor, it makes sense to be building that infrastructure sort of with the thinking of connecting up to like sort of broader projects if you will.

I thought of making this video after reading recent article from the Pattaya Mail, that is pattayamail.com, the article is titled: Lao-China rail, excuse me, that's my title. Article is titled: Virtually no Asian restrictions in place for the expected influx of Chinese tourists. I am going to quote an excerpt from this article that kind of goes a different direction from the thrust of that article, so if you are watching this video, go check out that article in detail to get more information in there. Quoting directly: "The upturn in Chinese arrivals is also assisted by the China-Laos popular high-speed railway from Kunming, capital of China's Yunnan province, to Vientiane the capital of Laos. From there, it is straightforward to cross into Thailand and other neighbouring countries by land. Meanwhile, China loses no opportunity to expand its diplomatic presence in the region to encourage its enterprises such as the Belt and Road trade initiative. Wherever Chinese officials do find rare examples of their nationals being subject to health checks, they denounce them as unfounded and discriminatory."

Well, I have issues with these health checks just in a general context to begin with because I don't see where they have really done anything and honestly I think it's a massive violation of Human Rights just across the board, or you want to go Lockean on it, natural rights, natural law. If you go into the United States you've got the Constitution there. Here in Thailand there are various rights associated with being Thai that I think have been impinged upon significantly by the health issues arising from the pandemic; I've gotten into that in other videos. 

The point of this video is yeah this Lao-China rail is probably something akin to a harbinger of things to come I would think because it looks like these rail platforms are going to continue and this is going to have tremendous implications I think long term, probably implications that we are not even really quite aware of yet because this is one of those things that fundamentally changes the very nature of what it's changing in a way. I don't mean to sound sort of rhetorical there but it's pretty profound when you really think about it. The impact that High-Speed Rail could have on Southeast Asia, Thailand in particular. Now obviously there are tourism implications. It will probably generate a great deal more Tourism Revenue for Thailand but at the same time, there are other implications to think of as well. So it will be interesting to watch this in the coming months and years and we will certainly keep you updated on this channel as the situation evolves.