Mike Pouraryan
"Outsiders" Far East Watch (7/3/2011): Winds of Change...
As we begin the 4th year of "outsiders", I view the continued change in our World with continued awe and fascination. The awakening that has begun in the Middle East and is spreadhing throughout the Muslim World is one reason I continue to remain hopeful. The events in the Middle East has been continuing on so fast--it is wonderful to watch and observe.
What some fail to accept, though, is how the power is shifting from the West to the Far East. Although China has its' share of challenges, what it has achieved has been nothing short of an absolute transformation. For instance, the new bullet train right now in operation is quite an engineering masterpiece. The new floating bridge (now the largest in the World) is just beyond words. I hope to have the good fortune to visit it someday and drive through it with my Son. But, things are also changing beyond China.
As I write this, Thailand has gone through a reasonably peaceful change of Government after a number of years after Thaksin was overthrown in a military coup. Thaksin's sister was elected Prime Minister and the Current incumbent conceded defeat. I have to wonder how she would now govern. Will she truly work to unlokc Thailand's potential to take its place among the true tigers of the World or will her policies continue to be in a rather narrow way? I had a chance to read up on her and think that she seems to have her pulse on what should be done. The question is whether she will or whether she will give away to her brother. Time will tell.
Moving on to Burma, it seems as if the new Government continues to be in fear of the lady. Aung San Suu Kyi has been warned to curb political activites. This is as she used her birthday message to urge the Government to free political prisoners. She is due to launch a tour of the Country. I also enjoyed the fact that Kevin Rudd, the former Prime Minister and current Foreign Minister, met her at the Australian Embassy in Rangoon. The Generals are in charge--no matter what facade that they have tried to sell the World on. Now that Burma has oil, truly all bets are off.
It is a fascinating region to write about and know. I look forward to reading, knowing, commenting and reflecting on it.
What some fail to accept, though, is how the power is shifting from the West to the Far East. Although China has its' share of challenges, what it has achieved has been nothing short of an absolute transformation. For instance, the new bullet train right now in operation is quite an engineering masterpiece. The new floating bridge (now the largest in the World) is just beyond words. I hope to have the good fortune to visit it someday and drive through it with my Son. But, things are also changing beyond China.
As I write this, Thailand has gone through a reasonably peaceful change of Government after a number of years after Thaksin was overthrown in a military coup. Thaksin's sister was elected Prime Minister and the Current incumbent conceded defeat. I have to wonder how she would now govern. Will she truly work to unlokc Thailand's potential to take its place among the true tigers of the World or will her policies continue to be in a rather narrow way? I had a chance to read up on her and think that she seems to have her pulse on what should be done. The question is whether she will or whether she will give away to her brother. Time will tell.
Moving on to Burma, it seems as if the new Government continues to be in fear of the lady. Aung San Suu Kyi has been warned to curb political activites. This is as she used her birthday message to urge the Government to free political prisoners. She is due to launch a tour of the Country. I also enjoyed the fact that Kevin Rudd, the former Prime Minister and current Foreign Minister, met her at the Australian Embassy in Rangoon. The Generals are in charge--no matter what facade that they have tried to sell the World on. Now that Burma has oil, truly all bets are off.
It is a fascinating region to write about and know. I look forward to reading, knowing, commenting and reflecting on it.
