{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/5e48272339d2dd9f40401351/5e482743c3ffd7eb328bf132?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"Thailand and China: a “no strings attached” relationship – With Christopher Ankersen","thumbnail_width":200,"thumbnail_height":200,"thumbnail_url":"https://open-images.acast.com/shows/5e48272339d2dd9f40401351/11011148b76f4370834882ed104bff01.jpg?height=200","description":"Thailand is an exception in the melting pot of Southeast Asia. Differently from Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, where minorities coexist quite peacefully, in Thailand’s deep South the Malay insurgency is carrying on low-fi warfare against Thai State.\n\nLike other countries in the region, Thailand has also its share of economic uncertainties: it risks to find itself in the middle-income trap. It is trying with the Thailand 4.0 program, but the reality is that the country needs foreign investments. America and Europe are well-positioned to provide investments, but Chinese money comes, as usual, with no strings attached. Westerners pretend to force Thailand to kowtow over human rights issues, while Chinese turns a blind eye. No doubt that Thai people prefer Beijing.","author_name":"Mirko Giordani"}