Doomsday confirmed: The Kra Canal
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I tot u onli like guy with lot of chest hair?Originally posted by FireIce:ok, i think thai guys are cute
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oh ya like north pole lor... santa can travel by ship on Xmas lor...Originally posted by Harris_JeyaRaj:Not only thailand, other countries are set to benefit from it too.....
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That's why SG govt has been desperately trying to diversify our economy, muz become air hub, bio-med hub, MICE hub, education hub, tourism hub, gambling hub...Originally posted by Deportivo:I am pretty sure the Kra Canal will go through. If you analyse the financial market in thailand, you can see the reason.
trade secret. go figure. -
Any of your points are easily valid but u forgot a few things...Originally posted by octega:Personnally, I dun think it will happen soon
1.) The trouble down south in Thailand
2.) Security. Right now, the straits is being police by 3 countries. When the canal is built, this responsibility is fully on the shoulder of 1 country. When things screwed up, that country has no one to blame than itself. No a good deal if you ask me.
3.) Building the canal means the oil now flows directly to east pacific. That means the whole oil refinery plant has to be relocated from sg. Do u think it will be a wise choice currently, considering most of the oil refinery has firmly rooted in sg.
4.) The canal only diverts partial traffic. There are other countries in this region u know:- Malaysia, Singapore, Austrialia, New Guniea, New Zealand, Indonesia, etc which dun depend on the canal. So it is still profitable to ship here.
5.) Think last year boxing day event. Wif the canal built and a similar event happening again. Will the diaster area be multiplied. Think of the ports now built along this canal. A Tsunami will have a devasting effect. The last time I checked. U can't predict or stop Tsunamis. So it is better off not building the canal.
6.) Sg is one of the kiasu-est country in the world. Dun think we will be so easily defeated by building one such canal.
The above is just my thinking nia
1)Tsunami will strike not only Kra Canal but everywhere....
2)let's see if kiasuism can save us again.... -
http://www.asiawind.com/forums/read.php?f=3&i=111120&t=110726&v=f
Hypothetical question:
If the Kra Canal does not materialize, and if there is an open conflict between US and China, will Singapore allow the US the use of her naval base to block oil tankers going to China?
If American warships stationed or being serviced in Singapore were to detain ships under Chinese flag or carrying good for China, will Singapore be capable to stop these American warships from ignoring Singapore's expressed wishes of non-interference?
This is a dilemma that Singapore has to face once Singapore allows the US to set up a naval base or use facilities on her soil. The present Singaporean policy of close rapport with the US to protect her against her immediate Muslim neighbors will in the long term put her on collision with all the anti-US nations in her region. Undoubtedly, if Bush is re-elected, the US will pick a quarrel with China sooner or later.
One obvious way for China to bypass Singapore and any American presence there is to open up the Kra Canal. In this Kra Canal scenario, China has to depend on Thailand, which in the past has been as genuflexed to Washington as Singapore. Will Thailand be as friendly to China as Singapore when the US issues a warning of "For us or against us." -
Maybe its the reason why they want to build casino....Casino can save us man!Originally posted by Zooish:That's why SG govt has been desperately trying to diversify our economy, muz become air hub, bio-med hub, MICE hub, education hub, tourism hub, gambling hub... -
Of course they are... half of them had their little brothers cut off... they other half has their sexual agenda confused...Originally posted by FireIce:ok, i think thai guys are cute -
their sexual origins and orientations might be hard to discernOriginally posted by FireIce:ok, i think thai guys are cute -
to threadstarter, ur article is dated about 2 yrs ago.
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orh.Originally posted by Harris_JeyaRaj:http://www.thaipro.com/thailand_00/109_kra_canal.htm
Time and again, over the last three centuries, the vision of a vital waterway linking the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea has surfaced - along with the dire economic threat that it will pose to Singapore. Now, the reality of a Kra Canal in Thailand being built is fast taking shape, following the collapse of a top-level US$2 billion ($3.51 billion) pipeline deal to move oil from Russia to China.
The failure of the deal, which would have carried up to 20 million tons of oil each year from the Russian republic of Sakha in Siberia, underscores the urgency energy-hungry China faces to ensure that Middle Eastern supplies reach its ports safely.
Thailand has much to gain from a Kra Canal project. Singapore has just as much to lose. The Kra Canal, which has the potential of diverting half the shipping tonnage now calling at Singapore ports up north to Thailand, will have an impact on the Republic’s economy which will be huge and permanent.
China badly needs imported oil to fuel its growth and its leaders are seriously looking at the Kra Canal as an alternative to the Straits of Malacca.
The Straits, which presents the shortest sea journey between Europe, Middle East and North Asia, is one of the most important waterways in the world, and most of China’s and Japan’s oil imports pass through it.
But the Straits is narrow: The Philip Channel near Singapore is only 2.5km wide, which creates a natural bottleneck with the potential for a collision, grounding or, after the Sept 11 attacks in the United States, sabotage by terrorists.
A large oil tanker sunk at the Philip Channel could well force vessels to take a long detour and hold up oil imports to China and Japan for weeks. As China is said to have as little as seven days of oil in reserve, it is clear why its leaders are anxious to help jump-start the Kra Canal project.
To cost at least US$20 billion, the project proposes to carve out a 50-km waterway across Thailand’s narrow Kra Isthmus. The canal will allow vessels plying the Europe-Middle East-North Asia route to bypass the Straits of Malacca and cut their journey by at least 1,000km.
Of course, any vessel bypassing the Straits will bypass Singapore too.
The Kra Canal could pose a bigger threat to Singapore than the loss of manufacturing jobs, the exodus of business to China and the devastation of Sars put together.
Singapore, despite the publicity it has reaped from its high-tech reputation, has always relied on its position as Asia’s top transshipment point for its prosperity.
Last month, the Beijing-controlled Economy magazine stated that it would be in China’s interest to invest billions of dollars in the Kra Canal to reduce its dependency on the Straits of Malacca “choke point”.
In a strange mix of politics and economics, it also explained that China had long been interested in the project, but held itself back so far because of its friendship with Singapore.
Now, however, China is less obliged to Singapore due to the latter’s attitude during the Sars (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) period, the magazine said. (At the height of the Sars outbreak, Singapore had criticised China for not disclosing its Sars cases earlier).
Many in Singapore have long dismissed the Kra Canal project as something that will remain a pipe dream. They could be wrong.
China, which recently overtook Japan as the second biggest oil consumer in the world (it uses about 5.36 million barrels a year, while Japan, the former number two, consumes around 5.34 million barrels), really has no choice but to go all out to ensure the safety of its oil imports. The US is the world’s largest consumer.
The timing is right: The biggest supporter of the project is former Prime Minister, General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh who, since last October, has become Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand. Under him, the Thai government has sent at least three delegations to China to rope the Chinese into the Kra Canal project.
What is Singapore doing to counter this new threat? While some recent local commentaries have played down the threat of the Kra Canal, the leaders are not taking chances.
Recently, Singapore Telecom, the biggest company in Singapore which is part of the Temasek Group, took the unprecedented step of appointing an outsider, Thai businessman Chumpol NaLamlieng, as its chairman.
Mr Chumpol, 55, is head of Siam Cement, Thailand’s biggest company and one closely held by the Thai royal family. Mr Chimpol is highly influential and a good man to speak for Singapore.
Temasek Holdings executive director Ho Ching recently visited Beijing to donate a thermal scanner and to mend fences damaged by the Sars crisis. She was reportedly well-received by the Chinese.
Singapore, in other words, is now actively playing its Thai and China cards, in the hope perhaps that if the Kra Canal project does take off, it will at least be in a position to be involved in it. Given the circumstances, this is really all Singapore can do. -
under US law, 1 person can only be prez for max 2 terms...Originally posted by Harris_JeyaRaj:Undoubtedly, if Bush is re-elected, the US will pick a quarrel with China sooner or later.
bush cannot get reelected again...
next US prez will be a new guy... -
OK
Even the Kra Canal comes... Where are the ships going to tranship the tens of thousands containers? -
Whose port technology is higher? Thai or SG? Of cos SG!
Higher technology means faster operation, hence reduction in in-port time.
Even if Kra Canal is established, S'pore still win in term of possession (70 -75%). Time is money............ -
Yes, that's why the customer that shifted to the Johor port was reportly unhappy...Originally posted by raynjy:Whose port technology is higher? Thai or SG? Of cos SG!
Higher technology means faster operation, hence reduction in in-port time.
Even if Kra Canal is established, S'pore still win in term of possession (70 -75%). Time is money............ -
what makes u think the Kra Cana will not be more advanced than Singpore ports?Originally posted by sbst275:Yes, that's why the customer that shifted to the Johor port was reportly unhappy... -
Why.... Do you ever read what is the handling rate in SG and Thai ports???Originally posted by Harris_JeyaRaj:what makes u think the Kra Cana will not be more advanced than Singpore ports?
And what makes you think Thai ports can handle 20M TEU a year when they can't handle the 3M TEU they have now?
Since when the proposed Kra Canal is a port? -
If China instigates any conflict, even indirectly, Singapore has to stand on her opposite side.This is our region and China cannot be allowed to do anything.Call me pro-America but I rather have the US Navy port here than the PLAN.Originally posted by Harris_JeyaRaj:http://www.asiawind.com/forums/read.php?f=3&i=111120&t=110726&v=f
Hypothetical question:
If the Kra Canal does not materialize, and if there is an open conflict between US and China, will Singapore allow the US the use of her naval base to block oil tankers going to China?
If American warships stationed or being serviced in Singapore were to detain ships under Chinese flag or carrying good for China, will Singapore be capable to stop these American warships from ignoring Singapore's expressed wishes of non-interference?
This is a dilemma that Singapore has to face once Singapore allows the US to set up a naval base or use facilities on her soil. The present Singaporean policy of close rapport with the US to protect her against her immediate Muslim neighbors will in the long term put her on collision with all the anti-US nations in her region. Undoubtedly, if Bush is re-elected, the US will pick a quarrel with China sooner or later.
One obvious way for China to bypass Singapore and any American presence there is to open up the Kra Canal. In this Kra Canal scenario, China has to depend on Thailand, which in the past has been as genuflexed to Washington as Singapore. Will Thailand be as friendly to China as Singapore when the US issues a warning of "For us or against us." -
Singapore still serves the needs of Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the southern hemisphere due to trade winds which make it more economical to sail here than up to the Kra.Originally posted by sbst275:Why.... Do you ever read what is the handling rate in SG and Thai ports???
And what makes you think Thai ports can handle 20M TEU a year when they can't handle the 3M TEU they have now?
Since when the proposed Kra Canal is a port?
We are seeing a re-alignment of interests as we speak, especially all the FTAs we have signed with Latin America, Australia etc.. -
Don't know plan how long liao.
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Surely bcos of financial issues. Foreign talents are a must, to aggravate the situation..........., technological advancement! They need huge amount of capital to develop this sector in order to compete with the neighbouring countries.
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Hello...just because their port is low in technology now, what makes you think they cannot build a high technology port together with the canal?Originally posted by raynjy:Whose port technology is higher? Thai or SG? Of cos SG!
Higher technology means faster operation, hence reduction in in-port time.
Even if Kra Canal is established, S'pore still win in term of possession (70 -75%). Time is money............
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Very difficult... Already they handle just 3M TEU per yr they have trouble with that, what makes you say with PSA's 24M TEU by then?Originally posted by cck_190:Hello...just because their port is low in technology now, what makes you think they cannot build a high technology port together with the canal? -
heOriginally posted by LazerLordz:If China instigates any conflict, even indirectly, Singapore has to stand on her opposite side.This is our region and China cannot be allowed to do anything.Call me pro-America but I rather have the US Navy port here than the PLAN.
I rather Sg stays neutral and dun be kay poh. 2 giants fighting - we are peanuts to either of them - better steer clear of their conflicts.
I like Switzerland! -
Oil will sooner or later run out, SG better establish some core competency for itself before the demise of the oil refining industry we have here in Pulau Bukom and Jurong. Look at Brunei and the UAE - they are trying very hard to reinvent themselves - because they know the oil will not last.Originally posted by Zooish:That's why SG govt has been desperately trying to diversify our economy, muz become air hub, bio-med hub, MICE hub, education hub, tourism hub, gambling hub...
So the same thing applies, the kra canal is to SG as with the depletion of oil is to Brunei and the UAE. SG needs to be have some strategy to overcome this potential problem. -
U people are DEAD!