When I woke up on Super Tuesday, primary results were already coming in, and a prominent national media expert was on TV discussing the outcomes that were unfolding.No, I didn’t sleep in: I’m in Thailand, thirteen hours ahead, visiting family, and that commentator was Suthichai Yoon, the group editor-in-chief and co-founder of The Nation, the country’s only Thai-owned English-language daily newspaper. In two days I’d be meeting with Suthichai on a personal call -- to discuss media and say hi from an old friend, Jim Boyd, former mentor to Minnesota Monitor and a Harvard Nieman fellow with Suthichai years ago. Given the chance to meet one of Thailand’s pre-eminent political thinkers, I decided to ask him a few questions about how the American presidential race is playing in Asia, and how our trade, diplomatic and economic policies affect people half a world away.
Photo: Santikan Boontongkumkaewmanee
Paul, looks like your trip will be eventful and fun. Was somewhat surprised to hear Sutichai Yoon talk about the value of trade with USA but not about the cockeyed trade imbalance USA has with the rest of the world. Is the Nation in Thailand the same as here...liberal, corporate, centrist,status quo? What's the Thai escape route if US economy collapses? Or does that matter?
ReplyDeleteBest to you and Moc
I hate to blog-jack, but is this THE Paul Schmelzer? Proofreader of yore??
ReplyDeleteThat it is. Nice to hear a voice from the past! Email me -- paul at eyeteeth dot org -- and we can catch up.
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