Conspiracy II

Conspiralling Out Of Control

Continuing from further consipiral (haha...nosuchword) thoughts.... - see here, there and everywhere.

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super long and boring entry.
not recommended for those into fluff, hello kitties and internet porn.

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A Dull Bulb In A Dark Spot

Back from sailing jaunts (non-leisure in nature) into Malacca Strait and perhaps clouded by the haze that draped the funnel-shaped strait that transports 25% of the world's shipping and oil, with as many as 500,000 thousand merchant ships passing through annually.

Malacca Strait has often been compared to be of equal significance to the Suez and Panama Canals but there is a significant difference.

$$$TOLLS$$$

There are toll calculators for both canals. Here for Panama Canal and Suez Canal can be found here.

Malacca Strait shaves thousands of nautical miles off from a voyage between three of the most populous nations in the world; India, Indonesia and China. It is the main highway between Japan (second largest economy in the world) and the middle east (largest producer of an important economy driver: crude) and will increase over the coming years in volume of crude transported as China continue to boom... The alternate route south of Sumatra is just too much of a hassle, despite the rampant piracy in the Malacca Strait. The risk, after calculation, is justifiable.

Isthmus Of Kra - Regional Arch Nemesis

There is an option, to shave even more nautical miles, hence hours, which means voyage cost, which leads to higher profits (potentially) off in the journey from East (middle east, far east, orient etc etc) to the West (blah blah blah). The opening of a canal at the Isthmus of Kra.

For those who are vocabulary-ly-challanged, an isthmus is a narrow strip of land between two coast.

The Conspiracy

Ok, now for the conspiracy bits. It's a little known fact (ok, not that I know little known facts but, heck, you ask 10 Singaporeans along Orchard, 9.5 of them will not know where Isthmus of Kra is) but in 1897, the rulers (as in Kings, not the stationery) of Thailand and the British Empire decided against the idea of opening up a canal so as to safeguard Singapore and the harbour/port facilities. Thus ensuring that Singapore continue to thrive and prosper from a "sleepy fishing village" into a "cosmopolitant city of the future" within such a short time.

Furthering the conspiracy, if toll fees were to be collected by Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia, who are kinda "co-own" the International Strait (Malacca Strait and Singapore Strait) - refers to any strait that connects two high seas - ok, definitions like these can go on forever. Find out more from here, this will surely provide the impetus for Thailand to start the Kra Canal project and *gasp* collect majority of the toll as voyages will be more economical through the canal.

Filmsy Conclusion

Hence we can establish from this filmsy argument that 1) Malacca Strait will be a toll-free strait otherwise Thailand will join in the foray and snatch majority of the toll (but actually talks are underway for such "pay-as-you-go schemes). 2) Co-owners of the International Strait will try their best not to let Thailand build the canal as it will divert traffic away from their harbours/ports.

There are spin offs to this conspiracy. Like why major world powers will always want a piece of the action in Malacca Strait (which explains why despite the drop in piracy incidents, it remains classified as a "war zone" in Lloyds and therefore demand higher insurance premiums for shipping) and because of the importance of a trouble-free Malacca Strait, the US Navy, Chinese Navy, Indian Navy, French Navy, Japanese Navy etc etc all want to have a presence. Hence the classification of a high risk area justifies their presence.

Idle Minds Are The Devil's Workshop

Now for the murky bits. Having a canal through Kra will divide the restive muslim majority south in Thailand (Pattani etc) and erect a physical boundary. This will provide even greater reason for separation in south Thailand. Hence in order to provide greater resistance to building of the canal, there are reasons for "individuals/corporations/institutions" to support the muslim rebels to create tension so that the Thai government will be reluctant to build the canal. Piracy in the region will also allow presence of "foreign" forces with vested interest, using "concern for international trade" as a front for their local presence. So.....piracy is also generated for their continued presence?