Conspiracy II

Conspiralling Out Of Control

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

****warning****

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

****warning****

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?

Lesson of the day

Never teach your father how to fuck.

Just back from sailing. Bio-clock a little bit too fucked to sleep. But too tired to stay awake too.

A few thoughts running through my mind.

If the thai military thought that the thai government (voted into power democractically) under thaksin was growing more and more democratic, was a military coup any more democractic? And what about the interim PM and government that would be put in place? the claim was that the coup was supported by the people and the king. so what options did they have? civilian protests are now outlawed as are any political activity. and this is done to prevent a further slide in democracy?

when I first found out about this coup (minutes after getting my tiger airways tickets to phuket) and shared with a friend, he said he expected it. not me, i always thought the coup was an act of desperation, whether or not the market talk/rumour states that the coup was boiling since the bomb plot was uncovered.

So now that endorsements are given (did the king have a choice?), how should the other democratic governments around the region react/respond? should they recognise this government put into power by the military?

To absent friends.....

Those who watched Master and Commander (with the hooligan from OZ - Russell Crowe) might remember this scene where a number of officers were having a dinner in the wardroom (naval officers' mess/dining room)and one of the toast was "To wives and sweethearts!" and Russell Crowe cheekily added "May they never meet!". Well, that line should have been said by the most junior officer (usually the youngest) present. But since not many people in the world know about such stuff - and those who do might not watch the movie - it was a mistake that nobody really complained about.

There is a toast for every day of the week.

Monday - To our ships at sea (which means that they are on shoreleave)
Tuesday - To our men
Wednesday - To ourselves (because no one else is likely to bother)
Thursday - To bloody war or sickly season (gain promotion from the death of others)
Friday - To willing foe and sea room (easy battles and no collision)
Saturday - To wives and sweethearts (may they never meet)
Sunday - To absent friends

And so today it is for absent friends.

I would suppose "absent friends" could mean friends who are dead (because of bloody war and sickly season?). Or perhaps it refers to friends who are out at sea (to our ships?).

Or perhaps friends whom we have lost touch with.

I missed Yugin's wedding on 9 Sep. I was on standby and there was no way I could have applied leave and pack for a trip to Brighton. Feel quite bad about it because as late as June I was still planning for it.

And there's no way I'm gonna miss Tommy's wedding come Christmas Day.

So I've already bought tickets and will be spending Christmas with V in Hong Kong!

What do you do with the pieces of a broken heart?

Previously I shared with you the youtube video.
Since then, I have not been able to find this album - Post War by M. Ward - anywhere in Singapore.
Well, Yeow Kai Chai has since reviewed it in Ass Tee Life! section....so where the hyell did he get his copy?



So what was it that made you fall in love?
A deadly spark that burst into flames or a gentle breeze that rekindled the embers?
A gossamer crimsoned? An inapproriate action? A teasing question?

And what was it that broke your heart?
A slow unravel caused by perfidiousness or a languish arising from misguided intentions.
Misplaced trust? Illusioned fronts? Or the delusion that all true love have a fairy tale ending?

Chinese Translation

I sailed a wild, wild sea
climbed up a tall, tall mountain
I met a old, old man
beneath a weeping willow tree
He said now if you got some questions
go and lay them at my feet
but my time here is brief
so you'll have to pick just three

And I said
What do you do with the pieces of a broken heart?
And how can a man like me remain in the light?
And if life is really as short as they say
then why is the night so long?
And then the sun went down
and he sang for me this song

See I once was a young fool like you
afraid to do the things
that I knew I had to do
So I played an escapade just like you
I played an escapade just like you
I sailed a wild, wild sea
climbed up a tall, tall mountain
I met an old, old man
he sat beneath a sapling tree
He said now if you got some questions
go and lay them at my feet
but my time here is brief
so you'll have to pick just three

And I said
What do you do with the pieces of a broken heart?
And how can a man like me remain in the light?
And if life is really as short as they say
then why is the night so long?
And then the sun went down
and he played for me this song

M. Ward

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