Asia trip - July 2015

Bangkok, Thailand, July 16, 2015

Talk at Thammasat University at 2.00pm. Thammasat is probably Thailand's leading university (particularly for law and the liberal arts and social sciences) together with Chulalongkorn University and is very nicely situationed near the river and very close to the Grand Palace. The lecturing room overlooked the river and it was a very pleasant affair. I talked for almost an hour - too long I know.  The title of the talk was: "The EU, the US and the Crisis of the West: Greece and the Euro crisis, Putin's Challenge and China's Rise." There were over 30 people in the audience, students, academics and a few former politicians and military, and I think the talk was well received. There were too commentaries of 10-15 min each. One commentary was given by impressive former Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya (we agreed largely on how to deal with Russia and China, i.e. more engagement and diplomacy, but disagreed on Greece - he gives Athens much too much the benefit of the doubt in my view). There also was a good though rather lengthy comment from an economics proessor at Thammasat.  I enjoyed the whole event and we had some lively discussion though mostly among the three speakers and only a couple of people from the audience.

Afterwards we went for a nice meal to a restaurant next to the Navy Club. We sat on the deck outside overlooking the river and it was even a little breezy despite the continuing hot and humid weather here. Afterwards a number of drinks in a roof-top bar nearby were consumed.

The German SE Asia Center at Thammasat, run by Henning Glaser, is a very good and effeciently organized enterprise. They do lots of interesting things, including some consulting and advising, though they are constantly overstretched and kind of do too many things all at the same time more or less. It was very good to see them again and have a good chat or two. I think my talk went down well with the Center and the audience.