Transcript of the above video:

For those who watch this channel frequently or just sort of see the notifications pop up we talk about the Amity Treaty, specifically the US-Thai Treaty of Amity quite often on this channel. For those who are unaware, American citizens or American businesses looking to do business in Thailand can be accorded, pursuant to the terms of the Treaty, "National Treatment" whereby they will be treated as if they are Thai nationals for purposes of doing business in Thailand, primarily business. 

Now as we have discussed in other videos, that does not necessarily mean an American doesn't need a Work Permit in Thailand; it does not necessarily mean that an American can do every type of business that Thais can do in Thailand but the Treaty of Amity is a major benefit when comparing the ability to do business in Thailand with other nationalities. The Treaty of Amity provides a great deal of again positive outcome for those who look to undertake the certification process. The point of this video is the Treaty of Amity isn't the only Amity Treaty down here in Southeast Asia. 

I thought of making this video after reading a recent article from Thai PBS World, that's thaipbsworld.com, the article is titled: Three more nations accede to the ASEAN Treaty of Amity and Cooperation. Quoting directly: "Three more countries will accede to the ASEAN Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) this year, according to the ASEAN Chairman's statement released this afternoon (Thursday). Saudi Arabia, Spain and Panama will sign the TAC ahead of the 43rd ASEAN Summit in September. The Treaty which was enacted in 1976, has enjoyed broad support around the world as its principles are based on non-violent, peaceful means of resolving conflict and non-interference, among others." 

Yeah, at the end of the day, ASEAN has proven to be as interesting as it is sort of loosely kept together and I say that in the most positive way possible. I'm not saying there is anything lacking in strength in ASEAN's makeup but it is its flexibility that makes ASEAN so useful. When I look at it as sort of a body compared to like the EU for one thing, it's far more flexible, it's far more respectful of national prerogatives than the EU set up my opinion is, not to be too hypercritical of the EU, but yeah things like maintenance of national currencies and things has allowed for a level of flexibility and a level of National Economic Policy Making which I have not seen in any of the other one of these regional cooperation sort of initiatives. Then you kind of look over at the African Union which is looser I would argue, and is maybe not as cohesive as ASEAN is when you compare the two. 

So ASEAN has kind of hit the right temperature of porridge if you will. If you look at the three bears in Goldilocks - the porridge that is just right, some is too hot, some is too cold, it is just right - well ASEAN is kind of in terms of sort of an international block, an international organization, it kind of hits that ‘just right’ in terms of how it's organized, how it maintains itself and how it operates here in Southeast Asia.