Transcript of the above video: 

As the title of this video suggests, we are discussing infrastructure improvement in Thailand and frankly this is something I have been wanting to talk about, and this small excerpt from an article in the Bangkok Post has given me the opportunity to do that.

I thought of making this video after reading a recent article from the Bangkok Post, that is bangkokpost.com, the article is titled: 2025 a 'turning point' for Bangkok. First of all, going into this, they're talking about the sinkhole that popped up and some other infrastructure stuff, various things in that article. I urge those who are watching this video, go check that out for yourself but this excerpt was important. So quoting directly: "The BMA delivered at least 9,400 cubic meters of sand and crushed stone to stabilize the soil before sealing the surface with concrete." Man! Let me just read that again: "9,400 cubic meters of sand and crushed stone" which they had been moving into the sinkhole since it basically arose. That is just a substantial amount of work and construction and effort, and I can't commend the Thai construction folks more. The infrastructure projects here in Thailand have just been amazing the past few years, and I think it's worth pointing out - if only briefly - just how important these things are, how important these projects are, how important these people who are in the construction trades here in Thailand are to the infrastructure of Thailand, and how these infrastructure improvements are really going to set Thailand apart long-term. 

There is no place else in Southeast Asia that has the level – and people will immediately say "well Singapore". Well yeah, Singapore is a little city state. We get it. They are very developed but it's apples and bowling balls when you're comparing a country that size to a country the size of Thailand; it's just really not an accurate comparison. Back to what I was saying though, yes there are improvements happening especially Vietnam, places like Kuala Lumpur and Malaysia generally with regard to some infrastructure, but look, Thailand's light rail system here in the city is just expanding by leaps and bounds. We've also seen, yeah there have been setbacks most notably this sinkhole, but again 9,400 cubic meters of sand and crushed stone moved in pretty much at the drop of a hat, just boom, they are off and going; in fact I'll try to make the thumbnail for this video from the movie Heat where Al Pacino says, "at the drop of the hat these guys were rock and roll." That's what these infrastructure guys are here in Thailand. At the drop of a hat they were ready to go, improving this sinkhole, getting this, it was a problem, it was a problem that wasn't good and it is being fixed.

I am not saying everything in Thailand is perfect. I know there was criticism about the response with regard to the floods. That said, it looks to me like there has at least been some initiative to try and deal with it. It's a difficult situation. Overall, I think it's important to point out, kind of the unsung heroes in all of this who are the people that are building some of these amazing monuments to Thai ingenuity. I think it's important to point that out, especially as we start the New Year and we move on through 2026.