-
Nov 30 2025 
Thailand Sidelines the US and Goes to Beijing – Geopolitical Implications for a Declining West
By Peter Koenig
It is a pleasant sight to see, how in Asia a (former?) military ally of the United States, Thailand, shifts away from Washington and goes to Beijing – literally.
On 14 November 2025, the Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn had embarked on a five-day historic state visit to Beijing. This is not a common event,… Continue reading
-
Nov 29 2025 
Slices of Life, #16
“People robbed of their past seem to make the most fervent picture takers, at home and abroad. “As humans, we’re born naked and will leave with nothing,” yet another monk speaks.”
with gratitude to Linh Dinh at Postcards from the End.
Bill Gates, Primo Levi and Max Beckmann in Vietnam — Nov 13, 2025.
Just before 5AM, I got a… Continue reading
-
Nov 12 2025 
Slices of Life, #15
“No life is boring if properly recounted. His given name, Quyết Chiến, means Determined to Fight. Quyết Thắng means Determined to Win.”
with gratitude to Linh Dinh at Postcards from the End.
Nguyễn Quyết Chiến — Nov 05, 2025.
An extraordinary story imperfectly told is better than one simply ignored. I will now tell you about a Vietnamese-American in Oklahoma.… Continue reading
-
Nov 04 2025 
Slices of Life, #14
“I walked past a McDonald’s, Starbucks, 7-11 and Kentucky Fried Chicken, all lined up, cheek to cheek. America’s icons will survive its collapse.”
with gratitude to Linh Dinh at Postcards from the End.
Go There! — Oct 29, 2025.
Walking a couple miles, I got a last look at everything, that square with the serene stupa and Tibetan temple, KTM… Continue reading
-
Nov 01 2025 
Brian Berletic: Short Memories Regarding Agreement-Incapable America
▪️Recent US-Chinese talks regarding the array of tariffs, restrictions, sanctions, and other financial, economic, and diplomatic measures the US is trying and failing to use to contain China are almost irrelevant – the US is incapable of upholding its own proposals and agreements, and certainly will not honor any agreements made from a position of… Continue reading
-
Oct 30 2025 
Pepe Escobar: How ASEAN Keeps Its Centrality Between China & US
Sputnik
ASEAN is quite a delicate geopolitical entity: gracious, polite and consensual but at the same time, always privileging its “centrality”. The collective 11 Southeast Asians (East Timor is the new member) are very serious global players – with a GDP of $3.8 trillion, and constantly rising.
On a personal level, when I decided to move from… Continue reading
-
Oct 29 2025 
Post Asean – All Business is Yuan Business
While countries are generally dealing with tariffs individually, they will now be handled as a bloc. The broader business environment is moving toward Yuan-based transactions.
The Most Important – Extension of the Free Trade Area
Recently, positive progress has been made in the process of regional economic integration in the Asia-Pacific. The upgraded protocol of the China-ASEAN… Continue reading
-
Oct 26 2025 
Lula-Trump Mediation: 5 Key Breakthroughs in Brazil–US Talks Amid Venezuela Tensions
Lula-Trump mediation discussed in Malaysia as both leaders commit to easing trade frictions and exploring dialogue between the US and Venezuela.
On Sunday, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and U.S. President Donald Trump met on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Kuala Lumpur.
At the center of this meeting… Continue reading
-
Oct 26 2025 
Malaysia: 47th ASEAN Summit kicks off
Theme: “Inclusivity and Sustainability.”
Established in 1967, the grouping includes Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Timor-Leste. Timor-Leste is the youngest member and just joined, as well as being the youngest country in the region. It is small with a population of 1.34 million at the 2022… Continue reading
-
Oct 16 2025 
Slices of Life, #13
What matters is Thầy Thím’s perseverance against tyranny and misfortune.
with gratitude to Linh Dinh at Postcards from the End.
Holy Water Puddles — Oct 11, 2025.
I’m typing my first words at 6:03PM. Yesterday, I ate beef wrapped in piper lolot leaves dipped in a fermented fish sauce, mắm nêm, which is very salty. This morning I woke up… Continue reading
-
Sep 23 2025 
Slices of orange Kirks, Part Deux
“Does anyone else think this looks like a soap opera but with extra bad acting? If this weren’t real, it would be comical.”
with gratitude to Linh Dinh at Postcards from the End.
Erika Kirk, La Toya Jackson and Bubbles — Sep 16, 2025.
If shit didn’t stink, we would eat it, dressed up all different ways. There would be… Continue reading
-
Sep 22 2025 
Slices of Life, #12
Always cheerful and optimistic, I’m hoping Israel and America’s collapse will bring sunshine, relief and laughter to not just Beirut, Damascus, Tehran, Caracas and Kiev, but Juarez, Berlin, Paris, Brussels and Belgrade, etc. Nearly the entire world is anticipating.
with gratitude to Linh Dinh at Postcards from the End.
Frantic Noise and Spectacle Utopia — Sep 10, 2025.
My initial… Continue reading
-
Sep 22 2025 
Slices of Life, #11
I can’t think of any country more disunited. So appropriately, it’s ruled or at least fronted by a master divider. The self-adoring psycho is enjoying every second.
with gratitude to Linh Dinh at Postcards from the End.
MAGA Situation Report — Sep 08, 2025.
First off, I want to thank Ling Ding Dong for allowing me to come on here… Continue reading
-
Sep 19 2025 
Slices of Life, #10
it’s all about sticking it to your political enemy even as your nation is imploded and you go bankrupt. Over a century of professional sports has conditioned the American mind for such fanaticism.
with gratitude to Linh Dinh at Postcards from the End.
Images of America’s Golden Age — Sep 06, 2025.
The Smithsonian or any other major museum should… Continue reading
