Good morning,

Khun Phongsak Assakul, president of the Thai Textile Manufacturing Association, has warned that up to 300,000 jobs will be lost in the industry because of the high rate of the baht (http://www.bangkokpost.com/Business/13Jul2007_biz34.php). Apparently, 109 factories have already closed – although Thai Silp has apparently reopened its doors this morning after receiving a 40 million baht subsidy (http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/13Jul2007_news03.php). The 5,000 workers who have regained their jobs are delighted but also concerned about the future. Capital inflows of US$4 billion since the start of the year have contributed to the high level of the baht and of the Stock Exchange of Thailand (http://www.bangkokpost.com/Business/13Jul2007_biz33.php).

Eight Thai soldiers have been detained by their Laotian counterparts in a ‘shared border area’ (http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=30468) and talks are continuing as to how to resolve the situation – it seems unlikely we will be told what they were doing there or on which side of the line they really were. The Lao army is likely to be a little jumpy still after the recent revelations of the attempted coup by General Vang Pao (http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/tom_fawthrop/2007/07/lies_in_laos.html).

Thailand got the win against the Mighty Omani Football Machine 2-0 last night to leave the team well-placed to qualify from the group stage of the 2007 Asian Cup (http://www.afcasiancup.com/en/tournament/mtindex.asp?aid=49051&cid=1373&mt=12020&sec=105&ssec=246). Two late goals by substitute Pipat Tonkanya did the trick and encourage Thai coach Chanvit Polchovin to claim he had planned this all along. Tonight Australia play Iraq in a game they could really do with winning in order to qualify from the group in first place. They should do it, of course, but then they should have beaten Oman and were lucky to get a draw before whingeing (in highly amusing fashion) about the weather, how they had no practice and how dreadful it all was. Come on the brave Iraqis!

Meanwhile, Qatar and Vietnam drew one apiece in Hanoi, which leaves qualification for the hosts a real possibility (http://www.afcasiancup.com/en/tournament/mtindex.asp?aid=49115&cid=1374&mt=12026&sec=105&ssec=246). However, their final game will be against Japan, who are much better and who, having failed to beat Qatar, are likely to need a victory to guarantee their own qualification in the final game – that will be exciting.

Back on Monday.