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I do believe these folks have had a king for kind of a while now.

So does Great Britain....

This aspect means little to my point.

For the heck of it, I googled the words Iran and Thailand. Here are some of the results.././.

TEHRAN (MarketWatch) -- Iran and Thailand have reached a preliminary agreement on the export of 3 million tons of liquefied natural gas to the southeast Asian country beginning in 2011, Iranian state-run radio reported Saturday -----------------------------------------------------------

---------------------- Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki in Bangkok on Saturday held talks with members of Iran-Thailand Commerce Council. Mottaki also attended a meeting of Thai businessmen and entrepreneurs and responded to their questions about Iranian trade p... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Feb 24, 2006 Iran`s FM underlines parliamentary relations with Thailand

Iran`s Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said in Bangkok Friday that Iran-Thailand Parliamentary Friendship Group could play a key role in expanding cooperation. There are scores of potentials in the energy sector that could help develop b... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Feb 24, 2006 Thai official calls for bolstering Tehran-Bangkok relations

Thailand Deputy Premier Chitachai Wannasathit termed as positive the growing relations between Iran and Thailand, calling for all-out expansion of bilateral ties. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Iran-Thailand-Commerce Thailand will become one of Iran's major partners in the petroleum industry within the next decade in view of its rapid progress towards industrialization, observed Iran's Ambassador in Bangkok Mohsen Pak-Aieen.

Speaking in a meeting with members of Iran-Thailand Trade Commission, Pak-Aieen described the Thai energy minister's recent visit to Iran and the inauguration of that country's oil company office in Tehran as signs of the two countries' strategic look at cooperation in the oil sector.

Pointing out to 16.17 percent rise in the volume of bilateral trade in first five months of 2006, he termed the perspective for future commercial ties between the two countries as bright.

He said that trade between Iran and Thailand in first five months of 2006 amounted to dlrs 209 million showing an increase of 16.17 percent from the figure for the same period in 2005 which was dlrs 180.1 million.

He noted that in recent years, Thai private sector had shown increasing interest in trade with Iran as well as joint investments in its free trade zones.

The ambassador added that due to growing cooperation in business and tourism, Iran's Mahan Airlines has established daily direct flights between Tehran and Bangkok offering more facilities for Iranian travelers and tourists.

He welcomed the upcoming visit of members of Iran-Thailand Trade Commission to Tehran in September and expressed his support for expanding cooperation between the chambers of commerce of the two countries. ========================================================================================

Iran Calls for Restoration of Calm in Thailand

TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Tehran on Wednesday called for the immediate restoration of calm and order in Thailand, while it stressed its respect for the national sovereignty of that country. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, minister responsible for foreign affairs and representative of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said in the meeting, yesterday, on the sidelines of the meeting, met and held talks with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Tanzanian President Jakaya Mirsho Kikwete and Baldwin Spencer, premier of Antigua and Barbuda. During the meetings Alawi conveyed greetings of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said to the leaders and discussed a number of international issues of common concern. Alawi also met and held talks with Sara Kirat Satirati, deputy prime minister of Thailand; Marta Luma, Cuban minister of external investment and economic cooperation, and the Cuban foreign trade minister.

The next NAM summit will be held in 2009 in Egypt, Raul Castro said. — AFP, ONA -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ISNA - Tehran Service: Cultural Heritage

TEHRAN, August 23 (ISNA)-A Thai tourism journalist group has entered Iran so to produce a film on Iran's attractions.

This 7 member group which has come from one of Thailand's biggest television stations called "San Lihe" will stay in Iran for 19 days.

In their 19 day visit this group will visit Tehran, Rasht, Anzali, Gorgan, Shiraz, Yazd, Naein, Isfahan and Kashan.

End Item ========================================================================================

THAILAND IS CONSIDERED AS A SANCTUARY FOR FOREIGN CRIMINALS

It was disclosed that foreign criminals from Iran, Iraq, Columbia, Pakistan, Europe and other countries are using Pattaya and other locations in Thailand as a convenient hiding place for their whereabouts and activities. ========================================================================================

I don't know what these changes will mean, but when the first words out to the public are that closer ties with Muslin terrorists are in the offing, then I tend to be suspicious indeed.