
The Thai Canal, also known as the Kra Canal, is a proposal to connect that would connect the Gulf of Thailand with the Andaman Sea across southern Thailand. The canal would provide an alternative to transit through the Straits of Malacca and shorten transit for shipments of oil to Japan and China by 1,200 km. China thinks of the canal as part of China’s 21st century maritime Silk Road. Two of the biggest problems of building such a canal are cost and what to do with all the soil generated from digging the canal. In my plan the soil is used to build an island off the coast of Bangkok and this island generates income to pay for the canal on top of the income the canal will already generate from ship traffic.
Thailand is the land of islands but unfortunately there is no island getaway for Bangkok residents that can be a day trip. Koh Larn, Koh Si Chang, Koh Samed and Koh Khram Yai are all over two hours to five hours away and are subject to the vagaries of traffic. Due to traffic problems even weekend trips to these islands are difficult to execute. An island that is about an hour away would allow Bangkok residents and foreign tourists to come to Thailand and enjoy fun in the sun. This island would generate income from land sales, land rental and additional tourist income! Bangkok desperately needs the green space. Bangkok only has 3.3 square meters of land per resident according to the Economist. Bangkok is too built up for other ways to increase green space. The lack of green space seriously undermines the livability of Bangkok and probably means Bangkok can never truly be a world class city that attracts the best and the brightest from around the world. The new island can be Bangkok’s equivalent of New York’s Central Park.
The size of the island is subject to planning. Using sand from the ocean floor would deepen the Bangkok Bay and in general this is a good thing since a deeper bay can accommodate bigger ships. If the land shipped from the canal is mostly used for top soil then a much larger island can be created. How large is a topic engineers are better off figuring out than this lowly English teacher!
Belgium wants to create a donut shaped island in order to store energy created by wind power as described in Wired. Regardless of the energy storage possibilities, a donut shaped island is unique, iconic visually, more or less doubles waterfront views and the doughnut center could be used to store fresh water. Last but not least such a shape means the soil available can be used to make a much larger island. They say a picture is worth a thousand words and I tend to agree with this view.

Megaproject Ideas
Airship Powered from Space
Extending the One Belt One Road Initiative to Latin America
Should Maglevs be Upgraded to Vactrains?
Space-based Solar Power for Defense + Desalination + Energy Independence
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001a Spanish Basic Phrases Thai Version
001b Spanish Basic Phrases Thai Version
003 Spanish Alphabet Thai Version
008 Spanish Numbers Ordinals Thai Version
17 Types of Thai Smiles
A Great Statue to Honor a Great Man
American versus Thai Culture
Pay for the Thai Canal with an Island Next to Bangkok!
Thai Colors of the Day
Thai Nicknames and their Meanings
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The King of Thailand – Eight Areas of Accomplishment
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Tagged Belgium, Central Park, donut shaped island, energy storage, futurism, Green Space, Gulf of Thailand, Koh Khram Yai, Koh Larn, Koh Samed, Koh Si Chang, Kra Canal, New York, Silk Road, Straits of Malacca, Thai Canal, Thailand, tourism

The following study is an attempt to objectively explore the truism:
“Nice place to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there”
The operational version of this truism would be that tourist cities and livable cities are different cities. The truism has been named the Visit/Live Theory for the purposes of this study. Two lists that rank cities were compared. The first list ranks cities according the number of tourists that arrived in a city.
The list and a description of the list can be found at:
http://www.euromonitor.com/Top_150_City_Destinations_London_Leads_the_Way
The second list ranks cities according to livability. Mercer Human Resources looked at 39 quality of life issues including political stability, currency-exchange regulations, political and media censorship, school quality, housing and the environment.
The Mercer list and a description of the list can be found at:
http://bwnt.businessweek.com/interactive_reports/livable_cities_worldwide/
Table 1 shows all the cities on both lists in alphabetical order. In addition, the difference in rank was calculated for each city when this was possible. If a city was on only one top 100 list then the difference in rank could not be calculated. The tourist destination study looked at 150 cities, but for the purposes of comparison, only the top 100 tourist destinations were used in this study. Many cities were only on one list and not on the other list. The number of cities on both lists was counted. The number of cities only on one list was also counted. If the number of cities on both lists was greater than the number of cities not on both lists then this would suggest the truism is not true.
Top 100 Cities: Tourist Destination vs. Livability Rank
Table 1: Alphabetical List of All Cities |
|
Cities |
Country |
Tourist Rank |
Livability Rank |
Rank Difference |
1 |
Abu Dhabi |
UAE |
52 |
88 |
36 |
2 |
Adelaide |
Australia |
NR |
30 |
N/A |
3 |
Agra |
India |
99 |
NR |
N/A |
4 |
Amsterdam |
Netherlands |
18 |
13 |
5 |
5 |
Antwerp |
Netherlands |
90 |
NR |
99 |
6 |
Athens |
Greece |
NR |
78 |
N/A |
7 |
Atlanta |
USA |
NR |
66 |
N/A |
8 |
Auckland |
New Zealand |
NR |
5 |
N/A |
9 |
Bahrain |
Bahrain |
12 |
NR |
18 |
10 |
Bangkok |
Thailand |
2 |
NR |
90 |
11 |
Barcelona |
Spain |
10 |
41 |
12 |
12 |
Beijing |
China |
22 |
NR |
N/A |
13 |
Benidorm |
Spain |
33 |
NR |
N/A |
14 |
Berlin |
Germany |
34 |
16 |
18 |
15 |
Bern |
Germany |
NR |
9 |
N/A |
16 |
Birmingham |
United Kingdom |
81 |
55 |
26 |
17 |
Boston |
USA |
68 |
36 |
32 |
18 |
Bratislava |
Slovakia |
NR |
99 |
N/A |
19 |
Brisbane |
Australia |
NR |
32 |
N/A |
20 |
Bruges |
Belgium |
89 |
NR |
N/A |
21 |
Brussels |
Belgium |
NR |
14 |
N/A |
22 |
Buenos Aires |
Argentina |
NR |
79 |
N/A |
23 |
Budapest |
Hungary |
36 |
74 |
38 |
24 |
Cairo |
Egypt |
45 |
NR |
N/A |
25 |
Calgary |
Canada |
NR |
24 |
N/A |
26 |
Cancun |
Mexico |
26 |
NR |
N/A |
27 |
Cape Town |
South Africa |
57 |
85 |
28 |
28 |
Chennai |
India |
97 |
NR |
N/A |
29 |
Chicago |
USA |
64 |
44 |
20 |
30 |
Chongquing |
China |
100 |
NR |
N/A |
31 |
Cleveland |
USA |
NR |
59 |
N/A |
32 |
Copenhagen |
Sweden |
54 |
11 |
43 |
33 |
Dalian |
China |
87 |
NR |
N/A |
34 |
Detroit |
USA |
NR |
64 |
N/A |
35 |
Dubai |
UAE |
7 |
80 |
73 |
36 |
Dublin |
Ireland |
11 |
27 |
16 |
37 |
Dusseldorf |
Germany |
NR |
5 |
N/A |
38 |
Edinburgh |
United Kingdom |
56 |
NR |
N/A |
39 |
Florence |
Italy |
46 |
NR |
N/A |
40 |
Frankfurt |
Germany |
NR |
7 |
N/A |
41 |
Geneva |
Switzerland |
98 |
2 |
96 |
42 |
Glasgow |
United Kingdom |
82 |
55 |
27 |
43 |
Granada |
Spain |
95 |
NR |
N/A |
44 |
Guangzhou |
China |
32 |
NR |
N/A |
45 |
Guilin |
China |
65 |
NR |
N/A |
46 |
Hamburg |
Germany |
83 |
24 |
59 |
47 |
Hangzhou |
China |
49 |
NR |
N/A |
48 |
Helsinki |
Finland |
77 |
30 |
47 |
49 |
Hong Kong |
China |
5 |
70 |
65 |
50 |
Honolulu |
USA |
NR |
27 |
N/A |
51 |
Houston |
USA |
NR |
68 |
N/A |
52 |
Istanbul |
Turkey |
16 |
NR |
N/A |
53 |
Johannesburg |
South Africa |
NR |
90 |
N/A |
54 |
Katsuyama |
Japan |
NR |
73 |
N/A |
55 |
Kobe |
Japan |
NR |
40 |
N/A |
56 |
Krakow |
Poland |
69 |
NR |
N/A |
57 |
Kuala Lumpur |
Malaysia |
15 |
75 |
60 |
58 |
Kunming |
China |
94 |
NR |
N/A |
59 |
La Havana |
Cuba |
70 |
NR |
N/A |
60 |
Las Vegas |
USA |
48 |
NR |
N/A |
61 |
Leipzig |
Germany |
NR |
67 |
N/A |
62 |
Lexington |
USA |
NR |
51 |
N/A |
63 |
Limassol |
Cyprus |
NR |
NR |
N/A |
64 |
Lisbon |
Portugal |
47 |
47 |
0 |
65 |
Liverpool |
United Kingdom |
91 |
NR |
N/A |
66 |
Ljubljana |
Slovenia |
NR |
80 |
N/A |
67 |
London |
United Kingdom |
1 |
39 |
38 |
68 |
Los Angeles |
USA |
31 |
55 |
24 |
69 |
Luxembourg |
Luxembourg |
NR |
18 |
N/A |
70 |
Lyon |
France |
84 |
36 |
48 |
71 |
Macau |
China |
27 |
NR |
N/A |
72 |
Madrid |
Spain |
17 |
42 |
25 |
73 |
Manchester |
United Kingdom |
73 |
NR |
N/A |
74 |
Marrakesh |
Morocco |
50 |
NR |
N/A |
75 |
Mecca |
Saudi Arabia |
19 |
NR |
N/A |
76 |
Melbourne |
Australia |
72 |
17 |
55 |
77 |
Mexico City |
Mexico |
30 |
NR |
N/A |
78 |
Miami |
USA |
39 |
62 |
23 |
79 |
Milan |
Italy |
42 |
49 |
7 |
80 |
Minneapolis |
USA |
NR |
60 |
N/A |
81 |
Monterrey |
Mexico |
NR |
94 |
N/A |
82 |
Montevideo |
Uruguay |
NR |
76 |
N/A |
83 |
Montreal |
Canada |
85 |
22 |
63 |
84 |
Moscow |
Russia |
21 |
NR |
N/A |
85 |
Mumbai |
India |
86 |
NR |
N/A |
86 |
Munich |
Germany |
40 |
8 |
32 |
87 |
Nagoya |
Japan |
NR |
54 |
N/A |
88 |
Nanjing |
China |
76 |
NR |
N/A |
89 |
New Delhi |
India |
92 |
NR |
N/A |
90 |
New York City |
USA |
6 |
48 |
42 |
91 |
Nice |
France |
61 |
NR |
N/A |
92 |
Nurnberg |
Germany |
NR |
23 |
N/A |
93 |
Oahu/Honolulu |
USA |
44 |
27 |
17 |
94 |
Omuta |
Japan |
NR |
69 |
N/A |
95 |
Orlando |
USA |
38 |
NR |
N/A |
96 |
Osaka |
Japan |
NR |
42 |
N/A |
97 |
Oslo |
Norway |
NR |
26 |
N/A |
98 |
Ottawa |
Canada |
NR |
18 |
N/A |
99 |
Panama City |
Panama |
NR |
92 |
N/A |
100 |
Papeete |
French Polynesia |
NR |
97 |
N/A |
101 |
Paris |
France |
3 |
33 |
30 |
102 |
Perth |
Australia |
NR |
21 |
N/A |
103 |
Pittsburg |
USA |
NR |
52 |
N/A |
104 |
Portland |
USA |
NR |
46 |
N/A |
105 |
Port Elizabeth |
South Africa |
NR |
97 |
N/A |
106 |
Port Louis |
Mauritius |
NR |
77 |
N/A |
107 |
Prague |
Czech Republic |
20 |
72 |
52 |
108 |
Qingdao |
China |
79 |
NR |
N/A |
109 |
Riga |
Latvia |
NR |
92 |
N/A |
110 |
Rio De Janeiro |
Brazil |
35 |
NR |
N/A |
111 |
Rome |
Italy |
8 |
61 |
53 |
113 |
St. Louis |
USA |
NR |
64 |
N/A |
114 |
San Juan |
Puerto Rico |
NR |
71 |
N/A |
115 |
Salvador de Bahia |
Brazil |
71 |
NR |
N/A |
116 |
Salzburg |
Austria |
74 |
NR |
N/A |
117 |
San Diego |
USA |
88 |
NR |
N/A |
118 |
San Francisco |
USA |
37 |
29 |
8 |
119 |
Santiago |
Chile |
NR |
83 |
N/A |
120 |
São Paulo |
Brazil |
62 |
NR |
N/A |
121 |
Seattle |
USA |
NR |
49 |
N/A |
122 |
Seoul |
South Korea |
9 |
87 |
78 |
123 |
Seville |
Spain |
60 |
NR |
N/A |
124 |
Shanghai |
China |
13 |
100 |
87 |
125 |
Shenzen |
China |
41 |
NR |
N/A |
126 |
Singapore |
Singapore |
4 |
34 |
N/A |
127 |
St. Petersburg |
Russia |
25 |
NR |
N/A |
128 |
Stockholm |
Sweden |
66 |
20 |
46 |
129 |
Suzhou |
China |
59 |
NR |
N/A |
130 |
Sydney |
Australia |
43 |
9 |
34 |
131 |
Taipei |
China |
24 |
81 |
57 |
132 |
Tallinn |
Estonia |
67 |
89 |
22 |
133 |
Tianjin |
China |
75 |
NR |
N/A |
134 |
Tokyo |
Japan |
51 |
35 |
16 |
135 |
Toronto |
Canada |
14 |
15 |
1 |
136 |
Tsukuba |
Japan |
NR |
55 |
N/A |
137 |
Tunis |
Italy |
NR |
95 |
N/A |
138 |
Valencia |
Spain |
93 |
NR |
N/A |
139 |
Vancouver |
Canada |
NR |
3 |
N/A |
140 |
Varadero |
Cuba |
53 |
NR |
N/A |
141 |
Venice |
Italy |
28 |
NR |
N/A |
142 |
Victoria |
Seychelles |
NR |
95 |
N/A |
143 |
Vienna |
Austria |
23 |
3 |
20 |
144 |
Vilnius |
Lithuania |
NR |
82 |
N/A |
145 |
Warsaw |
Poland |
29 |
85 |
56 |
146 |
Washington DC |
USA |
63 |
44 |
19 |
147 |
Wellington |
New Zealand |
NR |
12 |
N/A |
148 |
Winston Salem |
USA |
NR |
52 |
N/A |
149 |
Wuxi |
China |
96 |
NR |
N/A |
150 |
Xi’an |
China |
78 |
NR |
N/A |
151 |
Xiamen |
China |
80 |
NR |
N/A |
152 |
Yokkaichi |
Japan |
NR |
63 |
N/A |
153 |
Yokohama |
Japan |
NR |
38 |
N/A |
154 |
Zhuhai |
China |
58 |
NR |
N/A |
155 |
Zurich |
Switzerland |
55 |
1 |
54 |
NR, no rank, no top 100 rank in this category
N/A, not applicable since the city was on only one of the lists
Table 2 below shows cities that were on both lists ordered from the least difference between ranks to the greatest difference between ranks.
Top 100 Cities: Tourist Destination vs. Livability Rank
Table 2: Comparison of Ranks |
|
Cities |
Country |
Tourist Rank |
Livability Rank |
Rank Difference |
1 |
Lisbon |
Portugal |
47 |
47 |
0 |
2 |
Toronto |
Canada |
14 |
15 |
1 |
3 |
Amsterdam |
Netherlands |
18 |
13 |
5 |
4 |
Milan |
Italy |
42 |
49 |
7 |
5 |
San Francisco |
USA |
37 |
29 |
8 |
6 |
Dublin |
Ireland |
11 |
27 |
16 |
7 |
Tokyo |
Japan |
51 |
35 |
16 |
8 |
Oahu/Honolulu |
USA |
44 |
27 |
17 |
9 |
Berlin |
Germany |
34 |
16 |
18 |
10 |
Washington DC |
USA |
63 |
44 |
19 |
11 |
Chicago |
USA |
64 |
44 |
20 |
12 |
Vienna |
Austria |
23 |
3 |
20 |
13 |
Tallinn |
Estonia |
67 |
89 |
22 |
14 |
Miami |
USA |
39 |
62 |
23 |
15 |
Los Angeles |
USA |
31 |
55 |
24 |
16 |
Birmingham |
United Kingdom |
81 |
55 |
26 |
17 |
Glasgow |
United Kingdom |
82 |
55 |
27 |
18 |
Cape Town |
South Africa |
57 |
85 |
28 |
19 |
Paris |
France |
3 |
33 |
30 |
20 |
Boston |
USA |
68 |
36 |
32 |
21 |
Munich |
Germany |
40 |
8 |
32 |
22 |
Sydney |
Australia |
43 |
9 |
34 |
23 |
Abu Dhabi |
UAE |
52 |
88 |
36 |
24 |
Budapest |
Hungary |
36 |
74 |
38 |
25 |
London |
United Kingdom |
1 |
39 |
38 |
26 |
New York City |
USA |
6 |
48 |
42 |
27 |
Copenhagen |
Sweden |
54 |
11 |
43 |
28 |
Stockholm |
Sweden |
66 |
20 |
46 |
29 |
Helsinki |
Finland |
77 |
30 |
47 |
30 |
Lyon |
France |
84 |
36 |
48 |
31 |
Prague |
Czech Republic |
20 |
72 |
52 |
32 |
Rome |
Italy |
8 |
61 |
53 |
33 |
Melbourne |
Australia |
72 |
17 |
55 |
34 |
Warsaw |
Poland |
29 |
85 |
56 |
35 |
Taipei |
China |
24 |
81 |
57 |
36 |
Hamburg |
Germany |
83 |
24 |
59 |
37 |
Kuala Lumpur |
Malaysia |
15 |
75 |
60 |
38 |
Montreal |
Canada |
85 |
22 |
63 |
39 |
Hong Kong |
China |
5 |
70 |
65 |
40 |
Dubai |
UAE |
7 |
80 |
73 |
41 |
Seoul |
South Korea |
9 |
87 |
78 |
42 |
Shanghai |
China |
13 |
100 |
87 |
43 |
Geneva |
Switzerland |
98 |
2 |
96 |
Conclusion
There were a total of 155 cities on either list. 112 cities were only on one list. Only 43 cities were on both lists. Cities that are only on one list outnumber cities on both lists 2.6:1. Even for cities on both lists, the mean difference between ranks was 37.6 and quite high. These findings suggest that cities that are visited are not the same cities that are more livable. The truism that some cities are nice places to visit and different cities are nice places to live in is correct. Table 2 showed which cities had the least difference between ranks and the greatest difference between ranks.
The city with the least difference in rank was Lisbon. Lisbon had a rank of 47 on both lists. Toronto had the second least difference in rank and has the honor of having a relatively high visitor rank (14) and livability rank (15). Amsterdam showed a similar pattern to Toronto with a visitor rank of 18 and a livability rank of 13.
Geneva had the greatest difference in rank. Geneva is a great place to live (2) but doesn’t get very many tourists (98) relative to other cities. Shanghai had the second greatest difference in rank but in the opposite direction as Geneva. Shanghai is a city that many tourists visit (13) but only ranks 100 in terms of livability. A practical implication for expats is to be wary of deciding to live in cities you like to visit without taking the Visit/Live Theory into account.
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