The groundwork for the Asian economic miracle was established in the last 25 or so years--the time period covered in this book. China and Vietnam started substituting pragmatism for communist ideology and Thailand started on a path toward greater democracy. The timing was perfect for an American United Nations representative to arrive in the two communist countries because, for the first time, both placed a premium on improving relations with the U.S. and both were moving toward a market economy. This book acquaints the reader with evolving political, economic and social conditions in these countries and the role played by UN organizations. A chapter on the South Pacific details the challenges of providing useful development assistance in small isolated countries. The book also reveals a hidden side of the United Nations, the role played by more than 30 UN agencies, funds and programs in providing development and humanitarian assistance. The past two or three decades were a period of great upheaval in Asia. Enormous events and developments involving the United Nations are analyzed in the book. These include the Tiananmen Square crisis in China; 300,000 Cambodian refugees camped along the Thai border; escaping the killing fields of the Khmer Rouge; efforts to rid the Golden Triangle of opium production; the sensitive diplomacy required in fostering cooperation among North Korea, South Korea, China and Mongolia; and a firsthand account of negotiating the international agreement creating the Mekong River Commission.
Seventeen of the twenty-two years the author served with the United Nations Development Programme were spent with his wife, Delores, on assignments in Thailand, Samoa, China and Vietnam. The main focus of the book is a collection of vignettes describing experiences of living in these four countries. Some stories are humorous and are to be read just for fun (e.g., living conditions on a small isolated island). Other stories are serious and somber (e.g., retracing major battle sites of the Vietnam War). Some are pure adventure (e.g., the midnight visit to the leatherback turtle beach). Fascinating travel adventures in Malaysia and Burma (Myanmar) are also included. The first two chapters describe the author’s introduction to values, politics and social justice issues. In addition, the author describes his experiences as a congressional staffer and college professor.
This will help us customize your experience to showcase the most relevant content to your age group
Please select from below
Login
Not registered?
Sign up
Already registered?
Success – Your message will goes here
We'd love to hear from you!
Thank you for visiting our website. Would you like to provide feedback on how we could improve your experience?
This site does not use any third party cookies with one exception — it uses cookies from Google to deliver its services and to analyze traffic.Learn More.