I dug into the continuing Thailand mess I discussed last week - and the new developments over there are right out of a soap opera!

Update: Thailand continues to experience some significant political turmoil. In the latest twist, the country's prime minister is been ousted on the grounds that he once hosted a cooking show and accepted payment for it!

And while that sounds absolutely ridiculous, it is actually illegal for members of the Thai cabinet to accept payment from private companies. So Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej was shown the door. This has come after protestors wanting government reform have filled the streets of Bangkok and demanded Sundaravej out.

What's really behind this story: Mr. Sundaravej's protesters have been accusing Mr. Samak of being a proxy for widely loathed former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in an army coup in 2006 amid accusations of corruption and abuse of power.

The investment implications are intriguing. If Thaksin is removed and a more respected leader is installed, the region may become much riper for investment.

I'll keep you updated as this drama develops!

Best wishes,

Jeff Manera
G3 Global Options,
Emerging Markets Insider
Email: Jmanera@EmergingMarketsInsider.net