The Thailand Laos Myanmar stuff.
I heard that a common geopolitical game advanced by the US is to keep regional hegemons from getting too powerful in their region. One way is to weaken regional small countries in that region that get too chummy with the major power or refuse to get real chummy with the US. I heard this from some high level professor. He said it as though everyone knew that this had been going on for a long time. US actions make more sense when I think about them along these lines. Great Britain played the game by keeping their enemies fighting each other.
The New Atlas guy gives local examples in Thailand, where he lives. Also Laos and Myanmar. China is the major trading partner with most countries in that region. In Thailand US NGOs are trying to subvert the traditional monarchy by pumping in money to groups promoting 'democracy.' I recall in Laos China was to build some high speed rail line and the US was trying to prevent it somehow.
I am
NOT saying China is noble. NFW. I think they are achieving more to advance their interests. When Trump launched 80+ cruise missiles into Syria in response to a fake gas attack, I asked what China would have done with that money. Recently US spent $40B in the name of Ukraine. What China would done with that money?
Here is an 11 min video clip on Thailand. This guy is US ex marine. He provides lots of links to references to support what he says. Elsewhere he notes how the National Endowment for Democracy is US funded and does what the CIA used to do directly. The best video is the one at bottom.
https://youtu.be/GxapWpwccLUThai Coronation Day: How and Why Western Lies Target Thailand's Monarchy
16,874 views May 3, 2022
https://youtu.be/VfxfIXGmY8o US Proxy War in Myanmar Threatens China and the rest of Asia
37,623 views Apr 24, 2022 20 min
https://youtu.be/aKtTDFmXFJI This was maybe the first one I saw.
As Thailand Attempts to Clean Up Foreign-Funded NGOs, US Interests Kick & Scream23,913 views Apr 3, 2022 15 min