Hong Kong Island: From a small stall to a global supplier

Wang Yaotang's tough stance was something these powerful figures in Bangkok had never expected.

A group of people, their faces grim, surrounded Pira Thasin Wusin and began to hurl insults at him.

"What kind of police chief are you? This stinking outsider came to Bangkok and not only did he not follow the rules, but he also committed murder and arson, and now he's even using artillery! And you just stand by and watch? What use are you as a police chief?"

"If he dares to shell us today, he'll dare to storm the palace tomorrow!"

"What Hong Kong tycoon? I think he's a member of the Chinese Communist Party, sent by the mainland to support him..." said the head of the Song En family.

"Alright, you can't say that."

"Why can't I say it? You're all Chinese, I think you're all in cahoots."

"You're talking nonsense! Is your brain full of butter?!"

Intermarriage between Chinese and Thai is common, and 80% of Bangkok's elites have Chinese ancestry. 20% retain Chinese surnames, while 30% are Thai-Chinese. In fact, there are factions within the group. If they were truly united, Wang Yaotang would definitely be out of luck, but that's the problem.

A single grumble had sparked a conflict between the Thai and Chinese sides, escalating into a heated argument. For a short while, no one paid any attention to Pira Thasin Wusin, who was quite pleased to watch the two sides bicker like dogs.

After a long argument, the Thai side was also very dissatisfied with Sohn's unrestrained speech. This guy had nowhere to vent his anger, so he looked at Pira Thasin Wusin and cursed, "Even three dogs are better than you in the position of police chief."

"Fuck you, you stupid avocado! This whole mess is caused by your family's idiots. Stop trying to pin the blame on me. If you're so capable, go and negotiate!" Pira Thasin Wusin suddenly exploded. "I'm fucking done with this!"

After saying that, he got up and left, and the scene immediately fell silent.

After a while, a Chinese family member chuckled and got up to leave, and then the other Chinese people followed suit.

Song En sat there with a grim expression. According to the rules, the authorities would not intervene in such an obvious personal feud; everything had to be done by himself.

Some members of the Chinese family may dislike Wang Yaotang, but they would never stand up and provoke hatred at this time. As for the Thais, they can at most ensure that he won't suffer a major loss, but they shouldn't think about anything else.

Three days, three days...

……

From the perspective of the group, Wang Yaotang's actions this time brought honor to the Chinese community. So the next day, Chen Bichen, a Chinese leader in Bangkok, held a banquet and personally delivered the invitation to me.

That evening, all the prominent figures at the Bangkok Metropolitan Chinese Chamber of Commerce were present, and Wang Yaotang managed to get to know them all at once.

Of course, I just became a familiar face. We didn't discuss any collaborations at the banquet, but I collected a whole box of business cards. It wasn't without its benefits, though. In the future, I won't have to worry about not being able to find someone to collaborate with.

There's a reason everyone's enthusiasm for holding the banquet; it signals that Wang Yaotang has gained the support of the local Chinese community, including Song En and Tidi. Both families knew there was no room for negotiation after receiving the news.

Since they had already decided to back down, there was no need to wait until the third day. The next day, the heads of both families sent their visiting cards to the hotel.

As soon as they stepped out of the elevator at the hotel, the two old men were already prepared to be searched. In their view, Wang Yaotang would never let go of this opportunity to humiliate them.

Unexpectedly, Wang Yaotang personally greeted the two in the hotel corridor. Looking at the sunny, cheerful, and warm-smiling young man in front of them, the two could not reconcile him with the rumored vengeful and ruthless gang leader.

“Mr. Song En, Mr. Tidi, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Wang Yaotang smiled and took two steps forward, extending his hand.

"Mr. Wang, hello. I've long heard that another promising young talent has emerged among the Chinese community, a self-made man. I knew he was young, but I never imagined he was this young. It makes me feel quite ashamed."

The two old men were smiling broadly, showing no sign that they had previously been bitter enemies, even shouting for each other to fight.

"Haha, I'm just lucky. I don't know what the future holds. Both of your families have a long history and deep roots. I still have a lot to learn."

Wang Yaotang said with a smile, "This isn't the place to talk. Please come inside, both of you."

"please."

As they spoke, Song En and Tidi exchanged a glance. They would have preferred Wang Yaotang to be aggressive at this moment, rather than to act like a cunning old fox, which was truly chilling.

Invite them to the living room, where Wang Yaotang personally brews tea and chats with them casually.

Song En and Titi, however, did not feel that there was any deep interaction between them. They were not on the same side to begin with, and what's more, this kid wasn't even Thai. Both of them were conservatives in Thailand, and it was precisely because they shared the same ideals that their families had a good relationship.

So, after finishing a cup of tea, Song En said in a deep voice, "We apologize for what happened before, but we hope this matter can end here."

After saying that, the two stared at Wang Yaotang.

Wang Yaotang didn't say anything, but smiled and refilled their teacups, saying, "Please have some tea."

Song En and Titi: Weren't you always quick to anger? Why are you so calm now? Is Pinapan Nasi lying or what?

Helpless, he picked up his teacup again, swallowing the last bit of bargaining urge he had built up with the tea. Too lazy to waste any more words, Song En put down his teacup and said directly, "Two million US dollars, what do you think, Mr. Wang?"

This was the price Wang Yaotang had previously offered to Pinaphan Nasi.

Tidi: "Me too!"

Wang Yaotang smiled and poured them another cup, then said slowly, "It's just the younger generation fooling around, you two don't need to take it to heart."

Song En, Tidi: How could you say such a thing?

"Mr. Wang, what do you mean? Please speak frankly."

“As far as I know, the Song En family and the Tidi family are in the steel and energy industry, consuming huge amounts of coal every year, but Thailand does not produce coal…” Wang Yaotang said with a smile.

"You want to get involved in the coal business?" Song En frowned. "That's impossible."

“There’s no need to be so quick to refuse.” Wang Yaotang waved his hand. “I know that your two companies have long-term partners. Coal supply is not just a matter of price, but also requires sufficient stability. However, this does not mean that we cannot have another supplier.”

“Fair competition can greatly improve the stability of coal quality and price, which can only benefit you. I can’t think of any reason why you two would refuse me, unless it’s because of my Chinese identity, which would be a real shame.”

As he spoke, Wang Yaotang swept his gaze across their faces and necks with a half-smile, his eyes seeming to possess a magical power that made the two of them feel a chill on their necks. "This is not 30 years ago. There is no possibility of closing the country off from the world anymore. You two should understand this without me having to say it. China has only taken a short nap. There is only one country on the East Asian continent that can become the hegemon, and that is China."

Wang Yaotang stared intently at the two men. “Sixty years ago, we missed our chance. Thirty years ago, the Americans failed. China has set sail again, and no one can stop us. Why exclude a Chinese person now…”

Wang Yaotang shook his head. “You two are the heads of your families, not some lonely figures. Your families have been passed down for over 100 years. Continuation is the core issue. Don’t let negative emotions affect your judgment.”

"You!" Patriarch Tidi pointed a finger at Wang Yaotang with a cold face. "Who do you think you are? You think you can influence the decisions of the mainland? You think too highly of yourself!"

Wang Yaotang laughed, "The problem is, you can't make decisions for Thailand!"

"I blew your house to rubble, and nobody's standing up for you?"

Wang Yaotang scoffed, "If your company had any shares in Taihua, you wouldn't have come here today."

"You idiots, you're all fucking isolated, can't you see that!"

Song En and Tidi's faces turned red, their lips trembling with anger. It had been so many years since anyone had pointed at their noses and cursed them like that.

What the hell is this sunny weather? Sure enough, the intelligence was right. This bastard is indeed arrogant and domineering, with a peculiar personality!

"What are you looking at!" Wang Yaotang pointed at the two men's noses and cursed, "You're shameless! I'm telling you right now, I want 30% of the coal share. If you don't get it, you can forget about doing business!"

"What right do you have!" Song En suddenly stood up.

"Why should I?" Wang Yaotang sneered. "Because I have men, guns, and ships. I can set up a blockade at sea. You can't stop me, but keeping an eye on you is no problem!"

"Do you think our Thai navy doesn't exist?!"

"Yes, I'll treat your Thai navy as if it doesn't exist. Do you dare enter Cambodian waters? What about Vietnam? Malaysia? Indonesia?" Wang Yaotang curled his lip. "Your coal is supplied by Indonesia and Australia, right? Just a few ports. What, you think you can keep it a secret? You think I can't find out?"

Their expressions suddenly turned grim.

“You’re all silent when I ask you questions.” Wang Yaotang said with a mocking look, “You can’t even beat the Vietnamese, so who gave you the audacity to challenge me? I’ve raised thousands of crew cuts, which may not be enough to do anything big, but dealing with you is still too easy.”

Seeing the two of them gritting their teeth and remaining silent, I couldn't help but wonder: with such a boastful tone and such violent behavior, was there something behind their backs...?

Just thinking about it sends chills down my spine!
A long-standing tradition also has a downside: too much is known. The family has records of things like Taksin's conquest of Thailand, Rama I's claim to be a descendant of Taksin, and the royal family changing their surname to Chinese. Their family also changed their surname to Chinese back then...

Wang Yaotang felt the timing was right, so he dropped the mockery on his face and replaced it with a warm smile. "Haha, I was just joking with you two. Sorry, I'm young and have a rather impulsive personality. You're not angry, are you?"

Song En: "..."

Tidi: "..."

Is yours a face-changing monster that has come to life?

“Silence means you’re not angry, huh? I knew you two had seen it all, so why would you care about such a small thing? You certainly wouldn’t do anything irrational because of a junior’s momentary anger.” Wang Yaotang shook his head with a smile. “Right?”

Song En closed his eyes and took deep breaths, his chest heaving violently. After a long while, he finally opened his eyes and said, "Yes, Mr. Wang is right."

“I know what Mr. Song En is worried about, but what I want to say is that you don’t understand our line of work. There are no laws in the underworld, let alone contracts. The courts will not guarantee the interests of any party. So how can we guarantee agreements and transactions? We can’t be fighting and killing all the time. We’re here to make money.” Wang Yaotang explained with a smile, “In fact, what we people from humble backgrounds value most is our reputation and credibility.”

"You two can go to Hong Kong and ask around. I'm always 100% honest in business, and I've never cheated anyone in all these years. Besides, I'm eyeing the entire Southeast Asian market, and you are the flag I've raised."

"Have you ever thought about leaving Thailand?" Wang Yaotang suddenly asked.

The two shook their heads; they hadn't quite figured out how to enjoy Thailand yet.

Wang Yaotang chuckled, "Sometimes being a little weak isn't without its advantages; tigers won't compete with hyenas for food."

Song En and Tidi: "..."

They exchanged a glance and couldn't help but sigh. First, they warmly welcomed them to lower their guard, then they took the opportunity to launch an attack and intimidate them, and finally they comforted them with kind words. They even used the tactics of emperors. Was it really necessary?
Now that things have come to this point, it's time to gracefully back down. We can't let some trivial issues plunge the family business into crisis.

As for whether Wang Yaotang was bragging or not, the two of them didn't want to take the risk, nor did they want to investigate further. They wanted others to test the waters; they were done playing the game!
Having agreed, Wang Yaotang poured tea for the two of them again, and the atmosphere in the living room immediately became harmonious, and they started chatting about this topic.

Previously, Wang Yaotang had also asked people to collect relevant information on Thailand's steel industry, energy industry, and ports. But regardless of whether that information was accurate, things on paper are too cold and impersonal. It's more authentic to hear from those in the industry.

"Steel is currently mainly imported. Although the country has developed rapidly in recent years, Thailand's steel industry has developed very slowly due to factors such as poor transportation, low-grade iron ore, and a lack of coal. Currently, even the rebar used in the construction industry, which consumes the most steel, mainly relies on imports, not to mention alloy steel for automobiles and shipbuilding steel, which are all imported..."

"Similarly, due to coal reserves issues, most areas suffer from severe power shortages. Even in Bangkok, there is a huge annual electricity gap, and the power supply can only be guaranteed for industrial areas, commercial areas, and middle-class and above neighborhoods..."

When the topic turned to their family business, the two gradually became more talkative, their guard down a little by little, and they revealed things that outsiders would never know and that the government would never compile statistics on.

Listening to these things, Wang Yaotang gradually began to think outside the box. Electricity is the engine of modern industry. Insufficient electricity supply will inevitably lead to higher electricity prices, which will increase the costs of all industries. For example, in Chen Ziqian's textile industry, electricity costs account for about 20%.

Although the mainland's power supply is also insufficient, it is because infrastructure construction has not kept up with the pace of development, not because of resource scarcity. Rather, it is due to systemic issues, where the prices of essential public services like hydropower are firmly controlled, resulting in significantly lower costs compared to other countries.

No wonder Thailand's textile industry has been exporting to China since the 80s. I heard from Chen Ziqian that a large Japanese textile factory is planning to shut down its factory in Thailand this year. The big boss will always be the big boss. With just a little effort, they can push the neighboring countries to their limits.

Thailand lacked the opportunity to intervene, but at that time, domestic resources were focused on supporting local development, leaving little room for intervention.

Then... Wang Yaotang turned his gaze southward, towards Malaysia and Indonesia.

……

P.S.: This morning I wrote the outline for the next phase, and this afternoon I had to run some errands at my mom's request. When it came to choosing between taking the bullet train and driving, I, Lao Yanhuo, chose driving!
We set off at 2 PM and didn't get back until after midnight...

I swear, next time I go out, I'll take the high-speed train instead of driving. What a fucking idiot!

It had to be recharged four times during the trip! (End of Chapter)