Thailand's Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra announced, in a subdued tone, Tuesday that he was resigning as prime minister.

While the USA has been pressing for a free trade agreement, the 2-months of protests means the mandate is on political reform, not economical. In addition, many Thai's fear the USA's big corporations will come in and take over. This means that economic reform and a free trade agreement (and the way Isuzu could get around the Chicken Tax(*) and export vehicles to the USA) are years away.

(*)Chicken Tax: A 1962 law creating a massive 25 percent tax on pickup trucks (and SUV's) made overseas and imported to the United States. The tax originally targeted German poultry imports to the USA and is called the "chicken tariff." German truck exports to the USA ceased, but now it hits unintended targets like Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Mitsubishi AND ISUZU. Ford and GM want to keep the law as it gives them a competitive advantage. Its part of why so many Asian companies open truck plants in the USA.

Here's the best article I saw explaining it, from the CATO institute. It has a nod to (quote from) Isuzu's President of American operations. It also explains about why the cool VW Minibus went away. Full story (interesting) at: http://www.freetrade.org/pubs/briefs/tbp-017.pdf

My Detailed Summary:
It really was about chickens. Germany was importing increasing numbers of USA chickens in 1962 (25% of poultry imports) and put up Regulation 22, a tax from 4.5 cents/lb to 13.5 cents/lb (in 1962 dollars) that shut us out of the whole European market. So we came up with the 2.5 to 25% tax on trucks, most of which were VW's at the time. It worked in the sense we hurt them; neither side dropped their import tax.

1960's -- The Japanese moved in and got around this law by making the 2-piece import (Cab Chassies and Truck Bed) then putting them together in the USA. Very small sales.

1970's -- As the USA didn't make light trucks, we sold the japanese ones put together in the US under names like Chevy Luv. Sales picking up.

1980's -- Once the Big 3 figured out Americans liked light trucks and the Big 3 knew how to make them, the B3 and the unions got together has had US Customs reclassify the cab chassies as a full truck--now import taxed at 25%. The tax was still 2.5% on cars. No more getting around the law.

1989 -- Customs changed and 2-door SUV's were vehicles for transport of goods (25% tax), but now 4-door SUV's joined minivans as passenger vehicles (2.5% tax)

1994 -- Federal Court of Appeals upheld the US Court of International Trade decision that the Nissan Pathfinder, despite it's 2-door design, was indeed a passenger vehicle and thus was subject to the lower 2.5% tax. This really mucked things up as number of doors was no longer decisive in classifying a vehicle as a car or truck. UAW lobbied strongly that all Multi-Passenger Vehicles be classified as trucks and the higher tax. It never passed.

All American companies became partners in foreign car businesses, while only Toyota and Honda remained sole-named. No European producers make pickup trucks any more except Chrysler--which ironicly is now a German company (check the HQ location). The law punishes the Japanese, who never raised their chicken import prices.

Terry Malony, president of Isuzu Motors America, said in 2004 that fighting the tariff will be his #1 priority so he can bring the DMax to the USA without building a billion dollar plant just to see if Americans will buy the truck in an already crowded market.