In a surprise to absolutely no one, Vietnam this year will FINALLY surpass Thailand to become Southeast Asia's second largest economy, Vietnam will end the year with a 8/9 % growth rate and a GDP of likely $600 billion and per capita income of 5k+. Thai elites wasted the last twenty to thirty years on endless factionalism and getting addicted to tourism instead of moving up the manufacturing value ladder. All of this while having a decades long headstart on Vietnam. Vietnam is likely to become the last country in the world to go from poor to developed, an absolute triumph for the Sino world and in twenty years or so I wouldn't be surprised if most people see it as an East Asian country formally rather than Southeast Asian. The Vietnamese Century.