DEVELOPING OR DEVELOPED?

There was a story on BBC World yesterday that highlighted an important point: is Thailand a developing country or a developed country?
The story itself was about the government's decision to issue compulsory licenses for the production of certain drugs, including those to treat AIDS. It justifies the decision by saying that the costs for these drugs cannot be met from current budgets. As you can imagine this created hostility from drug manufacturers around the world.
Thailand thinks of itself as a developed country, and in many ways it is competing on a global scale. But in other ways it is still developing, and can perhaps be described as a child who is trying to run before it has learned to walk. Sometimes those in power do things with scant regard for the impression it will create outside the kingdom. Their heart is certainly in the right place but Thailand must learn that it cannot go against international laws and conventions and not expect some kind of backlash.
The backlash from this recent decision is already being felt. Drug companies are reportedly refusing to supply their newly developed products to the country, but the long-term effects of these recent action may well take many years to filter into society.