Rather than add my voice to the chorus pointing out how much damage the ongoing protests are doing to Thailand's economy, I'm tempted to skip ahead and write its obituary: Cause of death, suicide.

What else is there to say about the semi-permanent state of emergency and political gridlock in Bangkok?

Sooner or later, foreign companies are going to start voting with their feet, as Kyoichi Tanada, president of Toyota Motor Corp.'s Thai unit, warned last week. Tourists fearing canceled flights and the odd bomb explosion are going to stop filling the beaches. Neighboring countries are going to look for other solutions to their logistic and infrastructure needs.