If I had a nickel for every time I had to explain, “which China?”, “which one is Taiwan and which one is Thailand?” and “ohh Taiwan, love that hot food and those beaches…” I remember when I first started studying Chiense history at University that these multiple names/identities only became clear through deeper study and discussion. Let’s run through a few: Taiwan-R.O.C.(Republic of China[on Taiwan]), Free China, Formosa, et al.
China-P.R.C. (People’s Republic of China), mainland China, Communist China, Red China, Cathay, etc.
So if a student like myself had to really concentrate to work through this alphabet soup of acronyms, pseudonyms, abbreviations,etc. how can Joe Blow (or Joe the plumber for that matter) on the street even stand a fighting chance?
Oh yeah, Thailand home of the hot food and the nice beaches was Siam as in the King and I but you knew that right? 
