It's breakfast time at the elegant Hotel in Bangkok, and every table is full. Most of the patrons are foreigners visiting Thailand on business. In【51】corner is a contingent from a major Taiwan group, believed to be in town for talks【52】buying a stake in Bangkok bank, Thailand's largest. Not far away are investment bankers and consultants, from Hong Kong and Singapore. They're in Thailand to take part in the【53】of decade. The scene is much the same in the ruins of Korea Inc., where there are plenty of【54】companies shopping for bargains. Try【55】a room at the Hilton or the Inter-Continental in down-town Seoul: Virtually all their guests are foreigners—and they’ re not on vocation. Yet for all the buzz about the Great Asian Fire Sale, of bargain-basement prices wrought by weak currencies and【56】companies desperate for cash, few deals have actually been struck. Although the【57】of purchases is sure to grow, the question is【58】these perk up whole economies. For one thing, there are still【59】of legal obstacles—notably cumbersome bankruptcy procedures. Due diligence is taking an extremely long time, particularly when【60】buyers are looking at firms in debt. (31)