Ok I finally found the information you mentioned. The Q&A here:...

Ok I finally found the information you mentioned.

The Q&A here: https://youtu.be/4ptcXAOTp_E?t=2108

You misrepresented it a bit - it's not money held in escrow in New York. What they said essentially was that any failure to pay damages affects Thailand's credit rating, hence ability to borrow money on international markets, and its reputation so it'd be unlikely that they wouldn't comply with a ruling. If they had to enforce an award for damages, various international treaties would allow KCN to enforce the award through another jurisdiction. The example he gives is that if the Thai Government had USD reserves, they'd typically hold the money in a bank account in New York. So if they didn't comply with a ruling under TAFTA about damages, KCN could go to a court in a jurisdiction where the Thai Government held assets and seek payment in that jurisdiction. So they're pretty confident they'll be able to get the money if they're successful through arbitration.