PaullyW

I don't know. Becoming a tech hub is not as simple as logging onto a social networking website. Rather it requires a couple of things that Thais and the their education system currently lack: open mindedness, analytical/critical thinking, and an interest in the world outside of Thailand.

Certainly not something that can be sorted quickly.

Think this is more of a generational change than a racial/national one. Also, I think we may find things a bit different if observing the Thais at the upper end of educational attainment.

Education for the old timers was quite different as many here have noted. They spent time reading 'classical' *books*, memorising ancient poetry, learning the ability to do maths without calculators, learning ways of speech (eloquence) and other things meant for external presentation that were meant to distinguish themselves as being educated.

More recent gens have other means to distinguish ourselves. I work with a few older brits, and I can tell that for all their ability to speak eloquently, for all their impressive vocabulary, for all their ability to bring classical poetry and novel into conversations, they are NO more productive or profitable than people like myself and many of us younger guys. What worked for you old guys is often no longer relevant. Sorry.

Cheers

EDIT:

On the topic of mental math specifically, check out these comments. It's simply, largely a waste of effort to spend significant time learning and do mental math. The world has changed.

http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110310/03354413427/changing-way-that-math-is-taught-to-children.shtml

The problem with the area and indeed most of the country are the often fat, past their prime, often rude and arrogant know-it-all, sloppy dressing, previously failed White Westerners who run prostitution houses, traffic drugs into the country, run illegal businesses, spread disease through the sex trade, sexually abuse minors, drink to excess and who were the original and still perpetuators of the very negative image Thais (and non-Thais around the world) have of White Westerners in Thailand. I see them nearly everywhere, looking down their noses at a poor people; poor people in a mostly poor country who by virtue of their lack of luck weren't so lucky to hit the birth lottery.

Are you of african persuasion by chance ?

Only in the sense that Africa is claimed to be the cradle of humanity. Why?

Of course, should do this in any country. Although in Thailand, giving up seats for young children is as important in the thai mindset.

I find it a strange mindset as most young children can either sit on the lap of their mom or have enough stamina to stand. But ok different views.

This is part of the Thai (Asian) system of Social Debt. In such a system, it is preferable that the debt be generated at early in a person's life as is possible. I don't agree or disagree with the practice, and did find it odd when I first moved here.

Could have something to do as well with the way Thais generally coddle children.

To answer the question, no, I don't give my seat up to anyone. Someone else can do it. I work hard.

Same everywhere. In the States, "minorities" (who will be the majority in less than 20 years) with bad grades and a brain stem are given priority over the, uhm, paler folks with excellent grades.

But such stupid practices won't deter the truly smart kids from succeeding. Your girl has many options.

Mate what generation are you from? Don't answer. In fact, in recent times in the states the issue is that the Asian minorities are outperforming the Whites and everyone else and the Whites are consistently heard complaining and demanding investigation that the Asian students are cheating on intrance exams and the like despite multiple investigations into the matter disproving the allegations.

Can we change the title of this topic to "My Girlfriend is a hoarder".

It has got nothing to do with broader Thai culture or its people

You may be right about this, but as I have spoken about this to other Thai's about this subject they seem to think it is a culture thing, looking after self comes first.

Has more to do with being relatively poor or having what is called the poor person's mentality. No a Thai thing, per se. Just a poor person's process. You'd see the same in poor communities in the US, poor countries in Africa, etc.

Again, not sure why there is such an effort on your part to discredit and purposely try to not understand what an unemployment rate measures but what is clear to me is you don't want to get it and there isn't much reason for me to try to enlighten you.

I'm not sure if you are unaware that you are being fed <deleted>, or if you like the taste.

My g/f is unemployed. There is no government assistance, financial or to help her find a job. The type of work she seeks is unlikely to be advertised in a newspaper. So how is her unemployment registered and/or entered into statistics? How do millions of other minimum wage un-employees get counted?

For gods sake .. I have covered this numerous times and a simple internet search will provide you with the answers you seek, The accepted way to figure Unemployment Rates in a country has absolutely nothing to do with government assistance or being registered with the government for work.

When you read about number of people who smoke ... do you really think they poll every person in the country? Surveys and polls are conducted be it in the US, UK or Thailand as a way to measure the number of people who are actively seeking work (not sitting around hoping a job comes there way) but have not found a job.

Thailand has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the world and there is no credible government or entity that I am aware that disputes this and in fact all of them that I am aware understand and accept this. Again simply do a little research.

The proper come back would be how all the jobs here are crap and low paying and a bunch of lazy Thais who don't want to work and all the other stuff that helps you feel better but please don't argue with the fact unemployment rates (measured in the globally accepted way) are one of the lowest here.

I've read you replies, and it seems you hinge your entire thesis on the credibility of the polls and what the Internet tells you, whilst totally ignoring the views of the posters who actually live here and are not stupid to reality.

How about getting away from your keyboard and going to, say, Home Pro and noting all the orange-shirted employees standing around in groups, blocking the aisle ways and doing nothing; helping no one; not being able to show you where anything is, or even being able to describe a product to you that is not already described on its manufacturer's tag?

My wife and I went to BBB yesterday to do some business. There were eight (8) girls there sitting on their asses scowling at us as we walked through the door. It took 20 minutes for one girl to begrudgingly do what I could have done in 1 minute. On the way out I asked them about their TV display, showing an HTPC readout on the screen. They did not know what HTPC was and did not even know that the main server is based in the BBB server. No smiles once throughout the entire affair.

The day before that we went to McDonald's. They did not put enough fries on the super-sized (up-sigh) fry carton. I went back to get the right amount of fries and was engaged by a Bull-dyke manager who corrected me by telling in an aggressive and impolite tone of voice that "We have standards and we are supposed to serve 18 grams of fries". I told her to show me 18 grams of fries and the difference was significant. No apology and only scowls from the idiots who were more concerned about their face than the customer and the fact that McDonald's is entrusting the Thais to represent McDonald's standards of quality and customer service. More scowl's.

I can't keep a Thai worker for longer than 6 months because they all go through the same childish, slothful routines that are counter-productive to western standards. I sack them and go back to the pool of under-qualified applicants whose first question at the interview is, How much are you going to pay me?". End of interview. or I get applicants with University degrees who want to start out at 40,000 THB per month, including benefits. Yup! You guessed it... their first question is "How much are you going to pay me?". End of interview; and I refuse to interview University grads anymore because their heads are up their asses and they think it is a bright room filled with opportunity... at your expense.

I am tired of getting Thai customer service where they seem to be listening to you, but in reality they are waiting for you to stop expressing your wishes so they can parrot something that is "good enough for you" and it may have nothing to do with the needs or wishes you are there for.

I have been trained by these ignorant "workers" so that I write down the product manufacturer, make and model number and do the research myself in the Internet, where I can get correct, objective information the about the product or service that I need. When we go shopping, I do not allow a Thai to utter irritating, stupid nonsensical sales pitches for longer than 1 minute before we move on. And there are usually three or four others that appear from their hiding places to stand around as support so they don't have to go elsewhere in the store and be productive.

I am tired of service contracts that are designed to make you feel that they are doing you a favor instead of the other way around. I am tired of not being informed by the significant details of a purchase that make me a better informed consumer.

"Holding a job" and "being gainfully employed as a qualified worker who understands that the customer is the one paying the salary" are two different things. There are a lot of Thais who hold jobs, but but the similarities stop right there. Whether you purchase or not, they are glad to see you go, and forget about you in an instant.

I am not impressed with "how the job rates are". I just want good customer service, good product quality and informative staff without the hassle. As far as I am concerned, those who have jobs are merely ornaments to stuff the statistics with false information. They are no different than the unemployed other than they have found a way to "have a job" and receive free benefits without doing anything in return.

You do not need to rely on Polls to know the truth.

You can never convince Nisa. Nisa's confidence in everything Thai is unbreakable. The Thais are not lazy, they just really enjoy not working hard... You have to look at the bright side of things.

I wouldn't take any offence regarding the inquisitive nature of the Thai's.

Interesting remarks about the language. Why would you want to live somewhere and rely on your wife/partner to know what's going on. Surely its for a better life if you can speak a little Thai.

I agree a bit, but it's not a sure thing as you've stated. Some of us, once we've learned Thai, are subsequently aware of the true nature of average very poorly educated person and what goes on in their heads and what comes out of their mouths, and it is a brutal reality check. It was MUCH nicer when I we were ignorant and thought, perhaps, that much of what people were talking about was likely on par with what we consider normal and interesting. It's a dull, dull, bigoted, uneducated, selfish, small-minded world out there, my friend. Trust me.

Lot's of talkin' but nothin' being said for the most part.

Keep calm and don't worry about the rash. It's most likely nothing.

OP, if you have very, very low standards, you will enjoy it here to no end. If you have a conscience or any sense or right and wrong, you will likely find it most unbearable over time.

So all the thousands of expats, myself included, who are happy living here have no conscience or any sense of right or wrong?

What an arrogant, pompous tosser you must be!

Seems like you have trouble with data sufficiency and logic. You cannot logically conclude what you did from what I posted, right? Think carefully about it. Think back to your high school days and standardised college entrance exams.

l have thought back about my college and high school days and the standards of women here are much higher than back home. Is it right ? is it wrong? who knows. I won't conclude what others have already done so, so very eloquently but do me a favor, remove that flag from your avatar or at least redo it with your eyes open a bit more

1. you missed the point

2. what you do or don't do is your business

3. i will do you no such favours

LOL

There are many questions that Khun Kittiratt has not addressed.

• What is the status of Thailand's sovereign debt?
  
• When will Thailand resume normal periodic payments?
  
• Why doesn't khun Kittiratt comment on servicing sovereign debt?
  

I understood that Mr Abhisit's government didn't manage to make a single interest payment in full.

• Did Khun Abhisit bring interest on sovereign debt up to date?
  
• If not is Thailand facing penalties?
  
• What about Khun Abhisiit's quantitative easing costs.
  
• What happened to those costs.
  

What about Thailand's foreign currency reserves which were transferred to the Bank of Thailand.

• Can that money be used to meet Thailand's obligations?
  
• Does Thailand actually have the money to buy land in Europe no matter how cheap?
  

If you can get answers to your questions please post them, cause they are valid ones. I doubt whether those involved would be able to.

You can be sure that 99.999% of Thais have no clue what these questions mean or even if they are "allowed" to ask them. So, you'll not likely get your answers, but good luck. I too would like to know.

Thais are forbidden to buy and own land in Europe especially in France.

คนไทยเป็นสิ่งต้องห้ามที่จะซื้อและเป็นเจ้าของที่ดินในยุโรปโดยเฉพาะอย่างยิ่งในประเทศฝรั่งเศส

Good. Who wants Thai developing land in nice countries in Europe, anyway? They will design a building with no entrances or exits or the entrances and exits will lead right onto an open road. There will be no fire exits, or, if there are the doors will be permanently locked. The structure itself with be made of concrete with rebar, etc etc etc.

.

OP, if you have very, very low standards, you will enjoy it here to no end. If you have a conscience or any sense or right and wrong, you will likely find it most unbearable over time.

So all the thousands of expats, myself included, who are happy living here have no conscience or any sense of right or wrong?

What an arrogant, pompous tosser you must be!

Seems like you have trouble with data sufficiency and logic. You cannot logically conclude what you did from what I posted, right? Think carefully about it. Think back to your high school days and standardised college entrance exams.

That's impossible. Yingluck "promised" there would be no flooding this year.

You win today's prize for most original comment. Well done. Your prize is a course in English Comprehension. I hope you enjoy it. Once again, well done.

Blow me, the grammar (grandma) police are out in force. Sorry I'm not one of you TEFL underpaid English teachers. I am however a highly paid offshore worker who couldn't give a toss what you think of my "comprehension"...

CAN U PLEASE GIVE ME SOME INFO ABOUT HOW TO GET AN OFF SHORE JOB OR EVEN AN ON SHORE JOB.

IM A BUILDER, BRICKIE BY TRADE BUT HAVE MASS EXPERIENCE IN ALL ASPECTS AND WOULD LIKE A JOB

OTHER THAN TEACH ENGLISH, CHEERS

I Teaching English to. But I want a job on shore or of shore or even somewhere in the Between. Can anyone tell me how to making a lots of money in Thai Baths or other monies? Thanks

I sometimes wonder if some of the negative remarks come from members that don't read more than headlines.

Thereby missing the story whilst drooling over the emotional headline that was meant to get them to actually read the article and discover the facts as reported.

Yingluck actually stated that there would be no flooding this year if the defensive actions that has agreed are actually put in place.The agreement that she extracted from provincial engineers of the relevant risk areas is that if defenses required at high risk spillover sites could not be completed in time for this flood season that all effort would be focused on the extreme risk spillover points.

This is exactly what has been largely been achieved already in Nakon Sawan and Bangkok. The completion of the upgraded flood defense projects in their entirety will take several years to complete.

That is why Yingluck has extracted a commitment from each of those responsible for executing each of the critical upgrading flood defense Projects.

So the provincial engineers have to direct their effort and the money that Yingluck set aside for this year’s flood defense contracts to ensure that critical spillover sites are defended before the flood season begins.

The extrme risk spillover locations Have already had as much of the additional defenses built.as was feasible in such a short time.

Further many weeks ago Yingluck instructed that filling of Dams should not exceed 65% of capacity this year in order to avoid having to open any Dam’s spillway sluice at a critical time. This order is to avoid a bore of water streaming south causing spillovers.

Personallyt I suspect that Yingluck has achieved an outstanding outcome. Bangkok and Nakon Sawan are taken care of to the greatest extent possible for this year.

Klong Sluice gates a freely operable, Pumping sytems up to specification.. Canals have had weed and debris removed.

I’m confident that there will be no serious flooding of central Thaland or Bangkok this year.

Thanks for your confidence. I now feel so much better.

Propagandist garbage. Someone in the government saw this type of special done in a civil country and figure they should do it too.

OP, if you have very, very low standards, you will enjoy it here to no end. If you have a conscience or any sense or right and wrong, you will likely find it most unbearable over time.

Keep calm and don't worry about her age.

I always figured there was a reason why the Thai Government wanted me to buy my condo off of the first floor.

Now I know why!

Now I'm wondering is the third floor enough?

You move too high, say, 6 or 7 floors and up and the fire trucks can't reach. i think 3rd or 4th is the sweet spot to preserve your life.

This is a bit of an alarmist headline, as it aims to make people think there is a flood on there way, which there isn't. Governments plan for all eventualities, but it doesn't mean they are about to happen.

A better headling would have been... Bangkok upgrades flood defences, although no flooding expected this year.

Totally inept reporting. Or maybe deliberate to get people reading.

There won't be widescale flooding this year. There will always be some local flooding somewhere in Thailand. For the pedantic among you, Yinluck was referring to widescale flooding, and she is correct in what she said.

If I were a gambling man, I would bet that there won't be widescale flooding this year. The dam levels are very low, possibly kept that way in anticipation of heavy rains in the coming two months or so, which is typically when there is heaviest rainfall. In the event of heavy rains and they are forced to let the water out again, then the defences are in place to try and prevent flooding.

Simple and effective. Who would have thought this was possible in Thailand?

Yes, as the up and mid country farmers get f@cked because of drought season and the country's inability to manage the water it has. Prices for food skyrocket, rice exports are hurt, etc. You must see the big picture. Flooding is not the only effect of water mismanagement.

Probably all of Thailand which does have an incredibly low unemployment rate.

If only the statistics were in any way reliable.

Thailand has hundreds of thousands of people sitting about doing little or nothing, who are not interested in bettering themselves or working in gainful employment.

Sent from my GT-I9100T using Thaivisa Connect App

Thai unemployment figures are as reliable as anywhere else where it is calculated by the number of people without a job but looking for one ... which is the way most countries calculate an unemployment rate. It has absolutely nothing to do with people who are able or choose not to work.

Yes, yes, Nisa. The numbers here in Thailand are as reliable as any other numbers from other countries. To extend your thinking, numbers in general are always as reliable as any others.

The Department of Employment conducted a survey unemployed individuals in Thailand. There're approximately 171,000 people who are unemployed as of December, 2011. At the same time, there are as many as 75,000 employment vacancies in various business sectors that have been shunned by the Thais without jobs.

171,000 unemployed? 75,000 job vacancies?

Are these figures supposed to be for the whole of Thailand, or just one small district, of Bangkok?

jb1

Probably all of Thailand which does have an incredibly low unemployment rate.

Yes, very low. They are very good at employing scores of annoying shop keepers and the like who stand around or incessantly follow foreigners while practicing their English by announcing every item touched and its price. Or hiring a person for every individual task a boss can think up. 1 person on the cash register. 1 person to put the purchase in the bag. 1 cleaning lady/man to do her/his best to mop or sweep invisible spots by customer's feet. 1 person "security" to stand at the door and say sawasdee khrap. etc. Everyone is poor, but, hey, at least they have jobs, right?