FYI ...

http://www.doe.go.th/workpermit/data/english/statistics.html

Is the drop of renewal work permit between 1997/1998, only due to the now Famous Tom Yam Kung effect ?

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Nice find.  Any ideas why the figures have rose over 10,000 between 2001 and 2002? But only a few thousand between 2000 and 2001?  Quite a big jump.

Regards

Doh! I missed this part of it, which lists the occupations and nationality.

http://www.doe.go.th/workpermit/data/engli...ainder_2001.asp

For example, 1037 British "Professional, Technical and Related Workers" workers in BKK alone whereas there are 898 Americans in BKK in this profession.

Regards

I'd love to read those graphs, but on the first one the numbers don't come up for me.

As for the second, what's the ''now-famous Tom Yam Kung effect?''

It's so famous it must have passed me by.

The "Tom Yam Kung Effect" refers to the Financial crisis which hit SE Asia in 1997, and started in Thailand, with the Baht devaluation.

From a recent article in the Bangkok Post:

From previous experience, the global community does not care to distinguish between countries in the region., but tends to lump them together. An obvious example is the Tom Yam Kung effect which originated in Thailand and rapidly spread across Asia.

Article is related to the SARS outbreak: http://www.bangkokpost.net/040503_Perspect...003_pers02.html

Another Reference, here:

Thailand has been being severely affected by the so-called "Tom Yam Kung" economic crisissince 1997.

Economic and Telecommunications Industry Condition in 2001: CAT

So because the economy was repressed, this is reflected in the amount of work permits which are on the increase.

Regards

I am with you now. Thank-you for the responses.