Thailand ranked world’s ‘least miserable’ country again

[rooster59]

Thailand ranked world’s ‘least miserable’ country again

 

by Andrew J Wood

 

 

NEW YORK: The Land of Smiles was named the least miserable country out of 66 economies ranked by the Bloomberg Misery Index, which assumes that low inflation and low unemployment translates into satisfaction among the populace, finishing in first place for the fourth straight year and just edging out its regional rivals.

 

“The Bloomberg Misery Index relies on the age-old concept that low inflation and unemployment generally illustrate how good an economy’s residents should feel,’’ the news and research agency said in posting the results on its website.

 

Thailand has had persistently low unemployment for many years, the unemployment rate ranging between 0.4-1.2% since 2011. A remarkable result. Many workers who do lose their job in the formal sector are able to be gainfully employed in the informal sector of the economy, and still support themselves and their families. Street vendors and motorcycle taxi drivers belong to this latter category. 

 

According to the Bank of Thailand, the country's inflation rate was low at 0.66% last year while the country's unemployment rate was 1.04%.

 

“Inflation in Thailand has also been consistently low,” Bloomberg said. Thailand’s consumer confidence has been steadily rising along with business and industrial confidence.

 

 

Bloomberg also said that “The results largely signal a global economic outlook that remains bright overall: Economists are penciling in 3.7 percent year-on-year growth for the world in 2018, matching last year’s pace that was the best since 2011, according to the Bloomberg survey median.”

 

 

[Darcula]

3 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

the country's unemployment rate was 1.04%

 

Which brings up the question - How many Somchais does it take to change a light bulb here?

 

[YetAnother]

2 minutes ago, Darcula said:

 

Which brings up the question - How many Somchais does it take to change a light bulb here?

 

trying to adjectify 'economy' with 'misery' is idiotic; the former totally lacks emotion, the latter intense emotion

Edited April 7, 2018 by YetAnother

[anon789561]

someones been bringing happiness to the people 

[Lungstib]

25 field labourers, standing in the back of a pick-up in the morning rain, that just passed my house on the way to 250b a day work may not agree. 

Someone needs to take a look at just how those unemployed numbers were calculated. I think 1 hour a weeks work on your home 'farm' is considered employment. It's absurd.

[ezzra]

66 out of 195 countries in the world, what does it even mean misery

index? have they psychoanalyzed people in 66 countries? just becaue

some parameters shows low points does it means people are happy?

what a hooey....

[Sonhia]

Really!

 

I must be missing something.

[khanplayer]

28 minutes ago, Lungstib said:

25 field labourers, standing in the back of a pick-up in the morning rain, that just passed my house on the way to 250b a day work may not agree. 

Someone needs to take a look at just how those unemployed numbers were calculated. I think 1 hour a weeks work on your home 'farm' is considered employment. It's absurd.

They obviously did not include the villages in their survey where lots of grandparents are raising grandchildren while the grandchildren's parents are in another country working to send money home to Thailand because there no opportunities in the rural areas. They obviously did not go to the rural areas and ask the grandparents raising their grandchildren why their children have left to work in another country.  I have witnessed many times laborers working long days in miserable conditions only to get a partial pay or no pay at all.

[utalkin2me]

Walking into the average shop here it certainly makes sense unemployment being low. I’ve never seen that many employees at any business worldwide. Seriously, walk into a home pro there must be 3 Thai employees for every aisle. 

[Anak Nakal]

I see many unhappy people.

Maybe not ask the right people?

[bluesofa]

1 hour ago, Darcula said:

 

Which brings up the question - How many Somchais does it take to change a light bulb here?

 

Only one, but the light bulb really has to want to change.

 

[grumbleweed]

Using employment and inflation figures to measure happiness in an oppressed society

What about measuring Eskimo happiness by their chances of being killed by stampeding elephants and whether they have fish on the menu

Edited April 7, 2018 by grumbleweed

[cornishcarlos]

Why are they trotting this story out again ??? Are they getting that desperate to pretend everyone is happy ??

 

February this year...

 

https://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/1025684-pm-prayut-acknowledges-report-of-thailand-being-world’s-happiest-economy/?tab=comments#comment-12725115

[StayinThailand2much]

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

NEW YORK: The Land of Smiles was named the least miserable country out of 66 economies ranked by the Bloomberg Misery Index, which assumes that low inflation and low unemployment translates into satisfaction among the populace, finishing in first place for the fourth straight year and just edging out its regional rivals.

Wait, shouldn't North Korea carry the crown then? According to the Politburo there, there's 0 unemployment and zero inflation. 

Edited April 7, 2018 by StayinThailand2much

[Lupatria]

Those in countries with lower ranking were advised to increase corruption. It creates happiness for briber and beneficiary and works wonders. Best results appear in combination with religion, Thainess and a supervising junta. 

[yellowboat]

These reports always have a bogus ring to them.  His PM-ness will accept the accolades and then attribute such triumphs to the security he has maintained.  As most have just said, people have little to be happy about.  They work six day a week jobs, send money home to take care of their parents and children.  Thais choose to be happy, which is heroic in a way, but their situation is far from a happy one.  

[GaryAdriaenssens]

Finally some good news from the "experts" whoever they are! Now let's hope they don't read or hear that in Africa or Syria otherwise a whole new caravan of so-called asylumseekers heads this way!

[Deez]

 1.02 unemployment?  99% of Thais "working" you

[Thongkorn]

42 minutes ago, utalkin2me said:

Walking into the average shop here it certainly makes sense unemployment being low. I’ve never seen that many employees at any business worldwide. Seriously, walk into a home pro there must be 3 Thai employees for every aisle. 

All working for peanuts.

[Thian]

43 minutes ago, utalkin2me said:

Walking into the average shop here it certainly makes sense unemployment being low. I’ve never seen that many employees at any business worldwide. Seriously, walk into a home pro there must be 3 Thai employees for every aisle. 

Which county has 5-6 girls working in a bakery from 3x3 meters? Or 2 students at every cashier to pack goods in plastic bags? Or groceries (even Makro) where products in bags are not priced already so customers have to go wait in a queue for that?  There's double/triple the amount of staff needed in the west, in every shop, that's why it's cheaper in the West these days.

[Orton Rd]

I'm not surprised, there is always something to laugh at after all

[BEngBKK]

It always help to live under a big coconut shall and think that there is no world outside

 

[dcsw53]

Bloomberg have an interesting way of compiling their lists.

True many people lose their jobs. If you are female and over 30 you have no hope.

I meet many many ladies who had good office jobs and now sell road side food, work in bars, caddy at golf etc who would beg to differ about their misery index

[Stokakrishna]

Ignorance is bliss

[Xonax]

2 hours ago, Lungstib said:

25 field labourers, standing in the back of a pick-up in the morning rain, that just passed my house on the way to 250b a day work may not agree. 

Someone needs to take a look at just how those unemployed numbers were calculated. I think 1 hour a weeks work on your home 'farm' is considered employment. It's absurd.

That the unemployment is so low in Thailand, is because no social wellfare is available.  Thais have only two possibilities: either work or starve to death.

[owl sees all]

2 hours ago, utalkin2me said:

Walking into the average shop here it certainly makes sense unemployment being low. I’ve never seen that many employees at any business worldwide. Seriously, walk into a home pro there must be 3 Thai employees for every aisle.

 

Good point!

 

Last year I went into 'Home Hub' near Udon Thani. I was after some PVC valves , which were actually better and cheaper than 'Do Home' where I normally go. But we were the only two customers in there.

 

The wife asked how many people worked there and got the answer 270!!! I've been in the store a couple of times since and there have been other customers; but just the one check-out open.

Edited April 7, 2018 by owl sees all
correct spelling

[weegee]

1 hour ago, bluesofa said:

Only one, but the light bulb really has to want to change.

 

OR...One to hold the bulb and the others to turn the room around....

[geriatrickid]

Underemployment has been confused with unemployment.  This is where a comparison  like this fails because it does not take the quality of employment into consideration.  Unemployment in   North America is at  an historic low;  Mexico - 3.2%,  USA - 4.1%, Canada 5.8% . However, of the 3 countries, Canadians are the happiest and best off.  There are other factors such as crime rate and social services that must be accounted for that  reflect true misery.  Norway has a an unemployment rate of 4%, Denmark 4.8%, but these two countries are two of the  best places to be because of the quality of social services combined with quality of life.

 

 

[midas]

1 hour ago, utalkin2me said:

Walking into the average shop here it certainly makes sense unemployment being low. I’ve never seen that many employees at any business worldwide. Seriously, walk into a home pro there must be 3 Thai employees for every aisle. 

I hate walking into these stores when there's about six people standing at the entrance and one of them always starts following you immediately. Maybe I have just come to browse and it certainly won't help my buying decision if someone is breathing down my neck. I'd rather deal with one of these machines will give me the assistance and information if I need it

 

 

Edited April 7, 2018 by midas

[Classic Ray]

1 hour ago, utalkin2me said:

Walking into the average shop here it certainly makes sense unemployment being low. I’ve never seen that many employees at any business worldwide. Seriously, walk into a home pro there must be 3 Thai employees for every aisle. 

But ask any of them any question beyond what it says on a product label and that shows you the level of investment in training and service in Thailand. Employees are just a unit, easily replaced by another, no sense of loyalty on either side.