Why are Thai people so against thinking?

[FritsSikkink]

You mix with the wrong people, educated Thai do think a lot.

[DILLIGAD]

You mix with the wrong people, educated Thai do think a lot.

Agree. When they are not eating, they are thinking about eating (Joke).


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[atyclb]

9 minutes ago, FritsSikkink said:

You mix with the wrong people, educated Thai do think a lot.

 

 

especially if educated abroad

[geronimo]

The Thai education system does not promote free thinking. There's your answer Sir!

[marko kok prong]

Interesting post,my wife often tells me i think too much,she is probably right,as i suffer from anxiety and depression,in the six years i have been here i have somewhat taken on this perspective and it has helped.

 Thai's mostly live in the present,where as we often dwell on the past which is pointless ,as one of the Mughal emporers wrote' There are no should have been's or could have done's ,there is only what is,and what is written' whilst i don't subscribe to the last line,it does tell us what is done is done.

 As for the future i would quote Jim Morrison; 'The future's uncertain and the end is always near"

  So i mostly understand their fear of thinking too much,and it is indeed fear,fear of looking too deeply into oneself,fear of what may happen in the future,this is one reason they are so superstiious , i have also noticed depression is less prevelant among them,or they hide it better,not sure which.

 As for the buisiness side of things i do agree they are hopeless mostly,except for Thai-chinese,who most certainly exploit uneducated Thai's because they are generally richer and smarter. I agree about the education system if it can be called that,but it falls in line with Thai culture,never question authority,as again this could give you unwanted problems, which may cause you too think too much,my wife feels ill if she thinks too much,all she wants is to eat 5 times a day,constantly chat with her freinds on her phone and take care of her kids and Mum,take away the phone bit and you have the mindset of a simple person who would not have been out of place in say the middle ages in Europe.She is a happier person than i shall ever be,and no she is not an ex bar girl. One has too understand the main thing in a Thai's life is sanook,family and food and of course money,it is certainly not thinking.

[ravip]

Try associating with a broader circle of Thai people, you might see reality.

[Brunolem]

18 hours ago, samsensam said:

hummm... OP, i'm just guessing here but i'm thinking the majority of your interactions here are with lower class and or uneducated thais?

 

my thai friends, and i have many both male and female, certainly do not behave in the way you describe. they are in the main educated professionals with good jobs, or own their own business, many have studied a master degree abroad in their second language (have you done that?!), many have travelled abroad on business or for pleasure. they are intelligent and informed people.

 

the onus is on you to broaden your horizons rather that sit there making negative generalised critical comments.

My usual question: are your friends Thai or Thai-Chinese?

[Brunolem]

Bertrand Russell once said " people would sooner die than think, in fact they do so".

 

And he was not referring to Thai people!

He was also not referring to basic thinking such as "what am I going to eat this evening?".

 

There are different kinds or levels of thinking, and surely the Thais are not good when it comes to critical thinking...for the good reason that they have been endoctrinated in order to avoid criticizing.

 

Now, as mentioned by other posters above, there are Thais who do think, and criticize, but according to my personal experience they are almost always Thai-Chinese...and Thai-Chinese are as Thai as American-Chinese are American...

 

Now, Buddhism could play a role in the lack of thinking, if there was any Buddhism in the country.

 

Buddhism main "tool" is not prayers, but meditation, and meditation is about trying to stop the flow of thoughts that constantly arise in our brain and keep us from having a clear mind.

 

[manarak]

On 9/27/2018 at 4:42 AM, neeray said:

Bad post, really got me thinking about people who paint with a broad brush.

Every society has a slice of narrow minded, non thinking people. I meet them everyday (in a developed country).

 

You political correctness makes you blind for realities in Thailand.

 

Far from painting everyone with the same brush, OP says a large part of Thai population dislikes thinking things through, and what he means with that is that this behavior is more widespread in Thailand than in Western societies.

And this is totally true !

 

The Thai education system and traditions explain a large part of the problem, as other posters pointed out.

Many lower class Thais are indoctrinated to not think.

 

[blackhorse]

 
You political correctness makes you blind for realities in Thailand.
 
Far from painting everyone with the same brush, OP says a large part of Thai population dislikes thinking things through, and what he means with that is that this behavior is more widespread in Thailand than in Western societies.
And this is totally true !
 
The Thai education system and traditions explain a large part of the problem, as other posters pointed out.
Many lower class Thais are indoctrinated to not think.
 

I think that's the same in most of the lower classes across the planet. However the big difference is thais will actually tell you not think to much! But that's just the lower class uneducated... It's just a thai thing

[marcusarelus]

3 hours ago, geronimo said:

The Thai education system does not promote free thinking. There's your answer Sir!

My wife was educated 100% in the Thai education system. Her and her little group of Thai people also educated 100% in Thailand make 500 ton structures that they ship to Europe to be put into industrial settings there.  Thailand has no unemployment and the economy is doing great. 

 

Could you give me an example of free thinking in grade school or high school or anything under the MA level?  I don't think they want kids to freely spell or add and subtract.  In my own education experience no one wanted me to be a free thinker till I started working on my Masters.  

 

I never wanted a free thinker to work for me.  Do what I tell you the way I tell you and when and where I tell you and do it perfectly every time and we will get along.  

[manarak]

6 minutes ago, blackhorse said:

12 minutes ago, manarak said:

 
You political correctness makes you blind for realities in Thailand.
 
Far from painting everyone with the same brush, OP says a large part of Thai population dislikes thinking things through, and what he means with that is that this behavior is more widespread in Thailand than in Western societies.
And this is totally true !
 
The Thai education system and traditions explain a large part of the problem, as other posters pointed out.
Many lower class Thais are indoctrinated to not think.
 

I think that's the same in most of the lower classes across the planet. However the big difference is thais will actually tell you not think to much! But that's just the lower class uneducated... It's just a thai thing

 

I disagree about it being the same in most countries. The result might not be very different for lower classes, but it's not a consequence of being taught to not think.

[manarak]

6 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

My wife was educated 100% in the Thai education system. Her and her little group of Thai people also educated 100% in Thailand make 500 ton structures that they ship to Europe to be put into industrial settings there.  Thailand has no unemployment and the economy is doing great. 

 

Could you give me an example of free thinking in grade school or high school or anything under the MA level?  I don't think they want kids to freely spell or add and subtract.  In my own education experience no one wanted me to be a free thinker till I started working on my Masters.  

 

I never wanted a free thinker to work for me.  Do what I tell you the way I tell you and when and where I tell you and do it perfectly every time and we will get along.  

 

the previous poster mixed things up - "free thinking" is not the question here, the question is about thinking things through, making plans, anticipation, exactitude, analytical thinking, etc.

[melvinmelvin]

1 hour ago, marcusarelus said:

My wife was educated 100% in the Thai education system. Her and her little group of Thai people also educated 100% in Thailand make 500 ton structures that they ship to Europe to be put into industrial settings there.  Thailand has no unemployment and the economy is doing great. 

 

Could you give me an example of free thinking in grade school or high school or anything under the MA level?  I don't think they want kids to freely spell or add and subtract.  In my own education experience no one wanted me to be a free thinker till I started working on my Masters.  

 

I never wanted a free thinker to work for me.  Do what I tell you the way I tell you and when and where I tell you and do it perfectly every time and we will get along.  

 

here speaks a true master of stagnation.. ..

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

1 hour ago, manarak said:

Far from painting everyone with the same brush, OP says a large part of Thai population dislikes thinking things through, and what he means with that is that this behavior is more widespread in Thailand than in Western societies.

And this is totally true !

 

The Thai education system and traditions explain a large part of the problem, as other posters pointed out. Many lower class Thais are indoctrinated to not think.

 

 

Thank you for correctly amplifying on my original post. It wasn't intended to suggest that Thais are "dumb" or have lower intellects than others. But rather, just as you've explained above.

 

There's a famous quote from Robert Kennedy that goes: "Some men see things as they are, and ask why. I dream of things that never were, and ask why not."

 

In my experience of living many years in Thailand, the typical Thai usually never asks why, and likewise, never asks why not.

[marcusarelus]

1 hour ago, manarak said:

 

the previous poster mixed things up - "free thinking" is not the question here, the question is about thinking things through, making plans, anticipation, exactitude, analytical thinking, etc.

I agree there.  Intelligent motivated people do ignorant lazy people don't. 

 

One does not have to think much to eat in Thailand.  Thais have always had lots of food and easy to make spirits from rice and tobacco grows here and the women like men.  Not like this has ever been a difficult place to find happiness. 

[marcusarelus]

3 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

 

Thank you for correctly amplifying on my original post. It wasn't intended to suggest that Thais are "dumb" or have lower intellects than others. But rather, just as you've explained above.

 

There's a famous quote from Robert Kennedy that goes: "Some men see things as they are, and ask why. I dream of things that never were, and ask why not."

 

In my experience of living many years in Thailand, the typical Thai usually never asks why, and likewise, never asks why not.

That's why the richest 1% of the UK has 15% of the wealth.  Not just Thailand methinks.

[brling]

5 hours ago, marcusarelus said:

That's why the richest 1% of the UK has 15% of the wealth.  Not just Thailand methinks.

Off topic this is a Thai forum. btw Thailands richest 10 % have 90 % of the wealth. Wise up.

[brling]

7 hours ago, marcusarelus said:

  Thailand has no unemployment and the economy is doing great. 

 

 

 That says it all. Please wise up

[Cletus]

Usual thai bashing posts here. Fact is they made up a country and culture you like to visit and live in. You so  hypocritical people.

[Enoon]

 

I have never had a problem with being told that.

 

The first time "not thinking" was said to me it meant "stop dwelling on your sadness".

 

I have never had it said to me other than as an antidote to what has been perceived as a state of my mind that appeared to be making me sad, discontented or troubled.

 

The less troubled I am the happier they seem to be.

 

And then they smile at me and say "sabaai, sabaai".

 

 

Edited September 28, 2018 by Enoon

[PatOngo]

On ‎9‎/‎27‎/‎2018 at 9:46 AM, Hummin said:

What background have this no thinkers, and what do they do for work? 

 

 

First they ran the military, now they run the country!

[marcusarelus]

5 hours ago, brling said:

Off topic this is a Thai forum. btw Thailands richest 10 % have 90 % of the wealth. Wise up.

Why are you so against thinking.  People who think get the money.  Thailand Gini coefficient 36

[marcusarelus]

5 hours ago, brling said:

 

 That says it all. Please wise up

Yes it does.

[sirineou]

On 9/26/2018 at 10:23 PM, afsheen said:

I noticed that even if you talk about the most simple thing, thai people will often say either "You think too much",  "Not think too much" or "stop think, make headache"

 The OP is a dog whistle post and the hounds have sure answered. This thread tells more about as that it does about Thai people. 

"you think too much" "not think too much" is simply an attempt of people who are not native english speakers to communicate the concept that you are over analysing a subject in a language foreign to them.

 As for the last example of "stop think, make headache" well..... I guess it makes my point.   

Edited September 28, 2018 by sirineou

[KiChakayan]

11 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

Yes it does.

 

Could you give me the Thai definition of "Unemployment" ? 

[PatOngo]

13 minutes ago, marcusarelus said:

Why are you so against thinking.  People who think get the money.  Thailand Gini coefficient 36

Thinking doesn't necessarily get the money, connections DO.

[marcusarelus]

4 minutes ago, KiChakayan said:

 

Could you give me the Thai definition of "Unemployment" ? 

The same way it is done in UK, US and Australia and EU.

 

The labor force survey reveals the results of the survey conducted and compiled by the National Statistical Office. The categories with the survey include:

Employed persons

Unemployed persons

Current labor force

Seasonally inactive labor force

Total labor force

Persons not in the labor force

The survey is conducted simultaneously for all surveyed units nationwide during the 1st – 12th of each month. Data are collected by NSO officers through interview with head or member of the household units participated in the survey. Data compilation is based on weighted average of sampled data, the details of which appear in the NSO’s website under the topic “Labour Force Survey”.

https://www.economy.com/thailand/unemployment-rate

 

 

[marcusarelus]

5 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

Thinking doesn't necessarily get the money, connections DO.

Not a lot of smart girls working the bars in Pattaya. But I do see your point.  My grandfather worked hard to send my father to a good college and my dad worked hard to send me to a good college and my wife married me so she could send her daughter to a good college. 

[geronimo]

13 hours ago, manarak said:

 

the previous poster mixed things up - "free thinking" is not the question here, the question is about thinking things through, making plans, anticipation, exactitude, analytical thinking, etc.

Critical thinking (taught to western kids from day one) is sadly lacking here and until they sort their ed system out, don't expect any changes soon. Of course, there are exceptions, as some posters have pointed out, but the current rote learning system was deliberately put into practice a few centuries ago and try as they might, they don't seem able to affect any change. This could be that the Thai teachers are too ingrained in the rote learning system to take any new concept onboard.