Happiness Index For Thais, Expatriates Edges Down

[george]

Happiness Index for Thais, expatriates edges down

BANGKOK: -- A survey on 'Gross Domestic Happiness Index' (GDHI) shows that both the Thai public and foreigners residing in Thailand became less happy in January compared to November and December due to several negative factors prevailing in Thailand, according to Assumption University's ABAC Poll.

ABAC Poll Research Office director Noppadol Kannikar said the survey was conducted among 4,704 Thais and expatriates in 20 provinces between January 25 and February 10.

It showed that Thailand's GDHI last month edged down six points to 5.68 from 5.74 in the last two months of 2006 due to negative factors -- including bomb attacks in the Thai capital on New Year's Eve, so-called political 'undercurrents' and the movements of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in the region, bloody violence in the three restive southern provinces, economic problems and crises at Suvarnabhumi airport.

Categorized by region, the survey found that the happiness level of people in the South and Bangkok was the lowest at 3.30 and 3.37 respectively.

The survey also found that more Thais have now adopted the sufficiency-economy philosophy, initiated by the King. A total of 32.1 per cent of the respondents said they were following the principle in January, up from 26.1 per cent last September.

--TNA 2007-02-11

[ColPyat]

Oh yes, the undercurrents...

And of course it has nothing to do with the possibility that people might feel the performance of the government is miserable, and adds to concerns about a worsening economy and other issues that people think is important to their lives.

[blaze]

Happiness Index for Thais, expatriates edges down

BANGKOK: -- A survey on 'Gross Domestic Happiness Index' (GDHI) shows that both the Thai public and foreigners residing in Thailand became less happy in January compared to November and December due to several negative factors prevailing in Thailand, according to Assumption University's ABAC Poll.

ABAC Poll Research Office director Noppadol Kannikar said the survey was conducted among 4,704 Thais and expatriates in 20 provinces between January 25 and February 10.

It showed that Thailand's GDHI last month edged down six points to 5.68 from 5.74 in the last two months of 2006 due to negative factors -- including bomb attacks in the Thai capital on New Year's Eve, so-called political 'undercurrents' and the movements of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in the region, bloody violence in the three restive southern provinces, economic problems and crises at Suvarnabhumi airport.

Categorized by region, the survey found that the happiness level of people in the South and Bangkok was the lowest at 3.30 and 3.37 respectively.

The survey also found that more Thais have now adopted the sufficiency-economy philosophy, initiated by the King. A total of 32.1 per cent of the respondents said they were following the principle in January, up from 26.1 per cent last September.

--TNA 2007-02-11

Anybody know if a copy of the questionnaire is available?

[bingobongo]

sounds about right, living in Thailand is a far different reality than being here on holiday for 3 weeks

[Axel]

I did not even know such a thing exxisted. 'Gross Domestic Happiness Index' (GDHI)

[ColPyat]

I did not even know such a thing exxisted. 'Gross Domestic Happiness Index' (GDHI)

It's a Buthanese brainfart.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gross_national_happiness

[Scott]

I wonder what they are going to do now. When the economic outlook began to darken, they switched to the Happiness Index. Now that that is slipping (and my guess is that it's tied fairly closely to the economic outlook), they need a new Index which nobody else uses so that they rate the highest!

[jumnien]

The dharma is good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end. Spiritual practice will lead to happiness. The government should stop trying to be an opiate for the masses.

[Jimjim]

What's wrong with a happiness index, Colypat? It seems so simple and juvenile, perhaps, but isn't this a main goal of our existence? To be happy?

It also seems a core value of Buddhism. Well, not explicitly happiness, but contentment. And I bet the two qualities are related.

[richard10365]

I think the Gross Domestic Happiness Index' (GDHI) is directly related to the performance of foreign currency against the baht.

If the dollar were to rise, I would be a lot more happier. Where it is now makes me a little more sad.

[ColPyat]

What's wrong with a happiness index, Colypat? It seems so simple and juvenile, perhaps, but isn't this a main goal of our existence? To be happy?

It also seems a core value of Buddhism. Well, not explicitly happiness, but contentment. And I bet the two qualities are related.

Well, for a starter, it was invented by a feudal country that does not allow much independent outside scrutiny, has a miserable human rights record, and is even less meaningless than GDP, and is generally used by this and our government to somehow justify an iron grip on power, and hide the lack of good governance.

It is completely subjective, and therefore has very little meaning at all.

In Bhutan, i guess, they definately have forgotten to ask the hundred thousand expelled ethnic nepalese, and also the victims of torture, which is still a regular feature there.

[ThaiGoon]

I wonder what they are going to do now. When the economic outlook began to darken, they switched to the Happiness Index. Now that that is slipping (and my guess is that it's tied fairly closely to the economic outlook), they need a new Index which nobody else uses so that they rate the highest!

If they were as manipulative and sinister as you suggested, shouldn't they have said the happiness index is going through the roof right now instead of having to invent a new index? Did you understand that article is reporting that people are less happy?

[blaze]

I wonder what they are going to do now. When the economic outlook began to darken, they switched to the Happiness Index. Now that that is slipping (and my guess is that it's tied fairly closely to the economic outlook), they need a new Index which nobody else uses so that they rate the highest!

If they were as manipulative and sinister as you suggested, shouldn't they have said the happiness index is going through the roof right now instead of having to invent a new index? Did you understand that article is reporting that people are less happy?

It doesn't take a lot of reading between the lines to catch the intended political agenda of this 'scientific' poll.

And why are the people so relatively unhappy now?

Because of 'undercurrents' (and who, I wonder, is associated as responsible for these undercurrents?)

Because of the airport fiasco (and who is being held responsible for every problem with the airport?)

Because of the Bangkok bombings (and who is being held, at least in the public's mind, responsible for those bombgings?)

Because of the problems in th south (who 'fueled' the unrest?)

The only non-Taksin related source of dissatisfaction is economic uncertainty. Yet that is counterbalanced by the wonderful news that the Thais have taken the governments intepretation of 'sufficiency economy' to heart.

Now ask yourself- according to the poll results, what would it take to make people "happy' again? The answer's not that difficult.

Edited February 12, 2007 by blaze

[ThaiGoon]

I wonder what they are going to do now. When the economic outlook began to darken, they switched to the Happiness Index. Now that that is slipping (and my guess is that it's tied fairly closely to the economic outlook), they need a new Index which nobody else uses so that they rate the highest!

If they were as manipulative and sinister as you suggested, shouldn't they have said the happiness index is going through the roof right now instead of having to invent a new index? Did you understand that article is reporting that people are less happy?

It doesn't take a lot of reading between the lines to catch the intended political agenda of this 'scientific' poll.

And why are the people so relatively unhappy now?

Because of 'undercurrents' (and who, I wonder, is associated as responsible for these undercurrents?)

Because of the airport fiasco (and who is being held responsible for every problem with the airport?)

Because of the Bangkok bombings (and who is being held, at least in the public's mind, responsible for those bombgings?)

Because of the problems in th south (who 'fueled' the unrest?)

The only non-Taksin related source of dissatisfaction is economic uncertainty. Yet that is counterbalanced by the wonderful news that the Thais have taken the governments intepretation of 'sufficiency economy' to heart.

Now ask yourself- according to the poll results, what would it take to make people "happy' again? The answer's not that difficult.

Yeah, the goverment cocncocted this and used ABAC poll to spread their propaganda. They also masterfully used ABAC poll a few days ago to report that the approval rating of Surayudh has hit a new low at 48%.

[Plus]

First look at torture in Bhutan - Google result:

List of peopled killed by Bhutan GovernmentArticles on Bhutan ...

Torture Rape Torture Rape Torture Torture Bullet Torture Torture Rape Rape Rape Rape Torture Torture Tortu Torture Bullet Torture ...

www.geocities.com/bhutaneserefugees/deathlist.html - 46k - Cached - Similar pages

Very creative page description... If you don't know where to find a heavily slanted source, completely free of any pretence of objectivity - this is the place.

More sensible stuff from Wikipedia:

Criticism of GNH

Critics allege that because GNH depends on a series of subjective judgements about well-being, governments may be able to define GNH in a way that suits their interests. In the case of Bhutan, for instance, they say that the government expelled about one hundred thousand people and stripped them of their Bhutanese citizenship on the grounds that the deportees were ethnic Nepalese who had settled in the country illegally.[2] [3] While this would reduce Bhutan's wealth by most traditional measures such as GDP, the Bhutan government claims it has not reduced Bhutan's GNH.

Alternative indicators of economic progress have also been supported by a number of NGOs such as the UK's New Economics Foundation, and are employed in some governments notably in Europe and Canada.

That last part is interesting. Which countries in Europe? What is Canadian experience with this?

Edited February 12, 2007 by Plus

[blaze]

I wonder what they are going to do now. When the economic outlook began to darken, they switched to the Happiness Index. Now that that is slipping (and my guess is that it's tied fairly closely to the economic outlook), they need a new Index which nobody else uses so that they rate the highest!

If they were as manipulative and sinister as you suggested, shouldn't they have said the happiness index is going through the roof right now instead of having to invent a new index? Did you understand that article is reporting that people are less happy?

It doesn't take a lot of reading between the lines to catch the intended political agenda of this 'scientific' poll.

And why are the people so relatively unhappy now?

Because of 'undercurrents' (and who, I wonder, is associated as responsible for these undercurrents?)

Because of the airport fiasco (and who is being held responsible for every problem with the airport?)

Because of the Bangkok bombings (and who is being held, at least in the public's mind, responsible for those bombgings?)

Because of the problems in th south (who 'fueled' the unrest?)

The only non-Taksin related source of dissatisfaction is economic uncertainty. Yet that is counterbalanced by the wonderful news that the Thais have taken the governments intepretation of 'sufficiency economy' to heart.

Now ask yourself- according to the poll results, what would it take to make people "happy' again? The answer's not that difficult.

Yeah, the goverment cocncocted this and used ABAC poll to spread their propaganda. They also masterfully used ABAC poll a few days ago to report that the approval rating of Surayudh has hit a new low at 48%.

Wrong. Abac concocted it. Perhaps to spread their agenda- which is a common one in some circles in Bangkok: namely, that the government is not working fast enough to bring Taksin to task.

If you go back to the poll you refer to, there was a thinly veiled warning to the government there too: namely- Taksin is catching up. Do something. And do it fast.

If that poll were simply an approval rating, there would be no need to compare Surayot's popularity with Taksin's.

And certainly no place for the question which found that over 64 percent of the responsdants wanted Taksin to "stop all political movements." So then you have to ask, given the inclusion of questions about Taksin's 'movements', what was the purpose of that poll? In a poll seeking only to determine an approval rating, that question would be as irrelevent as asking what you are going to buy your gf for Valentine's day.

Edited February 12, 2007 by blaze

[ThaiGoon]

Wrong. Abac concocted it. Perhaps to spread their agenda- which is a common one in some circles in Bangkok: namely, that the government is not working fast enough to bring Taksin to task.

If you go back to the poll you refer to, there was a thinly veiled warning to the government there too: namely- Taksin is catching up. Do something. And do it fast.

If that poll were simply an approval rating, there would be no need to compare Surayot's popularity with Taksin's.

And certainly no place for the question which found that over 64 percent of the responsdants wanted Taksin to "stop all political movements." So then you have to ask, given the inclusion of questions about Taksin's 'movements', what was the purpose of that poll? In a poll seeking only to determine an approval rating, that question would be as irrelevent as asking what you are going to buy your gf for Valentine's dad.

And I honestly see nothing wrong with that.

[blaze]

Wrong. Abac concocted it. Perhaps to spread their agenda- which is a common one in some circles in Bangkok: namely, that the government is not working fast enough to bring Taksin to task.

If you go back to the poll you refer to, there was a thinly veiled warning to the government there too: namely- Taksin is catching up. Do something. And do it fast.

If that poll were simply an approval rating, there would be no need to compare Surayot's popularity with Taksin's.

And certainly no place for the question which found that over 64 percent of the responsdants wanted Taksin to "stop all political movements." So then you have to ask, given the inclusion of questions about Taksin's 'movements', what was the purpose of that poll? In a poll seeking only to determine an approval rating, that question would be as irrelevent as asking what you are going to buy your gf for Valentine's dad.

And I honestly see nothing wrong with that.

Then the pollster's time has not been wasted.

Ok - I'm kidding. But really, this could be interpreted as offering the govt a green light to skip some of the finer points of law in attempting to bring Taksin to justice. We can't have the LOS become the LOFrowns, now can we.

Edited February 12, 2007 by blaze

[ThaiGoon]

Then the pollster's time has not been wasted.

I'm pretty sure that a lot of people had had that idea (The gov't better do something and do it fast) quite a while before ABAC released their poll results. And as for the sufficiency economy thing, I believe people probably would have listened to the King more than they would ABAC poll.

Edited February 12, 2007 by ThaiGoon

[blaze]

Then the pollster's time has not been wasted.

I'm pretty sure that a lot of people had had that idea (The gov't better do something and do it fast) quite a while before ABAC released their poll results. And as for the sufficiency economy thing, I believe people probably would have listened to the King more than they would ABAC poll.

True on both counts- but now Abac can provide the government with a 'scientific' poll to prove that the gov'ts adhering to due legal process (also known in some circles as dragging of feet) is depressing people.

And re the sufficiency economy- the big boost has occurred under whose watch? Taksins? No- the current govt. So what do we get? Anything bad in our lives is because of Taksin. And anything good is because of Surayot.

Anyway what is a question about whether or not people are applying the SE in their lives doing on a happiness poll unless it is to determine the extent to which the SE makes people happy- and that was not apparantly the case, given that people are less happy but more apt to apply the SE.

This is why trying to draw any conclusions from these polls is useless without seeing the actual questions. Did the people have the opportunity to blame their unhappiness on, say, teens gone wild? Or scandals in the local city governments. Or a general dislike of cool weather. It appears not. The choice of responses appear to have been circumscribed - to a particular end.

[bingobongo]

That makes sense. Given there has been at least one "major" event every month since Sept. some man made, some not

Sept 2006 - Coup

Oct 2006 - Monsoon and subsequent floodings (people displaced)

Nov 2006 - 5.1 on richter scale earthquake in Chiang mai and feared bird flu resurregence

Dec 2006 - Capital controls, stock market plunge, internet service reduced due to eathquake off Taiwan, new years eve bombings in Bangkok

Jan 2007 - More bombings in Bangkok, more capital controls, new airport starts to disintegrate

Feb 2007- ?

intent of my post is not to antagonize, but to perhaps shed some light as to why happiness index is low and falling

Edited February 12, 2007 by bingobongo