Is Thailand still a 3rd world country?

[Surasak]

Its a first world country for many reasons, most of which are the wrong kind.

[car720]

I didn't know that they had made it to third.

They must have improved a lot then.  

[Mikeasq60]

If the liberals in the US get there way we'd be worse than a Third World nation! Open borders can you imagine Thailand or any Asian country pushing for that! Wake up

[Surasak]

4 hours ago, Bundooman said:

You can dress a monkey in a suit, white shirt and a tie - but it is still a monkey.

You have forgotten the bespoke highly polished black shoes. If you intend to dress a monkey, please do it correctly.

[sawadee1947]

Of course it's a third world country as long there is a junta ruling this Country. Prosperity is only for the Rich. 

As long Thailand is not moving Forward but moving back to ancient centuries and as long there will be no investment in education and as long this grabbing mentality and superstition stuff will not finished Thailand will keep the red lantern of Asian countries

[BoganInParasite]

Whatever it is, the net position is going backwards, and in my opinion seems to be accelerating in that direction.

[skatewash]

2 hours ago, Snig27 said:

China has problems but in many ways, it's caught up to the USA and is inching ahead. (it also has a bigger navy now according to the US press which really surprised me). 

 

https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2018/09/10/why-china-isnt-ahead-of-the-us-navy-even-with-more-ships/

[wwest5829]

23 hours ago, AtoZ said:

Look at government

Look at police

Look at education system

 

Actually just read the news sometimes

 

Yes, they are 3rd world country and it won't change anytime soon thanks to the elites who want it that way.

Sorry, my mind drifted there for a moment...you see in my country the elected representatives are dependent on cash contributions from the businesses they regulate through law and regulations the representatives decide. There are too many instances where the police have been involved in corruption or just playing fast and loose with their fiearms (although the majority are carrying out their sworn duty to serve and protect). The education system is under pressure from cutting funding in favor of privatization. And I would note it is in the interest of my country’s wealthy to keep the proletariat listening to Faux News...  I have learned not to be too critical of the same faults in other countries.

[Bangkok Barry]

7 hours ago, Pungdo said:

An American friend and I were driving along one day and he said "I'm getting a little tired of this 3rd world country" to which I replied, How many 3rd world countries have the infrastructure that is here in Thailand, the motorways, the half decent Internet, the amount of manufacturing etc etc, long story short, in the end we agreed that Thailand as a country is knocking on the door of being a 1st world country, but has 3rd world inhabitants.

 

Thailand might have some modern infrastructure, but it is mentally a Third World country and will remain so in the foreseeable future due to its appalling education system and stratified society that belongs in the Middle Ages. As for manufacturing, they piece together something that others have invented and produced. You can train a monkey to do that. There is not a single thing in the history of the world that Thailand has produced. Thai silk? Established by an American. Red Bull? Established worldwide by an Austrian from being an unknown local brew. Thai food? Mostly based on Chinese and Indian. Okay, Somtam. They invented Somtam.

[Bangkok Barry]

3 hours ago, sawadee1947 said:

Of course it's a third world country as long there is a junta ruling this Country. Prosperity is only for the Rich. 

As long Thailand is not moving Forward but moving back to ancient centuries and as long there will be no investment in education and as long this grabbing mentality and superstition stuff will not finished Thailand will keep the red lantern of Asian countries

 

Thailand invests a vast amount in education, far more than neighbouring countries. It just doesn't produce anything. So, rather than invest more, they need to invest properly.

[simoh1490]

2 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

Thailand might have some modern infrastructure, but it is mentally a Third World country and will remain so in the foreseeable future due to its appalling education system and stratified society that belongs in the Middle Ages. As for manufacturing, they piece together something that others have invented and produced. You can train a monkey to do that. There is not a single thing in the history of the world that Thailand has produced. Thai silk? Established by an American. Red Bull? Established worldwide by an Austrian from being an unknown local brew. Thai food? Mostly based on Chinese and Indian. Okay, Somtam. They invented Somtam.

Nice rant, except, Thailand is an agricultural based economy, that has always been so, they're a nation of farmers who are now adapting to the 21st century, your comparisons are not appropriate. Despite those things the country has managed to carve out a substantial economy based on exports and tourism with one of the highest foreign currency reserves in the world, not bad for rural monkeys farmers eh!

[Ctkong]

23 hours ago, AlexRich said:

I think of Thailand as a developing economy, but fear that due to culture and national characteristics, will never rival the likes of Singapore, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong ... I think that the next country to join that club will be Vietnam. They are young, ambitious, hard working and increasingly better educated.

Vietnamese ancestors formerly came from southern china mainly the guangdong and Fujian provinces. I would attribute their superior development to the Chinese genes which had evolved for thousands of years. If you looked from the ethnic angle, the natives of south east Asia countries aren’t high up in the IQ scale. 

[sharktooth]

You only need to drive on the roads here to work out what goes on between the ears of your average local.

[Ctkong]

4 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

Nice rant, except, Thailand is an agricultural based economy, that has always been so, they're a nation of farmers who are now adapting to the 21st century, your comparisons are not appropriate. Despite those things the country has managed to carve out a substantial economy based on exports and tourism with one of the highest foreign currency reserves in the world, not bad for rural monkeys farmers eh!

With a lot of help from the Thais of Chinese descent. 

[simoh1490]

1 minute ago, Ctkong said:

With a lot of help from the Thais of Chinese descent. 

Possibly, but that's like saying the US was successful with the help of immigrants, it doesn't alter the fact one bit!

[Bangkok Barry]

9 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

Nice rant, except, Thailand is an agricultural based economy, that has always been so, they're a nation of farmers who are now adapting to the 21st century, your comparisons are not appropriate. Despite those things the country has managed to carve out a substantial economy based on exports and tourism with one of the highest foreign currency reserves in the world, not bad for rural monkeys farmers eh!

I was responding to someone mentioning Thai manufacturing as a reason it 'is knocking on the door of being a 1st world country'.

[Odysseus123]

18 minutes ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

Thailand might have some modern infrastructure, but it is mentally a Third World country and will remain so in the foreseeable future due to its appalling education system and stratified society that belongs in the Middle Ages. As for manufacturing, they piece together something that others have invented and produced. You can train a monkey to do that. There is not a single thing in the history of the world that Thailand has produced. Thai silk? Established by an American. Red Bull? Established worldwide by an Austrian from being an unknown local brew. Thai food? Mostly based on Chinese and Indian. Okay, Somtam. They invented Somtam.

It is-very definitely- a First World country.

My next door neighbours told me so..

 

[AlexRich]

13 minutes ago, Ctkong said:

Vietnamese ancestors formerly came from southern china mainly the guangdong and Fujian provinces. I would attribute their superior development to the Chinese genes which had evolved for thousands of years. If you looked from the ethnic angle, the natives of south east Asia countries aren’t high up in the IQ scale. 

 

At some point I’m going to invest I need a fund specialising in Vietnam, and just leave it. 

[NorthernRyland]

Because Thailand has imported so much of the same technology the rest of the world has it gives a false impression that it's advancing in the same direction as the rest of the world even though it's really not (in my humble opinion of course!).

 

1st world nations have a particular set of underlying features that the Thai people don't seem to have, i.e. respect for property rights, honoring contracts, rule of the law and sense of civic duty to your fellow citizen.

 

It doesn't matter how many iPhones and cars they import because what they lack is something money can't buy. It doesn't even matter how may 1st world laws they pass because fundamentally it isn't in the heart of the people (including the authorities!) so there is no will to enforce them.

 

Having said that, I don't think that's a problem or we should expect or even wish they follow the same path as the West or the northern "white" Asians like the Japanese and Koreans.

[Peterw42]

8 minutes ago, genericptr said:

Because Thailand has imported so much of the same technology the rest of the world has it gives a false impression that it's advancing in the same direction as the rest of the world even though it's really not (in my humble opinion of course!).

 

1st world nations have a particular set of underlying features that the Thai people don't seem to have, i.e. respect for property rights, honoring contracts, rule of the law and sense of civic duty to your fellow citizen.

 

It doesn't matter how many iPhones and cars they import because what they lack is something money can't buy. It doesn't even matter how may 1st world laws they pass because fundamentally it isn't in the heart of the people (including the authorities!) so there is no will to enforce them.

 

Having said that, I don't think that's a problem or we should expect or even wish they follow the same path as the West or the northern "white" Asians like the Japanese and Koreans.

Do you realise most of the cars and iphones are made in Thailand

[joecoolfrog]

12 hours ago, lust said:

3rd world country is used by uneducated foreigners from western countries who have been told that they are superior to other nations. Educate yourselves before posting.

What is the term used by the (vastly more ) uneducated locals who also think they are superior to other nations ?

[dinsdale]

On 10/28/2018 at 2:31 PM, simoh1490 said:

The term "third world country" died with the end of the Cold War, Thailand is now classified as a developing economy

Call it what you like but currupt govt, currupt judiciary, currupt police, currupt govt officials, currupt military, power and 95% of the country's wealth in a few hands need I go on, makes this 3rd world not to mention it's run by a military junta.???? 

[sawadee1947]

7 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

Thailand invests a vast amount in education, far more than neighbouring countries. It just doesn't produce anything. So, rather than invest more, they need to invest properly.

That's the meaning of investment. 

[Fairynuff]

On 10/28/2018 at 8:14 AM, canuckamuck said:

Thailand has a mosaic of human development.

 

First world:

Some of the medical care and facilities

Some of the transportation systems

Some of the manufacturing facilities

Shopping malls

Some films and commercials

Assets of some corporations

 

Second World (cold war soviet block style):

Military government

 

Third world (Banana republic Style):

Police

Judicial

Education

Agriculture

Safety

Tourism

Television

Science

Natural resource conservation

Prostitution

Average wage

 

Spot on.

Based on prosperity......not third world.

Based on mentality.....definitely third world

[Berkshire]

Does the label really matter?  I mean, whether Thailand is 3rd world, developed, etc., it's really about individual people.  Take my home country, the USA.  About a third of Americans are certifiable idiots, i.e., Trump supporters.  Does that make America a 3rd world country?  I rest my case.   

[canuckamuck]

5 hours ago, Berkshire said:

Does the label really matter?  I mean, whether Thailand is 3rd world, developed, etc., it's really about individual people.  Take my home country, the USA.  About a third of Americans are certifiable idiots, i.e., Trump supporters.  Does that make America a 3rd world country?  I rest my case.   

That's pretty offensive.

[Skeptic7]

Yes...without any doubt. LOVES to pretend it isn't, but that is a big  

[Kalasin Jo]

On 10/28/2018 at 9:14 AM, canuckamuck said:

Thailand has a mosaic of human development.

 

First world:

Some of the medical care and facilities

Some of the transportation systems

Some of the manufacturing facilities

Shopping malls

Some films and commercials

Assets of some corporations

 

Second World (cold war soviet block style):

Military government

 

Third world (Banana republic Style):

Police

Judicial

Education

Agriculture

Safety

Tourism

Television

Science

Natural resource conservation

Prostitution

Average wage

 

Sums it up.

[Skeptic7]

On 10/28/2018 at 4:14 AM, canuckamuck said:

Thailand has a mosaic of human development.

 

First world:

Some of the medical care and facilities

Some of the transportation systems

Some of the manufacturing facilities

Shopping malls

Some films and commercials

Assets of some corporations

 

Second World (cold war soviet block style):

Military government

 

Third world (Banana republic Style):

Police

Judicial

Education

Agriculture

Safety

Tourism

Television

Science

Natural resource conservation

Prostitution

Average wage

 

Spot on. Anything that has Western touch, Western Tech or Western influence is 1st. Anything Thai is still 3rd. Typically Thai! But oh how they like to pretend and give lip service...

[Berkshire]

17 hours ago, canuckamuck said:

That's pretty offensive.

It's the Trumpian way...offend first, ask questions later.