ICT Minister Rants Against Foreigners

[SoMeOnEnUlL]

What I am worry is will we be able to use internet in thailand?!

[alexth]

At least if they were good importers, unfortunately they are not even good importers...let alone building a system

[bkkandrew]

Very good...

Is the ITC Minister the bloke or the horse??

[cdnvic]

Well, not the whole horse.....

[ThaiGoon]

I don't see this as xenophobia at all. The minister made a valid point. There's no point to be proud of other people's investions which this event was all about. He was encouraging Thais to develop more of their own technology so we won't have to be dependent on foreign technology too much. He made an excellent point reallly. He wasn't bashing foreigners. If there's any group of people he wanted to critize, it was Thais. We shouldn't have this false sense of pride. Any foreigners who got offended by this comment need to open their minds more.

[ThaiGoon]

The guys got a point, there aren't exactly many IT companies here producing anything, why not? I don't see it as xenephobic to want your country to actually be building high tech equipment rather than just importing it all.

Exactly.

[cdnvic]

The guys got a point, there aren't exactly many IT companies here producing anything, why not? I don't see it as xenephobic to want your country to actually be building high tech equipment rather than just importing it all.

Exactly.

But that comes from hard work, determination, and a strong work ethic, not by decrying it in others.

If Thailand wants to build their own hardware then they should do it, not whine that others are doing it better.

The world will never lower itself to your level, you need to catch up or shut up.

Edited February 21, 2007 by cdnvic

[ThaiGoon]

The guys got a point, there aren't exactly many IT companies here producing anything, why not? I don't see it as xenephobic to want your country to actually be building high tech equipment rather than just importing it all.

Exactly.

But that comes from hard work, determination, and a strong work ethic, not by decrying it in others.

If Thailand wants to build their own hardware then they should do it, not whine that others are doing it better.

The world will never lower itself to your level, you need to catch up or shut up.

He didn't whine that other countries are doing it. He whined that Thais were celebrating it as if it's their own. That's the whole point of the article. If any other farangs see it the way you do, they must have pretty low self esteem. The minister is clearly urging Thais to be more independent of foreign technololgy...not whining about it. And it's the right thing to do. We need to develop more of our own.

Go read his comments again, and try your best to comprehend it without any bias. Hope it's not over your head.

[Khun Bob]

Some very good computer games are entirely produced in Thailand (dont know what the are as it doesnt appleal to me).

Guess as has been pointed out elsewhere, investment in education and encouragement/incentives for Thailand based enterprise helps. Seems many thais who do well in Thailand have had a foreign education - some of them never come back. Malaysia and India have programs to repatriate well qualified nationals - some well qualified people in india and malaysia just want to get out of there.

Funny I just got a seagate hard drive and for the first time on the static bag there was a massive sticker saying made in Thailand. Before it was just printed on the case.

The Thai University I almost worked at had some fairly basic research going. When I started to talk about new research areas, the thai staff just turned off - but maybe thats because of me ! Still they ade it clear they wanted all my knowledge but wanted to give me all the sh1t jobs - lasted a day and a half, then was on permanent sick leave for the rest of the year !

Edited February 21, 2007 by Khun Bob

[cdnvic]

Hope it's not over your head.

[ThaiGoon]

[weary]

The guys got a point, there aren't exactly many IT companies here producing anything, why not? I don't see it as xenephobic to want your country to actually be building high tech equipment rather than just importing it all.

Exactly.

But that comes from hard work, determination, and a strong work ethic, not by decrying it in others.

If Thailand wants to build their own hardware then they should do it, not whine that others are doing it better.

The world will never lower itself to your level, you need to catch up or shut up.

He didn't whine that other countries are doing it. He whined that Thais were celebrating it as if it's their own. That's the whole point of the article. If any other farangs see it the way you do, they must have pretty low self esteem. The minister is clearly urging Thais to be more independent of foreign technololgy...not whining about it. And it's the right thing to do. We need to develop more of our own.

Go read his comments again, and try your best to comprehend it without any bias. Hope it's not over your head.

I have to agree. The article does not say there is anything wrong with foreigners, it states that Thais should start producing high technology themselves.

He also states that a lot of the money goes to foreign interests - which is true, too. It's not the foreigners' fault and nothing in article says so.

He really wants Thailand to get off its arse. How is that a bad thing, or xenophobic? He could be more constructive in suggesting how to go about it though.

Edited February 22, 2007 by weary

[alexth]

This sounds like a north european minster complaining that they can't grow bananas in their country...I think he misses the basics of international economy...a nation can not have them all under their roof, it's a principle of the importing and exporting business, that's why is there

[weary]

Sure, there are structural explanations as to why Thailand is not at the forefront of developing technology - but from there it does not follow that they could not get there with constructive effort. Others have.

[Jai Dee]

A request to mods, I do think this thread, or at least the quote should feature in the News section, since this statement of policy {attitude} from a government minister deserves the widest audience.

Regards

/Moved.

[Scott]

One can look at this any way you want, but the bottom line seems to be that foreign is bad and Thai is good. If it isn't created in Thailand it's bad. Best he keep his mouth shut.

This has more to do with nationalistic clap-trap than anything else.

[jayjayjayjay]

The guys got a point, there aren't exactly many IT companies here producing anything, why not? I don't see it as xenephobic to want your country to actually be building high tech equipment rather than just importing it all.

I know that AMD and some of the hard drive guys build stuff here, and Nikon etc... but there don't seem to be ANY home name brands of anything available except food.

For example you would think that somewhere that buys the most pickup trucks per capita, taxes imports heavily and builds millions of them a year would have a Thai brand, like Malaysia, Korea and just about every other country in the world has.

I believe the original... the real original Hercules Graphics card was designed by a Thai!!

"The Hecules was developed in 1982 by Van Suwannukul, founder of Hercules Computer Technology. The system was created by Suwannukul initially so that he could work on his doctoral thesis on an IBM PC using the Thai alphabet (his native language)."

So what happened next??????

[Prakanong]

Well Seagate are building a lot more facilities in Singapore now and not in Thailand.

If Thailand are going to produce the high quality innovative goods he talks about they better overhaul the education system and hold their breath for 20-30 years.

They need to look at what India has done and look at the Institutes of Technology there as well a sending hordes of engineers to say India, Europe and the USa to get their PHd's now so they can enter these markets.

I do not want to get told off for "Thai Bashing" but seriously - these statements are ridiculous by the ICT Minister - what are his qualifications anyway?

I am in Bangalore in a couple of weeks time visiting our offshore facility there as well as WIPRO - there will be more highly qualified people doing innovative work in just those two facilities than the whole of Thailand I bet - that says a lot.

[ding]

i like!

[ThaiGoon]

Well Seagate are building a lot more facilities in Singapore now and not in Thailand.

If Thailand are going to produce the high quality innovative goods he talks about they better overhaul the education system and hold their breath for 20-30 years.

They need to look at what India has done and look at the Institutes of Technology there as well a sending hordes of engineers to say India, Europe and the USa to get their PHd's now so they can enter these markets.

I do not want to get told off for "Thai Bashing" but seriously - these statements are ridiculous by the ICT Minister - what are his qualifications anyway?

I am in Bangalore in a couple of weeks time visiting our offshore facility there as well as WIPRO - there will be more highly qualified people doing innovative work in just those two facilities than the whole of Thailand I bet - that says a lot.

That's why the minister is urging for the changes. When he (and Thailand) does try to push for the development of our own technology, a slew of know-it-all holier-than-thou farnags all come out in force to stupidly decry and spin it that it's xenophobic.

When Thailand does nothing, she gets mocked for being backwards, third world etc. When she does want to improve, she's slated for being xenophobic. Go figure.

[Sing_Sling]

That's why the minister is urging for the changes. When he (and Thailand) does try to push for the development of our own technology, a slew of know-it-all holier-than-thou farnags all come out in force to stupidly decry and spin it that it's xenophobic.

When Thailand does nothing, she gets mocked for being backwards, third world etc. When she does want to improve, she's slated for being xenophobic. Go figure.

Do you really think the minister, or any government, is at all concerned with a bunch of foreigners living in their country and their views?! Hardly.

[ThaiGoon]

I guess the only way Thailand would do anything right in the eyes of these pompous farangs is to keep depending on their technology forever (i.e keep being their economic slaves.) Of course, if Thailand failed, it would be even better. Why would you not be thrilled to see 50 bath per dollar exchange rate, right? Who wouldn't like having cheap beers and cheap prostitutes while laughing your asses off at their backwardness at the same time?

[ThaiGoon]

Do you really think the minister, or any government, is at all concerned with a bunch of foreigners living in their country and their views?! Hardly.

No I don't. But it's nice to have smacked their stupidity and hypocrisy back in their face.

[Scott]

Thaigoon: Not all of us are trying to mock the country--indeed many, if not most, want the country to do well. Many of us live here and when the country does well, so do we.

The thing that many people and especially gov'ts need to understand is that there aren't a lot of short cuts to success. I work at a school and when they were starting the Mathyom program the owner/director said that she wasn't going to include science in the curriculum. She wanted Technology, but not science. When asked why, she stated that "there isn't any money in science and nobody needs it....you just need technology."

This is from a well-educated, experienced administrator. Fortunately, the Ministry of Education didn't agree with such a program.

Some of the money that is endlessly wasted on corruption and corrupt projects that are not much more than a conduit for rich people to get richer needs to be put in research and development of products.

Less breaking of copyright laws and patents would be good as well. Maybe invent/discover a few new drugs and get a real piece of the action.

Basically, re-inventing the wheel is not inventing.

[Prakanong]

Well Seagate are building a lot more facilities in Singapore now and not in Thailand.

If Thailand are going to produce the high quality innovative goods he talks about they better overhaul the education system and hold their breath for 20-30 years.

They need to look at what India has done and look at the Institutes of Technology there as well a sending hordes of engineers to say India, Europe and the USa to get their PHd's now so they can enter these markets.

I do not want to get told off for "Thai Bashing" but seriously - these statements are ridiculous by the ICT Minister - what are his qualifications anyway?

I am in Bangalore in a couple of weeks time visiting our offshore facility there as well as WIPRO - there will be more highly qualified people doing innovative work in just those two facilities than the whole of Thailand I bet - that says a lot.

That's why the minister is urging for the changes. When he (and Thailand) does try to push for the development of our own technology, a slew of know-it-all holier-than-thou farnags all come out in force to stupidly decry and spin it that it's xenophobic.

When Thailand does nothing, she gets mocked for being backwards, third world etc. When she does want to improve, she's slated for being xenophobic. Go figure.

Urging changes???

They need to make the changes happen and not talk about foreign being bad - if there is no Thai alternative what are people going to do?

Start with the education system like I say - it will take years though but in the meantime educate the best and brightest overseas and stop the corrupt practices now.

They need to have transparency and rule of law to attract more investment - together with anything else that makes Thailand a more attractive investment environment.

Making it easier for foreign talent to enter the country for skills and technology transfer might also be a good start. As we keep bangin on about Singapore just look at how easy it is to get Employment Passes and even PR for skilled foreign talent in area's they have deemed priority. Singapore has stated it wants another 2 million people.

Lower taxes both for individuals and companies should be looked at. I could have had my position moved from Singapore to Bangkok if I really wanted to but I take more money home in Singapore and its just so easy to live here - Thailand has made improvements in area's such as transport since I worked there in 99 but ther is still a long way to go in many other area's.

OK it can be easy to "Bash" Thailand for some but ministers like this do not help themselves - they shoul get off their fat <deleted> and do something instead of channeling everything into the negative.

[ThaiGoon]

Please read the article. He didn't say that foreign was bad. He said "It is sad that today we cannot find any Thai products...To be truly proud, it should show technology that has been developed by Thais." and that wasting money on it isn't right. All valid and logical points. Where did he say or even suggest that "foreign's bad"?

[Prakanong]

Please read the article. He didn't say that foreign was bad. He said "It is sad that today we cannot find any Thai products...To be truly proud, it should show technology that has been developed by Thais." and that wasting money on it isn't right. All valid and logical points. Where did he say or even suggest that "foreign's bad"?

Where was his mobile phone made and developed together with its component parts such as chip design and software - why is he wasting money on it?

Until the Thai govt takes responsibility for development they can not expect people to listen to the crap they spout.

China started off just as a low cost manufacturing / assembly economy but that is changing now - Thailand had the chance to do the same if investments were made in education and the rich elite did not cream off everything.

Telling Thai's to invent and innovate when they do not have the basic tools (education in numbers as well as rule oflaw and no corruption) is rather silly.

Instead of buying satelites back they do not need open up a Institute of Technology and pay the best salary's for people to educate Thai people there - just look at Singapore attracting some of the best Bio-Tech people with the research facilities.

When Thailand has a centre such as the GE Jack Welch Centre in Bangalore which filed for 93 patens from 200-2003 the Minister should think before he speaks

[Prakanong]

I guess the only way Thailand would do anything right in the eyes of these pompous farangs is to keep depending on their technology forever (i.e keep being their economic slaves.) Of course, if Thailand failed, it would be even better. Why would you not be thrilled to see 50 bath per dollar exchange rate, right? Who wouldn't like having cheap beers and cheap prostitutes while laughing your asses off at their backwardness at the same time?

Ok then - what should Thailand do to make itself a high technology economy producing its own inovative ind self invented products.

You rightly rant against total negativity but what are your own prescriptions for Thailand becoming another Malaysia, Singapore or India?

What will it take for Thailand to produce a company like WIPRO, INFOSYS or Creative?

Edited February 22, 2007 by Prakanong

[ThaiGoon]

All you said about the need to improve educational system is all true and nice, but it's not the point of this thread by the OP. The OP claimed that the minister is being "anti-foreigner" which he isn't. The minister also didn't ask Thais to stop buying foreign products altogether. He just said that this exhibition would just urge Thais to be more wasteful. The whole thing is being taken out of context.

[Mobi]

Please read the article. He didn't say that foreign was bad. He said "It is sad that today we cannot find any Thai products...To be truly proud, it should show technology that has been developed by Thais." and that wasting money on it isn't right. All valid and logical points. Where did he say or even suggest that "foreign's bad"?

ThaiGoon, you are right.

The first time I read the article, I was as outraged as the OP.

Now, having read your posts, and re- read the article, I completely agree with what you have said.

It is becoming clear that we farangs, and also many Thais are coming into these debates with preconcieved notions and prejudices about what we think of each other - especially after recent happenings in the country.

It would do all of us well to take a long deep breath before debating these matters so that the farangs don't automatically assuming that every Thai is a racist, and that Thais assume every foreigner is just here to rape and pillage.