Money clearly cannot buy happiness for Bangkokians, new study shows

[webfact]

Money clearly cannot buy happiness for Bangkokians, new study shows

By CHULARAT SAENGPASSA 
THE NATION 

 

File photo

 

FAMILIES living in Bangkok are the least happy despite having the highest average income compared to people living in other parts of the country, a recent study found.

 

Long, exhausting commuting hours, little communication among family members and pollution appear to be the most common killers of happiness in the capital. 

 

Elsewhere, financial problems are the main threat to happiness. 

 

On average, a Bangkok family earns about Bt29,300 per month – much higher than families in other provinces – but the level of well-being is the lowest. 

 

On a scale from 1 to 5, the well-being of families in Bangkok scores at just 3.59. In the Northeast, the average income per family stands at just about Bt10,800 a month, but their well-being score is 3.8, while families residing in the Central region (excluding Bangkok) earn Bt17,600 a month and enjoy a well-being score of 3.72. 

 

Families in the North earn about |Bt14,300 a month and score 3.74 on well-being charts, while those in the South appear to be the happiest, scoring 3.84 on the well-being scale and earning about Bt20,200 a month.

 

These findings, from the “Integrative Thai Family Study Based on Family Life Cycle”, were released this week and underline the importance of work-life balance. 

 

“They also remind relevant organisations that they should deliver help to people of certain age groups,” the project’s chief, Professor Rutja Phuphaibul said. 

 

She pointed out that elderly widows were the least happy, followed by children who had to live |with relatives because their parents had to be away for work. 

 

“Elderly people face the risk of going into depression and committing suicide. They need special attention,” Rutja added. 

She also recommends that parents spend more time with their children. 

 

Funded by the Thailand Research Fund and Mahidol University, the project studied family development, well-being and other related factors with the aim of helping pave the way for the introduction of measures to boost happiness and deliver better changes in |society.

 

The study used nine indicators to determine family happiness, namely relationships, roles and duties, economic situation, self-reliance, community cohesiveness, spiritual development, education, healthcare and sufficient living.

 

Economic situation won the lowest score, reflecting that most people generally need some form of financial help. 

 

“State welfare is still required,” she |said.

 

Also, she said, when categorised by family type, the happiness score generally drops among families that have babies or a relative above the age of 80. 

 

Asst Professor Bhubate Samutachak, a deputy director at the MU Institute for Population and Social Research, said wide age gaps in extended families also affected happiness. 

 

“When grandchildren become teenagers, they spend more time online, which further widens the gap,” she said.

 

Speaking on condition of anonymity, an official at Bangkok’s Pathumwan District Office said most people in his community were in desperate need of housing and financial support. 

 

“They want a monthly subsidy for the elderly, financial help for babies and funeral support,” he said. 

 

Assoc Professor Dr Jittinan Dachakutta, a co-researcher from Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University, said the study’s aim was to unveil the problems people have so relevant organisations can design appropriate help and support. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30362824

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-01-24

[Samui Bodoh]

"...Money clearly cannot buy happiness for Bangkokians, new study shows..."

 

Hmm...

 

I have rented much happiness in Bangkok; does that count?

 

 

 

[sanemax]

5 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

"...Money clearly cannot buy happiness for Bangkokians, new study shows..."

 

Hmm...

 

I have rented much happiness in Bangkok; does that count?

 

 

 

Are you talking about renting females ?

As thats usually short term happiness , but probably wouldnt count .

They seem to mean , long term happiness , rather than 30 minute happiness at night and another 30 minutes in the morning , if you chose the all night option 

[mok199]

Mabey its the air,or the endless traffic , or sharing the sidewalks with high speed scooters, or everyone walks around staring at their phone.etc etc

[mikebell]

So why is Prawit always smiling?

[Fex Bluse]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

FAMILIES living in Bangkok are the least happy despite having the highest average income compared to people living in other parts of the country, a recent study found.

Well, no surprise. Bangkok is a sprawling ugly dump of "city". In fact, it's more like a big, disorganized, polluted, chaotic village than a proper city. 

 

Nice cities have features that make them more livable - 

 

1. People who know how to walk on pavements properly 

 

2. Proper public transport 

 

3. Proper road infrastructure 

 

4. Cleanliness 

 

5. Parks 

 

6. Museums and other interesting cultural places 

 

7. Controlled or "zoned" building/construction 

 

Bangkok has ALMOST NOTHING that makes it livable. 

[richard_smith237]

6 minutes ago, Fex Bluse said:

Well, no surprise. Bangkok is a sprawling ugly dump of "city". In fact, it's more like a big, disorganized, polluted, chaotic village than a proper city. 

 

Nice cities have features that make them more livable - 

 

1. People who know how to walk on pavements properly 

 

2. Proper public transport 

 

3. Proper road infrastructure 

 

4. Cleanliness 

 

5. Parks 

 

6. Museums and other interesting cultural places 

 

7. Controlled or "zoned" building/construction 

 

Bangkok has ALMOST NOTHING that makes it livable. 

 

Where in Thailand has any of this?

[OneMoreFarang]

2 hours ago, sanemax said:

Are you talking about renting females ?

As thats usually short term happiness , but probably wouldnt count .

They seem to mean , long term happiness , rather than 30 minute happiness at night and another 30 minutes in the morning , if you chose the all night option 

The rest of the time you can think about all those 30 minutes you had already and the 30 minutes you still plan to have. And then there is the selection process which can also be a lot of fun.

[LazySlipper]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

“They want a monthly subsidy for the elderly, financial help for babies and funeral support,” he said. 

 

 

Aren't all those things already being taken by foolish falangs?

 

OHHH and the help for the babies... I cringe at that one. Instead of buying milk for the babies I am sure that the drunk Thai fathers will buy Sangsom for themselves...

[Fex Bluse]

46 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

Where in Thailand has any of this?

True, almost nowhere in Thailand. 

 

At least outside of Bangkok, you can (sometimes) find cleaner air, less noise pollution, most people are not (relatively) rushed and chasing money, cost of living is less even as a percentage of income. 

 

Life outside of Bangkok can be OK insomuch as it is easier in many ways.

 

I'm not saying anywhere in the country is great because there is no place that is consistently nice over a large area. Out of the rural communities, Thais still often don't know how to make things pleasant and tidy and use the beautiful nature in Thailand to enhance the surrounding spaces. For example, Thais are generally happy to live with mud and dirt around their properties rather than tend to a garden or grass lawn. It makes everything uglier than it should be. 

[Puchaiyank]

I avoid Bangkok like the plague.   Air pollution,  noise pollution,  people running amuck to get on public transportation,  too many vehicles everywhere,  high prices for everything...Bangkok has lost its luster as the go-to tourist destination.  Little wonder folks trapped inside the rat race are despondent. 

[fruitman]

1 hour ago, mok199 said:

Mabey its the air,or the endless traffic , or sharing the sidewalks with high speed scooters, or everyone walks around staring at their phone.etc etc

I know several in BKK who work/commute ONLY...they even rarely see their own family/children because of it....they leave 7 am and come home 21:00 pm every day......what a life.

[overherebc]

1 hour ago, Fex Bluse said:

Well, no surprise. Bangkok is a sprawling ugly dump of "city". In fact, it's more like a big, disorganized, polluted, chaotic village than a proper city. 

 

Nice cities have features that make them more livable - 

 

1. People who know how to walk on pavements properly 

 

2. Proper public transport 

 

3. Proper road infrastructure 

 

4. Cleanliness 

 

5. Parks 

 

6. Museums and other interesting cultural places 

 

7. Controlled or "zoned" building/construction 

 

Bangkok has ALMOST NOTHING that makes it livable. 

All of the above require planning, effort and maintenance.

[BritManToo]

3 hours ago, sanemax said:

They seem to mean , long term happiness , rather than 30 minute happiness at night and another 30 minutes in the morning , if you chose the all night option 

All life is misery, interspersed with the occasional 30 minutes of happiness.

[Ossy]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

In the Northeast, the average income per family stands at just about Bt10,800 a month, but their well-being score is 3.8,

With the all-pervading 'big-family' happiness in my Isan village, I'd be the first to vouch for the truth of these observations. Bangkok needs a lot of very serious attention before any 'normal' person could live happily there. An unplanned road network and resulting traffic chaos, streets remaining unswept for months (if not years), causing the city's heavier than average air quality would be more than enough to drive most people bonkers.

[fruitman]

12 minutes ago, Ossy said:

With the all-pervading 'big-family' happiness in my Isan village, I'd be the first to vouch for the truth of these observations. Bangkok needs a lot of very serious attention before any 'normal' person could live happily there. An unplanned road network and resulting traffic chaos, streets remaining unswept for months (if not years), causing the city's heavier than average air quality would be more than enough to drive most people bonkers.

How can they sweep streets/sidewalks when loads of tiles are missing/broken and there are holes everywhere....so people won't walk and burn fuel to go to their destination...

[Hayduke]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Money clearly cannot buy happiness....

 

Maybe not...but it sure gets you a much better quality of unhappiness.

 

[MaxLee]

Simple answer,.... rising cost of living in Bangkok

[metempsychotic]

2 hours ago, Fex Bluse said:

Well, no surprise. Bangkok is a sprawling ugly dump of "city". In fact, it's more like a big, disorganized, polluted, chaotic village than a proper city. 

 

Nice cities have features that make them more livable - 

 

1. People who know how to walk on pavements properly 

 

2. Proper public transport 

 

3. Proper road infrastructure 

 

4. Cleanliness 

 

5. Parks 

 

6. Museums and other interesting cultural places 

 

7. Controlled or "zoned" building/construction 

 

Bangkok has ALMOST NOTHING that makes it livable. 

i suspect you havent travelled much in asia, compared to cities like phnom penh, manila, jakarta, bangkok is a treat.

[Lupatria]

 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Funded by the Thailand Research Fund and Mahidol University,

Is it pure sarcasm to have ads like this in the TOC of the website?

Or are these a hint towards the research team, to consult an expert prior to their next study?

[baansgr]

Welcome to the real world LOS.....you had paradise but wanted more through greed, reap what you deserve.

[Stargeezr]

Smart phones and tablets are the causes that every one does not communicate well.

  This does not just apply to Thailand, but around the world. I have seen whole families at restaurants, all with their faces in their smart phones, while even the food on the table is getting cold, as they are so distracted, that they did not even see the food arrive at their table. I have seen people walk into posts and other objects because they were so intent on their phones, they did not watch where they were walking. Once the older generation dies off, the world sill be even more disfunctional. Technology is nice to have, but I believe it will continue to have a negative influence on a lot of the population in the world who get too addicted.

Geezer

[OneMoreFarang]

52 minutes ago, Ossy said:

With the all-pervading 'big-family' happiness in my Isan village, I'd be the first to vouch for the truth of these observations. Bangkok needs a lot of very serious attention before any 'normal' person could live happily there. An unplanned road network and resulting traffic chaos, streets remaining unswept for months (if not years), causing the city's heavier than average air quality would be more than enough to drive most people bonkers.

Sorry, that is a very one sided view.

I live since two decades in the middle of Bangkok and I still like it.

Whenever I have to go up country for a family event with my Thai girlfriend I almost count the hours before I can go back.

Yes, the air is better up country but that's about it.

The traffic in Bangkok is obviously bad but most of the time it's slow and less dangerous than the crazy driving outside town.

Big family happiness seems to be in many cases big drinking happiness - until someone gets too aggressive.

If you like it there enjoy, but please accept that lots of people are a lot happier in Bangkok.

[Stargeezr]

Even the richest person living in the 10 million plus population of Bangkok cannot do anything about the pollution, or the long commutes and stresses of life. This is bound to depress anyone who has to live in the smog each day. One thing that the rich can afford to do is have a property to escape to that is away from the pollution.

Geezer

[Ossy]

5 minutes ago, Stargrazer9889 said:

I have seen whole families at restaurants, all with their faces in their smart phones

Yes, Stargrazer . . . a sight that sickens me, too. Samsung may eventually claim to be the start of the road to the end of life as we knew it.

[Ossy]

9 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

but please accept that lots of people are a lot happier in Bangkok. 

Looking at the OP headline,

Money clearly cannot buy happiness for Bangkokians, new study shows

I ask 'Why not take it up with the writer of the thread?' My post was more an observation than a 'view' or opinion, but I return your wish for happiness in your chosen home.

[soalbundy]

2 hours ago, mikebell said:

So why is Prawit always smiling?

because the joke is on you

[soalbundy]

1 hour ago, BritManToo said:

All life is misery, interspersed with the occasional 30 minutes of happiness.

I think a lot of hi-so's would disagree. Life is pleasant if you can remain detached and just enjoy looking at the show, of course your mind and body are on the stage but if you remain with consciousness in the audience it's OK, the play will eventually end so nothing is that important.

[NCC1701A]

I have been rich and I have been poor and rich is better. 

 

actually that is not true. i have never been poor.

 

 

[klauskunkel]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Money clearly cannot buy happiness for Bangkokians, new study shows

That's just not true:

The junta is happy

Top officials are happy

Tycoons are happy

The Elite is happy

 

the rest don't count