What's the situation in Isaan?

[Beechboy]

Re: Virus. I've just had a friend call (long call) me from Surin he tells me that everything from factories to shops are closing down and people are left with no source of income.

 

Although I visit Thailand yearly for a couple of months in the depths of the UK winter I have no knowledge of any social security system in Thailand, except that it is frail.

 

Is my friend (a bit of a panic merchant) exaggerating?

 

I have no particular connection with this part of Thailand, apart from the occasional visit and the people there are very friendly in my experience.

 

Can anybody enlighten me on these matters.

 

I am also growing increasingly aware of this government's disdain for genuine  democracy and the population in general, from what I read on ThaiVisa.

 

Does anyone feel that this will lead to general unrest or have I been fed with false doommongering?

 

Thanks.

[NCC1701A]

you cant really talk about this here but viruses have been the cause of the fall of governments for 1000's of years.

 

people on this forum are very slow to wake up to what is happening, the fallout has always been economic. 

 

 

 

[CGW]

12 minutes ago, Beechboy said:

I've just had a friend call (long call) me from Surin he tells me that everything from factories to shops are closing down and people are left with no source of income.

Surin has never been renowned for industry in Thailand, it's too far away from the "market" to be competitive, what factories have shut down, probably more likely to the strong Baht if true. Drought is more likely the reason for shops etc shutting down, more so than the "virus" - that will come later! 

[TooBigToFit]

I was up in Surin earlier this week. It seemed normal to me there. The people losing jobs there were losing them in places like Rayong or Chonburi but not locally. Then again, what is there locally in most areas there besides working for the local government or in some smaller businesses. I didn't hear anything about the virus up that way other than through a Thai post online which mentioned some people connected to the base there was being checked. I don't think there are any serious issues up in Esarn. It's as poor as usual and hotter than hell this year. I think we will break a record in heat this Thai summer.

 

As for the viruses impact on Thailand, it adds in to the general unhappiness. Thailand's people really have flipped in the past year against this regime. Even some of the people who put the regime in power are against it now. The young people are rejecting the brainwashing from high school and at universities. There's also been a shift in those in the civil service I think. Young people know what democracy is and see the world outside Thailand clearer than ever. And I think a lot of the older people who now have social media also are changed because they are forced on the Internet and through International TV like Netflixs to see, read, and consider some facts and ideas that pop up in their faces they never would have encountered in the past through media in Thailand.

[Orton Rd]

15 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

you cant really talk about this here but viruses have been the cause of the fall of governments for 1000's of years.

 

people on this forum are very slow to wake up to what is happening, the fallout has always been economic. 

 

 

 

If Henry the 7th son prince Arthur had not died of a virus his widow Catherine of Aragon would not have married Henry 8th, he would not have wanted to divorce her and England would probably still be a catholic country, all from a virus they called the sweating sickness.

[NCC1701A]

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-51796812

 

good overview of whats happen from outside of Thailand. the trickle down or up effect is being felt everywhere now. 

the Chinese exodus started after jan 23. so about now people are feeling it.

 

still no overwhelmed hospitals here yet.

Edited March 13, 2020 by NCC1701A

[NCC1701A]

16 minutes ago, TooBigToFit said:

the Internet and through International TV like Netflixs to see, read, and consider some facts and ideas that pop up in their faces they never would have encountered in the past through media in Thailand.

yes Netflix is having a big impact on Thais because it is cheap and there is so much Thai subtitles now. I was watching a movie on Netflix and farang kids were being typically disrespectful to their parents like kids are in the west and my girlfriend asked me "is this real or just in movie?" Zombies she can accept, but western culture is hard to believe. there are so many examples and the Thais take all this stuff to heart, good and bad.   

Edited March 13, 2020 by NCC1701A

[TooBigToFit]

18 minutes ago, Orton Rd said:

If Henry the 7th son prince Arthur had not died of a virus his widow Catherine of Aragon would not have married Henry 8th, he would not have wanted to divorce her and England would probably still be a catholic country, all from a virus they called the sweating sickness.

People around the world silently pray for many of their leaders to go 'viral' and disappear. It's not just Thailand.

[KhunBENQ]

 

1 hour ago, Beechboy said:

Is my friend (a bit of a panic merchant) exaggerating?

Can't talk about Surin but here in the center of Isan I don't feel much panic.

The most exciting event was fever check at MAKRO entrance gate.

Don't forget that there is not much industry, big factories to close down in most parts of Isan.

Fellow villagers make brooms, plow/water the fields, sell some stuff at the mom&pop shops etc.

In the towns they do their daily business in workshops, supermarkets etc.

Close to zero masks here.

 

But of course with the economic downturn, near collapsing tourism many will come home lying in the hammock.

1 hour ago, Beechboy said:

Does anyone feel that this will lead to general unrest or have I been fed with false doommongering?

People here are too disaffected and afraid of army fire power.

But I heard loud prayers for the exceptionally incompetent government to be toppled.

Edited March 13, 2020 by KhunBENQ

[baansgr]

Factories, shops, restaurants, tourist attractions are closing down on a massive scale due to limited tourists and declining exports...although Surin rice production would be the only local fall, most of the above industries are staffed by transient workers from that area and Issan, hence impacting on local families in a big way....no money sent home for brother somchai to pay for his pick up etc

[Puchaiyank]

Still searching the rice fields for rice bugs, rice fed rats, and fishing for mud fish.  Gather their herbs and salad along the road while walking home.

 

Life is good and unchanged for centuries.

[soalbundy]

I live just outside of Surin city, nothing different, where I am, a small market town, I haven't seen one person wearing a mask. My Step daughter drove into Surin to buy spare parts for her husbands business, all is running normally so your friend is a panic diva. Corona has brought out the herd panic mentality, lot of lemmings jumping of a cliff.

[Brunolem]

Here in Sisaket, next to Surin, people are afraid of another virus: the dengue fever!

 

I have yet to see people coming back from the big cities after losing their job, but it will happen, at the worst possible time, when there is no water left because of the ongoing drought...

 

Very hard times are coming for Thailand...and the rest of the world.

 

Right now, we are just in the phase when the seawater recedes...before the tsunami...

 

[Asquith Production]

Here in Mahasarakham business pretty normal here certainly no panic. We are a college town and most of the students are wearing standard masks.  Maybe a little quieter in the main shopping moll.

[Russell17au]

I do not think it is specifically Surin that your friend is talking about but the whole of Thailand. Yes, there are factories closing because of a couple of reasons, 1: they cannot obtain the raw materials from China. 2: They cannot compete on the world market because the products are too dear owing to the strength of the Baht. The main thing with the small shops closing is because there are no tourists coming to Thailand because of the strength of the Baht and because of the increase of locals that have no income. Some of this has been caused by the drought with the reduced harvest of rice. Because there is no social security system as we westerners know it, I personally feel that if the young people get desperate for money you could see an increase in robbery type crimes and some of that could be directed at the "rich" (in the eyes of the Thai's) farangs. My advise to everyone is to be vigilant about you surroundings at all times and do not flash money around in the open. I do know several farang that carry a lot of cash and they just pull it out of their pocket in full view of everyone as if to say "look at all the cash that I have and I always carry a lot in my pocket" which to me is an open invitation to be robbed and maybe violently robbed.

[Isaanbiker]

There are not many factories in Isaan, a lot of them are in Rayong/ east coast. 

 

The most workers seem to be from Isaan, considering the low pay.

 

 I'm in Sisaket, 100 km away from Surin and the shops are open as usual.

 

And of course the shops that close down are the ones who tried to copy the already existing ones.

 

   

Edited March 14, 2020 by Isaanbiker

[JetSetFvr]

My Ladyfriend is a school teacher in Issan. She says nothing is closed, schools are in session and everything is normal.  Tell your friend he doesn't know what he's talking about and to relax. 

[KhaoYai]

20 hours ago, Beechboy said:

I am also growing increasingly aware of this government's disdain for genuine  democracy and the population in general, from what I read on ThaiVisa.

 

Does anyone feel that this will lead to general unrest or have I been fed with false doommongering?

Firstly, Thailand has never had a real democracy - that involves far more than simply being able to vote.

 

Dis-satisfaction with the government occurrs in all countries, Thailand being no exception. However, I have never heard Thai's complain about any previous government as much as they do about this one - it seems universal whether it be from farmers or businessmen. Whether they will do anything about it or not is a different matter. Remember, they are a nation that are taught from birth, to accept their lot.

 

Indeed, without major 'unrest' there is actually very little the Thai population can do to change their government.  They are only just waking up to the fact that they were screwed over by the new consitution that they 'voted' for in the referendum of August 2016. If you don't know anything about the constitution, the component within it that is most problematic is that no matter what the result of any future elections are, the Senate has to approve the election result. And who appoints the members of the 250 strong Senate? The military do.

 

It is hardly surprising then, that the Army could make a promise that there would be no more coups - they don't need them. Unless there is another change in the constitution, effectively, the military are in permanent control.

 

You may have read that the Thai courts recently disolved the Future Forward Party - totally ignoring the 6 million votes they received in the general election (some say that the real vote was far higher than that) and drawing criticism from governments around the world. I can't imagine a situation in western democracies where the electorate would accept that but given the new constitution, what options are open to the Thai people?

 

So, as for unrest - who knows? But its difficult to see how the constitution can be changed again without major unrest.

 

The army know where their major opponents are and to that end have been feeding Isaan with 'titbits' in the form of new roads and railway lines to try to keep them quiet. However, in recent weeks there have been growing anti government protests in Bangkok which is interesting but you can be sure that if these develop into anything that really worries the government, they will be firmly put down.

 

This article by Jonathan Head of the BBC gives a good account of the effects of the new constitution.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-37013950

Edited March 14, 2020 by KhaoYai

[Isaan sailor]

The quasi military government has never been a favorite of Isaan people.

[CGW]

1 hour ago, Isaanbiker said:

There are not many factories in Isaan, a lot of them are in Rayong/ east coast. 

Exactly, not a lot of point building factories 500 km from the nearest port!

[KhaoYai]

15 minutes ago, CGW said:

Exactly, not a lot of point building factories 500 km from the nearest port!

You presume that all factories produce goods for export.  In fact there are lots of factories in Isaan - do your homework.

[KhaoYai]

1 hour ago, Isaanbiker said:

There are not many factories in Isaan, a lot of them are in Rayong/ east coast. 

There are more than you think - have a look around Korat. Not enough though.

[CGW]

2 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

You presume that all factories produce goods for export.  In fact there are lots of factories in Isaan - do your homework.

Obviously you are more knowledgeable than I, where and what are all these factories producing? I realise there are indeed some factories producing for the local market but any factory of any substance tends towards the eastern seaboard due to the port and tax breaks - least that's what I understood, waiting to be corrected.

Thank you ???? 

[cooked]

https://infographics.channelnewsasia.com/covid-19/map.html?fbclid=IwAR0FqfAm6CyQTTIYmBdBZ5AKnkt_c5m6Tg-pstdrYZ0M603dcDSk95A4zmc

Not sure as to the reliability of this map but it does get updated regularly.

https://covidtracker.5lab.co/?fbclid=IwAR1bAH4qDAZtWkdh2MVwAiFmow9lAtRFg78vPSZKr76__ezADDlBNwYHTyk

is useful also.

[Brunolem]

39 minutes ago, KhaoYai said:

There are more than you think - have a look around Korat. Not enough though.

Korat is not the best example.

 

It is the second largest city of Thailand, and the closest to Bangkok, with multiple ways of communication between both cities.

 

Korat is the door to Isaan, but is not representative of Isaan at large.

 

In the rest of Isaan, there is no industrial activity to speak of, which is why all the young people looking for a decent job have to go to Bangkok or the Eastern seaboard.

 

[khwaibah]

In my part of Isaan; Kap Choeng/Surin, more worried about running out of ice, Leo and lao khao AND no rain sense September last.

[khwaibah]

4 minutes ago, Brunolem said:

n the rest of Isaan, there is no industrial activity to speak of, which is why all the young people looking for a decent job have to go to Bangkok or the Eastern seaboard.

 

In Kap Choeng about 1 km from Surin Immigration on the 214 highway there is a factory that makes wiring harness for Toyota. Opened in 2012 employee 100 locals. Up the road on the 214 halfway between Prasat and Surin there is the Hanes Garment factory that employee about 500. These may not be big but these are open.

[emptypockets]

20 hours ago, Puchaiyank said:

Still searching the rice fields for rice bugs, rice fed rats, and fishing for mud fish.  Gather their herbs and salad along the road while walking home.

 

Life is good and unchanged for centuries.

Which part of the USA do they do that?

[emptypockets]

Obviously few posters live in or near Surin.

Nothing has changed and life goes on. All the shops are open, Thai Watsadu, Big C , Makro etc etc.

Yes op , you have been fed bs.

[marin]

22 hours ago, Beechboy said:

Although I visit Thailand yearly for a couple of months in the depths of the UK winter I have no knowledge of any social security system in Thailand, except that it is frail.

 

Its better and higher ranked than the USA, you can get free medical as a Thai and very fair treatment in government hospitals.   Of course its a worry, and we shall see what happens at Songkran when all the Isaan folk who still have a job in Bangkok go home. Will they bring the virus with them and really get it going?