The world is changing. How will Thailand react?

[malibukid]

On 3/14/2020 at 4:20 PM, AussieBob18 said:

Well said - and I wish more people knew the truth about China.  The reality is that under Clinton China was let into the world trade, because rich people and businesses and fianacial empires knew they could get rich.  They knew that things made there would be so much cheaper than in USA/Aus/UK/EU - it was all about profits and wealth.  That the western pollies allowed for decades Chine to get rich at our expense is an ef in disgrace.  I wont get too political but the election of both Trump and Johnson, and the growing move right, is in response to workers losing so many jobs and so many factories closing.  Make no mistake about - this virus 'escape' and being allowed to travel around the world, and keeping quiet about it, is just the sort of thing a communist country would do when it is losing.  And make no mistake - the Pollies that listen to the people and act against China are going to get supported - China must and should be put back in its place - and if Thailand keeps on their side - then Thailand goes down too.  There is another 'cold war' coming and the USA led west will win it again.  

i have often wondered if it came down to a choice for Thailand between the West and it's cousins to the north, who would it be? does the U.S. need Thailand as a buffer against Chinese territorial aggression in the region or has this argument become purely academic?

[Peterw42]

16 minutes ago, geisha said:

I think that very soon the only foreigners left in Thailand will be the retired expats and a smattering of foreign workers. The situation is very grave , and people will not be travelling anywhere for a while. 
There will be a reaction, hotels, restaurants catering to holiday makers will be empty, condo rentals and sales will stop, shops of all kinds will not have any customers. Plus, who knows what the situation will be with health care, hospitals etc ? A lot of Thais will loose their jobs, it’s all very sad. With no help from the government , how will the Thais manage ? In Europe we have all sorts of social care and help, and even people who are at home instead of at work will not have their salaries frozen. The reaction will not be good for normal Thais. 

The situation you describe will be for most countries, not just Thailand. At a certain point western governments wont be able to support huge populations on welfare or keep paying peoples wages. A lot of Asian countries that dont have a welfare system will probably do ok because they are used to not having a welfare safety net. They have been surviving without welfare for centuries. 

Edited March 15, 2020 by Peterw42

[malibukid]

7 hours ago, robertson468 said:

Thailand will struggle to cope, not because of the citizens, but because of the Government and the "Hi-sos" who try to prop up their positions through derogatory comments and attitudes, but in all honesty, due to their feeling of inferiority to foreigners who in the majority of cases are far better educated and have a broader understanding of the World and the World Population and are also prepared to learn from others and when they are wrong, are prepared to change their minds and admit they have made a mistake.  Sadly, many of the Politicians live in a little bubble of their own where their benefits are more important than the people they should be serving and believe that the population should be revering and serving them.  Even worse still, they do not realise that most people can see right through them hence have very little respect for them.  If it goes bad with the Coroner Virus, I worry that this could be the tipping point for the Thais who might react enmasse quite badly.  I hope not.

it's aint called the old crony virus for nothing

[johnray]

I still don't believe it came from a small village market.  

 

There are too many people in the world that could drop a virus on a country.  For example maybe if that country sided with Iran and then suddenly they get a contagious virus outbreak conveniently next to a lab.

Edited March 15, 2020 by johnray

[AussieBob18]

2 hours ago, malibukid said:

i have often wondered if it came down to a choice for Thailand between the West and it's cousins to the north, who would it be? does the U.S. need Thailand as a buffer against Chinese territorial aggression in the region or has this argument become purely academic?

If left to the Junta the choice would be China, but if left to the Thai people it would be 'the west'.   IMO it is more than just academic - there are geopolitical issues at many levels already under play - such as China claiming ownership of vast amounts of the China Sea and Nth Korea still testing rockets.  The 'soft' alliance between USA, Aus/NZ, Sth Korea, Japan, Singapore and Taiwan was always OK by Thailand - they never actually jumped on board. Going forward it is more that the western alliance would like Thailand to remain neutral I think - but at the moment Thailand is heading towards China and that concerns them a lot. 

[scubascuba3]

It feels like the end is nigh. 10s of Millions of job losses around the world, millions of companies will close. The financial side is bad enough then there's the health side, not enough ICU beds will be available anywhere. I hope scientists are working night and day to develop treatment, we can't wait a year for a vaccination

Edited March 15, 2020 by scubascuba3

[wasabi]

If we live through this it is unlikely China will remain an economic superpower so that may change their citizens interest in travel abroad and other countries favoring them for tourism. There has been an antagonistic relationship of necessity between the US/Europe and China where China provides the cheap labor and manufacturing while 'borrowing' intellectual property and engaging in labor practices the west conveniently ignores. I believe Globalism will grow very weak after the dust settles and nations will think hard about outsourcing so many critical resources. 

[Onrai]

On 3/14/2020 at 11:04 AM, khunpa said:

Thailand will react once a lot of people are infected here and their hospital system breaks down, as well as their economy. Clearly there is a very good chance of this.

 

When isolated, broke and with many sick people, how will Thais react towards us foreigners here? We all know that it comes natural for Thais to blame everybody else than themselves. We can also already now see clear signs from the government, that foreigners are the ones to blame for the virus. (except of course the Chinese)

If you want to glimpse a glimpse of panic and chaos take a look at what is happening in the USA right now. The richest, most developed country on earth is in a state of complete panic. My friend told me yesterday that his wife had to look 2 days to find toilet paper in Utah. The country is led by a president that would just as soon keep all foreigners out of the country. I don’t know what you’re experiences are in thailand but you can count your blessings that you are not in the USA during a pandemic. 

[Salerno]

18 hours ago, SCOTT FITZGERSLD said:

but if you have money, no problem. for example, owners of elite visa or investment visa

are exempt from 90 days reporting, TM30, ext.

Except they're not 

[Darkside Gray]

Move the circus to another town and paint the clowns faces again!

[5633572526]

On 3/14/2020 at 11:17 AM, Matzzon said:

No, most of the people will not blame you as a foreigner. That´s a very bad attitude to think like that. To me, that´s a bigger reason for You to be thrown out of Thailand.

“Dirty farang” mr.Anutin??

[geriatrickid]

16 hours ago, Peterw42 said:

The situation you describe will be for most countries, not just Thailand. At a certain point western governments wont be able to support huge populations on welfare or keep paying peoples wages. A lot of Asian countries that dont have a welfare system will probably do ok because they are used to not having a welfare safety net. They have been surviving without welfare for centuries. 

Many  important Asian countries do have a  "welfare" system; Hong Kong (as separate from china), Taiwan, South Korea, Singapore and Japan. Others rely on a different form of welfare. Thailand relies heavily on its subsidies that are attached to benefits; Transport Water and electricity rate subsidies for the poor, a support payment for those aged 60 and over and of course universal medical care, albeit not the best. Thailand also has some directed farming subsidies and loan schemes. Vietnam offers its citizens an old age pension, education subsidies, and  medical insurance.  Malaysia and Indonesia have their own variations.

Surely you can recall the uproar that has occurred when there has been talk of  reducing Thailand subsidies?

 

2 hours ago, Onrai said:

If you want to glimpse a glimpse of panic and chaos take a look at what is happening in the USA right now. The richest, most developed country on earth is in a state of complete panic. My friend told me yesterday that his wife had to look 2 days to find toilet paper in Utah. The country is led by a president that would just as soon keep all foreigners out of the country. I don’t know what you’re experiences are in thailand but you can count your blessings that you are not in the USA during a pandemic. 

True. There is a thread going about terrified people in the USA.  It was roundly denounced by some people living in their rural enclaves and trailer parks. When I provided some current examples including  that of parents dousing children with disinfectant, it angered some. Alot of people are in denial here and we are going to see many people die, some before their time.  Once ICUs fill up, there are no respirators and the dead bodies pile up people will panic. I do expect foreigners to be targeted.  Thailand has been slow to act and probably sealed its fate by its initial open door policy. The Thai people's refusal to embrace social distancing as a means of  blunting the immediate impact means that the population infection rate will soon pass 1% at which point social distancing will not  work  as it should. Mind you, some of the  foreigners cavalier lack of care about the  disease expressed in TVF makes Thais appear responsible in comparison.

 

 

[Matzzon]

4 hours ago, 5633572526 said:

“Dirty farang” mr.Anutin??

As your profile picture says, you can´t fix stupid. Neither can I.

[HaleySabai]

On 3/14/2020 at 12:33 PM, holy cow cm said:

We need to look at it one way and one way only. The Chinese made this in their lab and let the cork pop out of the bottle. It is their fault and they should be severely scolded for this.

According to the Chinese they figure it was Uncle Sam who covertly unleashed it in Wuhan during some kind of military competition in Nov.

....however, like nearly everything else, the Virus too DID come from China.

[gamesgplayemail]

Don't worry, Thai forget easy, within 3 months they won't even remember the word corronavirus.

 

 

[holy cow cm]

14 hours ago, HaleySabai said:

According to the Chinese they figure it was Uncle Sam who covertly unleashed it in Wuhan during some kind of military competition in Nov.

....however, like nearly everything else, the Virus too DID come from China.

Smoke and mirrors. But as I have heard one known authority in the USA who used to be top level but now they call a conspiracist, he says it was stolen from a Canadian lab by the Chinese and then taken to Wuhan, and Wuhan is widely know to deal with the biggest biological viruses where are. If the Chinese are saying this, then maybe its time to set a couple covert nukes and take their top echelon out. I really despise the Chinese government.,