What would it actually take to elevate Thailand?

[StandardIssue]

There biggest move so far was legalizing weed and eatables. But that only served to attract high flying THC addicts .. it did not send Thailand flying high. In fact it lowered it a peg or two in attracting a whole new class of hang abouts and lazy do nothings.

[scubascuba3]

8 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Maybe he doesn't like to see 5 year olds drowning in village ponds every year.. 

 

MoPH: From 2014 to 2023, Thailand reported 36,503 drowning deaths, with 6,693 of these being children under 15 - drowning is the leading cause of death in Children.

 

Road fatalities is another major issue.

 

Some people care about Thailand and these issues... 'sodding' off to Japan or South Korea won't help solve needless deaths - the Ops discussion point is valid.

 

Access to drinking water is another valid point.

Another facet to this discussion is basic human rights standards... 

Ironically, The United Nations General Assembly has periodically voted on resolutions affirming the right to food as a basic human right. In these votes, the United States and Israel have consistently opposed such resolutions.

 

 

Freedom House's "Freedom in the World 2024" report categorises Thailand as "Partly Free," assigning a score of 36 out of 100. 

As a comparison: 

... France: 89 / Free

... United Kingdom: 93 / Free

... United States: 83 / Free

... Malaysia: 53 / Partly Free

... Thailand: 36 / Partly Free

... Cambodia: 23 / Not Free

... Vietnam: 19 / Not Free

... Myanmar: 8 / Not Free

 

While clearly not as poor on the human rights scale as other neighbouring countries, this shows how much room for improvement there is... 

 

So, while the mongers may consider development not ideal for themselves, fearing 'access to cheap sex and happy endings' may diminish, the reality is that its better for the Thai's....   and that can only be a good thing for them.

If Thailand becomes like Japan and South Korea maybe they'll turf out the farang as they are no longer required. Also the Thai ladies won't require elderly farang, lets call it redundancy 

[Sierra Tango]

8 hours ago, josephbloggs said:

Oh dear. But you said "The Thai couples, anecdotedly, had big morgatges, you know, the 30 year, sell your soul to the devil / bank type yet, talking to many of them over the years we lived there, it was all for show, to save face for family, to appear better off than even their brothers or sisters and definitely the people that they worked with."

So yes, you had some deep meaningful conversations to know that they bought houses to save face, to appear better off than their brothers and sisters etc. So you did have those conversations, right? About the reason for buying their house? And they told you they sold their soul to appear better than then brothers and sisters.

Ludicrous.

And, as someone else has already replied, a 30 year mortgage is unusual?

No it is not.

[save the frogs]

20 hours ago, NorthernRyland said:

I concure.

I was going to say that's the downside of development anywhere in the world.

 

[richard_smith237]

13 hours ago, Sierra Tango said:

Do you actually care about Thailand's welfare or is this just an I am God, I am great and I know better post?

12 hours ago, Sierra Tango said:

No, no nerves struck Ricky, You really do present your self as a know it all knob. Any gay inferences as a put down, by your self, may also present an inferiorority complex on your side darling.

11 hours ago, Sierra Tango said:

What is with the "wow" you <deleted> retard?

10 hours ago, Sierra Tango said:

And you, kind sir, may have a think about how you may avoid making such rediculous assertions upon someone that you have never met or are most unlikely to ever meet. (Note to self,. File under Least likely to succeed Gelded Cretin.)

 

 

Sierra Tango winning hearts and minds !!...     within 115 posts, this keyboard warrior really is outed himself as a fragile halfwit incapable of holding any discussion that doesn't fit his comments....

 

ST - do you really plan on insulting the whole forum when they don't agree with your out of touch, dated comments ?

 

Sierra Tango - ST - Short time ??? - is what really concerns you and you are so locked into the idea that Thailand doesn't develop so that when you return to Thailand you can once gain 'get some'...   Must be tough being a miserable old boomer Germany without any options....

 

 

 

 

 

[Sierra Tango]

6 minutes ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

 

Sierra Tango winning hearts and minds !!...     within 115 posts, this keyboard warrior really is outed himself as a fragile halfwit incapable of holding any discussion that doesn't fit his comments....

 

ST - do you really plan on insulting the whole forum when they don't agree with your out of touch, dated comments ?

 

Sierra Tango - ST - Short time ??? - is what really concerns you and you are so locked into the idea that Thailand doesn't develop so that when you return to Thailand you can once gain 'get some'...   Must be tough being a miserable old boomer Germany without any options....

 

 

 

 

 

Fortunately Richard you do not know me or my circumstances so you can summise all you like. Obviously, with your 35.3k posts you lead a very closeted life. Fragile halfwit, boomer germany? You should really consider seeking help.

Have a nice day.

[BangkokReady]

13 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Are you suggesting that all the Thai's you have spoken to would not like....

 

- Access to better education

- Free access to potable water

- Improved Safety standards (generally and road safety)

- Reduction in Corruption

- Improved social Mobility

- Social Welfare Systems in place

etc, etc... 

 

It's quite interesting to consider how Thais would really feel about the above.  I suspect that actually many would not want some of these, since rights typically come with responsibilities.  (Or perhaps they might want them for others but not for themselves.)

 

Improved education would mean no more no-fail, and a lot more hard work for some (and possibly others leaving school with no qualifications).  Improved safety means a lot of fines or lost licences, with a huge learning curve.  Reduction in corruption would mean the corruption that most people enjoy every day would have to go.  Add the rest, and it would likely mean a lot higher taxes, higher prices, and less fun overall.

[richard_smith237]

24 minutes ago, BangkokReady said:

 

It's quite interesting to consider how Thais would really feel about the above.  I suspect that actually many would not want some of these, since rights typically come with responsibilities.  (Or perhaps they might want them for others but not for themselves.)

 

Improved education would mean no more no-fail, and a lot more hard work for some (and possibly others leaving school with no qualifications).  Improved safety means a lot of fines or lost licences, with a huge learning curve.  Reduction in corruption would mean the corruption that most people enjoy every day would have to go.  Add the rest, and it would likely mean a lot higher taxes, higher prices, and less fun overall.

Possibly - all of the above comments seem  logical from the perspective of a Thai who is poorly educated & may not know any better…

 

Most of my exposure here is with well educated Thai’s of a similar socio-economic-educational demographic….  
 

I find their opinions on many matters mirror my own rather closely - but I’ll concede that there is a significant proportion of the population who are innocently ignorant of what they are missing or may not even want that - the areas of development I listed might impact the ‘happy go lucky vibe’ of Thailand many of us welcome.

 

That said - I still see so much needless death & injury due to poor safety (roads & drowning etc)….   This is one aspect I would like to see improved above all else. 

[Krillin]

I look forward to the day when known foreign child-molesters, drug-dealers, sexual assaulters, and the severely mentally ill are not allowed to enter into Thailand. 

[rabang]

Western countries, Japan and South Korea became developed countries by mass industrialisation. Thailand might not be able to repeat that in a post-modern world of robotics and AI. They would need to raise the general education level a lot and I can't see that happening so the most likely result is the middle income trap.

[NanLaew]

On 4/10/2025 at 3:41 PM, richard_smith237 said:

 

Are you suggesting that all the Thai's you have spoken to would not like....

 

- Access to better education

- Free access to potable water

- Improved Safety standards (generally and road safety)

- Reduction in Corruption

- Improved social Mobility

- Social Welfare Systems in place

etc, etc... 

 

 

 

Of course they'd like it, but probably not as much as farangs think they should.

[NanLaew]

On 4/11/2025 at 5:50 AM, richard_smith237 said:

Possibly - all of the above comments seem  logical from the perspective of a Thai who is poorly educated & may not know any better…

 

Most of my exposure here is with well educated Thai’s of a similar socio-economic-educational demographic….  
 

I find their opinions on many matters mirror my own rather closely - but I’ll concede that there is a significant proportion of the population who are innocently ignorant of what they are missing or may not even want that - the areas of development I listed might impact the ‘happy go lucky vibe’ of Thailand many of us welcome.

 

That said - I still see so much needless death & injury due to poor safety (roads & drowning etc)….   This is one aspect I would like to see improved above all else. 

 

Of course your better educated Thai friends may just be being polite and don't want to cause offense and are just parroting your thoughts and opinions?

 

Maybe they don't like the idea of a non-Thai banging on about the need to change but prefer to be non-confrontational as that in itself is quintessentially Thai behaviour.

 

As for suggesting that the ones you don't know are ignorant, that's not very nice.

[Maxbkkcm]

On 4/10/2025 at 8:55 PM, NorthernRyland said:

Before you think about changing Isaan have you considered it could get worse than it is now? In my experience developed Thailand is getting worse not better. One of the charms of Thailand is the less developed areas which are like stepping back in time. You can ride around a motorbike see people faces outside selling things, enjoy the meandering roads with no rhyme or reason, little shops everywhere and things to explore.

 

Compare this how to Chiang Mai is developing. All the "progress" here has been wider busier roads with barriers and u-turns, long red lights , concreted over housing projects and big box stores like Big C, HomePro, car dealerships etc... all the trees get cut down and big power lines go up.

 

This is looks like an industrial wasteland to me. Ugly as hell. Here's where I have to go to if I want to go to a grocery store and get imported food products. Traffic is terrible and there's very little parking leaving you driving around. It's a horrible experience, too car centric and much worse than America now even.

 

There's even some condo buildings on that intersection ahead. Imagine living in a tiny concrete box and listening to traffic noise all day and night. One the right side you could see the mountain in the background mocking you. This is no way to live but it's the reality of developing Thailand for many.

 

How did we get there? Thailand wasn’t supposed to be that laid back country? With living with less and more frugally?

 

how come is overpacked with cars, stuffs, and no space anywhere. Destroying the natural, for the artificial…

 

Isn’t it a paradox, that westeners are leaving the west for a more simple lifestyle but in reality. The lifestyle is more complex and saturated than the West. A huge paradox. That is never talked about. 

[Maxbkkcm]

On 4/10/2025 at 10:02 PM, NorthernRyland said:

 

yeah I just don't want to live like that anymore. The places I used to like are gobbled up in big roads and I felt trapped.

 

Speaking of that, this "luxury" project is up the street from that intersection. 9.9 million baht. That's around $330,000 USD, not small money. This is how you're living as a wealthy Thai in Chiang Mai I guess. I don't know what makes it luxury but you're still on that road living that lifestyle. I think Thai's are running in to the same trap as Americans did and it's getting ugly out there.

 

The same trap. But wihout the benefit of the West. Prices are reaching the West. Its over. Do you see a bright future knowing this? 

[NorthernRyland]

20 minutes ago, Maxbkkcm said:

The same trap. But wihout the benefit of the West. Prices are reaching the West. Its over. Do you see a bright future knowing this? 

 

I think most Thais are happy with the state of development.  Here's a picture of that 9.9 mil baht thing.

 

This is winning in the Chiang Mai, the rose north and cultural capital of the Lanna kingdom blah blah blah.

 

[EVENKEEL]

Why is it westerners are so adamant about trying to turn Thailand into the country they left behind for retirement here. I've spent alot of time in Isaan myself and came to the conclusion that my retirement years wouldn't be spent there. But, I'm against changing the Isaan way of life. Leave em be. It pretty neat to see how they survive. 

 

I had the financial resources to leave behind the place I built in Isaan and move the family to a place that offered a better education for the kid and a wider range of activities for myself. It's good for the kid to be around richie rich kids here but still be intune with the Isaan way.

 

 

[rabang]

4 hours ago, Maxbkkcm said:

How did we get there? Thailand wasn’t supposed to be that laid back country? With living with less and more frugally?

 

how come is overpacked with cars, stuffs, and no space anywhere. Destroying the natural, for the artificial…

 

Isn’t it a paradox, that westeners are leaving the west for a more simple lifestyle but in reality. The lifestyle is more complex and saturated than the West. A huge paradox. That is never talked about. 

There is certainly MUCH better air and water quality back home.

[richard_smith237]

7 hours ago, NanLaew said:

Of course your better educated Thai friends may just be being polite and don't want to cause offense and are just parroting your thoughts and opinions?

 

Nope... not when friends have been close friends for decades and also find subjects that we disagree on.

 

Perhaps you've not had long lasting close friendships here, so may not be able to picture a normal cross cultural friendship.

 

7 hours ago, NanLaew said:

Maybe they don't like the idea of a non-Thai banging on about the need to change but prefer to be non-confrontational as that in itself is quintessentially Thai behaviour.

 

You've shoehorned in a bias of yours...    discussions can be held without confrontation - again, you may not be able to picture a normal cross cultural friendship - discussion is quite normal.

 

The 'general non confrontational nature' of Thai's does not mean they are incapable of healthy discussion - you seem ignorant to that reality.

 

 

7 hours ago, NanLaew said:

As for suggesting that the ones you don't know are ignorant, that's not very nice.

 

I used the 'term innocently ignorant'...   perhaps rethink your faux-offense, its a bit childish.

 

 

[NanLaew]

On 4/14/2025 at 6:02 PM, richard_smith237 said:

 

Nope... not when friends have been close friends for decades and also find subjects that we disagree on.

 

Perhaps you've not had long lasting close friendships here, so may not be able to picture a normal cross cultural friendship.

 

 

You've shoehorned in a bias of yours...    discussions can be held without confrontation - again, you may not be able to picture a normal cross cultural friendship - discussion is quite normal.

 

The 'general non confrontational nature' of Thai's does not mean they are incapable of healthy discussion - you seem ignorant to that reality.

 

 

 

I used the 'term innocently ignorant'...   perhaps rethink your faux-offense, its a bit childish.

 

 

 

Condescending conjecture aside, perhaps you have no real clue about the people you are speaking about?

 

No offense.