Degrees, Gowns… and a Box of Eggs!

[Scouse123]

 

We've quite a few well-educated Thais in my area — people who have studied at respected Thai universities and even abroad. You’d think this kind of background would lead to ambitious careers. But their current lifestyles tell a very different story.

 

Here are just a few examples:

 

1. A woman educated in the U.S. speaks excellent English and now runs a basic noodle shop. Nothing wrong with that, but it’s a far cry from the career she was once headed for. Fortunately, she has land and property inherited from her mother to keep things ticking over.

 

2. A local man proudly displays his university degree and old campus photos on the wall of his hardware shop. These days, he spends his time selling light bulbs, plugs, and screws. Not exactly what you'd expect from someone with higher education, but it pays the bills.

 

3. Two brothers, both university graduates — again, full photo shoots of their graduation days proudly framed — now spend their time working (sporadically) in their parents’ village shop selling fresh eggs. When they’re not glued to the computer gaming, that is.

 

There seems to be a strange mix of pride in having attended university, but not necessarily in what you do with the education.

 

The degree and graduation photos serve more as a badge of status than for any productive purpose.

 

 Many don’t seem interested in pursuing anything beyond the family business, some gaming time, and the hope of eventual inheritance.

 

This isn’t a dig at villagers — it’s a reflection on the difference between potential and actual ambition.

 

Many foreigners seem to think Thai graduates all head off to high-flying jobs in Bangkok. They need to spend a week in the provinces. Degrees here often lead straight back to the village, not because of failure, but because of comfort, face-saving, and the absence of pressure to do more.

 

I’ve come to realise that for many Thai families, university is less about preparing someone for real-world challenges and more about prestige.

 

It’s something you do to "save face" — for the family name, for social status, for the graduation day photo. That image of the child in a gown next to their proud parents matters more than what comes after.

 

Unfortunately, once the ceremony is over, a lot of graduates return to the same quiet pace of village life. The degree gets framed and hung next to the family Buddha image, and life goes on much as it did before — only now with a bit more pride and a little less urgency to improve.

 

It’s the result of an education system that often discourages independent thought, critical thinking, or entrepreneurship. You follow rules, memorise answers, and keep your head down. Then you graduate, and you're not trained to do anything, not in a practical or competitive sense. That system produces polite, well-mannered graduates — but not necessarily dynamic ones.

 

Contrast this with what you see in Vietnam or the Philippines.

 

There, university isn’t just a ceremony — it’s a stepping stone to something more. Young people hustle. They teach overseas, apply for foreign jobs, start small businesses, freelance online, and push forward. They know that no one's going to hand them land or a shop. They either make something of their degree, or they don’t eat.

 

There’s drive, hunger, and risk-taking. In Thailand, especially in the provinces, comfort wins.

 

If your parents already own land, you’ve a place to live, and you’ve enough money to eat and buy a Hilux, then why push yourself?

 

I’m just sharing what I see — no malice. However, we should stop pretending that every degree holder in Thailand aspires to corporate greatness in Bangkok.

 

A lot of them are right back in the village, living quietly — with a diploma on the wall, a phone in hand, and not much intention of doing more.

 

Anyone else seeing the same?

[EVENKEEL]

3 hours ago, Scouse123 said:

 

We've quite a few well-educated Thais in my area — people who have studied at respected Thai universities and even abroad. You’d think this kind of background would lead to ambitious careers. But their current lifestyles tell a very different story.

 

Here are just a few examples:

 

1. A woman educated in the U.S. speaks excellent English and now runs a basic noodle shop. Nothing wrong with that, but it’s a far cry from the career she was once headed for. Fortunately, she has land and property inherited from her mother to keep things ticking over.

 

2. A local man proudly displays his university degree and old campus photos on the wall of his hardware shop. These days, he spends his time selling light bulbs, plugs, and screws. Not exactly what you'd expect from someone with higher education, but it pays the bills.

 

3. Two brothers, both university graduates — again, full photo shoots of their graduation days proudly framed — now spend their time working (sporadically) in their parents’ village shop selling fresh eggs. When they’re not glued to the computer gaming, that is.

 

There seems to be a strange mix of pride in having attended university, but not necessarily in what you do with the education.

 

The degree and graduation photos serve more as a badge of status than for any productive purpose.

 

 Many don’t seem interested in pursuing anything beyond the family business, some gaming time, and the hope of eventual inheritance.

 

This isn’t a dig at villagers — it’s a reflection on the difference between potential and actual ambition.

 

Many foreigners seem to think Thai graduates all head off to high-flying jobs in Bangkok. They need to spend a week in the provinces. Degrees here often lead straight back to the village, not because of failure, but because of comfort, face-saving, and the absence of pressure to do more.

 

I’ve come to realise that for many Thai families, university is less about preparing someone for real-world challenges and more about prestige.

 

It’s something you do to "save face" — for the family name, for social status, for the graduation day photo. That image of the child in a gown next to their proud parents matters more than what comes after.

 

Unfortunately, once the ceremony is over, a lot of graduates return to the same quiet pace of village life. The degree gets framed and hung next to the family Buddha image, and life goes on much as it did before — only now with a bit more pride and a little less urgency to improve.

 

It’s the result of an education system that often discourages independent thought, critical thinking, or entrepreneurship. You follow rules, memorise answers, and keep your head down. Then you graduate, and you're not trained to do anything, not in a practical or competitive sense. That system produces polite, well-mannered graduates — but not necessarily dynamic ones.

 

Contrast this with what you see in Vietnam or the Philippines.

 

There, university isn’t just a ceremony — it’s a stepping stone to something more. Young people hustle. They teach overseas, apply for foreign jobs, start small businesses, freelance online, and push forward. They know that no one's going to hand them land or a shop. They either make something of their degree, or they don’t eat.

 

There’s drive, hunger, and risk-taking. In Thailand, especially in the provinces, comfort wins.

 

If your parents already own land, you’ve a place to live, and you’ve enough money to eat and buy a Hilux, then why push yourself?

 

I’m just sharing what I see — no malice. However, we should stop pretending that every degree holder in Thailand aspires to corporate greatness in Bangkok.

 

A lot of them are right back in the village, living quietly — with a diploma on the wall, a phone in hand, and not much intention of doing more.

 

Anyone else seeing the same?

Not in Isaan but there is 2 markets near me and the sons run the family business, I'm sure they're well educated, or so they seem. The sales from the property alone would make them wealthy. 

 

I plan on giving my kid the best university education available in Thailand. We joke about her selling somtam in Isaan where she was born and lived for 5 yrs. We moved from there mainly because I really couldn't see my retirement years spent watching the rice grow. 

[FolkGuitar]

Is this really a 'Thai' thing? I think it's pretty universal.

Relatively few people work in the same field as their university degrees unless somewhat specialized; i.e. Medicine, Engineering, or other sciences.