Why Is Thailand A Third World Country?

[realmadrid25]

Part 1

The most common answer on ThaiVisa seems to be an 'Elite Thai' conspiracy. I don't know that much about wide scale economics to comment definitively but the biggest flaw I see in this logic is that as a country grows richer, the richest people maintain their proportion of the wealth. Do you really believe that the owners are CP are sitting around saying "Thank God those Isaanites only have X baht in their bank account?"... It seems doubtful.

Business is business and I think blaming the problem on Thai businessmen can only be done out of jealousy/idiocy. If anything, it would make more sense to place the blame/conspiracy theories on government bureaucracy. Someone mentioned that Singapore issues several times as many foreign work permits as Thailand despite only being a fraction of the size. The most prosperous countries are those who are most liberal to business and foreign investment.

The second problem which cannot be avoided is bad habits among the poor and the idea in their minds that if you are born poor, you will remain poor. Many on Thai Visa view this as 'Elite' brainwashing, but I don't see it that way. The poor people who are smart enough to succeed will see through it and the dumb ones will keep following it. Social Darwinism. Thai kids know that gambling, smoking and drinking is bad, yet they choose to do it anyways as adults. At the end of the day, I think the poor Thais have to take responsibility for their bad habits and they cannot be blamed on the rich.

Regardless, this is an interesting discussion because many of the people on this board would not be able to afford to continue living here if it was not a third world conspiracy, so maybe they owe the Elite Thais a thank you....

[Naam]

Why Is Thailand A Third World Country?, Why are most Thais poor?

why do people try to vent their frustration by asking silly questions?

[Losangels]

At the end of the day, I think the poor Thais have to take responsibility for their bad habits and they cannot be blamed on the rich.

Isn't part of the problem holding back development for Thailand is the the blame game?

It is usually someone else's problem for the inadequatecies(sp).

The concept of accountablity for one's action would greatly benefit the country

[tijnebijn]

Why Is Thailand A Third World Country?, Why are most Thais poor?

why do people try to vent their frustration by asking silly questions?

As usual as sharp as a knife !

[hanibal7]

Because many kids do not go to school regulary.Up country schools seem to be very poor and no education means no brains.Manual work and unskilled work can give many families a decen income,but most of that goes on drink and ciggies.

[barky]

It's in the interest of the "öwners" of this country to keep the masses under control: ie, keeping them dumb. Feed them cheap rice so their tummys are full (no need for revolutions) cheap petrol, game shows, soap operas and music, and lots and lots of propaganda which tells them they are the best, the greatest, happiest, luckiest, everythingest race on earth and that their country is the centre of the universe. I can totally understand why Thais think the way the do. Generally they have been brain-washed since birth. They don't know, and don't see the need to know any better. I can completely understand why they think and behave the way that they do. And actually providing the average Thai intends to live and die in Thailand why do they need to change? To some extent I envy them. They feel totally confident in their surroundings "Thai Ruk Thai" and all that stuff. However, for those who do venture outside of Thailand, they find the real world that most can not survive in.

I am not judging them, it's just my understanding and perception of the situation and environment around me.

[ozzydom]

Thailand is officially classed as a Developing Nation which is a step up from Third World status, and are MOST thais poor?. What is poor in your eyes may not be so in the eyes of a Thai person.

Most Western countries got better conditions and living standards for the working classes through unionism, maybe in future that will happen here.

It will only take somebody with enough fire in their belly to organise unions and grower co-operatives and force business to negotiate.

The small farmer taking his 10 bags of rice to sell has no bargaining power,but a grower co-op with 1000 or even 10,000 tonnes has a very strong hand to play with.

[ratcatcher]

In actual fact, Thailand is NOT a Third World Country. It is more commonly referred to as a 'developing country" and is equated with the likes of Brunei, People's Republic of China, India, Indonesia, Kuwait, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines and Vietnam, among others.

There is no starvation in Thailand, there is a robust economy and advanced infrastructure of highways, communications and services.

Surely places like Ethiopia, Zimbabwe and most other Sub-Saharan countries in Africa with the exception of South Africa and Cambodia,Burma & Bangladesh would qualify as Third World countries.

There the people are really poor. The vast majority of Thais have access to clean water, food, and medical care. Most families have a TV and mobile phone.

The biggest problem is the gulf between the few ultra rich and the vast majority who are low income.

And that ain't about to change anytime soon.

[TheDon]

Thailand is a up and comming country, Thailand has come light years ahead from 20 years ago. Also I dont know any poor Thais so I wouldnt know, Although i have seen many

[TokyoT]

Ed-U-K-shun.

[ade100]

Climate is the main factor. If you consider the whole of the world's tropics (both Cancer and Capricorn), the only bits of first world to be found there are Singapore, Hong Kong and Northern Australia.

Conclusion: If you are located in the tropics and don't let the Brits build your country, you are destined to millennia of poverty and misery.

Next question please...

[PlaShadow]

Thais are not poor; on the contrary, they are one of the richest folks around. Let me explain. A rich person can:

1) Not think about tomorrow.

2) Not think about the day after tomorrow, let alone one week or a year.

3) Spend as much time on the cell phone, eating and watching soap operas per day, as doing actual work.

4) Go to work (if one has) and really do little or nothing.

5) Change jobs or professions like they desire, be it weekly, monthly or yearly.

6) Go to school, learn nothing but yet get a "decent" job.

7) Sit around and do nothing.

8) Have multiple girlfriends/boyfriends at one time.

9) Drink and gamble like there is no tomorrow.

10) In case of being a male, spending upwards of 20% of your waking time drunk.

11) Being free of any responsibility.

12) Being unaccountable for most things.

13) When asked about something they either don't know, don't want to do or can't do; simply say "I have headache, I go home".

14) Take 2-3 days of at work because mama split her finger nail and needs assistance changing channels with the remote control for the TV.

[Heng]

Internal Memo:

Some folks are beginning to buy into our 'it's not a conspiracy' propaganda. Let them eat 'foy thong.'

[uptou]

Climate is the main factor. If you consider the whole of the world's tropics (both Cancer and Capricorn), the only bits of first world to be found there are Singapore, Hong Kong and Northern Australia.

Conclusion: If you are located in the tropics and don't let the Brits build your country, you are destined to millennia of poverty and misery.

Next question please...

Good post sir.So down under would also be a third world country if it wasnt for good old blighty?

[hp8000]

^ 55555 Brilliant. And so true.

[DP25]

One of the main problems keeping Thailand back is its ridiculous slander and defamation laws. They serve to protect the corrupt and dishonest and it imprisons and intimidates anyone who would speak out. It has a massive chilling effect on Thai society and media and prevents an honest and responsible government from ever being formed.

[ozzydom]

Climate is the main factor. If you consider the whole of the world's tropics (both Cancer and Capricorn), the only bits of first world to be found there are Singapore, Hong Kong and Northern Australia.

Conclusion: If you are located in the tropics and don't let the Brits build your country, you are destined to millennia of poverty and misery.

Next question please...

I think the residents of Hawaii and some of the mega rich Arab states that fall within your parameters would argue otherwise.

[TheDon]

Thailand is not a really poor country anymore, they have moved up from third world status, but dam_n some places in Thailand still look thirdworld

[IMA_FARANG]

Part 1

The most common answer on ThaiVisa seems to be an 'Elite Thai' conspiracy. I don't know that much about wide scale economics to comment definitively but the biggest flaw I see in this logic is that as a country grows richer, the richest people maintain their proportion of the wealth. Do you really believe that the owners are CP are sitting around saying "Thank God those Isaanites only have X baht in their bank account?"... It seems doubtful.

Business is business and I think blaming the problem on Thai businessmen can only be done out of jealousy/idiocy. If anything, it would make more sense to place the blame/conspiracy theories on government bureaucracy. Someone mentioned that Singapore issues several times as many foreign work permits as Thailand despite only being a fraction of the size. The most prosperous countries are those who are most liberal to business and foreign investment.

The second problem which cannot be avoided is bad habits among the poor and the idea in their minds that if you are born poor, you will remain poor. Many on Thai Visa view this as 'Elite' brainwashing, but I don't see it that way. The poor people who are smart enough to succeed will see through it and the dumb ones will keep following it. Social Darwinism. Thai kids know that gambling, smoking and drinking is bad, yet they choose to do it anyways as adults. At the end of the day, I think the poor Thais have to take responsibility for their bad habits and they cannot be blamed on the rich.

Regardless, this is an interesting discussion because many of the people on this board would not be able to afford to continue living here if it was not a third world conspiracy, so maybe they owe the Elite Thais a thank you....

1. I don't think Thailand qualifies any longer as a "third world country"

2. As to why many Thais are poor.....you could write a long book about that.

3. Have you ever tried to run a business in Thailand? If you did you would quickly find out a lot about the way that real Thai society works.

4. I once had some Thai-Chinese friends, all merchants or shop-owners, members of what they jokingly called the "Thai-Chinese Chamber of Congress". Once a month they all met for a Chinese food dinner. At the end of the dinner, they bid on a 30 day loan from the groups funds. The bid they made was based on 100 baht of the loan, for example a bid of 103 baht meant you intended to pay a 3 baht profit for each 100 baht (pretty high, but you get the idea). The usual loan for each month was 10,000 Baht. The person who made the highest bid was given the loan and 30 days to pay it back (with stated profit) at that time. That person also was the one who had to pay for the dinner the next month. Of course, if you really planned to make 5 baht per 100 baht with that loan, and your winning bid was 3 baht per 100 baht, then you got to keep the 2 baht for yourself...minus whatever it cost to pay for the dinner.

Anyway, the whole point of that story was....they were mostly Thai-Chinese bussinesmen...the only full Thais allowed had to be wealthy or very well known. Each person put up an amount of money in order to enter the group.

5. But to cut his short....as I said....you could write a long book about why many Thais are poor.

[Gravelrash]

Why Is Thailand A Third World Country?, Why are most Thais poor?

why do people try to vent their frustration by asking silly questions?

Could not the same be asked of those that respond to but don't answer those questions?

[Heng]

4. I once had some Thai-Chinese friends, all merchants or shop-owners, members of what they jokingly called the "Thai-Chinese Chamber of Congress". Once a month they all met for a Chinese food dinner. At the end of the dinner, they bid on a 30 day loan from the groups funds. The bid they made was based on 100 baht of the loan, for example a bid of 103 baht meant you intended to pay a 3 baht profit for each 100 baht (pretty high, but you get the idea). The usual loan for each month was 10,000 Baht. The person who made the highest bid was given the loan and 30 days to pay it back (with stated profit) at that time. That person also was the one who had to pay for the dinner the next month. Of course, if you really planned to make 5 baht per 100 baht with that loan, and your winning bid was 3 baht per 100 baht, then you got to keep the 2 baht for yourself...minus whatever it cost to pay for the dinner.

Anyway, the whole point of that story was....they were mostly Thai-Chinese bussinesmen...the only full Thais allowed had to be wealthy or very well known. Each person put up an amount of money in order to enter the group.

Ethnic Thais 'len share' / have money clubs as well. It's just another form of finance (and certainly not unique to Asia, much less Thailand). Most groups and cultures have some form of internal finance, I have Jewish friends who do something similar. For the Sino-Thai nowadays it's often more of a social function rather than an actual financial tool.

The bottom line is that ethnic Thais aren't sure how to invest those high interest loans. Nevermind high interest loans, they often can't handle low interest loans or small amounts of income either. A footnote to the bottom line is that when people get an advantage of some kind (whether it's accrued material assets or knowledge) and pass it on to another family member or the next generation, they are that much farther ahead when compared to people who don't do this. And it builds and compounds upon itself. Take any royal family or multigenerational business legacy in the world: that's the simple formula they follow.

[egg6447]

Thais are not poor; on the contrary, they are one of the richest folks around. Let me explain. A rich person can:

1) Not think about tomorrow.

2) Not think about the day after tomorrow, let alone one week or a year.

3) Spend as much time on the cell phone, eating and watching soap operas per day, as doing actual work.

4) Go to work (if one has) and really do little or nothing.

5) Change jobs or professions like they desire, be it weekly, monthly or yearly.

6) Go to school, learn nothing but yet get a "decent" job.

7) Sit around and do nothing.

8) Have multiple girlfriends/boyfriends at one time.

9) Drink and gamble like there is no tomorrow.

10) In case of being a male, spending upwards of 20% of your waking time drunk.

11) Being free of any responsibility.

12) Being unaccountable for most things.

13) When asked about something they either don't know, don't want to do or can't do; simply say "I have headache, I go home".

14) Take 2-3 days of at work because mama split her finger nail and needs assistance changing channels with the remote control for the TV.

i realy wish i,d written that. you realy understand your thai. absolutly correct to 90% of thai. 10 out of 10

[Maigo6]

Thais are not poor; on the contrary, they are one of the richest folks around. Let me explain. A rich person can:

1) Not think about tomorrow.

2) Not think about the day after tomorrow, let alone one week or a year.

3) Spend as much time on the cell phone, eating and watching soap operas per day, as doing actual work.

4) Go to work (if one has) and really do little or nothing.

5) Change jobs or professions like they desire, be it weekly, monthly or yearly.

6) Go to school, learn nothing but yet get a "decent" job.

7) Sit around and do nothing.

8) Have multiple girlfriends/boyfriends at one time.

9) Drink and gamble like there is no tomorrow.

10) In case of being a male, spending upwards of 20% of your waking time drunk.

11) Being free of any responsibility.

12) Being unaccountable for most things.

13) When asked about something they either don't know, don't want to do or can't do; simply say "I have headache, I go home".

14) Take 2-3 days of at work because mama split her finger nail and needs assistance changing channels with the remote control for the TV.

What a load of rubbish, posted no doubt by another Farang that feels so fawking superior, you're the type that spouts off on the Internet, yet when you actually face Thai people you are totally humble and jump through all kinds of hoops not to upset them.

When you go to the immigration office next to beg for your visa, try going in with this attitude.

Typical Farang, with your attitude towards the population, why do you bother, you think you are somone in Thailand and nobody in your own country?

Did you marry one of these inferior people, if so, why ?

No other choice ?

[Maigo6]

i realy wish i,d written that. you realy understand your thai. absolutly correct to 90% of thai. 10 out of 10

Another expert...

So you claim to know 90% of the population ?

Try to think before you post.

[Naam]

Why Is Thailand A Third World Country?, Why are most Thais poor?

why do people try to vent their frustration by asking silly questions?

Could not the same be asked of those that respond to but don't answer those questions?

some of "those who respond" are generally pissed off by the usual suspects' postings who have nothing else in mind than presenting any (what they think) negative facts concerning Thailand and its people. some of "those who respond" gained in two years reading this forum that "these usual suspects" who complain about each and everything thai and ask "questions" with a clear or hidden derogatory content are mostly sorry losers who are in dire need to get a life.

[Lucifer]

It's in the interest of the "öwners" of this country to keep the masses under control: ie, keeping them dumb. Feed them cheap rice so their tummys are full (no need for revolutions) cheap petrol, game shows, soap operas and music, and lots and lots of propaganda which tells them they are the best, the greatest, happiest, luckiest, everythingest race on earth and that their country is the centre of the universe. I can totally understand why Thais think the way the do. Generally they have been brain-washed since birth. They don't know, and don't see the need to know any better. I can completely understand why they think and behave the way that they do. And actually providing the average Thai intends to live and die in Thailand why do they need to change? To some extent I envy them. They feel totally confident in their surroundings "Thai Ruk Thai" and all that stuff. However, for those who do venture outside of Thailand, they find the real world that most can not survive in.

I am not judging them, it's just my understanding and perception of the situation and environment around me.

Sorry, are we talking about Thailand or the US of A?

Same, same.

[lardy]

Thais are not poor; on the contrary, they are one of the richest folks around. Let me explain. A rich person can:

1) Not think about tomorrow.

2) Not think about the day after tomorrow, let alone one week or a year.

3) Spend as much time on the cell phone, eating and watching soap operas per day, as doing actual work.

4) Go to work (if one has) and really do little or nothing.

5) Change jobs or professions like they desire, be it weekly, monthly or yearly.

6) Go to school, learn nothing but yet get a "decent" job.

7) Sit around and do nothing.

8) Have multiple girlfriends/boyfriends at one time.

9) Drink and gamble like there is no tomorrow.

10) In case of being a male, spending upwards of 20% of your waking time drunk.

11) Being free of any responsibility.

12) Being unaccountable for most things.

13) When asked about something they either don't know, don't want to do or can't do; simply say "I have headache, I go home".

14) Take 2-3 days of at work because mama split her finger nail and needs assistance changing channels with the remote control for the TV.

Gufffffffffffaw your'e killing me go easy!!!! ahahahaahahahah

[ratcatcher]

Climate is the main factor. If you consider the whole of the world's tropics (both Cancer and Capricorn), the only bits of first world to be found there are Singapore, Hong Kong and Northern Australia.

Conclusion: If you are located in the tropics and don't let the Brits build your country, you are destined to millennia of poverty and misery.

Next question please...

Good post sir.So down under would also be a third world country if it wasnt for good old blighty?

Well, probably, yes........after all if the aborigines were running Australia today, it may well be classified as Third World, but since the British provided most of the stock of population and proceeded to build up the country over 200 years ago, it is most definitely First World.

G'day mate!

[ozzydom]

Climate is the main factor. If you consider the whole of the world's tropics (both Cancer and Capricorn), the only bits of first world to be found there are Singapore, Hong Kong and Northern Australia.

Conclusion: If you are located in the tropics and don't let the Brits build your country, you are destined to millennia of poverty and misery.

Next question please...

Good post sir.So down under would also be a third world country if it wasnt for good old blighty?

Well, probably, yes........after all if the aborigines were running Australia today, it may well be classified as Third World, but since the British provided most of the stock of population and proceeded to build up the country over 200 years ago, it is most definitely First World.

G'day mate!

Yep, The powers that were thought they were shipping out the dregs of society when it turns out that the cream were the ones in chains and the dregs stayed at home.

[YoungFarang13]

thailand is poor because so many are able to take a part in corruption at every level of society, unlike Western countries where only an absolute minority are able to do so.

Edited April 1, 2008 by YoungFarang13