What Hunger In Thailand?

[MJP]

Something as simple as getting rid of uniforms would enable some more kids to go to school.

There are 3 types of uniforms (in price and quality but almost identical in looks).

Lotus type 1 set: shoes, socks, blouse and skirt would be less than 500 baht. The most expensive set could go 1500B.

Getting rid of the uniforms might make 1 in 10,000 kids be able to go to school but it would, perversely, destroy the very reason the uniforms exist: to equal the kids and remove most obvious signs of wealth/poverty at home.

Now, in what kind of clothes would that, newly empowered kid, be coming to school, if 500B uniform was the reason for absentia?

At the same time, well off in the class may be coming in Burberry or some other sign of wealth brand of clothes.

I completely agree with this.

Do you think that the kids were the same uniform every day ????????????????????????????????????? At the thai schools they have 4 different uniforms. Monday and Tuesday are the same uniform so if you only want to buy 4 sets then the same set must be worn 2 days in a row. Along with these 4 different uniforms comes with 3 different shoe sets. So now you are talking about 2,500 baht for a set of school clothes plus 2,000 baht for books & school fees. Therefore people that are on the poverty line of 1,500 baht a month have to borrow 4,500 baht for their kids to go to school. Even for those that are lucky enough to make minimum wage will take an entire months salary to start school.

True so you are!

It is expensive having children. We forget the privilege of our western incomes sometimes.

[wolfmanjack]

Something as simple as getting rid of uniforms would enable some more kids to go to school.

Now, in what kind of clothes would that, newly empowered kid, be coming to school, if 500B uniform was the reason for absentia?

I think a kid can learn just as well in the 49 baht tshirts and 49 baht shorts with 29 baht sandals as he can in the 500 baht school clothes.

i grew up poor and went to school in jeans with patches on the knees.

Edited December 29, 2008 by wolfmanjack

[Geekfreaklover]

The original question was one to do with food. Not a question about school uniforms and books.

Keep on topic.

The only reason that Thai children go hungry is because of parental abuse.

I would be happy to hear any confirmation to the contrary.

[jdinasia]

What is your issue with people that raise other people's awareness; think too mutt?

"Hunger in Thailand" makes as much sense as "Americans are facing immobility due to poor quality of locally made cars, Japanese came to save them".

I don't get it, instead of addressing the questions raised you use poor analogy?

4 questions for you in direct question format to make it easier for you, think too mutt

1) Do people in Thailand ever suffer from hunger?

2) Is malnutrition ever a problem in Thailand?

3) What is your issue with people that raise other people's awareness to social issues?

4) Does a case need to be "perfect" to be useful in raising social awareness?

[jdinasia]

The original question was one to do with food. Not a question about school uniforms and books.

Keep on topic.

The only reason that Thai children go hungry is because of parental abuse.

I would be happy to hear any confirmation to the contrary.

Hmmm I guess that means drought and flooding never happen here? That there are far too few forms of social services to care for those in need here?

You are making an absolute statement "the ONLY reason", it is up to you to prove that statement.

[think_too_mut]

What is your issue with people that raise other people's awareness; think too mutt?

"Hunger in Thailand" makes as much sense as "Americans are facing immobility due to poor quality of locally made cars, Japanese came to save them".

I don't get it, instead of addressing the questions raised you use poor analogy?

4 questions for you in direct question format to make it easier for you, think too mutt

1) Do people in Thailand ever suffer from hunger?

2) Is malnutrition ever a problem in Thailand?

3) What is your issue with people that raise other people's awareness to social issues?

4) Does a case need to be "perfect" to be useful in raising social awareness?

You forgot yet another platitude: "Is there a country with no problems?".

Good that hunger is not one of them in Thailand.

[jdinasia]

What is your issue with people that raise other people's awareness; think too mutt?

"Hunger in Thailand" makes as much sense as "Americans are facing immobility due to poor quality of locally made cars, Japanese came to save them".

I don't get it, instead of addressing the questions raised you use poor analogy?

4 questions for you in direct question format to make it easier for you, think too mutt

1) Do people in Thailand ever suffer from hunger?

2) Is malnutrition ever a problem in Thailand?

3) What is your issue with people that raise other people's awareness to social issues?

4) Does a case need to be "perfect" to be useful in raising social awareness?

You forgot yet another platitude: "Is there a country with no problems?".

Good that hunger is not one of them in Thailand.

Not a single platitude in what I wrote; but thanks for proving my points Now that we have put this to rest ......

[Geekfreaklover]

The original question was one to do with food. Not a question about school uniforms and books.

Keep on topic.

The only reason that Thai children go hungry is because of parental abuse.

I would be happy to hear any confirmation to the contrary.

Hmmm I guess that means drought and flooding never happen here? That there are far too few forms of social services to care for those in need here?

You are making an absolute statement "the ONLY reason", it is up to you to prove that statement.

Well, where do you refer to when yu say "here" ? A NGO sponsered apartment?

I have never seen any serious drought in Thailand, despite living in the "dust-bowl" of Isaan for almost ten years, we have had dry spells but no drought. We are blessed with 'rain-making aeroplanes' when the water is in serious short supply. From where have you gathered this information?... Droughts in Thailand???

The only expereince of flooding I can recall is from the Tsnuami and a couple of episodes in Hat Yai. We had some flooding this year in Pak Chong but we have worked together and got through it. Not epedemic.

My good Thai friend has been a social worker for twenty years in Thailand (working mainly with Burmese and Laos immigrants).

Can you please confirm where Thai people are starving?

I have not seen it. I would like to know where they are so we can help them.

[think_too_mut]

What is your issue with people that raise other people's awareness; think too mutt?

"Hunger in Thailand" makes as much sense as "Americans are facing immobility due to poor quality of locally made cars, Japanese came to save them".

I don't get it, instead of addressing the questions raised you use poor analogy?

4 questions for you in direct question format to make it easier for you, think too mutt

1) Do people in Thailand ever suffer from hunger?

2) Is malnutrition ever a problem in Thailand?

3) What is your issue with people that raise other people's awareness to social issues?

4) Does a case need to be "perfect" to be useful in raising social awareness?

You forgot yet another platitude: "Is there a country with no problems?".

Good that hunger is not one of them in Thailand.

Not a single platitude in what I wrote; but thanks for proving my points Now that we have put this to rest ......

This is where it started, post #1:

I just had lunch at Hard Rock Café and between music 2 spots, there was a short video of black kids with bloated bellies and an appeal for donations.

Among other places, they say, by donating you are helping fight hunger in several countries (can't remember them all) and the list ends with "Thailand and Indonesia".

What hunger in Thailand ?

What hunger in Indonesia?

Who are those people collecting money for non-existent hunger? Or, if there is any in Thailand or Indonesia, it does not need international humanitarian aid, at least not from the skunks like Bob Geldoff (who 2 weeks ago charged 100,000$ + first class ticket to speak about poverty in Melbourne) and Bono.

I visited their site site but could not find reference to Thailand, at least not within 5-6 minutes that I poked around.

[jdinasia]

Doesn't answer a single question I asked; think too little.

[snuggzzz]

I think that at this time of the year we are inundated with 'Charities' whether locally or worldwide giving the 'Shock Tactics' of Starvation, Disease, Abuse and Neglect.

The Bombardment is carefully orchestrated, Bono, Geldorf all released the records about starvation in Africa. No doubt it's true, however, the structure of the supply network was infantile, in Somalia, goods were exchanged for weapons, just one example, so banging the drum to get more money is useless without a delivering infrastructure.

Thailand, has no such major problems that I can see, other than developing there own infrastructure. I do not give to Charities that have huge financial overheads, nor, support 'Fat Cat's '..........!!!

I have happily given to local Orphan Charities in Thailand, plus those Children suffering from HIV/AIDS.

Does Thaivisa support such Charity or recomend one. I donate every year in Pattaya with Vic, the owner of the Queen Victoria Inn, Soi 6 Pattaya, there are no overheads to be taken off, your donation goes direct to the welfare of the Kids..............

[snuggzzz]

ps. Children's suffering from AIDS plus Orphans.................

[henryalleman]

The point I wanted to make - false claims that Thailand has hunger problems.

There's plenty of poor people in Thailand, and plenty that don't get enough to eat or have nutritional problems. But you'll find them mostly in unfashionable rural areas, along the borders and NE where overfed expats don't like to go.

Don't have to go that far, just go in the small soi in a medium size Thai town, you will see a poverty not so much different than in India.

On my last trip up North in the Mae Hong Song valley I saw blatant poverty also.

And indeed there you don't see tourists not even Thai ones or overfed ex pats.

I visited orphanages where the children almost had no clothes, only wearing old rags. And their living quarters I would not even put my dog in.

[henryalleman]

The point I wanted to make - false claims that Thailand has hunger problems.

There's plenty of poor people in Thailand, and plenty that don't get enough to eat or have nutritional problems. But you'll find them mostly in unfashionable rural areas, along the borders and NE where overfed expats don't like to go.

Luckily, we have Geldof and Bono to ride in an save the world largest rice exporter from hunger. What a nonsense.

At least, when they have nothing else - they have rice to default to.

And what do you mean "along the borders where well fed expats do not go"? Youself never been away from Sukhumvit?

My wife's hometown is Wang Sombun, 15km from Cambodia, dirt poor featureless shithole and rice farming is all they have there. As she said a few posts above, it's a plain lie that anyone goes hungry there.

True, the kids may salivate when they see junk food ads for McDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut....but that's far from hunger, could be even good for them that they don't have it available or would not be able to afford it.

Think too muth, I think you are in state of denial, should travel a litle bit more than 20K away from your village. Up North and in some parts of Isan there are many areas where is no agriculture possible due to the mountains or lack of water.

[Geekfreaklover]

The point I wanted to make - false claims that Thailand has hunger problems.

There's plenty of poor people in Thailand, and plenty that don't get enough to eat or have nutritional problems. But you'll find them mostly in unfashionable rural areas, along the borders and NE where overfed expats don't like to go.

Don't have to go that far, just go in the small soi in a medium size Thai town, you will see a poverty not so much different than in India.

On my last trip up North in the Mae Hong Song valley I saw blatant poverty also.

And indeed there you don't see tourists not even Thai ones or overfed ex pats.

I visited orphanages where the children almost had no clothes, only wearing old rags. And their living quarters I would not even put my dog in.

A complete fountain of abouslute bullsh#t.

Have you ever been to India?

Do you have any understanding of poverty in Thailand?

Who ran these orphanges, where the children are starving and dressed in poor clothing?

Were the children starving or were the children bought by Farang run Chistian NGOs and dressed in poor clothing in an effort to keep their NGO show on the road?

Wake up people.

I agree with the OP.

Thai kids are bought for money and put into Christain NGO enviroments.

NGOs need money.

Thailand has lots of food and the populice will always provide food for the hungry.

Edited December 29, 2008 by Geekfreaklover

[henryalleman]

The point I wanted to make - false claims that Thailand has hunger problems.

There's plenty of poor people in Thailand, and plenty that don't get enough to eat or have nutritional problems. But you'll find them mostly in unfashionable rural areas, along the borders and NE where overfed expats don't like to go.

Don't have to go that far, just go in the small soi in a medium size Thai town, you will see a poverty not so much different than in India.

On my last trip up North in the Mae Hong Song valley I saw blatant poverty also.

And indeed there you don't see tourists not even Thai ones or overfed ex pats.

I visited orphanages where the children almost had no clothes, only wearing old rags. And their living quarters I would not even put my dog in.

A complete fountain of abouslute bullsh#t.

Have you ever been to India?

Do you have any understanding of povery in Thailand?

Who ran these orphanges, where the children are starving and dressed in poor clothing?

Where did I ever said that in Thailand children are starving, I only gave statistics from NSO about malnutrition.

Were the children starving or were the children bought by Farang run Chistian NGOs and dressed in poor clothing in an effort to keep their NGO show on the road?

This orphanage was on the road between Sop Moei and Mae Ramat. In the middle of nowhere. I did not see any cross only a few top's on the right side of the road on very muddy waste land. lucky I drove a 4WD otherwise I could not go. I saw a few boy's about 10 years old, hanging arround. Some raggy clothes where hanging outside, and the boy's where very shy to talk with me and my wife. From the rest of the story I will spare you.

So please don't say I'm talking Bulls**t.

And this was no exeption

Did you ever visited a small village up North on some mountain flank.

here you don't see tourists or welfed expats, even Thai people don't go there.

Do this first and tell than that I'm talking Bulls**t

Wake up people.

I agree with the OP.

Thai kids are bought for money and put into Christain NGO enviroments.

NGOs need money.

Thailand has lots of food and the populice will always provide food for the hungry.

[Sweet Dreams]

What a smug lot you are - all theory and no practice by the sounds of you.

Father Joseph Maiier will show you hungry kids in Klong Toey, Bangkok.

Get out and about more and stop pontificating.

[Geekfreaklover]

I still don't buy the idea that Thailand children are starving, along the lines of African countries.

If you have information to the contrary then please let us know.

The problems with children not being cared for are mainly due to parental abuse.

[Geekfreaklover]

What a smug lot you are - all theory and no practice by the sounds of you.

Father Joseph Maiier will show you hungry kids in Klong Toey, Bangkok.

Get out and about more and stop pontificating.

No, Sweet Dreams, you go out and find out more.

The question was about lack of food in thailand.

I simply stated that there is not a lack of food in thailand.

The problems delt with by the good father are from a different social nature and have nothing to do with lack of food.

How many years have you lived in the poorest rural parts of Thailand?

[Sakeopete]

I'm sure most people on this forum who have lived here will agree with me when I say I have never seen a Thai go hungry, heck even the Khmer near us never go hungry. Thai people are very generous when it comes to food, sure they may not give anything else away but food they do. I even see them buy fried chicken from the market to give to the stray dogs in Bangkok. So I would find it very difficult to believe anyone in Thailand goes hungry.

[Geekfreaklover]

This orphanage was on the road between Sop Moei and Mae Ramat. In the middle of nowhere. I did not see any cross only a few top's on the right side of the road on very muddy waste land. lucky I drove a 4WD otherwise I could not go. I saw a few boy's about 10 years old, hanging arround. Some raggy clothes where hanging outside, and the boy's where very shy to talk with me and my wife. From the rest of the story I will spare you.

So please don't say I'm talking Bulls**t.

And this was no exeption

Did you ever visited a small village up North on some mountain flank.

here you don't see tourists or welfed expats, even Thai people don't go there.

Do this first and tell than that I'm talking Bulls**

I have been to the most poorest parts of Thailand, and indeed Asia. I have seen, in Thailand, poverty, lack of education and other problems. But I have not seen any form of starvation in over a decade of extensive travel in the, South. Central, North and North East regions.

Please refer to my previous post where I mentioned Burmese border tribes that are suffering from malnutirtion in the region of which you speak, and a Thai friend that works as a social worker helping these folks out.

These are people are not Thai people. The original question was about Thai people and lack of food in Thailand.

The issues concerning certain people not receiving food are social issues and not issues to do with lack of food harvest.

I have lived in rural poor regions of thailand for many years. I have also lived in various cities in the kingdom

To suggest that Thailand has a food shortage just will not wash with me. Sorry. You are wrong.

[jdinasia]

These are people are not Thai people. The original question was about Thai people and lack of food in Thailand

Ah ... the never elusive "They do not deserve our care and welfare as they are not Thai"

Nobody has suggested there is a lack of food harvest in Thailand "Greek" --- theyhave suggested that some people go hungry (which you admit then strangely consider inconsequential!)

People go hungry in Thailand and malnutrition is an issue here, you even admit it then say ....

These are people are not Thai people. The original question was about Thai people and lack of food in Thailand

But Thai people have the same issues (only with a small amount of additional help from the government) Take Nov 13th and the flooding up North. Wiped out the major rice crop for a large area and will cause hunger and nutritional deficiencies when time comes to sell those crops and they are not there!

[Sabum]

Bottom line alot of you are bringing up OTHER problems Thailand has, Stick to the issue, there is not a problem with hunger in Thailand. Regardless of poverty levels there is an abundance of food and even the poorest get fed, most likely partially to due with Thai culture and their obsessive need to share and give food with EVERYONE and every dog that comes along. Why do you think we have such a problem with soi dogs? They are all being taken care of, its ridiculous but is a good demonstration of why nobody goes hungry in this country.

[jdinasia]

Bottom line alot of you are bringing up OTHER problems Thailand has, Stick to the issue, there is not a problem with hunger in Thailand. Regardless of poverty levels there is an abundance of food and even the poorest get fed, most likely partially to due with Thai culture and their obsessive need to share and give food with EVERYONE and every dog that comes along. Why do you think we have such a problem with soi dogs? They are all being taken care of, its ridiculous but is a good demonstration of why nobody goes hungry in this country.

Any hunger is an issue as is malnutrition (very likely a bigger problem than hunger in and of itself in Thailand).

(speaking of other issues --- soi dogs --- a problem with not controlling breeding not an overabundance of food--- as far as they are all getting taken care of, you must not live in the same Thailand that the rest of us do!)

[Geekfreaklover]

The first question a Thai will ask, to a fellow Thai , or a foreigner is... "have you had something to eat already?"

[jdinasia]

The first question a Thai will ask, to a fellow Thai , or a foreigner is... "have you had something to eat already?"

It is an informal greeting .. and often used. It does not imply anything more than hello.

Greek --- you admit to seeing hunger here. I KNOW I have seen it (and I have seen far more evidence of malnutrition even after the governments in the early 80's started teaching about proper nutriotion at the mooban level!)

A quick visit to the slums in BKK or elsewhere will certainly show you all you need to see, so why are you saying there isn't an issue? (or if it is one then it isn't an issue because the populations affected are marginalized in Thai society?)

There is a village social structure that attempts to help but it is informal and people still fall through the cracks. That social structure does not carry over into the cities and slums nor does it carry over into the people that are marginalized (hilltribes, migrant workers etc)

The point of all this is that hunger (and imho worse -- malnutrition) does exist in Thailand (as it does in most places in the world!)

[Geekfreaklover]

I would like to continue the discussion, but I can not as my posts are being deleted by the mods.

So yeah, Thailand has a massive starvation problem.

Thankyou. Good night.

[henryalleman]

This orphanage was on the road between Sop Moei and Mae Ramat. In the middle of nowhere. I did not see any cross only a few top's on the right side of the road on very muddy waste land. lucky I drove a 4WD otherwise I could not go. I saw a few boy's about 10 years old, hanging arround. Some raggy clothes where hanging outside, and the boy's where very shy to talk with me and my wife. From the rest of the story I will spare you.

So please don't say I'm talking Bulls**t.

And this was no exeption

Did you ever visited a small village up North on some mountain flank.

here you don't see tourists or welfed expats, even Thai people don't go there.

Do this first and tell than that I'm talking Bulls**

I have been to the most poorest parts of Thailand, and indeed Asia. I have seen, in Thailand, poverty, lack of education and other problems. But I have not seen any form of starvation in over a decade of extensive travel in the, South. Central, North and North East regions. You twist my words, I never spoke of starvation, but about malnutrition

Please refer to my previous post where I mentioned Burmese border tribes that are suffering from malnutirtion in the region of which you speak, and a Thai friend that works as a social worker helping these folks out. Abuse of human rights against Burmese fugitives and hill tribes is another topic worth

These are people are not Thai people. The original question was about Thai people and lack of food in Thailand.

Did you realize what you wrote? Its could easy be explained as racism

The issues concerning certain people not receiving food are social issues and not issues to do with lack of food harvest. The OP was "is there hunger in Thailand", and do you deny that there is still hunger and malnutrition in Thailand?

I have lived in rural poor regions of thailand for many years. I have also lived in various cities in the kingdom. And in all that years you never saw extreme poverty and malnutrition amongst THAI people.

To suggest that Thailand has a food shortage just will not wash with me. Sorry. You are wrong.

I did not make any suggestion that there is a food shortage in Thailand, but not everybody can profit from it

http://web.nso.go.th/eng/en/indicators/health_e.htm

[rott]

I think a kid can learn just as well in the 49 baht tshirts and 49 baht shorts with 29 baht sandals as he can in the 500 baht school clothes.

i grew up poor and went to school in jeans with patches on the knees.

Scruffy b*st*rd.

[BarryM]

They need to gather money. Doesn't matter whether what they say is true. Those cushy NGO jobs with nice apartments and SUVs don't pay for themselves you know.

I remember (have some pics too, March 2005) of a Thai maid, good English. She brought a boy she was looking after to the Benjasiri park.

While my daughter was playing, we were watching the kids and chatted. She appeared to be proud about looking after the boy whose parents were UNICEF employees in BKK. Not IBM, not Goldman Sachs.

"Where do you live"?

She pointed towards 120-150K baht rent per month buildings.

Couple of years ago I rented a flat in London to a Unicef employee for a shade under 1000 sterling per week. One year contract, option to renew.

Always brings a smile to my face when I see passengers on BA in economy filling up their "change for good" envelopes with leftover coins and currency, little realising that the beneficiaries of their largesse were sitting up front in business or even first class.