Is Thailand, In Some Ways, More Advanced Than Your Home Country?

[BugJackBaron]

The transport system here is in someays better than Canada. Destinations are announced

before reached making it quite nice for new customers. In Canada forget it. Drivers

here are much more courteous and flexible..often stopping for customers who are not quite at the

bus stop. In the West its all strict rules.

In Korea where I worked there wasnt a week that went by without the bus driver

shouting (Gay Seki - son of a bitch) at some driver he thought was hogging the road.

I have yet to see any traffic disputes here.

[MrHammer]

The transport system here is in someays better than Canada. Destinations are announced

before reached making it quite nice for new customers. In Canada forget it. Drivers

here are much more courteous and flexible..often stopping for customers who are not quite at the

bus stop. In the West its all strict rules.

In Korea where I worked there wasnt a week that went by without the bus driver

shouting (Gay Seki - son of a bitch) at some driver he thought was hogging the road.

I have yet to see any traffic disputes here.

Agreed the lack of road rage is more civilized!

[sabaijai]

Hilo side is definitely more third world than Thailand

[bonobo]

I disagree with the comments about banks.  In my experience, US banks are far more advanced than Thai banks. From availability of funds, transfers, opening an account, ATM's, getting 30-year home loans, online banking--well, the list goes on and on.

Thailand used to be far more advanced in the use of cell phones than the US.  The first cell phone I ever used was here.  I think it hasd to do with the poor wired network. And while Thailand has sinced lagged in its network service, the variety of phones is still much greater than that available in the US.

Semi-universal health care is better than in the US.  I am not sure about the quality of care, though.

Bum guns--very civilized!!!!!!

[Gerontion]

In Thailand, the elderly are not - by and large - embarrassing piss-stained annoyances to be shoved off to glorified prisons whilst their ungrateful offspring wait for their inheritance. I think that's a slight advancement on the Western way of dealing with ageing.

Bum guns--very civilized!!!!!!

Amen to that. You can either smear shit all round your sweaty white arse, or you can have one clean enough to perform surgery with. I know which I prefer.

[sylviex]

one clean enough to perform surgery with. I know which I prefer.

So much I have yet to experience ... .

[Miserere]

CINEMA CINEMA CINEMA!!!

We took some Thai friends to a local cinema in Bournemouth, tham main cinema in fact.

The seats were from 1973, cramped, the carper threadbare, the snacks kiosk over priced and limited, rude staff, poor picture quality and dreadful sound.

Some cinemas in London are little better....you can pay £15+ for a ticket to the Odeon Leicester Square and still be sitting on seats from 20 years ago.

Some of the cinemas we went to in Bangkok were amazing, those big reclining comfy seats, the blanket and socks (!?!) drinks brought to you, including alcohol just amazing!

Also many of the shopping centres are wonderful and put many in the UK to shame.

The fact that everything is open on a Sunday is a big advantage and you can always buy food, some towns in the uk serve no food.

[Heng]

Have never been much for team sports... I know -like a lot of folks on this board, no doubt- my OWN life is way more advanced than a good majority of folks in both my home countries (Thailand and the US) and likely on the entire planet. In the end, unless you somehow get a cut or profit share from the World Cup, Superbowl, Wimbledon, or even the "most advanced nation" cup champion, that's all that really matters.

[Livinginexile]

LED traffic lights with timers

Solar powered traffic signals in the countryside

Better roads, Yes really.

LED traffic lights with timers: Very Dangerous - with these there are motorists in all directions attempting to race timers all into the crunch zone, just wait for the green light, commence stopping on the orange - easy. Ohh and by the way in some cities in Australia they are using LED lights, just without timers.

Yes I know but they are everywhere in Thailand. I think timers are a good idea but the "time" should disappear at say 10 seconds

Solar powered traffic signals in the countryside verses not traffic signals in the countryside. ??????????????

Better roads. Australia is 14.95 times larger than Thailand, yet its population is only 32.08% the size of Thailands.....would you really expect it to have roads built to the same level. Having said that, whilst many of Thailands Highways may be better than in Australia, the rural roads are just as shitttty, it seems the rural people get the raw end of the stick in both countries.

Plently of small countries with sub standard roads. There isn't even a decent road between MelB-Syd-Bris

Of course I didnt notice you talking about the road toll, thats definately one area that thailand is more advanced than your home country on....Yes Thailand kills more people on its roads. Get real Asiancup

I wasn't asked about the road toll or the education system.

Have a nice day!!!

Dude you got to be joking right?

Are you actually saying the Thai road system say from Bkk to Chang Mai is better than from Melbourne to Sydney?

That statement is absolutely rediculous.

Me thinks you have been in LoS waaaay to long.

[coventry]

Can you state an instance where your home country/state is not as advanced as Thailand?

Sunday & Bank Holiday trading i.e. On a Sunday, UK shops are only allowed to open for a maximum of six hours between 10:00 & 18:00. I've always hated Sundays. Christmas Day - virtually everywhere is closed. Last year it was wonderful wandering around the mall in Korat on Christmas Day.

I don't know if you've been corrected ClaytonSeymour but 10:00 to 18:00 hrs is 8 hrs not 6. Large stores close at 16:00 hrs.

[johnsurin]

Had loads of gripes with LloydsTSB in the UK. Haven't used them for a while so I expect they have moved into the 20th century now.

No they're still s#ite, everybody else has stopped using them.

Back on topic.

Bangkok has a sky train and new underground system which very clean and are expanding. London's underground is old, dirty and smelly it's the pits.

John.....

[WeeGB]

Had loads of gripes with LloydsTSB in the UK. Haven't used them for a while so I expect they have moved into the 20th century now.

So they're still a hundred years behind?

Back to the topic, I noticed that the UK is now copying Thailand's policy on cigarettes. Pictures designed to put people off cigarettes are now printed on packets, and also they have stopped cigarettes being put on open display. Both these ideas, I believe originated here. As a lifelong smoker, (from age 11), I think that anything that stops kids starting must be good.

Have to agree with the kasikorn bank complaints, I've been trying to get their k-cyber banking system working for almost a year - absolutely hopeless. Only stay with them 'cos the girl who greets at the door is drop dead gorgeous - but don't tell the missus!

[john b good]

...I wanted to electronically transfer funds from a Bank of Hawaii (BOH) account to a friend’s BOH account. Guess what? BOH clients/customers can not accomplish this. BOH has NO mechanism in place to allow such a simple process/request...

I think, and this is just my opinion without any research so if it is wrong... big deal. I think that the reason that Asian banks make it easy to transfer money is because, when compared to the USA, check writing never really took off. I don't know if it was a general distrust the locals had for each other or just everyone prefers cash. But if we think of the necessity to move money around, without a generally accepted check writing system, then the next step would be to have a convenient way for funds to be transferred. Hence, we are able to transfer money around Thailand from an ATM.

Is it more advanced? Yes! On the other had we hear stories of people not getting interest on their accounts. Is that more advanced? No. So I can say that yes, there are some things in Thailand that can be considered more advance than some other countries.

TheWalkingMan

There have also been instances (in Thailand) of folk going to the bank to withdraw money only to find that a bank staff member has converted the money to his own use. Sometimes temporarily and sometimes permanently.

[Geekfreaklover]

Had loads of gripes with LloydsTSB in the UK. Haven't used them for a while so I expect they have moved into the 20th century now.

No they're still s#ite, everybody else has stopped using them.

Back on topic.

Bangkok has a sky train and new underground system which very clean and are expanding. London's underground is old, dirty and smelly it's the pits.

John.....

Yes, but London built the underground over 50 years ago and it was very advanced for its time, and you can actually travel around London and beyond on the tube.

Total number of stations on the London underground = 275

Total number of stations on the BTS MTS combined = 36

Yes the BTS and MTS look pretty, but they just don't cover the city.

[johnsurin]

Had loads of gripes with LloydsTSB in the UK. Haven't used them for a while so I expect they have moved into the 20th century now.

No they're still s#ite, everybody else has stopped using them.

Back on topic.

Bangkok has a sky train and new underground system which very clean and are expanding. London's underground is old, dirty and smelly it's the pits.

John.....

Yes, but London built the underground over 50 years ago and it was very advanced for its time, and you can actually travel around London and beyond on the tube.

Total number of stations on the London underground = 275

Total number of stations on the BTS MTS combined = 36

Yes the BTS and MTS look pretty, but they just don't cover the city.

If I'm not mistaken it was actually built during Queen Victorias reign and I don't think it has been cleaned since.

John.....

[johnsurin]

Had loads of gripes with LloydsTSB in the UK. Haven't used them for a while so I expect they have moved into the 20th century now.

So they're still a hundred years behind?

:D

John.....

[geeky]

not killing the whole society with ridiculous high taxes!

that's why EU is sinking away and Asia is advancing so fast ...

[Geekfreaklover]

Had loads of gripes with LloydsTSB in the UK. Haven't used them for a while so I expect they have moved into the 20th century now.

No they're still s#ite, everybody else has stopped using them.

Back on topic.

Bangkok has a sky train and new underground system which very clean and are expanding. London's underground is old, dirty and smelly it's the pits.

John.....

Yes, but London built the underground over 50 years ago and it was very advanced for its time, and you can actually travel around London and beyond on the tube.

Total number of stations on the London underground = 275

Total number of stations on the BTS MTS combined = 36

Yes the BTS and MTS look pretty, but they just don't cover the city.

If I'm not mistaken it was actually built during Queen Victorias reign and I don't think it has been cleaned since.

John.....

Yes, work was started early 19th C , but the tube as we know and love it was completed mid last century.

so the question is - If I had a transport network that could reach 275 different destinations in a city over a massive area. And you had one that could reach 36 destinations in a city over a very small area (but was very clean and new). Who has the most advanced mode of transport?

There are many ways that Thailand are progressive compared to the west. Bangkok public transport aint one of em.

[mrbojangles]

The Thai banking system is centuries ahead of the archaic U.K. system

3 weeks isn't that long and the main reason for the delay is to verify the person in order to try and clamp down on money laundering.

[johnsurin]

Yes, work was started early 19th C , but the tube as we know and love it was completed mid last century.

so the question is - If I had a transport network that could reach 275 different destinations in a city over a massive area. And you had one that could reach 36 destinations in a city over a very small area (but was very clean and new). Who has the most advanced mode of transport?

There are many ways that Thailand are progressive compared to the west. Bangkok public transport aint one of em.

London has more stations, I don't/can't disagree with you there. I just think Bangkok's is far more technically advanced, modern and with the MRT expanding all the way to the airport, it is a huge achievement.

John....

[Gravelrash]

Is Thailand, in some ways, more advanced than your Home Country?

No!

If you you don't include the night life industry can't think of anything whatsoever.

[Spee]

Is Thailand, in some ways, more advanced than your Home Country?

I think in very general terms the average Thai diet is healthier than the average American diet. Few if any added chemicals and preservatives. Modest amounts of meat. Heavy on the grain, fruits and vegetables. It's good in terms of nourishment as well as for the digestive tract. Although some might not, I would view this as more advanced.

[JimsKnight]

Bangkoks traffic systems and transport network, price for price tend to be better than londons.

In the UK we have LED signs displaying simple stuff like congestion etc, in Bangkok there is more detail to it. There are large digital maps displaying traffic density in certain parts of Bangkok.

The apartments blocks are also, typically more advanced too with regards to Security. I know security guards sitting outside often fall asleep, but at least there is a presence.

I was talking to some people back home in the UK about the biometric systems (fingerprint,eye etc) for entering apartments in Thailand and they were amazed!

It's like the Asians embrace technology in a different way to the EurIn hopeans.

[selftaopath]

Hilo side is definitely more third world than Thailand

OH Yes - so so true. And the Puna district is even more "third world" than Hilo. Really hard to believe.

[daoyai]

......I moved here after 25 years in Puna, so just about everything is more "advanced" especially culturally (eh brah you like beef or whaht! ?)

[ballpoint]

LED traffic lights with timers

Solar powered traffic signals in the countryside

Better roads, Yes really.

LED traffic lights with timers: Very Dangerous - with these there are motorists in all directions attempting to race timers all into the crunch zone, just wait for the green light, commence stopping on the orange - easy. Ohh and by the way in some cities in Australia they are using LED lights, just without timers.

Yes I know but they are everywhere in Thailand. I think timers are a good idea but the "time" should disappear at say 10 seconds

Solar powered traffic signals in the countryside verses not traffic signals in the countryside. ??????????????

Better roads. Australia is 14.95 times larger than Thailand, yet its population is only 32.08% the size of Thailands.....would you really expect it to have roads built to the same level. Having said that, whilst many of Thailands Highways may be better than in Australia, the rural roads are just as shitttty, it seems the rural people get the raw end of the stick in both countries.

Plently of small countries with sub standard roads. There isn't even a decent road between MelB-Syd-Bris

Of course I didnt notice you talking about the road toll, thats definately one area that thailand is more advanced than your home country on....Yes Thailand kills more people on its roads. Get real Asiancup

I wasn't asked about the road toll or the education system.

Have a nice day!!!

Dude you got to be joking right?

Are you actually saying the Thai road system say from Bkk to Chang Mai is better than from Melbourne to Sydney?

That statement is absolutely rediculous.

Me thinks you have been in LoS waaaay to long.

Tried driving from Sydney to Brisbane lately? The Pacific Snailway is a disgrace, Thailand is much further ahead in this regard.

[wamberal]

In England in order to open a bank account, you must first send passport/driving licence(certified copy) and one utility bill. After about a week you get confirmation that you are SUCESSFUL and your atm card will arrive shortly, after another week you receive your atm card and then after another 3-4 days your atm number....in total almost 3 weeks to open a bank account. In Thailand, within 15 minutes you have a passbook, atm card and atm number with a fully functional bank account. If you want to transfer money, hey presto it arrives in another Thai bank instantly, compare this to England where it takes at least 3 business days, so with a weekend and bank holiday over a week to transfer some money.....The Thai banking system is centuries ahead of the archaic U.K. system

Any country that allows the immediate opening of a bank account, as in your Thai example, is a country which does not seriously combat money laundering and tax and other fraud.

The Thai banking system, on this example, is centuries behind where it should be. No doubt in the 19th century you could open a UK bank account on the spot.

[ClaytonSeymour]

I don't know if you've been corrected ClaytonSeymour but 10:00 to 18:00 hrs is 8 hrs not 6. Large stores close at 16:00 hrs.

There's nothing to correct; they aren't allowed to open for the full 8 hours. As I said in my earlier post, they are allowed to open for six hours between 10:00 & 18:00. The six hours they choose is down to the store & you are correct that most of the large supermarkets opt to close at 16:00. The shops in the cities tend to differ, with many opting to open & close an hour later. Either way it's insufficient; I'd like to see 10:00 - 22:00, 24/7 & 364 days a year.

[clausewitz]

Yes, Thailand leads the world in advanced protesting. PAD leader, and now Foreign Minister Kasit, proclaimed this to foreign journalist who questioned the benefits of closing the nations airports.

[henryalleman]

The traffic police is the most advanced in the world. They all have a build in a radar speeding control chip. Paying the fine is the most easy in the world just 200 Baht, no hasless to wait till they send your ticket at home and then must go to the Post office to pay. No paperwork Al cleared in 5 minutes.