Devaluation

[patklang]

In the current world depression the "pot" has been substantially reduced. I would argue that the best approach for Thailand is to maintain the current policy and NOT devalue against the other Asians, but to compete on quality, pricing and reputation. This is in any case the only way that has a future in the global competition for a market share. Yes, the world will suffer, but any attempt by one country to go it alone will only make it worse for everybody.

Anybody care to take up the argument?

I have lived here for six years and in so many ways a really great place .

But one thing I have learnt is that Thai's in general are not adaptable

enough to compete with other Asians economies. Justifiably perhaps because they

are one of the few countries in this region never to have been colonised,

their national pride can sometimes mask a more serious unwillingness to listen

to the ideas of others and in some instances their outlook is arrogant.

They believie they can be the " hub " of this and the " hub " of that

instead of concentrating on what they can be good at.

I have seen so many instances over the last 6 years

where they never seem to learn from making a mistake.

Quality ? You have to be joking -do you see quality in building construction? Can you honestly say

the new international airport is anywhere near the standard of those in places like Seoul, Hong Kong,

Singapore? Yes they can produce good quality foodstuff but does quality come to mind

when you look up and you see those hideous overhead cables in every street and soi?

Pricing -are you talking about the unique Thai perspective of economics where it's

something doesn't successfully sell -their answer is to increase the price ?

Reputation -with the disruption that occurred at the international airport and with more disruption likely

until the red and yellow shirts sort things out permanently- I suggest their reputation will be very much on hold.

Fifteen years ago, the world didn't even have access to some of Thailand's neighbouring countries e.g. China,

Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and even Burma. Now that people can visit these places and even start up business

enterprises in these countries, theymay find these other locations offer something completely different to Thailand.

Trying to endlessly prop up the Thai baht would just be another example of its futile attempt to look better

than its neighbours and while in reality yes Thailand is very unique.................but so are the all others

Agree 1000%.NOTHING much more i can say to that.

[bonzor]

[establishing industries and taking part in globalisation was the reason which took Thailand from the level of economic middle ages (the first time i visited the country was 36 years ago) to its present position.

So you're implying we have at least 36 years of mistakes to clean up for? Alright, that's a good start on generations. Cleaning up a mess usually takes longer than creating it in the first place.

i have laid down facts, you are forecasting a gloomy future "for generations" to which i can't agree. that we are all entitled to our individual thinking and perception goes of course without saying.

Nobody said it was gloomy. I said it was going to be hard work, and we will all be poor. You are the one assuming this means gloom and doom. In fact, people lived like this for centuries prior to the industrial revolution, and will live like this again. Based on history, it is the standard state of the human condition. If you wish to associate this with gloom and doom that is your prerogative of course.

Where we seem to differ Naam is that your writing implies that you believe the system we have today is desirable if we could clean up some of the financial issues. I believe it is an incredible waste of resources, and simply can't continue no matter how comfortable we all find it. The financial problems we are experiencing are just one of the symptoms. The sooner we pull our collectives heads out of the sand and get down to business the better off we'll all be for it. And, yes, there will be an awful lot of pain to go around during that process.

BTW, what facts did you lay down? I don't see any in your post. Are you referring to a different thread? If you want to talk about facts that convinced me we are a civilization in decline, well, that is definitely another thread, and quite possibly a PhD thesis.

For this thread, I will state again that devaluation of the currency under a larger plan to disengage from globalization and move towards self sufficiency and protectionist policies could be a reasonable choice of action for reasons I explained earlier.

You can't uninvent the past, the history of centuries of increasing exchange of goods. The enrichment of whole populations, conquering of diseases, scientific progress and regress to the middle ages because of a failure of the banking system. Thanks to globalisation absolute poverty decreases every year and we talk instead of relative poverty, ie whether you have two colour TVs or two mobile phones. Of course progress is patchy and whole continents like Africa are patchwork quilts of economic progress. The apples and oranges you like came from china, tha banana from tropical climates. Pineapples the same. We eat north atlantic salmon. Drive courtesy of middle eastern oil. Use plastics derived from the same source. Watch TVs made in the east or Holland, enjoy french cheese and wine, drive BMWs from Bavaria, You are probably reading this sipping a brazilian coffee using sugar from the west indies, munching on an Amaretto biscuit from Italy. I could go on and on.

Come on then anti globalisation eco warrior, tell us how may goods, services and commodities you use from your own country? Untainted by any foreign influence. Greg doesn't seem a very Thai name. Dont you realise you yourself are an exchange, a bundle of services and skills that has crossed continents or borders. Presumably if you get bit by a rabid dog you will refuse post trauma treatment as the vaccine is American and you are in Thailand. You need to drop the wish list of things you don't like and get real.

Edited February 28, 2009 by bonzor

[lannarebirth]

[establishing industries and taking part in globalisation was the reason which took Thailand from the level of economic middle ages (the first time i visited the country was 36 years ago) to its present position.

So you're implying we have at least 36 years of mistakes to clean up for? Alright, that's a good start on generations. Cleaning up a mess usually takes longer than creating it in the first place.

i have laid down facts, you are forecasting a gloomy future "for generations" to which i can't agree. that we are all entitled to our individual thinking and perception goes of course without saying.

Nobody said it was gloomy. I said it was going to be hard work, and we will all be poor. You are the one assuming this means gloom and doom. In fact, people lived like this for centuries prior to the industrial revolution, and will live like this again. Based on history, it is the standard state of the human condition. If you wish to associate this with gloom and doom that is your prerogative of course.

Where we seem to differ Naam is that your writing implies that you believe the system we have today is desirable if we could clean up some of the financial issues. I believe it is an incredible waste of resources, and simply can't continue no matter how comfortable we all find it. The financial problems we are experiencing are just one of the symptoms. The sooner we pull our collectives heads out of the sand and get down to business the better off we'll all be for it. And, yes, there will be an awful lot of pain to go around during that process.

BTW, what facts did you lay down? I don't see any in your post. Are you referring to a different thread? If you want to talk about facts that convinced me we are a civilization in decline, well, that is definitely another thread, and quite possibly a PhD thesis.

For this thread, I will state again that devaluation of the currency under a larger plan to disengage from globalization and move towards self sufficiency and protectionist policies could be a reasonable choice of action for reasons I explained earlier.

You can't uninvent the past, the history of centuries of increasing exchange of goods. The enrichment of whole populations, conquering of diseases, scientific progress and regress to the middle ages because of a failure of the banking system. Thanks to globalisation absolute poverty decreases every year and we talk instead of relative poverty, ie whether you have two colour TVs or two mobile phones. Of course progress is patchy and whole continents like Africa are patchwork quilts of economic progress. The apples and oranges you like came from china, tha banana from tropical climates. Pineapples the same. We eat north atlantic salmon. Drive courtesy of middle eastern oil. Use plastics derived from the same source. Watch TVs made in the east or Holland, enjoy french cheese and wine, drive BMWs from Bavaria, You are probably reading this sipping a brazilian coffee using sugar from the west indies, munching on an Amaretto biscuit from Italy. I could go on and on.

Come on then anti globalisation eco warrior, tell us how may goods, services and commodities you use from your own country? Untainted by any foreign influence. Greg doesn't seem a very Thai name. Dont you realise you yourself are an exchange, a bundle of services and skills that has crossed continents or borders. Presumably if you get bit by a rabid dog you will refuse post trauma treatment as the vaccine is American and you are in Thailand. You need to drop the wish list of things you don't like and get real.

Not only hanks to globalization, which is uneven in it's wealth distribution (at least in the short run), but also thanks to fiat money and fractional reserve banking.

Edited February 28, 2009 by lannarebirth

[mommysboy]

[establishing industries and taking part in globalisation was the reason which took Thailand from the level of economic middle ages (the first time i visited the country was 36 years ago) to its present position.

So you're implying we have at least 36 years of mistakes to clean up for? Alright, that's a good start on generations. Cleaning up a mess usually takes longer than creating it in the first place.

i have laid down facts, you are forecasting a gloomy future "for generations" to which i can't agree. that we are all entitled to our individual thinking and perception goes of course without saying.

Nobody said it was gloomy. I said it was going to be hard work, and we will all be poor. You are the one assuming this means gloom and doom. In fact, people lived like this for centuries prior to the industrial revolution, and will live like this again. Based on history, it is the standard state of the human condition. If you wish to associate this with gloom and doom that is your prerogative of course.

Where we seem to differ Naam is that your writing implies that you believe the system we have today is desirable if we could clean up some of the financial issues. I believe it is an incredible waste of resources, and simply can't continue no matter how comfortable we all find it. The financial problems we are experiencing are just one of the symptoms. The sooner we pull our collectives heads out of the sand and get down to business the better off we'll all be for it. And, yes, there will be an awful lot of pain to go around during that process.

BTW, what facts did you lay down? I don't see any in your post. Are you referring to a different thread? If you want to talk about facts that convinced me we are a civilization in decline, well, that is definitely another thread, and quite possibly a PhD thesis.

For this thread, I will state again that devaluation of the currency under a larger plan to disengage from globalization and move towards self sufficiency and protectionist policies could be a reasonable choice of action for reasons I explained earlier.

You can't uninvent the past, the history of centuries of increasing exchange of goods. The enrichment of whole populations, conquering of diseases, scientific progress and regress to the middle ages because of a failure of the banking system. Thanks to globalisation absolute poverty decreases every year and we talk instead of relative poverty, ie whether you have two colour TVs or two mobile phones. Of course progress is patchy and whole continents like Africa are patchwork quilts of economic progress. The apples and oranges you like came from china, tha banana from tropical climates. Pineapples the same. We eat north atlantic salmon. Drive courtesy of middle eastern oil. Use plastics derived from the same source. Watch TVs made in the east or Holland, enjoy french cheese and wine, drive BMWs from Bavaria, You are probably reading this sipping a brazilian coffee using sugar from the west indies, munching on an Amaretto biscuit from Italy. I could go on and on.

Come on then anti globalisation eco warrior, tell us how may goods, services and commodities you use from your own country? Untainted by any foreign influence. Greg doesn't seem a very Thai name. Dont you realise you yourself are an exchange, a bundle of services and skills that has crossed continents or borders. Presumably if you get bit by a rabid dog you will refuse post trauma treatment as the vaccine is American and you are in Thailand. You need to drop the wish list of things you don't like and get real.

It's a very heavy subject. One thing is for sure capitalism and the free market mechanism have been shown to be very fallible (once again).

I'm not sure there is an alternative though.

Even though I will lose a lot of money, I would rather not have seen any bail outs, as I'm sick of the unreality, the poluution, and the dam_n awful attitudes that abound.

[thaibkk]

only advantage of thailand versa other asean countries like korea / japan ?

mmhhh : cheap girls, cheap food

i rest my case

[Carmine6]

only advantage of thailand versa other asean countries like korea / japan ?

mmhhh : cheap girls, cheap food

i rest my case

Rest your case on what? Your IQ? When did stating an opinion count as making a case?

I haven't been on Thaivisa in a while, but thanks for reminding me on why I avoid talking to Farangs when I visit Thailand.