Smile Begins To Fade As Happiness Index Plummets

[george]

Smile begins to fade as happiness index plummets

By John Le Fevre

While Thailand might be known by some as the Land of Smiles (LOS), a survey conducted by Assumption University shows that the smiles are beginning to fade.

The university conducted a survey of 6,856 households throughout 27 provinces between July 8 and 15 and the results show that the average Thai is growing less happy by the day.

According to the results of the survey, termed the happiness index, the level of overall happiness with things has dropped from 7.15 out of 10 last month, to just 5.92 out of 10 when measured a week or so ago.

The survey found that Thais scored their level of happiness with the current political situation 2.87 out of 10, while the government’s administration received a measly 3.61 out of 10 and the current economic climate a paltry 4.06.

When it came to happiness the populace was most happy about the royal family, giving the monarchy a whopping 9.24 out of 10, their family environment 7.67, and their physical health 7.35.

The lowest overall level of happiness was in Bangkok where residents ranked their level of contentment at only 5.30 out of 10, while the happiest people in Thailand are said to be found in the Northeast where the score was 6.30 out of 10.

-- thaivisa.com 2009-07-21

[sensei]

The Land of Smiles becomes the Land of Smirk

[emancipationthailand]

Oh!! It's The Gross National Hapiness! I remember that poor Nepal and Bhutan has very high ratings on this.

en(dot)wikipedia(dot)org(slash)wiki(slash)Gross_National_Happiness

[webfact]

Maybe more and more people realize the 'think of today and not tomorrow' attitude isn't working in the long run...

[sunsamourai]

Maybe more and more people realize the 'think of today and not tomorrow' attitude isn't working in the long run...

Which is exactly why they get UNhappier by the day.

Now that the country feels more and more like farangland, it's the end of paradise. Thank you farangs (and me too )

[imaneggspurt]

Yes, you can thank the tv/ ( not thai visa ! ) western influence,the farang neighbor that seems to have too much money, and the neighbor the other sides daughter dripping in gold for her rewards in pattaya !,.

[mauGR1]

Yes, you can thank the tv/ ( not thai visa ! ) western influence,the farang neighbor that seems to have too much money, and the neighbor the other sides daughter dripping in gold for her rewards in pattaya !,.

In fact most of the smiling people i see are Farangs happily spending their money(and not watching tv)

[neverdie]

I disagree completely.

Whilst ever you can still buy a new auto motorcycle on hire purchase for 399 baht and get a loan on the latest and greatest telephone that allows you to make payments over 25 years & the price of som tum doesnt increase too much, everything in thailand is same same, as it was years ago.

I still get nervous when a thai smiles at me

[Bagwan]

Blame the farang. Nothing changes.

My family's happiness rating has gone through the roof. Now they eat properly, the kids won't be snatched out of school so as to earn a crust, they are adequately clothed, they live in comfortable accomodation, etc etc. This is because of my farang influence - and at times, compulsion. Some have even begun to think for themselves. Yeah. The Western influence has ruined Thailand.

[animatic]

LOS

Land Of Stressed.

[473geo]

Blame the farang. Nothing changes.

My family's happiness rating has gone through the roof. Now they eat properly, the kids won't be snatched out of school so as to earn a crust, they are adequately clothed, they live in comfortable accomodation, etc etc. This is because of my farang influence - and at times, compulsion. Some have even begun to think for themselves. Yeah. The Western influence has ruined Thailand.

Sure their situation has improved......but what is the true definition of happiness in this situation.....many people grow to quickly accept their improved situation......didn't have transport for 20 years....buy a motorsi...great improvement.....buy a car....great improvement.....now cannot do without a car.....more expense.......worry about paying the repair bills/petrol etc......

Happiness for improved situations is transient.....educational benefits will only be appreciated later in life....

Do you enjoy your life?....diffferent matter.....and it appears the 'westernised' people in BKK are the ones who are not so happy...according to the report......

[jonclark]

Blame the farang. Nothing changes.

My family's happiness rating has gone through the roof. Now they eat properly, the kids won't be snatched out of school so as to earn a crust, they are adequately clothed, they live in comfortable accomodation, etc etc. This is because of my farang influence - and at times, compulsion. Some have even begun to think for themselves. Yeah. The Western influence has ruined Thailand.

Sure their situation has improved......but what is the true definition of happiness in this situation.....many people grow to quickly accept their improved situation......didn't have transport for 20 years....buy a motorsi...great improvement.....buy a car....great improvement.....now cannot do without a car.....more expense.......worry about paying the repair bills/petrol etc......

Happiness for improved situations is transient.....educational benefits will only be appreciated later in life....

Do you enjoy your life?....diffferent matter.....and it appears the 'westernised' people in BKK are the ones who are not so happy...according to the report......

What utter s**t. People in Thailand are unhappy because their country is in a complete mess. It has nothing to do with the west. How can it? The westerners have no political influence in Thailand. All the decisions made here are by THAIS for the benefit of THAIS. And lets be brutally honest what is your working definition for 'westernized people in bangkok?' How does this western influence work??

People are unhappy cause of a myriad of negative factors - Swine flu, falling incomes, political problems and social division throughout society.

Bugger all to do with the western influence.

[473geo]

Blame the farang. Nothing changes.

My family's happiness rating has gone through the roof. Now they eat properly, the kids won't be snatched out of school so as to earn a crust, they are adequately clothed, they live in comfortable accomodation, etc etc. This is because of my farang influence - and at times, compulsion. Some have even begun to think for themselves. Yeah. The Western influence has ruined Thailand.

Sure their situation has improved......but what is the true definition of happiness in this situation.....many people grow to quickly accept their improved situation......didn't have transport for 20 years....buy a motorsi...great improvement.....buy a car....great improvement.....now cannot do without a car.....more expense.......worry about paying the repair bills/petrol etc......

Happiness for improved situations is transient.....educational benefits will only be appreciated later in life....

Do you enjoy your life?....diffferent matter.....and it appears the 'westernised' people in BKK are the ones who are not so happy...according to the report......

What utter s**t. People in Thailand are unhappy because their country is in a complete mess. It has nothing to do with the west. How can it? The westerners have no political influence in Thailand. All the decisions made here are by THAIS for the benefit of THAIS. And lets be brutally honest what is your working definition for 'westernized people in bangkok?' How does this western influence work??

People are unhappy cause of a myriad of negative factors - Swine flu, falling incomes, political problems and social division throughout society.

Bugger all to do with the western influence.

Happiness is usually judged by people meeting their 'expectations'.......western influence can knowingly or unknowingly raise that level of expectation.......as stated above by influence through media or TV or other factors........the fact that Thai politics does not perhaps assist in meeting this level of expectation does not mean westernised ideals do not affect it.....

[Artisi]

Blame the farang. Nothing changes.

My family's happiness rating has gone through the roof. Now they eat properly, the kids won't be snatched out of school so as to earn a crust, they are adequately clothed, they live in comfortable accomodation, etc etc. This is because of my farang influence - and at times, compulsion. Some have even begun to think for themselves. Yeah. The Western influence has ruined Thailand.

Sure their situation has improved......but what is the true definition of happiness in this situation.....many people grow to quickly accept their improved situation......didn't have transport for 20 years....buy a motorsi...great improvement.....buy a car....great improvement.....now cannot do without a car.....more expense.......worry about paying the repair bills/petrol etc......

Happiness for improved situations is transient.....educational benefits will only be appreciated later in life....

Do you enjoy your life?....diffferent matter.....and it appears the 'westernised' people in BKK are the ones who are not so happy...according to the report......

What utter s**t. People in Thailand are unhappy because their country is in a complete mess. It has nothing to do with the west. How can it? The westerners have no political influence in Thailand. All the decisions made here are by THAIS for the benefit of THAIS. And lets be brutally honest what is your working definition for 'westernized people in bangkok?' How does this western influence work??

People are unhappy cause of a myriad of negative factors - Swine flu, falling incomes, political problems and social division throughout society.

Bugger all to do with the western influence.

If all the westerns left tomorrow the Thai's would still be in the same mess - lousy politics, corruption, social differences and the world-wide turn-down.

Don't blame the westeners, they inject plenty of cash into the economy a lot of it at the lower level of society, if they left where would this money come from?

[473geo]

Blame the farang. Nothing changes.

My family's happiness rating has gone through the roof. Now they eat properly, the kids won't be snatched out of school so as to earn a crust, they are adequately clothed, they live in comfortable accomodation, etc etc. This is because of my farang influence - and at times, compulsion. Some have even begun to think for themselves. Yeah. The Western influence has ruined Thailand.

Sure their situation has improved......but what is the true definition of happiness in this situation.....many people grow to quickly accept their improved situation......didn't have transport for 20 years....buy a motorsi...great improvement.....buy a car....great improvement.....now cannot do without a car.....more expense.......worry about paying the repair bills/petrol etc......

Happiness for improved situations is transient.....educational benefits will only be appreciated later in life....

Do you enjoy your life?....diffferent matter.....and it appears the 'westernised' people in BKK are the ones who are not so happy...according to the report......

What utter s**t. People in Thailand are unhappy because their country is in a complete mess. It has nothing to do with the west. How can it? The westerners have no political influence in Thailand. All the decisions made here are by THAIS for the benefit of THAIS. And lets be brutally honest what is your working definition for 'westernized people in bangkok?' How does this western influence work??

People are unhappy cause of a myriad of negative factors - Swine flu, falling incomes, political problems and social division throughout society.

Bugger all to do with the western influence.

If all the westerns left tomorrow the Thai's would still be in the same mess - lousy politics, corruption, social differences and the world-wide turn-down.

Don't blame the westeners, they inject plenty of cash into the economy a lot of it at the lower level of society, if they left where would this money come from?

Ok read what the survey tells us......the northeast people (for this purpose read rice farmers working about 3months a year enjoying their bottle of lao a day and eating well) are happier than the people in BKK (enjoying working 7.5 and more hours a day....to pay rent on their accomodation or a 25 year mortgage and eat ok)

Now which of these is closer to western culture?

Also the money would come from the easteners much of it does already!!

[Robert44]

What utter s**t. People in Thailand are unhappy because their country is in a complete mess. It has nothing to do with the west. How can it? The westerners have no political influence in Thailand. All the decisions made here are by THAIS for the benefit of THAIS. And lets be brutally honest what is your working definition for 'westernized people in bangkok?' How does this western influence work??

People are unhappy cause of a myriad of negative factors - Swine flu, falling incomes, political problems and social division throughout society.

Bugger all to do with the western influence.

Got to disagree - western influence is huge here, just look around you. Human nature is to want what others have, hopefully without having to work for it.

[jonclark]

Blame the farang. Nothing changes.

My family's happiness rating has gone through the roof. Now they eat properly, the kids won't be snatched out of school so as to earn a crust, they are adequately clothed, they live in comfortable accomodation, etc etc. This is because of my farang influence - and at times, compulsion. Some have even begun to think for themselves. Yeah. The Western influence has ruined Thailand.

Sure their situation has improved......but what is the true definition of happiness in this situation.....many people grow to quickly accept their improved situation......didn't have transport for 20 years....buy a motorsi...great improvement.....buy a car....great improvement.....now cannot do without a car.....more expense.......worry about paying the repair bills/petrol etc......

Happiness for improved situations is transient.....educational benefits will only be appreciated later in life....

Do you enjoy your life?....diffferent matter.....and it appears the 'westernised' people in BKK are the ones who are not so happy...according to the report......

What utter s**t. People in Thailand are unhappy because their country is in a complete mess. It has nothing to do with the west. How can it? The westerners have no political influence in Thailand. All the decisions made here are by THAIS for the benefit of THAIS. And lets be brutally honest what is your working definition for 'westernized people in bangkok?' How does this western influence work??

People are unhappy cause of a myriad of negative factors - Swine flu, falling incomes, political problems and social division throughout society.

Bugger all to do with the western influence.

Happiness is usually judged by people meeting their 'expectations'.......western influence can knowingly or unknowingly raise that level of expectation.......as stated above by influence through media or TV or other factors........the fact that Thai politics does not perhaps assist in meeting this level of expectation does not mean westernised ideals do not affect it.....

And the media you are talking about would be, TV radio magazines.... which are all THAI controlled media outlets. Thai media copied western media and copied it without knowing the consequences. They control what goes into their media they deal with the ramifications of this. Their choice entirely. No western influence there other than being copied and how can you be blamed when your model is copied. If Thais are so fiercely independent they should have though of inventive and creative Thai media models that best reflected the values and culture of their people. People have a choice to say yes or no, to buy or not buy. You take responsibility for your own life and if it goes tits up. It's your fault and no one else s.

You don't sit their saying "We're unhappy because we copied the west and western expectations and now it's all gone pear shaped."

[mrukman]

Imho the thais need to stop accepting that curruption is ok and accepted as the norm. And then sort out those thieve's and scammers king power. Yes we are aware of the airport scam now, yet another nail in your already heavy coffin. I assume thais read this forum so do they think this is an acceptable way of treating people that have, or will be putting food on there table, when visiting or leaving thailand. Do you think people will return when they have just been robbed at the new airport.

Edited July 21, 2009 by mrukman

[webfact]

The solution to the problem is easy: open up the economy to foreign competition, stop the xenophobia, modernize the education system, and put an end to the social engineering program that is targeting tourists and expats.

JR Texas I agree wholehearted with you!

[473geo]

Good post JR

I would like to see Thailand kept for the Thai - and maybe therein lies the difficulty?

For instance I once heard much of New Zealand is now Japanese owned......not sure how true that is!!!

[h90]

Blame the farang. Nothing changes.

My family's happiness rating has gone through the roof. Now they eat properly, the kids won't be snatched out of school so as to earn a crust, they are adequately clothed, they live in comfortable accomodation, etc etc. This is because of my farang influence - and at times, compulsion. Some have even begun to think for themselves. Yeah. The Western influence has ruined Thailand.

Sure their situation has improved......but what is the true definition of happiness in this situation.....many people grow to quickly accept their improved situation......didn't have transport for 20 years....buy a motorsi...great improvement.....buy a car....great improvement.....now cannot do without a car.....more expense.......worry about paying the repair bills/petrol etc......

Happiness for improved situations is transient.....educational benefits will only be appreciated later in life....

Do you enjoy your life?....diffferent matter.....and it appears the 'westernised' people in BKK are the ones who are not so happy...according to the report......

What utter s**t. People in Thailand are unhappy because their country is in a complete mess. It has nothing to do with the west. How can it? The westerners have no political influence in Thailand. All the decisions made here are by THAIS for the benefit of THAIS. And lets be brutally honest what is your working definition for 'westernized people in bangkok?' How does this western influence work??

People are unhappy cause of a myriad of negative factors - Swine flu, falling incomes, political problems and social division throughout society.

Bugger all to do with the western influence.

high lao kao prices

[mrtoad]

The solution to the problem is easy: open up the economy to foreign competition, stop the xenophobia, modernize the education system, and put an end to the social engineering program that is targeting tourists and expats.

JR Texas I agree wholehearted with you!

It certainly would be a step in the right direction, but it's hardly beneficial to those that are in the elite, as it would become a threat.

[verydumbubba]

That is exactly the wrong plan - y'all will wreck this place, as ya have everywhere else!!

The real reason we come here is to get away from the crud at home and to be with real people.

Y'all know where the door is

Bubba

The solution to the problem is easy: open up the economy to foreign competition, stop the xenophobia, modernize the education system, and put an end to the social engineering program that is targeting tourists and expats.

[maxjay]

Let's cut to the chase. Blame the Americans. After all...we're to blame for every other bad thing happening in the world. Might as well blame us for Thailand's problems.

Remember, it was the American G.I.'s who put Thailand on the map 45 years ago with their tales of wild Patpong girls and Thai Stick. Before that most Westerners only knew of Thailand from the movies Bridge Over the River Kwai and The King & I.

BTW, FYI, I am an American, and this was only a little attempt at some levity.

[JR Texas]

That is exactly the wrong plan - y'all will wreck this place, as ya have everywhere else!!

The real reason we come here is to get away from the crud at home and to be with real people.

Y'all know where the door is

Bubba

The solution to the problem is easy: open up the economy to foreign competition, stop the xenophobia, modernize the education system, and put an end to the social engineering program that is targeting tourists and expats.

Thanks for those positive responses to my ramblings (normally I am attacked from all sides).

All I know is that what Thailand is doing now is not working for the vast majority.

Yes, things are a little better.......but they could have been much better under different leadership.

It is tragic that Thailand is not more like Singapore or South Korea or Japan. It is 2009 and Thailand remains way behind those countries in terms of development.

Thailand could have been more like those countries if it had not made so many mistakes.......mainly closing its economy to serious foreign competition and making a joke out of higher education.

Also, as noted by another poster, corruption is so ingrained in Thailand.......some of the most incompetent people reach positions of power for no other reason than nepotism.

It is possible to develop economically and retain your cultural roots (not easy, but possible).

It is the state of the economy that is at the heart of most of the "smile problems."

And we know who controls over 95% of Thailand's economy and periodically tosses peanuts to the masses to keep them smiling.

[Texpat]

Some farangs will never accept that their existence here doesn't amount to jack squat.

They believe their precious money spent here buoys the fragile Thai economy, their deep-thinking brains are a valuable resource to be treasured by the dum Thai folk, their creativity and ingenuity are miles beyond anything a Thai is capable of...

This is Thailand -- 66+ million Thais and a handful of self-important farangs. Get over yourselves.

[Chunkton]

Yes, you can thank the tv/ ( not thai visa ! ) western influence,the farang neighbor that seems to have too much money, and the neighbor the other sides daughter dripping in gold for her rewards in pattaya !,.

When I turn on the TV I only see Thai soapies, so not sure what you mean? And really, isn't Pattaya just a minor town in the greater scheme of things, surely girls there have been buying gold for the last 30 years.

[Chunkton]

That is exactly the wrong plan - y'all will wreck this place, as ya have everywhere else!!

The real reason we come here is to get away from the crud at home and to be with real people.

Y'all know where the door is

Bubba

The solution to the problem is easy: open up the economy to foreign competition, stop the xenophobia, modernize the education system, and put an end to the social engineering program that is targeting tourists and expats.

Thanks for those positive responses to my ramblings (normally I am attacked from all sides).

All I know is that what Thailand is doing now is not working for the vast majority.

Yes, things are a little better.......but they could have been much better under different leadership.

It is tragic that Thailand is not more like Singapore or South Korea or Japan. It is 2009 and Thailand remains way behind those countries in terms of development.

Thailand could have been more like those countries if it had not made so many mistakes.......mainly closing its economy to serious foreign competition and making a joke out of higher education.

Also, as noted by another poster, corruption is so ingrained in Thailand.......some of the most incompetent people reach positions of power for no other reason than nepotism.

It is possible to develop economically and retain your cultural roots (not easy, but possible).

It is the state of the economy that is at the heart of most of the "smile problems."

And we know who controls over 95% of Thailand's economy and periodically tosses peanuts to the masses to keep them smiling.

JR from Texas eh? What was that about people living in glass houses? Have a look at this clip about corruption in your beloved USA that makes Thailand pale in comparison:

You Tube

[verydumbubba]

Ya gotta bet the farm that Herr Hitler will make the rounds soon enough ......

Bubba

Have a look at this clip about corruption in your beloved USA that makes Thailand pale in comparison:

[losworld]

I believe what leads to unhappiness more than anything is the inequality of wealth. In Bangkok someone earning 6000 baht per month must observe many around him with 20,000 baht cell phones, Mercedes, big homes, etc. In the rural areas there is more equality and people appear to be happier. I'll bet a score out of Laos would come in higher than Bangkok.