40% Of Bankokians Are 'hidden'

[george]

NESDB exposes Bangkok's 'hidden' population

BANGKOK: -- Around 40 percent of Bangkok's 10 million-plus inhabitants have failed to transfer their house registration to the capital, a practice which in turn has led to a soaring rate of divorce, the National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) revealed today.

Mr. Kitisak Sinthuvanich, Deputy NESDB Secretary-General, said that the 'hidden' nature of much of Bangkok's population was contributing to weakening family ties.

He cited statistics showing that the rate of divorce in the capital had risen from 1.18 couples per 1,000 population in 1994 to 2.38 couples per 1,000 population in 2003.

This rising divorce rate, he said, was in turn leading to problems of teenage delinquency and drug abuse.

--TNA 2005-06-27

[TokyoT]

I don’t see the logic? Because people aren’t registering the move to Bangkok this somehow has caused more people to get divorced? – Seems like the registration is pretty much irrelevant.

I can see how people moving away from their families can cause stress in the marriage and therefore an increase in divorce. And I might even buy into divorce rates being higher in cities than in the towns and villages and therefore as more people move to Bangkok there are more divorces.

But shouldn’t an article open with something relevant to the base of the article. I just don’t see how the registration has anything to do with it. Unless they are implying that this “hidden” population is also hiding from their family which cases the divorce?

Or are they saying that because of the high level of “hidden” population the divorce rate appears higher because all divorces are reported, but not all residents are reported and therefore the reported divorce rate is incorrect?

What am I missing?

[thaibebop]

At least they are not blaming the West.........yet.

[Thetyim]

What am I missing?  

You are not missing anything. The article is flawed.

Also on what basis does he blame divorce for teenage delinquency and drug abuse .

Without a divorce the parents will be arguing and unhappy in the home,

which is just as likely to cause problems for the children.

[pomchopkao]

This rising divorce rate, he said, was in turn leading to problems of teenage delinquency and drug abuse.

--TNA 2005-06-27

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I wonder if bribery can be attributed to the same cause.. nah! the latest (uncorroborated) curruption studies showed it's a genetic thingy mostly pertaining to ruling class individuals somehow connected to airport equipment purchases and the such

[mnoorsapl]

It could be the other way, 60% of Bangkok's 10 million-plus inhabitants transfer their house registration to the capital, which in turn could led to a soaring rate of divorce.

[The_Doctor]

So, the divorce rate per 1000 people is soaring... So people who are registering their divorces in the capital, but not registered as living there are skewing the results...

So, 1.18 per 1000 in 1994 and 2.38 per 1000 in 2003. But if 40% of the capital is unregistered then the divorce rate is actually 2.38 per 1666 people which is 1.43 per 1000...

The article is still *******'s though...

[chownah]

Maybe the gov't is concerned that too many people are failing to register as living in Bangkok so they are trying to scare married couples into changing thier registration by implying that by not doing so they are increasing their chances of divorce.

[PeaceBlondie]

I hate to spoil the fun again, as ijustwannateach has pointed out, but it's a statistic in Thailand. It's 2 or 3 unrelated statistics, and they mean nothing. Nothing was measured, nothing was correlated, no mean or standard deviation were evaluated. It's just a number they invented.

It's like the Ford Mustang Shelby GT-350. They were sitting in a metal shed in Texas, arguing about the name for the new car. Finally the owner, old Carroll Shelby, tilted his cowboy hat and asked, "How far away is that green building over there?" "Oh, I'd guess it's about 350 feet, Shel." "Okay, then; the car will be called GT-350."

[Greer]

There's no getting away from it...they are right onto things and keeping up with the latest info....

About 10 years ago we found out that the Thai Census was not based on the number of people in the house on the night of the census, as it is in most countries, but it was based on the good old house registration. We immediately relegated all figures on Bangkok's population to the rubbish bin - virtually any expat knows that there is a huge number of people from Isaan and other areas who are still registered at their homes up-country, but living and working in the city - any census based on this information can never be accurate - so it throws out virtually all other figures and comparisons since the base for the comparison is flawed.

Mai pen rai...

[thaibebop]

Why are they so lazy? Wouldn't someone want to get the numbers right, don't they know better numbers better research better results. It's not that hard is it?

[thohts]

<<

You are not missing anything. The article is flawed.>>

The article is not flawed at all.

It conforms perfectly to Thai logic.

[Greer]

No - actually the Thais are not lazy - we are trying to apply farang values when they cannot fit... when I first came to work in Bangkok, one of my clients, who later became a good friend of mine told me not to expect 100% - about 75% was enough...

The result is that it permeates the society in which we live, and it forms a backdrop to the lifestyle we lead and the environment that surrounds us...we really should not be critical; if it was different, it would not be the Thailand we know and love... maybe it's not such a bad thing in a way - I am in Australia at the moment, and this place makes me sick with their nit-picking and PC ways...not to mention the rotten weather...can't wait to get home!

[thaibebop]

No - actually the Thais are not lazy - we are trying to apply farang values when they cannot fit... when I first came to work in Bangkok, one of my clients, who later became a good friend of mine told me not to expect 100% - about 75% was enough...

The result is that it permeates the society in which we live, and it forms a backdrop to the lifestyle we lead and the environment that surrounds us...we really should not be critical; if it was different, it would not be the Thailand we know and love... maybe it's not such a bad thing in a way - I am in Australia at the moment, and this place makes me sick with their nit-picking and PC ways...not to mention the rotten weather...can't wait to get home!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Falang rak Thai!

Rak Thai Rak!

[custard]

Couldnt agree more. Was on the BTS the other day and its so packed I could hardly move and want to commit some sort of genocide.

[thohts]

<<It's like the Ford Mustang Shelby GT-350. They were sitting in a metal shed in Texas, arguing about the name for the new car. Finally the owner, old Carroll Shelby, tilted his cowboy hat and asked, "How far away is that green building over there?" "Oh, I'd guess it's about 350 feet, Shel." "Okay, then; the car will be called GT-350.">>

I was watching 'As Good As It Gets' last night and laughing my ass off at Jack Nicholson.

"Peolpe who talk in metaphors can shampoo my crotch!"

teehee

[thohts]

<<...we really should not be critical;>>

I think healthy criticism is a good sign of a healthy, functioning society.

I will be critical, of both good and bad and everything else, no matter where I live. I can't help but to use my brain sometimes as a tool for analysis. It's what makes us human.

My experience here has been that Thai people are lazier than I would be in most situations involving original or creative thought. It's not a bad thing, because I'm not stating a fact. I think I'm lazier than most Thais would be in most situations involving physical labor. One's not better than the other. It's a cultural difference.

-my 2.5 cents