Poor Thai Rich Thai

[evanson]

Not for the first time, a Thai friend pointed out that even the most kee niaow farang couldn't hold a candle to the abject meanness of the wealthy Thais. Who are of course in the majority. Demographically speaking.

Over my years here I've found this to be true. Farang are always being pointed out as having more money than any Thai. This is a 'given' promulgated by those Thais hel_l bent on keeping the status quo.

Is it any wonder, Taksin apart, that the average working Thai is getting pissed off with this situation?

BUT.Why do they feel so 'powerless'? Instead of bombing poor bastards living in tenement blocks/riding skytrain etc, why are they still so backward in demanding a better deal/slice of the pie by forming Workers Union marches - which also goes alongside another current thread relating to the rampant corruption here? Is it simply that the Thais simply don't have the courage of say, the Tolpuddle Martyrs or the recent and numerous marches against corruption/rising crime stats of, in particular, Mexico and the Southern Americans?

Perleeze don't trot out the 'loss of face' crap. That wasn't at all an element of either the red/yellow rallies.

Are wealthy Thais 'tight'?

[elkangorito]

The answer is that amazing word called 'culture', which controls EVERYTHING in Thailand. Of course, there is also a religion associated with this wonderful situation & supports 'culture' 100%.

Edited October 6, 2010 by elkangorito

[Chunky1]

I don't like your tone Elkangorito. How dare you?

[kevozman1]

Rich Thais are not tight, they just take the piss out of their less well off compatriots

and they get away with it.

Not sure if the current state of poor Thais is down to past culture, laziness or lack of courage,

but I do think that the people have woken up now and will not except their fate quite as willingly

as in the past.................. bad thing is this could make for a volatile Thailand if it is not already.

[kmj]

Good question that is relevant in most of Asia, India ( and Iran if I remember ) call it the caste system to keep the poor poor using religion ( Hinduism) as their reason.

In Thailand the people that see themselves as higher classes can't use that sad excuse, I think changes will come, maybe too late for some, but it will happen.

[PingManDan]

Time for Thaksin policies again, they were bent on working for the poorer Thai people, and bringing an equality to Thailand, not a "HUGE" division between it's people.

Edited October 6, 2010 by PingManDan

[bentrein]

PingManDan: Thaksin's policies were pretending to work for the poor people, but only few ever really did. Read your history books, and the facts. But without turning this into a political mudslinging contest, I think I agree with the first sentence of kevozman1; the only thing I disagree with, is that change is coming. Nobody but the suffering want change, and too few people here are truly suffering. You'd be surprised how accepting people are of their fate.

[bifftastic]

Good question that is relevant in most of Asia, India ( and Iran if I remember ) call it the caste system to keep the poor poor using religion ( Hinduism) as their reason.

In Thailand the people that see themselves as higher classes can't use that sad excuse, I think changes will come, maybe too late for some, but it will happen.

Will it come though? I mean in Europe it took major social upheavals, revolutions, civil wars and two huge international wars that enveloped much of the world, for the class system, along with most of the countries that had one, to collapse or become modified.

There was also the earlier rise of the middle classes the 'nouveaux riche' and the financial unsustainability (if that's even a word!) of the true aristocracy's hold over the poor.

The rise of the trade unions and the growth of power of the working classes was a result of the mechanisation of the war machine, and industrialisation in general, without which the elite could not hold on to anything, so 'deals were done'. Europe also has a tradition of revolution and counter-revolution, conquest, invasion and war. We like a scrap

Without those, and many many more quite tangled and inter-related influences and reasons, the class system that kept people 'in their place' would still operate in many European countries.

Will countries that haven't experienced those upheavals continue to have their, so called, 'elite' holding so much sway? Or is the equalisation that has been evident in Europe, somehow, inevitable?

We, perhaps, regard it as inevitable because it's part of our history ( I left out the North American experience, apologies for that it wasn't meant as a slur of any kind I just don't know all that much about it) but that doesn't necessarily mean it will be repeated elsewhere. To suggest otherwise you would need to regard any society that hasn't been through something similar as, somehow, backward or yet to experience the inevitable. When, in fact, it just hasn't the same history and may well not end up in a similar way .

Interesting, wish I had an answer, but then I'd have a working crystal ball and be rich and not tell anyone

And yes, tight arsed rich people get right up my nose!

Cheers,

Biff

[Heng]

Might agree if I didn't know plenty of Thai folks who were once poor and now are fairly well off. It took most of them 20-30+ years (and for a few dozen creative techie types 5-10 years), but the conspiracy or whatever underachievers like to say is keeping 'everyone else' down didn't seem to bother them much. And yes, a lot of them are careful or tight with their assets, but they also know

As Ice-T once said...

"But it really ain't that easy, Or we all would be rich...

One mistake, You're broke, The come up's a bitch....

Make the right moves and forget about sleep...

concentrate on the paper chase, Join the elite...

Few dun got mad cash and money to spend...

Money to straight blow and money to lend...

And only then, You made it past stage one, My friend..."

[Ulysses G.]

Time for Thaksin policies again, they were bent on working for the poorer Thai people, and bringing an equality to Thailand, not a "HUGE" division between it's people.

I thought that his policies were to trick poor Thais into selling him votes.

[afarang]

You all mean to tell me Pork- Barreling doesn't exist in your home country? I live in Isarn and Thaksin, for all his faults is still loved here.And ,yes his populist policies made a big difference to so many peoples lives.Let us not forget, all politicians in this country are obnoxious.