Why Don'T Rural Thai People Follow Sufficiency Economic Theory?

[Chunky1]

I know that many of you have married partners from rurally poor regions so maybe you can shed some light on this issue.

Edited October 14, 2010 by Chunky1

[Chunky1]

For those of you who are uneducated on the issue:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thailand_sufficiency_economy

[onnut]

Here's another fine post you've got me into Chunky!

You have been here long enough, so should be able to answer that yourself.

[gotlost]

Another RED 1

[JetsetBkk]

I know that many of you have married partners from rurally poor regions so maybe you can shed some light on this issue.

Perhaps you should explain why you think they don't, any more than urban people don't.

[Loz]

the short answer, my chunky friend, is that some do.

[Englander]

the short answer, my chunky friend, is that some do.

I met a very intelligent 18yo bar girl several years back who brought this subject up, and she mocked those who believe folk like her and her family should live like this, whilst these hypocritical philosophers live off the fat of the land.

[Chunky1]

the short answer, my chunky friend, is that some do.

I met a very intelligent 18yo bar girl several years back who brought this subject up, and she mocked those who believe folk like her and her family should live like this, whilst these hypocritical philosophers live off the fat of the land.

You have a lot of nerve to make this statement. How dare you.

[surayu]

The ones around me, just south of the over popular Isaan region, just live by the day, not interested in improving their life in any ways that require some action or willpower other than for the very bare necessities (+ cigarettes and alcohol), if anyone might eventually understand how a little work can actually improve their lifes in many ways, they get bored of it almost immediately and go back to their usual routines, sabai sabai :jap:

[JohnLeech]

the short answer, my chunky friend, is that some do.

Quite a few - particularly those who are more sufficient than others!

[moe666]

They do everyone has a mango tree in the yard when times are tuff or a relative who will help out.

[IanForbes]

The answer is quite obvous to anyone who understands humanity. Idealism is fine for a theory, but unfortunately it doesn't work on humans. It is obvious to everyone that there are the very rich and the very poor. The poor would like some of what the very wealthy have, and the wealthy don't want to share. As a very general rule, most humans are a little bit lazy and don't want to do what it takes to become wealthy. People want something for nothing. That is why gambling is so popular. Bundle that into the fact that economic leaders in Thailand want to keep the vast majority of rural people as what amounts to "working slaves", and you have your answer.

[nocturn]

the short answer, my chunky friend, is that some do.

I met a very intelligent 18yo bar girl several years back who brought this subject up, and she mocked thos e who believe folk like her and her family should live like this, whilst these hypocritical philosophers live off the fat of the land.

That is some pretty treacherous ground you tread given the theory's key proponent.

Many have asked the same question though.

Edited October 14, 2010 by nocturn

[Englander]

the short answer, my chunky friend, is that some do.

I met a very intelligent 18yo bar girl several years back who brought this subject up, and she mocked thos e who believe folk like her and her family should live like this, whilst these hypocritical philosophers live off the fat of the land.

That is some pretty treacherous ground you tread given the theory's key proponent.

Many have asked the same question though.

It was the Juntas philosophy in 2007 to which she was referencing, i am merely repeating what she said.

Edited October 14, 2010 by Englander

[Heng]

There are plenty who do, they are those who are typically running most of the rural businesses.

Sufficiency theory doesn't have to mean farming your food. It's buying Osram bulbs instead of Philips, buying food from the market instead of the nearest Tesco Lotus, it's getting a Toyota Ventury instead of an Alphard, etc...

Edited October 15, 2010 by Heng

[FarangBuddha]

Probably bacause since time immemorial, humans seem to have had innate desires to possess and consume more than they themselves could produce on their own...hence the development of a non-self-sufficiency economy. If this was not the case, we would still all be members of hunter-gatherer societies

[trogers]

Same reason why a farang may spend a week's pay on a dinner date to try impressing the chick...

[hansfromwales]

can you explain in simmple english what this theory is:lol: :lol:

[inmysights]

the short answer, my chunky friend, is that some do.

I met a very intelligent 18yo bar girl several years back who brought this subject up, and she mocked thos e who believe folk like her and her family should live like this, whilst these hypocritical philosophers live off the fat of the land.

That is some pretty treacherous ground you tread given the theory's key proponent.

Many have asked the same question though.

Yes, I'm one ...

[Loz]

in truth the one's i practicing it are professional couples. doctors teachers nurses. sadly the poor aspire to what they have, not the practices that enabled it. and no, that's not just a local problem.

[tim armstrong]

The answer is quite obvous to anyone who understands humanity. Idealism is fine for a theory, but unfortunately it doesn't work on humans. It is obvious to everyone that there are the very rich and the very poor. The poor would like some of what the very wealthy have, and the wealthy don't want to share. As a very general rule, most humans are a little bit lazy and don't want to do what it takes to become wealthy. People want something for nothing. That is why gambling is so popular. Bundle that into the fact that economic leaders in Thailand want to keep the vast majority of rural people as what amounts to "working slaves", and you have your answer.

I agree with most of this Ian, but I would say that in Thailand the concept of conditioning applies. Thais are strongly conditioned about how to live their lives. But, like so many other countries as the population becomes more informed and better educated, things change. I see this happening now, very rapidly.

[slapout]

Watching Thailand hold onto its own identity, while adapting western/foreign hobbies, play toys, dress, etc can be sad at times. I am reminded of Will Rogers saying something to the effect "that we are not sure where we are going, but we will bite to get there". The biting part will probably be realized before some of the pipe dreams that are thrown out as solutions.

[Chunky1]

The King worked very hard to write this guideline for the Thai people I wish they would use it. :jap:

[kokesaat]

I had a long discussion of SET with a Thai friend of mine a few years back. The way he explained it has always made sense to me.....and I seem to recall the King weighing in on the controversy with the same sort of comments:

In effect: If you've got the bucks to buy a Merc/BMW, then by all means go out and do it. If, on the other hand, you're finding it difficult to pay for bus fare, then forget buying a vehicle. In short, if you can't afford it, don't go out and borrow money to buy it.

I live in a small village and see plenty of people who are living within their means. They're not living in anything fancy, but they seem to be perfectly happy. When a few baht comes along, they'll upgrade a portion of the house, buy another cow, or break down and buy a fridge to keep water cold. There are also plenty of folk who trash 20,000 baht on a computer for their school kid who doesn't know the first thing about using a computer. Within a few months (if that) it's trash....and of course, the family borrowed money to buy such a luxury.

Hardly a day goes by that my wife and I don't hear a sob story about how this villager or that owes a lone shark a chunk of change.....some villagers will escape for a few months/years (depending on the size of the debt) to try and avoid paying it off. It just seems to me that those who live within their means are going to be living a much happier life.

Is life any different in the US....with people living in debt, off of their credit cards? I often wonder.

[David006]

Is life any different in the US....with people living in debt, off of their credit cards? I often wonder.

nice one mate...probably a lot of westerners have mortgages and car payments,CCs etc which may exceed, percentage wise, the debts of some rural people ...lots of relatively wealthy rural Thais around and lots live within their means....unlike the western world of "I want it and I want it NOW!".."so what if I get laid off next week"..

.....the entrepreneurial spirit alone of many rural people is underestimated by many of us somewhat ignorant and naive foreigners

..asking "why don't they" about rural or any people in this country is ...is, is....certainly common on TV

[somtampet]

the short answer, my chunky friend, is that some do.

I met a very intelligent 18yo bar girl several years back who brought this subject up, and she mocked those who believe folk like her and her family should live like this, whilst these hypocritical philosophers live off the fat of the land.

You have a lot of nerve to make this statement. How dare you.

He didnt make this statement the 18yo bg did,wakey wakey

[somtampet]

Same reason why a farang may spend a week's pay on a dinner date to try impressing the chick...

Thats the worst thing you can do,never show your hand until its taken lol.My gf didnt know for years that i was filthy rich,i just hid it well

[GuestHouse]

Because they are too busy trying to scrape a living at the base of Maslow's Pyramid of Needs.

[Thongkorn]

Because they are too busy trying to scrape a living at the base of Maslow's Pyramid of Needs.

TOTAL AGREE , OBVIOUSLY SOME ONE HAS NO IDEA ABOUT THE REAL THAILAND

[JurgenG]

can you explain in simple english what this theory is:lol: :lol:

From the link cited above : Standard & Poor's director of sovereign ratings noted, "No one knows what [sufficiency economy] really means."[

We all remember the successes of Mr Supachai as the head of the WTO. Thais have probably many talents, but the understanding of the basics of economy is obviously not one of them. Anyway, chineses have always rule the economy here, there is obviously a good reason for that..