Powerful Families Controlling Thailand?

[Chunky1]

just look at the ~6 billion sheep saving their wealth and sweat in government paper. talk about letting the fox guard the chicken coop. a fox who coincidentally has taken an insurance policy out (GOLD) should the chicken coop catch fire.

[LaoPo]

Deep thread.

Typical up and coming 3rd world country discussion.

Go back 100 years and look which (wealthy) families were on top in the US, UK, mainland Europe....the Fords, the Rockefellers, the De Rothschilds...

Go back 300 years and look who ruled Europe.....the Royalties.

Go into the streets now.....read Forbes and see who are in charge now.

It's the era of the selfmade geniuses like Sergey Brin & Larry Page (Google) - Richard Branson (Virgin) - Bill Gates (Microsoft) - Li Ka Shing (Hutchison Whampoa) - Lakshmi Mittal (Steel) - Steve Jobs (Apple) - Mark Zuckerberg...a 26 yr old $ Billionair (Facebook) and many more.

This kind of selfmade men and some women will rise in Asia more and more in the upcoming years and decades with perhaps one or two in Thailand as well.

Next tot that: there will be whole new generation of brilliant young entrepeneurs jumping into niche markets in Thailand.

That doesn't mean the "old" rich will disappear but a new generation will rise next to them, the same as some rich families will slowly disappear because of many reasons like too many inheritants, spreading single fortunes where some of them will spent it all.

All-in-all meaning: the powers, the present rich and famous families have in Thailand, will fade away, slowly but surely.

Qeustion of time, the same as 99.9% of the Chinese immigrants to Thailand came without a single Baht.

LaoPo

[LaoPo]

BTW, in the OP the poster wrote about the Maleenont Family.

It's almost amusing that there was so much said on TV about the transfer of shares by a former PM but there's actually nothing new under the horizon since most families, whether well to do, rich or wealthy, do the same since many centuries, including the Patriarch Vichai Maleenont, 92:

"This year's World Cup proved a boon to BEC World, media group he cofounded; stock up 58% over the past year. Remains chairman and CEO but transferred shares to his children. Son Prasan is COO."

His son Prasan is 66*....

http://www.forbes.com/lists/2010/85/thailands-richest-10_Vichai-Maleenont_VWUY.html

* coud be older in the meantime.

LaoPo

[PingManDan]

And we all know who that is

[Chunky1]

Is there an estate tax in Thailand?

[Bagwan]

I keep reading this type of crap on Thai Visa but I see little evidence of actual obstruction into the free market by private business. Who is stopping competition?

Have you visited the thread about the poor lady who was beat up on the beach in Phuket?

My wife's daughter and long term boyfriend wanted to buy a boat to run people out to Koh Larn. They were told that they could not use the beach at Pattaya or Jomtien and if they tried their boat would be wrecked.

It is the old money and the Mafia gangs that help to keep people poor.

[Chunky1]

I wasn't talking about jet ski rentals or baht buses. I meant actual big business.

[JurgenG]

Lazygourmet nails it. In Thai society a few families own the majority of the wealth. And they try to keep the common man subservient by feeding him a puppet government and lots of mass media lies.

It's true everywhere, even in Europe and the United States

A friend of mine wants, after relevant studies at the highest level, to join the foreign department of a major European country. But he knows he has very little chance of long term success there. All the good posts are for either people whose families have already top position in this department, or what he calls the nation "big names". A true outsider has very little chance of success. It's the same in Thailand, no better, but no worse.

Of course there are exception. But if a true nobody makes it to the top, what will he do ? Challenge the system ? Or make sure that his children will now be part of it ?

[drronnie]

I wasn't talking about jet ski rentals or baht buses. I meant actual big business.

Yes, but what goes on in small scale on the Pattaya beach for example is done on big scale in the big business.

[Luke06]

The OP’s earlier point that he somehow wants to open everyone’s eyes to the truth is naïve. Ever tried telling a Thai that big people run the country? Get that blank stare? The blank stare is because they know, of course they know they have been here for a little longer and are a little more integrated than you. Why don’t you tell British people they are too uptight and their weather sucks, or Americans that they are arrogant and their people are too fat. The actual problem is that there is no will to change it.

Thaksin came in and started abusing the situation for his own good, because he had become the’ big people’ and therefore had the right to do so (in his mind). Ironically for Thaksin he was Oedipus (not the complex, at least I hope not), he saw his own demise at the hands of the military because it was an old clique that he could not control. He had the anti-corruption groups tied up in knots, the police and judiciary in his pocket (honest mistake anyone) but the military he couldn’t control, because he was not part of that clique. So he started messing with it and by so doing created the catalyst for his own downfall. Had he left it alone, there was a chance he could have enjoyed his time in the sun regardless of what else he did.

That the yellows were supported by powerful people is no shock. After Thaksin changed the law allowing him to make massive profits on the sale of his own company it was a slap in the face to the country, but did the people really care? However, the ability to change the law in order to benefit yourself is an act of tyranny and the old clique got really scared, so they provided the capital and found a sufficiently anti-Thaksin character to run them. On the other side the reds started as a pro-government mob that basically held rallies near the yellows and tried to intimidate and attack them, later they morphed into the anti-government mob, no prizes for guessing who backs them. Neither was the genuine will of the people, just the desire of those at the top. Both are an extension of their authority, both represent the desire of the backers to ignore any genuine democratic system and neither offers any genuine hope for a better(?) or different situation.

In my opinion, this country will not change because ultimately it does not want to. The reds want Thaksin and cronies in, they feel that these big people will help them. The yellows want other big people in because they feel they will help them. The real problem is that far too many want the big people that they feel will help them best. They don’t realise or don’t accept that these people will only help themselves, and whilst you rely on other people to help you, the will to actually make the change and do it yourself is lost. So you get the government you deserve.

If you come to this same conclusion I think you will be as bored of Thai politics as me, it won’t change till a genuine dependence on self is found and there is no significant sign of that. My conclusion is that everyone knows powerful people run Thailand and the people who can change it show no real will to do so, if one family or person gets too powerful they swap them around...possibly with some ostracising thrown in...so let's let Heng and Samran run the place till they get swapped for someone else.

[waza]

Good post Luke, apathy rules. However dont get too bored because an event is coming in the not too distant future, that will tear Thailand apart and these two factions and more will fight tooth and nail for Thailand soul. This may be the catalyst for a new order, but remember, without conflict, there is no progress or change.

[MJP]

Good post Luke, apathy rules. However dont get too bored because an event is coming in the not too distant future, that will tear Thailand apart and these two factions and more will fight tooth and nail for Thailand soul. This may be the catalyst for a new order, but remember, without conflict, there is no progress or change.

It's a good post, but how does it differ from many/most Western countries, including and especially US/UK/Euroland?

Seen banker bonuses recently? See any change there? Confusion and apathy and divide and rule are the weapons of choice for the 'big people' the world over.

[drronnie]

Good post Luke, apathy rules. However dont get too bored because an event is coming in the not too distant future, that will tear Thailand apart and these two factions and more will fight tooth and nail for Thailand soul. This may be the catalyst for a new order, but remember, without conflict, there is no progress or change.

Of course what will happen is that the old "big people" will be replaced by new ones. Just like in 1917 Russia where the aristocratic eleite were removed and replaced by even worse and bloody commisars.

[waza]

Good post Luke, apathy rules. However dont get too bored because an event is coming in the not too distant future, that will tear Thailand apart and these two factions and more will fight tooth and nail for Thailand soul. This may be the catalyst for a new order, but remember, without conflict, there is no progress or change.

It's a good post, but how does it differ from many/most Western countries, including and especially US/UK/Euroland?

Seen banker bonuses recently? See any change there? Confusion and apathy and divide and rule are the weapons of choice for the 'big people' the world over.

It differs because it was written on a forum about Thailand.........and is an issue concerning Thailand

[drronnie]

Good post Luke, apathy rules. However dont get too bored because an event is coming in the not too distant future, that will tear Thailand apart and these two factions and more will fight tooth and nail for Thailand soul. This may be the catalyst for a new order, but remember, without conflict, there is no progress or change.

It's a good post, but how does it differ from many/most Western countries, including and especially US/UK/Euroland?

Seen banker bonuses recently? See any change there? Confusion and apathy and divide and rule are the weapons of choice for the 'big people' the world over.

It differs because it was written on a forum about Thailand.........and is an issue concerning Thailand

And the other thing is that in Western countries even rich and high society people are equal to average Joe under the law. As you can see in US even celebs have to go to jail. Impossible in Thailand though.

[Heng]

so let's let Heng and Samran run the place till they get swapped for someone else.

woohoo!

[Heng]

And the other thing is that in Western countries even rich and high society people are equal to average Joe under the law.

Not quite. Look at the musical chairs game of top corporate America execs dabbling in politics and then retiring back to corporate America to make even more money. Hint: it's not the average Joe that benefits.

[gregb]

I keep reading this type of crap on Thai Visa but I see little evidence of actual obstruction into the free market by private business. Who is stopping competition?

Thaksin inhibited free market competition in the telecom industry for the entire time he was in power. Anyone who tried to survive in that industry and was not part of Shin had a very difficult time. That was a clear case of the incredibly wealthy oppressing the common ordinary people.

Today, the industry is not being controlled by an individual or group of families, but by vested political interests. Basically different political factions that can not agree on who is going to get the corruption money. Hence, nothing gets done. But that is entirely different from being dominated by a greedy individual the way it was before.

I've met many very wealthy Thais in my life here. But I have to say aside from Thaksin I really see very few that actively tried to oppress or inhibit the people for their own selfish interests. Oh, they make money alright. They use their influence to get government contracts. Most wealthy Thais will freely admit the SET is one of the most manipulated exchanges in the world. But that is a far cry from the shadow elite conspiracy to dumb down the population for their own ends.

Most of what people blame on "the elite" is simple bureaucratic incompetence today. The elite oppressing the Thai people was a characteristic of the Thaksin era. Thankfully, that ugly period seems to be over. Today, I don't see the structure of Thailand as substantially different from the West.

[Chunky1]

"After serving as an advisor to Bill Clinton, in 1998 Emanuel resigned from his position in the Clinton administration and joined the investment banking firm of Wasserstein Perella (now Dresdner Kleinwort), where he worked until 2002.[29] Although he did not have an MBA degree or prior banking experience, he became a managing director at the firm’s Chicago office in 1999 and, according to Congressional disclosures, made $16.2 million in his two-and-a-half-years as a banker."

**Waits for JingThing to re-explain once again that Democrats are the good guys.

[Heng]

^ and these guys for some reason do pretty well staying out of court and settling if anyone slips up as well.

[kaorop]

<br />

<br />How people can come on here and boast that they have chinese.thai gf,who are hi-so,is beyond me,i would be very quiet about it.<br />

<br /><br /><br />Why would one be either proud or ashamed of the ethnic heritage of a partner/spouse/GF/BF?<br />

<br /><br /><br />

maybe you dont care but 99% of those around you do

one would think you were fully aware of this already

but ignorance can be bliss

[slapout]

And the other thing is that in Western countries even rich and high society people are equal to average Joe under the law.

Not quite. Look at the musical chairs game of top corporate America execs dabbling in politics and then retiring back to corporate America to make even more money. Hint: it's not the average Joe that benefits.

I was going to point out an exception to this, the preceding president, but then I noted your reference to "top corporate execs" Heng for Press Sectary, new motto 'no smoke and mirrors'

[Thaddeus]

Heng for Press Sectary, new motto 'no smoke and mirrors'

and no white lines.

[TAWP]

Deep thread.

It is actually Heng and I who rule Thailand.

/../ we are the 'elite' of Thai society, and thus your overlords.

I always knew that I worshiped the right people!

[Siam Simon]

I don't really care if you believe something or not. Why wouldn't you? You an all knowing, all seeing kind of bloke that knows everything already? Anyway it doesn't matter to me as I am not in Thailand right now and I don't give a rats arse. Just adding something to the thread about what I experienced. I am sure that there are experiences that others have had that would be different to mine. Everyone is entitled to their opinions and opinions are often garnished from experience.

Yes, but you have to understand that jdinasia is posting with an agenda. Your personal experience doesn't fit his agenda, so he needs to call you a liar (in his usual sneaky, obtuse way of course). This is the sort of &lt;deleted&gt; you will come up against all the time on TV whenever the discussions broach anything political and you don't sing from the correct hymn sheet .

[Siam Simon]

I wasn't talking about jet ski rentals or baht buses. I meant actual big business.

From the ground to the very top, my man. It's cultural.

[Siam Simon]

I keep reading this type of crap on Thai Visa but I see little evidence of actual obstruction into the free market by private business. Who is stopping competition?

Thaksin inhibited free market competition in the telecom industry for the entire time he was in power. Anyone who tried to survive in that industry and was not part of Shin had a very difficult time. That was a clear case of the incredibly wealthy oppressing the common ordinary people.

Today, the industry is not being controlled by an individual or group of families, but by vested political interests. Basically different political factions that can not agree on who is going to get the corruption money. Hence, nothing gets done. But that is entirely different from being dominated by a greedy individual the way it was before.

I've met many very wealthy Thais in my life here. But I have to say aside from Thaksin I really see very few that actively tried to oppress or inhibit the people for their own selfish interests. Oh, they make money alright. They use their influence to get government contracts. Most wealthy Thais will freely admit the SET is one of the most manipulated exchanges in the world. But that is a far cry from the shadow elite conspiracy to dumb down the population for their own ends.

Most of what people blame on "the elite" is simple bureaucratic incompetence today. The elite oppressing the Thai people was a characteristic of the Thaksin era. Thankfully, that ugly period seems to be over. Today, I don't see the structure of Thailand as substantially different from the West.

If nothing else, the long-standing education system completely contradicts your view.

And imo the structure of Thailand is only nominally similar to the West. The West has it's elite families and groupings, but these are quite fluid. Thailand's structures are wooden and archaic, and are holding the country back from being first-world in the face of having most of the necessary infrastructure.

[Chunky1]

For the USA

Perhaps something like this would make things more fair?