Here are a few things for Bangkok elites to think about...

Long-term study of the poor in small villages in Thailand show just one educated/motivated family member correlates to accrual of wealth.

"households as firms are a big building block of the national economy."

"Multinationals and incorporated businesses only account for 20 percent of Thailand's national income."

Tracing families' escape from poverty

Edited January 12, 201115 yr by rijb

The motivational part of the "educated/motivated household member" has to be so strong to also keep the spending desires in line for all the family. This has to be a household effort to work, not just the bread winner. The old expression " the more you make, the more you spend " is so true in a lot of cases and makes it hard to get ahead. Perhaps "discipline" needs to be added to the description as well. Interesting article, thanks for sharing!

Getting the family lovely to marry a farang will still be popular. That it will require no exertion at all on the part of the male members will ensure that this is so.

Getting the family lovely to marry a farang will still be popular. That it will require no exertion at all on the part of the male members will ensure that this is so.

That might fall under the heading of "winning a lottery"... I think the study refers to "saving household money" as the best method for accrual of wealth.

I'm not sure there is anything new or unexpected in the article? Unless perhaps for people with very limited exposure to Thailand?

(Not saying that there isn't, just that I don't really see anything unexpected.)

"No Poverty Trap in Thai Villages" as a title is misleading. The study demonstrates some phenomena associated with success in villages - but does not say anywhere in the report of the study that there is no poverty or need be no poverty.

Moreover, if we accept the point repeatedly made, that the best education of one member is important to family's escape from poverty, it is clear that the avenues of public education, in reality, not as promise or theory, should be more broad and long. 50 in a classroom, memorization as the central learning device, and kids finishing in the 5th grade leaves a little to be desired.

Also, a frightening side-effect of the study could be a specialized education system in which the "best" students at an early age get more opportunities. Nobody who has lived in Thailand for more than two weeks will not suppose that the "best" will be the "best-connected."

I think the keyword is "trap" as in "any self-reinforcing mechanism which causes poverty to persist."

I'm not sure there is anything new or unexpected in the article? Unless perhaps for people with very limited exposure to Thailand?

(Not saying that there isn't, just that I don't really see anything unexpected.)

Do you think the Bangkok elites understand this?

I'm not sure there is anything new or unexpected in the article? Unless perhaps for people with very limited exposure to Thailand?

(Not saying that there isn't, just that I don't really see anything unexpected.)

Do you think the Bangkok elites understand this?

I'm not they need or care to understand it. The other side of the coin is still that the top <small>% of people (mostly in Bangkok) make <large>% of the total income. As long as the Bangkok middle and upper classes have no trouble finding maids or other cheap labor I'm not sure there's a lot to be overly concerned about.

Another keyword might be Chiang Mai ?

Another keyword might be Chiang Mai ?

http://web.mit.edu/n...ealth-0110.html

"Currently the survey is asking questions about financial literacy and risk-taking tendencies in an attempt to create a more detailed profile of the types of households that escape poverty as a result of trying new businesses."

Let me see ..... ...... Internet cafe, Spa, Coffee shop, massage place, hair saloon & Fish Spa !

Edited January 12, 201115 yr by PlaShadow

How is this Chiang Mai specific please

Another keyword might be Chiang Mai ?

Maybe a mod could move this topic to the general forum. My mistake.

Edited January 12, 201115 yr by rijb

How is this Chiang Mai specific please

Chiang Mai is the perfect example of the development of rural places and villages. Development has been very fast, so it makes for a better example than, say, somewhere very far out in the North East where there are less opportunities.

One thing the article completely missed is that with more education and economic empowerment also come the desire for political empowerment. It's very strange not to make that link, because the shockwaves are showing clearly ever since the most recent coup. (and to be honest likely before that).

Edited January 12, 201115 yr by CheGuava

Another keyword might be Chiang Mai ?

Maybe a mod could move this topic to the general forum. My mistake.

moved to General

I'm not sure there is anything new or unexpected in the article? Unless perhaps for people with very limited exposure to Thailand?

(Not saying that there isn't, just that I don't really see anything unexpected.)

Do you think the Bangkok elites understand this?

One would think this study would be of more interest to the provincial” elite” rather then the so called “Bangkok elite”. After all, it is the rural elite that stand to lose the most with the rise in rural household incomes and the subsequent breakdown in the patron-client system that dominates the economic and political life upcountry.

TH

Some of you better hope there is no end poverty or else you would lose out on alot of life's finer things;

- A person willing to massage your smelly feet.

- Sex trade workers

- Cheap domestic staff

- People willing to climb down into sewers to clean them out while wearing only shorts and flip flops.