Quality Products, Not Cheap Labour, Pheu Thai Policy: Jaruphong

[whybother]

I didn't see a single poster promoting education, or increased productivity, or work ethic reward.

Not true. I have and others as well.

I think he's talking about "political party posters" - the ones blocking all the footpaths.

[hyperdimension]

Maybe it is time for those who have seen the good times over the last decade and who enjoy reasonable to very good lifestyles see a tiny bit of belt tightening so that those who struggle can see a little more.

Maybe it is time for lazy Thai people to get themselves educated or get some training in a skilled trade. Many were not even raised with the idea that education is the key to a better life because their parents themselves are uneducated.

[Sateev]

I didn't see a single poster promoting education, or increased productivity, or work ethic reward.

Not true. I have and others as well.

Uh, try again. I was referring to political posters, usually along the highway, which would be clear if read in context.

Next! lol

[Sateev]

I didn't see a single poster promoting education, or increased productivity, or work ethic reward.

Not true. I have and others as well.

I think he's talking about "political party posters" - the ones blocking all the footpaths.

Precisely.

[Sateev]

Maybe it is time for those who have seen the good times over the last decade and who enjoy reasonable to very good lifestyles see a tiny bit of belt tightening so that those who struggle can see a little more.

Maybe it is time for lazy Thai people to get themselves educated or get some training in a skilled trade. Many were not even raised with the idea that education is the key to a better life because their parents themselves are uneducated.

Maybe it's time for visitors to stop viewing all things Thai through distorted Western lenses. Maybe Thai people are content to get up every day, set up their sausage carts, or whatever, and live day-to-day. I suspect that romantic version of Thailand is what brings many here, you know, the floating market, Sampeng etc. - the OLD Thailand. And the nekkiid wimmin, natch'...

Western materialism is mighty seductive, but the kids influenced by it don't realize that they live in a culture at definite odds with it. Desire is the root of all suffering...

Seriously, blame TV and the internet. 25 or so years ago, one didn't exist, and the other was as rare as hen's teeth. There were still plenty of squabbles in Bangkok about whose turn at the trough it was, but the masses lived and died at nature's whim. Now, they drive Toyota Vigos.

Much of what made/makes Thailand attractive is in jeopardy. At some point, it must depart from much of what holds it back, or remain impoverished, but delightful to visit. I scarcely see a middle ground...

[wolf5370]

Maybe it is time for those who have seen the good times over the last decade and who enjoy reasonable to very good lifestyles see a tiny bit of belt tightening so that those who struggle can see a little more.

Maybe it is time for lazy Thai people to get themselves educated or get some training in a skilled trade. Many were not even raised with the idea that education is the key to a better life because their parents themselves are uneducated.

Maybe it's time for visitors to stop viewing all things Thai through distorted Western lenses. Maybe Thai people are content to get up every day, set up their sausage carts, or whatever, and live day-to-day. I suspect that romantic version of Thailand is what brings many here, you know, the floating market, Sampeng etc. - the OLD Thailand. And the nekkiid wimmin, natch'...

Western materialism is mighty seductive, but the kids influenced by it don't realize that they live in a culture at definite odds with it. Desire is the root of all suffering...

Seriously, blame TV and the internet. 25 or so years ago, one didn't exist, and the other was as rare as hen's teeth. There were still plenty of squabbles in Bangkok about whose turn at the trough it was, but the masses lived and died at nature's whim. Now, they drive Toyota Vigos.

Much of what made/makes Thailand attractive is in jeopardy. At some point, it must depart from much of what holds it back, or remain impoverished, but delightful to visit. I scarcely see a middle ground...

Yes I wonder sometimes - seeing the top of the range mobile phones and new Toyotas some of these people have that I know earn a couple of hundred baht a day - how much expendable income they have after paying the HP and loan payments each month!

[dcutman]

More firms already chasing lower wages

Labour-intensive jobs moving abroad

• Published: 8/07/2011 at 12:00 AM
• Newspaper section: Business

Although Thailand has not yet raised minimum wages, labour-intensive industries in recent years have been moving to neighbouring countries and the trend is likely to pick up, according to the Board of Investment (BoI).

Applications for investment privileges for labour-intensive industries have been low in line with the BoI's policy to favour more high-tech and value-added ventures over sectors such as textiles, garments and toys, said Chokdee Kaewsang, the BoI deputy secretary-general.

He said these industries had earlier moved, particularly to border provinces. More and more textile and garment industries have relocated to set up factories in neighbouring countries such as Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Thailand also faces difficulties pro moting investment in heavy industries such as steel and petrochemicals due to restrictions on location and labour.

''If we cannot find the right location for a new industrial complex, the private sector will have difficulty with these investments, which also require the acceptance from local communities; otherwise the investment may not be possible,'' said Mr Chokdee

He said these industries had earlier moved, particularly to border provinces. More and more textile and garment industries have relocated to set up factories in neighbouring countries such as Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Thailand also faces difficulties pro moting investment in heavy industries such as steel and petrochemicals due to restrictions on location and labour.

''If we cannot find the right location for a new industrial complex, the private sector will have difficulty with these investments, which also require the acceptance from local communities; otherwise the investment may not be possible,'' said Mr Chokdee.

The agency will focus in supporting investment in high-technology businesses such as medical devices, but Thailand still lacks skilled labour and product standard testing centres to support such activities.

Speaking at a seminar on preparation for the Asean Economic Community (AEC), Mr Chokedee said the BoI also supported Thai investments in neighbouring countries in manufacturing, agriculture, agro-industries and tourism.

By investing abroad, he said, Thai industries would increase their business opportunities and competitiveness in the global market while reducing production costs.

Narongchai Akraseranee, a former cabinet minister and currently a board member of the National Economic and Social Development Board, said Thailand's high foreign reserves were increasingly becoming a risk for the country and businesses, given the depreciation of the dollar.

Therefore, Thai industries should invest more abroad, especially in services which Thai companies have strengths. The creation of a single Asean market of 600 million in 2015 will be a prime opportunity.

Niyom Wairatpanich, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce committee on border trade, said the chamber would propose to the Asian Development Bank to create linked logistics routes in the region to support transport and tourism

He said these industries had earlier moved, particularly to border provinces. More and more textile and garment industries have relocated to set up factories in neighbouring countries such as Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Thailand also faces difficulties pro moting investment in heavy industries such as steel and petrochemicals due to restrictions on location and labour.

''If we cannot find the right location for a new industrial complex, the private sector will have difficulty with these investments, which also require the acceptance from local communities; otherwise the investment may not be possible,'' said Mr Chokdee.

The agency will focus in supporting investment in high-technology businesses such as medical devices, but Thailand still lacks skilled labour and product standard testing centres to support such activities.

Speaking at a seminar on preparation for the Asean Economic Community (AEC), Mr Chokedee said the BoI also supported Thai investments in neighbouring countries in manufacturing, agriculture, agro-industries and tourism.

By investing abroad, he said, Thai industries would increase their business opportunities and competitiveness in the global market while reducing production costs.

Narongchai Akraseranee, a former cabinet minister and currently a board member of the National Economic and Social Development Board, said Thailand's high foreign reserves were increasingly becoming a risk for the country and businesses, given the depreciation of the dollar.

Therefore, Thai industries should invest more abroad, especially in services which Thai companies have strengths. The creation of a single Asean market of 600 million in 2015 will be a prime opportunity.

Niyom Wairatpanich, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce committee on border trade, said the chamber would propose to the Asian Development Bank to create linked logistics routes in the region to support transport and tourism.

From this article in the Bangkok Post it seems the past and soon to be administrations are promoting the exit of labor intensive industries.

Thailand has some serious problems with this idea however. As with most everything in LOS the cart gets put infront of the horse.

They want to be in the high-tech and value added ventures, but the govenment has never promoted the training and trade schools to get the skills that this requires. This takes years even decades to acomplish, there is no Majic Ferry for this sort of thing.

But yet they are promoting and even subsidising companies to move thier manufacturing lines out of the country and have been doing it for several years.

I guess is what I am saying is, If you promote high intensive labor industries to leave the country and by raising the minium wages before you have the infastructure in place the only thing you are going to achieve is a high unemployment rate and social unrest.

Edited July 8, 2011 by dcutman

[hellodolly]

Oh yes two of the biggest red haters on the forum jump out of their gilded cages to tell thailand how much they should pay their slaves I mean workers. Of course in your home country if these people were you or your family and they were not paid enough to maintain a decent standard of living to provide for their families it would be a different story wouldnt it ???

That's a loaded question and you are ignoring FACTS. Unemployment and even more so HIGH INFLATION are the two things that bring the most suffering, mainly to POOR PEOPLE. You don't even listen to me, I think they need massive reforms in TAXES of the wealthy, and major LAND reform. That's real right wing, is it?

Thaksin worshipers never think clearly. They depend on him to do it for them. What they don't realize is his priorities are different than there's they are merely tools to be used and thrown away.

I am waiting for one of those nimrods to come on and say with 300 baht the people will be able to support there family provided prices do not go up. And of course the prices will go up and they will claim they need 400 baht get it the prices will go up and they will claim they need 500 baht and in the mean time business will be folding there Thailand operations and going else where where the cost of labor is not prohibitive. End result higher prices standard of living the same and less jobs. But on the bright side they will have Thaksin.

[UphillStruggle]

It sounds like New Labour have got in.

If they are going to double the minimum wage and throw lots of money at public sector workers then Thailand is in trouble.

Haven't they seen what's happened to the UK, Greece, Ireland? It's a blue print for killing manufacturing by making your costs too high and reducing foreign investment. Unemployment follows and the government then starts running up a deficit. Why would a country like Thailand with almost full employment risk doing that?

A bloated public sector is just a drain on taxes that then forces them higher for everyone. The minimum wage devalues the wages of people above the minimum wage and by creating inflation neither is any better off.

Don't tell me they are going to do 125% mortgages as well for the full set of lunatic Western policies?

People with savings in Baht should be very worried if they start adopting failed Western policies. It's going to be devalued by inflation and earn less interest.

[hellodolly]

How are they going to attract foreign money if they are proposing to raise the minimum wage by up to 40% with a raise of up to 150% in the future.

Cut corporate taxes would help but unfortunately big business knows that tax's can always go back up but wages never go down.

[Sateev]

How are they going to attract foreign money if they are proposing to raise the minimum wage by up to 40% with a raise of up to 150% in the future.

Cut corporate taxes would help but unfortunately big business knows that tax's can always go back up but wages never go down.

They're not, and they (PT) know it. It's just the same as free tablet computers for each child, promises made to the gullible masses, to be hedged upon later.

I used to tell my friends that Thailand was no longer about cheap labor, being supplanted by China in the low-cost arena, but that Thailand's quality of labor was so much better.

I was a fool.

Not to say that there aren't skilled workers, engineers, and tradesmen in Thailand, but they swim against the tide, in my view. In managing a team of Thai 'engineers', out of about 10, I think TWO were worthy of the title. One had a bachelor's degree, and was easily the best and most conscientious worker I have encountered. He trained the others, without jealousy, or concern that they might gain some advantage. The other one had a Master's degree, and had lesser skills, but decent logic and self-reliance. The others were typical - get by with the minimum, and hold out your hand at bonus time.

I have made it a habit, both here, and in America, where, incidentally, things are not much better, of 'collecting' conscientious and able workers, at every level, from MDs to tire busters. My father's generation were mostly guys like that, guys who won WWII.. They are dying out, and are hard to replace, same as here.

I can thing of half a dozen Thai guys, mostly in their 50s or older, who still can do an honest job, and even take some pride in their work. Younger kids? Forget it.

Why, indeed, would anyone send their business here, at inflated labor costs, when other places, like, say, Vietnam, have a better work ethic, and lower cost?

Wanting something, and being willing to work hard for it, are two very different things. Lots of the former here; precious little of the latter. A situation easily exploited with false promises.

Thai Elite card, anyone?

[dickyknee]

higher wages for the workers, a quality product, a competitive product on the world market place.pick any 2.