I thought this flood made it apparent why Thailand is resilient and baht is strong. Their labour force is the most necessary labour force right now in the world. Look what happened to the auto manufacturing industries in other countries when Thailands exports quit because of floods. All electronic industry the world over was effected. When Thailand is at a stand still the world has to wait till it it gets going again. Most large companies have put all their eggs in one cheap labour basket.

Thai cheap labour wil keep industry here and the baht will remain strong. All the dreamers here that think their countries are in control are exactly that dreamers. See how long the USA could survive without Thailand as a trade partner. Japan couldnot be worldly competitive in the auto industry without Thailand.

As long as labour is cheap and controlled by a few Thailand will keep the trade and baht strong.

Why do you think we had the coup in 2006?

Apologies this should have been in reply to the O.P.

There is no welfare state.

Impoverished Immigrants do NOT get preferential [none in fact]free housing on arrival.

Nor do they get free health care including expensive cancer treatment.

Education is not a free'human right ' to any child .

Government papers are not printed in up to 30 different languages.

Schools do not have mutiple costly interpreters.

there are no open borders.....

And,to the best of my knowledge,there are no government funded,costly social workers [mainly of immigrant parentage] informing the 'poor' of all their rights to government 'benefits'

Anything else you need to know?

The anti-immigrant rant presumably made by an immigrant to Thailand who doesn't know his facts:

- Education is free to all children in Thailand. It might not always be great, but it is free

- Government papers, where need be, a printed in English, Burmese, Lao and Khmer

- There are extensive social services available to the main 'poor' immigrants to Thailand - those from Laos, Cambodia and Burma who are enrolled in the Migrant Labour Scheme, including free education for their children, medical care, and access to most social welfare protections available to other Thai's.

- Thailand's borders are pretty open.

Thailand and other Asian country's will have labour problems in the future , they are about 50 years behind the West. as Food prices go up and commodities they will want more money, then they will join Unions and on we go Europe in the sixty's, The same goes for China, its happening now.

I see your point about the future if it wasnot Asia. Anyone trying to unionise or get more for the workers will more than likely be shot in the street or his whole family anniliated. Asia power groups donot deal with things the same as caucasians. People still donot understand life has no value here and it willnot change in the near or distant future. Cheap labour is the life source for the rich and powerful in Asia they willnot give it up.I amnot saying it is right or wrong just stating the obvious. The countries will just become more corrupt and more dangerous or as some would say will go complete circle,back to where they started. 50 years ago tourists didnot come to many places in Asia too dangerous and too corrupt. The question is will business still be done with them, for the cheap labour and services?

I totaly agree with you , but look at the middle East now, people dieing to change the future of there Country.