Creativity A Major Asset For Thailand As Aec Looms

[webfact]

Creativity a major asset for Thailand as AEC looms

XP DESK

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- From a cultural point of view, the upcoming implementation of the Asean Economic Community (AEC) in 2015 will open a new window of opportunity for Thai people, who are well recognised for their creative skills.

The assumption that Asean is homogeneous is not true, said film director and artistic director Ekachai Uekrongtham.

Ekachai, who founded the Action Theatre in Singapore, believes the diversity of Asean will benefit the work of a new generation. "They can blend and explore one another's culture and come up with fusion works as a result of collaboration in art and culture," he noted.

Having said that, the director said that first and foremost, the Asean community must understand one another truly, and the AEC is the key to allowing that to happen.

Yutthana Boon-orm, managing director of GMM Grammy's subsidiary Gayray Co, has observed that something the young Asean populations have in common is a love for international music. "They have their own local idols and at the same time they have their favourite international artists. And if you look into each country, their tastes are very much alike."

Gayray, which is a concert organiser, sees room for producing music events for the regional market, and it has started preparing to welcome the birth of the AEC. "What we plan is to create a community of like-minded people in the region and produce an international concert in the region."

Realising the firm no longer communicates with Thais only, it will use a bilingual (English and Thai) Gayray website. English is undoubtedly becoming a compulsory language in the region. That is why many language schools use the AEC to draw more students.

On the Wall Street language school's website, the AEC is the main promotional concept. The school uses the Asean logo and warns all students that if they can't communicate in English, they will be in trouble, as they have to compete with others in the region.

But the strength of Thailand, as pointed out by the co-chief executive of Index Creative Village, lies in creative skills. The company has already expanded into Myanmar and Vietnam, proving that production design and creative thinking and strategy are the keys.

"Singapore and Malaysia have their strengths in management but we also have ours," he said.

Jitsing Somboon, head designer for the Playhound fashion brand, also believes in the Thai workforce's creativity. "We are not worried about the creative designs of Thai fashion brands and the quality of production, but we will have to be aware of the possible price war."

His company Greyhound is also prepared to embrace the AEC, and one good prospect is that the fashion brand can enjoy low-cost imported material for its goods. At the same time, there is huge export potential within Asean.

"Thailand's fashion industry will survive, and if we ever fail to take advantage of the AEC, the government must be the partly to blame. Our government should look at how the Vietnamese and Singaporean governments play a great role in supporting local designers and artists," Jitsing said.

-- The Nation 2012-08-08

[Jaivin2011]

This whole article is stupid and bullshit. Thais are not creative. Period. They are good at copying but not innovative. All the companies listed......seriously investigate further and you can see where they got the actual creative inspirations for all their projects and slightly changed them. Companies like Grammy are the worsts and that includes Greyhound.

[KireB]

This whole article is stupid and bullshit. Thais are not creative. Period. They are good at copying but not innovative. All the companies listed......seriously investigate further and you can see where they got the actual creative inspirations for all their projects and slightly changed them. Companies like Grammy are the worsts and that includes Greyhound.

The good man means creativity not being innovative! Thais are among the world's best when it comes to dancing, prancing, singing, painting, writing books, making movies, parading etc... That's why so many Thai artists are famous around the globe and hordes of Thai design and architect companies world renowned! The fact that most what we see here is a copy doesn't mean it is not creative. Call it creative copying! Just look at the success of the Bangkok film festival in recent years. Where is Jutamas these days btw?

[noitom]

This Thai "creative" thing is disturbing. Several senior university students in a seminar course at Thammasat wanted to do something about Thai creative economy. When questioned as to what this meant, answers were all over the ballpark. The Thai senior students hadn't a clue what this meant or what , in fact, creativity was. Thais have a notion that "creativity" means cutting and pasting photos into a collage of themselves.

[Thai at Heart]

It would be interesting to know where the 3 or 4 interviewees were educated.

Overseas perchance???

[teatree]

Thailand certainly does not strike me as a hotbed of creativity.

But, perhaps Thailand is relatively more creative than other places within ASEAN.

[Pib]

I expect a Thai wrote this news article as the article sure is creative.

[Notstupid30]

I blame it on the people who are in charge of this county they are the people at fault here plus they only care about their own engender when in power and that making side deals for there own business interest and ain't that the truth really ? I can also see in three years time Thailand being left behind due to all greed in this country ? But everybody will come out and claim to be victims of there own greed nothing new at then end of the day really just a sad state to see what everybody doing to there own country?

[seminomadic]

It's a creative interpretation of the word 'creativity'

[Bluespunk]

Politicians can be very creative with the truth.

[SABloke]

Where does this blanket "Thais aren't creative" idea come from? Sure, they aren't used to thinking outside the box when it comes to politics/education etc. as they do not have anyway leeway to develop critical thinking skills.

But as for not being creative...come on. I know many talented artists and musicians that aren't copying anyone. I have also seen ingenious restaurant designs. And if converting a huge motorcycle into a tuk-tuk (Koh Sichang) isn't at least a little creative, I don't know what is.

I welcome rebuttals, but please provide an example of something creative you have personally done.

[SuneeTH]

Like Brussels, BANGKOK is situated in the middle of ASEAN, hence will be the ASEAN capital.

[Thaddeus]

In school this morning the kids handed in their homework, one of the tasks given was to draw a picture about Mothers Day, the Queens Birthday on Sunday.

Most of the stuff was pretty run of the mill as you would expect, but there were some little gems, please excuse the low quality of the image as it was taken with my old mobile phone, it was produced by a 9 year old.

[Spalpeen]

While there are examples of creativity to be found in Thailand, it's not exactly encouraged. The whole culture tends to favour conformity.

[hellodolly]

Where does this blanket "Thais aren't creative" idea come from? Sure, they aren't used to thinking outside the box when it comes to politics/education etc. as they do not have anyway leeway to develop critical thinking skills.

But as for not being creative...come on. I know many talented artists and musicians that aren't copying anyone. I have also seen ingenious restaurant designs. And if converting a huge motorcycle into a tuk-tuk (Koh Sichang) isn't at least a little creative, I don't know what is.

I welcome rebuttals, but please provide an example of something creative you have personally done.

With your argument one would be led to believe that if I have done one thing cereatice Thailands population of 66,000,000 have done 66,000,000 creative things.

I understand that their is a lot of room to debate this word creative but to be honest to say all of Thailand is creative is a bit misleading.

That is part of their problem they have no creativity above the average people in the world. Yes they have there artists actors writers dancers and other forms of art. But that is some thing all cultures have.

As I say they have very little creative ability out side the arts. That is why they have problems they are unable to create answers before the problem. When given the problem they can become very creative in getting out of it but absolutely no idea how to prevent it.

Witness the recent floods no idea how to get out of it or even try. Just come up with ideas to save one city. it is wrong to countersign their B S as long as people will do that they will continue to ignore creativity. They have the brains to step forth on the world stage scientifically but they are told they are already there. Truth be known they are just followers and the labors in the field of science. That is because they are not encouraged to step out side the box and look at a project from a different position.

If Thailand would spend the same amount of money on schools over the next 20 years as they take in corruption it would be a nation of highly intelagent minds. And some of them being amongst the most creative in the world.

[zakk9]

This whole article is stupid and bullshit. Thais are not creative. Period. They are good at copying but not innovative. All the companies listed......seriously investigate further and you can see where they got the actual creative inspirations for all their projects and slightly changed them. Companies like Grammy are the worsts and that includes Greyhound.

Having worked in the creative business in SE Asia for more than 10 years, I unfortunately have to agree with this. Thailand has not only failed to develop new design, but they have also missed a great oportunity by not building on the reach traditions they have from years past. The result is that they to a certain degree keep repeating what was invented in ancient times but most of all, they copy western design that mostly isn't suitable for this country. The grimmest example is architecture, where Thai traditions were particularly rich, with a building concept that was tailor made for the climate and geography. Now, poor people and even the lower middle class live in concrete cubicles that wouldn't even be approved for farm animals in Europe, while those with more money at their disposal live in western style houses that are compatible neither with the traditional Thai community nor with the climate. The latter was clearly demonstrated during last years flooding.

[DDuval]

Thailand the worlds no 1 creativity of Hubs!!!!

[jaltsc]

This whole article is stupid and bullshit. Thais are not creative. Period. They are good at copying but not innovative. All the companies listed......seriously investigate further and you can see where they got the actual creative inspirations for all their projects and slightly changed them. Companies like Grammy are the worsts and that includes Greyhound.

One only has to look at the local level. If one person starts a soup stand and it becomes popular, by the next year there are 20 other stands selling the same product. Then the owners wonder how such a popular product, all of a sudden, became so unpopular with none of the stands making any profit. The same goes for guest houses, shirt and souvenir stalls, etc. Yes, there are some Thais who are creative, but their creativity is diluted by everyone else who tries to imitate them, often taking shortcuts and producing a cheaper product and service. These creative people are probably the same ones who were the smart student whom everyone else copied from throughout their "education", receiving the same grade. Now they hit the real world and the consumer doesn't give a rat's ass if the family loses face if they fail.

[givenall]

Coping everything is not creativity.

Everything is copied over here, including businesses. if they see a good business another one will be opened next to the one doing well

i guess now we have Creativity HUB too

[Unkomoncents]

To be fair, it does seem that Thais have a much greater predilection for artistic pursuits when compared with, say, Koreans (who are much more scientific/technological/mathematical). MNG is Thai fashion brand with a significant international presence. Thailand does have a homegrown music industry, which is more than you can say of China and Thailand has some excellent filmmakers (see Apichatpong Weerasethakul). The issue is that these people, as others have mentioned, are the exception to the rule. They are often educated abroad or at Bangkok's expensive (even by Western standards) international schools. The majority in Thailand are largely bereft of competitiveness and ingenuity and a lot of that has to do with Thailand's class system, which is institutionalized to the extent that the ID numbers on Thai National ID Cards indicated status within the society (if the number begins with a '9', then the individual is related to the royal family; if the number begins with a '5', then the individual is a naturalized Thai citizen and not a citizen by birth). Thailand produces really brilliant, creative individuals but only among the wealthy and middle classes in Bangkok or Chiang Mai. Most Thais are the product of a crumbling education system and they have few, if any, opportunities to break out of their respective conditions. Copying is a core component of the standard Thai educational approach which must have a lot to do with the rampant disregard for intellectual property in the Kingdom.

[zakk9]

Actually, one has to give credit to Thai music and its performers. One can always question how creative it is, since it doesn't really change much, but is solidly based on traditional rythms, at least not the "to the core" Thai music that is the most popular across the country. But it's something uniquely Thai and mostly of good quality. I believe more than 90% of the music sold in this country is Thai music, which must be pretty unique.

[newermonkey]

In school this morning the kids handed in their homework, one of the tasks given was to draw a picture about Mothers Day, the Queens Birthday on Sunday.

Most of the stuff was pretty run of the mill as you would expect, but there were some little gems, please excuse the low quality of the image as it was taken with my old mobile phone, it was produced by a 9 year old.

So what has this "little gem" got to do with creativity? Sorry I "don't get your point"

[wooly]

Not sure I can agree with the general feeling that Thais are not creative - especially where Farangs are involved. From what I've seen, and heard, if you are ever in a traffic accident with a Thai - and it is absolutely, categorically, positively not your fault; don't be surprised if you are found guilty. Simple really; if you were not in Thailand the accident would not have happened, therefore it's your fault.

[belg]

creativity, does that mean that thing where you have to use your own brain and not just follow orders from someone else or otherwise just sitting and waiting to be told what to do ?

[biggunguy]

Where does this blanket "Thais aren't creative" idea come from?

it could have to do with the fashion style here?

or when walking through the places, where do you see something you call creativity?

im not sure, what artists you see, but i dont know of any... not in furniture styling, nor in painting...

but have seen many asian interior and exterior styles, fashion and dances, copied in europe - but absolutely zero from thailand - all indonesian and LOTS of indian...

added: ok, this is possibly, because due to their colonial influence, the things changed - the local style was enhanced and modified, which made sort of new artwork --- means "creativity" was applied... thailand didnt have colonial influence...

also the number of restaurants (food, spices) which got taken to europe - its not from thailand... its indian, indonesian, malay... if there was creativity here, then these things would make their way (to the world)...

creativity (def.) i would think is something "new", "new made of old", changed/improved - making more practicable, beautiful, different...

Edited August 8, 2012 by biggunguy

[Notstupid30]

Thailand the worlds no 1 creativity of Hubs!!!!

More like Tits Up Hub

[Thai at Heart]

To be honest, they may be able to innovate a film, but they can't even build a road that stays in one piece for 6 months, so what good is creativity, if basic fundamentals don't even function?

[Notstupid30]

To be honest, they may be able to innovate a film, but they can't even build a road that stays in one piece for 6 months, so what good is creativity, if basic fundamentals don't even function?

Very true ...

[Thaddeus]

In school this morning the kids handed in their homework, one of the tasks given was to draw a picture about Mothers Day, the Queens Birthday on Sunday.

Most of the stuff was pretty run of the mill as you would expect, but there were some little gems, please excuse the low quality of the image as it was taken with my old mobile phone, it was produced by a 9 year old.

So what has this "little gem" got to do with creativity? Sorry I "don't get your point"

If I need to explain that, you are seriously in the wrong thread.

[silsburyhill]

I love their ads