A Comparative Observation

[Travel2003]

Parts of Asia and Africa still practice the "show off" culture which was fairly common back in Europe and North America not long ago.

I am not sure why, as I never studied anthropology (which I did actually planned to).

Coming from one of the Scandinavian countries, we are fairly laid back, and do not approve much of the "show off" culture.

On my many journeys around the globe, it is apparent to me that there is a very strong show off culture here in Thailand.

I have never seen such an obsessive need for for people to show off their gadgets.

Not to forget the need to be seen on television.

I accept it, since I am a visitor here, and will never be anything else.

[rattler]

What is it about ? You want us to believe that rich kids in the west don't buy the latest electronic gadgets, fast cars and expensive designer cloth ? And don't act like dumb spoil brats ?

An other racist thread.

Boring

I fail to see any racism in the OP's comments, but i do agree there are plenty of spoil rich kids in the west .

I agree.... the OP was not thai-bashing, IMHO, but as a teacher in one of the best state schools in my part of the UK, I fail to see this observations on UK school kids. The wee darlings are tripping over their accoutrements, from the moment when mummy and daddy drop them off at school (well, half a mile is an excessively long walk....they might chip a nail) to the moment when they reappear to whisk them away in their chelsea tractors.

Perhaps strangely for such a good school, we have a schizophrenic catchment area, so have a complete cross section of society, from deprivation to priviledge, and evidence clearly suggests that consumerism is rampant throughout.

What gets me now is the sheer amount of products that these kids seem to think is necessary, which isnt only aimed at the young, I dont want bleeding face cream on me, Ive managed most of my 40 odd years without it, or antibacterial handwash , hair gel, poncy deoderants etc etc

[I Like Thai]

Maybe it's the Ethos of this particular school to not allow gadgets and other materialistic items, the parents of these children agree with this Ethos and send them to this school for this reason. Maybe similar schools exist in Thailand, but foreigners are not aware of them and that's the way they want it.

[rattler]

But the biggest display of " look at me" is when I get an e mail or text with "sent from my I Phone".

A nice marketing ploy, it would be better saying "nah na nah nahhhhhhhhhhh na"

[7by7]

Coming from one of the Scandinavian countries, we are fairly laid back, and do not approve much of the "show off" culture.

Nothing to do with Nokia losing it's dominance to Apple, I'm sure!

[Rancid]

In the US $122 billion of student loans are cirrently facing default (the economy is fine though), these "kids" apparently did have all the latest gadgets. So if your small sampling size actually has any statistical relevance, and they were actually being honest, then this would be a massive positive change against western consumerism started in the UK. Somehow though I do harbor doubts.

Consumerism is not a Thai invention, it is just one they adopted with gusto. The latest IPhone has been the biggest seller ever, and one with minimal changes and a higher price, morons sleeping outside the stores as usual to get the first fix from the electronics from China.

[TukTukDodger]

That's the problem with the Third world GH, lucky you ended up in Thailand

Im rather tired of the must have/s everywhere, about time things slowed way down, I mean do we really need any more than we have now?

I would not call Thailand truly Third World. Of course there are areas which fit this description, but you could say the same about parts of Mississippi. Thailand seems more like India to me - Third World transitioning very quickly to First(at least in the cities). Nepal is more of a true Third World country(it is on the list of the UN's Least Developed Countries along with most of SSA, Haiti and Afghanistan). There you see very little of the brand mania you see in East Asia. Apple products are sold but very few people have them - stores advertise 'Chinese mobiles'. Electricity can be unreliable(sometimes only 6 hours per day) so that might be one factor. On Kathmandu's poshest street(Durbar Marg) you don't see any stores like Chanel, Gucci, etc. Most of the cars you see are taxis and likely to be cheap model Kias and the like - motorbikes are much more common. Even Western fast food only made it to Nepal 2 years ago(one KFC store on Durbar Marg). No Starbucks or McD's. Most of the 'brand name' clothing you see is likely poor knockoffs from China. It is amazing to see Tshirts in stores with a multitude of 'designer' names all printed on the same shirt, misspelled. This is something I have only seen in Nepal. I will never forget the first time I landed in BKK after spending a couple of months in Nepal - the culture shock was huge the first day or two. Not just different cultures(Nepali vs. Thai) but the level of development.

[MAJIC]

Unfortunately wealth means everything in Thailand,it doesn't matter how you came by your wealth,with it you command respect,and will be cleansed from head to foot,for any wrongdoings to achieve wealth. The more consumer goods that one can display the more respected and revered you are.

Which goes some way to explain so much corruption in this fair land. Wealth = Clever... Poverty = Ignorant,which is very sad to think that this is true,considering their worthy Religeon Teaches the complete opposite! The route to true happiness is not discovered through possessions,wherever you are in the world.

[HardenedSoul]

To be honest, I think that group of young people GH had the opportunity to meet are a very rare exception in the UK. My friends back there are constantly whining on about how they're under seemingly relentless pressure from their teenagers to purchase the latest consumer tat.

The growing middle class in Thailand is a relatively new demographic. It might be that many of them had very little growing up and, now that they can afford it, they want to show they've emerged from poverty and they want to gain the "face" that's so important in this part of the world.

Our Western values, greater experience of the world and maturity means many of us tend to view that kind of thing with disdain but there are positives, some of which may not so readily visible to those convinced that the much-vaunted "Thai way" is the quintessence of superficiality and shallowness.One such example is illustrated by recent data showing that Thailand - a country with many more millions living in poverty, remember - was on a par with the UK in terms of the percentage of people who give money to charities - an admirable 73%.

Sure, it might look like they're overtly materialistic and avaricious but it never hurts to look a little deeper.

[canuckamuck]

Convince the Brits they can make merit (atone for their sins) with cash donations and you will see the numbers change

[Dancealot]

I'm actually very surprised that the OP who has been here longer than most has only just observed this.

Just observin'.....

I've seen brand new mercedeces driving around in the slums of romania and cambodia. Is it a status symbol? - i think not because some poor will mostly despise and envy them in a negative way. I think it is a status symbol because some poor think when they see a friend with an iphone they feel happy for them.

For me i feel happy if my machine works and how the machine looks is totally irrelevant. I different perspective would be an eyeopener for some poeple.

[geriatrickid]

What is it about ? You want us to believe that rich kids in the west don't buy the latest electronic gadgets, fast cars and expensive designer cloth ? And don't act like dumb spoil brats ?

An other racist thread.

Boring

If you read my opening post you would know what its about.

You might also know that I have given no indication of the race of the kids in the UK school and I have explicitly stated that the kids at the Thailand end of this observation were both Thai AND expat.

I conclude your comments indicate you need help with your ability to read and/or help with a hypersensitivity you seem to have.

I have not made even the slightest suggestion that race has anything to do with my observation - but I do now suggest you go get the help you need.

So this is not racism. It's true, you talk about a "a mixture of Thai and expat kids". So what is it you try to compare ?

On the one hand you have the superior British culture, your culture, you talk about the "kids back home". On the other hand you have .... what ? You talk about Thailand, Thai friend .... But this is not racism, therefore not about Thailand. So what is it about ?

I think you misinterpret the OP, It isn't about the UK. It could have been the USA or France. I understand the OP because I have lived it.

There is a direct link to culture. A classic example was the clash of the "Chinese" in British Columbia. BC had a long established Chinese community. Aside from the physical features, they were just as Canadian as anyone else. Then the Hong Kong Chinese showed up with their flash and bling. It didn't go over wel,l and the Canadian Chinese were particularly embarrassed and even offended. The same thing happened when the new Greek immigrants showed up in Australia and North America. The old Greek community was hardworking and integrated, sharing similar values with everyone else. The new Greeks were a brash lot with lots of flash. Interesting enough, it was the low key people in the communities that supported the social service organizations, charities, arts and held respect from the community at large. In society, these are the people that build the hopsitals, fund the community causes and contribute. In those societies where the emphasis is on displays of wealth, there is no social conscience and no sense of duty to help the community.

[nietzche]

One of my college friends was a guy who's parents were one of the biggest property developers in NYC. Their family had a net worth of probably somewhere in the 100's of millions.

Unless you knew who they were, you would never believe that they were super rich. I had visited his parents house on a few occasions and was always surprised at how small it was. Nothing special.

The guy did not have a car or anything flash whatsoever. The parents gave him a monthly allowance similar to the rest of us. All the time he wouldn't be able to go out drinking with us because he had no money.

I think there is some truth in the OP's statement. People in Thailand who have money like to flash it around.

I think that Thai people like to fit their children out with the latest gadgets, cars, etc. as a statement of success/wealth.

It's also worth noting that my neighbor has a brand new BMW but he lives in a tiny house with shitty furniture?? I think you will find that many Thai people who are buying their kids iPhones/iPads, are up to their eyeballs in debt.

[arthurwait]

You're comparing kids at a state school in a country where credit has dried up which has people who were living flash before on credit who are now worried about their jobs or have already lost them to an expensive (for the country) fee school in a country where living is very cheap if you have any sort of money.

The UK is a country that is now in the bust stage of boom and bust and now it's quite fashionable to be sensible with cash after years of people flashing money about, for many money they never really had. There's still plenty of people who want/have the latest pointless gadget.

As said living here is very cheap if you have any sort of money so these things are much more affordable to the people you talk of here.

There are people here that want the latest flash gadget and there are people with money that don't. There isn't any difference between the countries on this. Both the same.

You've also got to remember that some people/parents at international schools are very new money, Thai and farang and like to let everyone know in anyway they can. Thais with new businesses. Farangs who are here on expat salaries living a life they'd never afford back home. Farangs that over here are in a financial position much better than they would back home and wouldn't be sending their kids to an equivilent school in their own country. Many of the mothers or even some fathers have married into a the money and never had it before and probably quite a few that met the money down Nana/cowboy/internet. There will always be some people like this who want to look as flash as they can.

As it's been said many times on this site by many people, most people with real money in this country usually keep it very quiet and keep the money safely in the bank or in land. Of course not al people thoughl.

On the kids with cars you've got to remember that public transport here is bad and doesn't go to so many places. That's not just to do with money as you see so many kids of all classes on scooters in school uniforms. Maybe parents don't have time to take them to school or whatever. The heat and the rain ? Maybe they don't want their teenage daughter in a taxi with a drunk taxi driver.

During the economic boom in the UK so many kids had cars bought for them as soon as they turned 17 on credit.

The family over the road had his builders van, one of those ugly mondeo based Jaguars, some estate car can't remember which, the boy had a renault clio bought for him for his 16th birthday, the sister a couple of years older (a receptionist) had one of those tacky peugeot cc things and a toyota MR-S (mr2 mk3) and the mother had one of those vauxhall tiga things (convertible ????). 7 cars between 4 people all bought new. I bet they don't have quite the same cars taking up the road now the housing boom is over. They weren't the only ones like that either.

Many people like new technology. In developing countries when peoples parents never had it it's probably even more exciting.

Handbags are also loved the world over, I'll leave it to one of our lady members to explain that one as I don't have a clue why.

[Berkshire]

What is it about ? You want us to believe that rich kids in the west don't buy the latest electronic gadgets, fast cars and expensive designer cloth ? And don't act like dumb spoil brats ?

An other racist thread.

Boring

I agree, Jurgen. A well-disguised racist thread, pretending to be an objective observation based on a tiny sampling. Why is it that some expats view a Thai with an iPad/iPhone and a farang with identical gadgets completely differently? Apple is selling a gazillion of these things--I'm pretty sure that Thais aren't the only ones buying them. Same with designer clothes and accessories. This is similar to the jealousy that some farangs express when they see a Thai in Thailand with an expensive car. "Oooh, a pretentious Thai hi-so who's trying to impress everyone with his wealth!" Pure penis-envy. The OP should get a life and quit trying to find reasons to put down the Thais.

[farang000999]

I can clear up everything for Guesthouse. The Western kids you met were nerds. Ipads and name brand hand bags do not interest them intellectually. These are the kids who have joined every club at their school, donate time to charity, spend all night studying and their biggest source of entertainment is social interaction with each other. I would bet that the majority are still virgins. If you put these kids up against the group of Thailand teens you were in the company of, it would not be much of a comparison mentally/intellectually. And I am sure that there are plenty of Thai nerdy groups as well, you just did not have the encounter of meeting such a group. I would not draw any major conclusion based on your sample size/experience.

As slightly off topic point, you would be amazed at just how smart many young teens are these days and how well some of them are using the resources available to them in the modern age. People like Mark Zuckerberg. And on the other end of the spectrum, the youth and society as a whole is getting dumber. It is an interesting and classic dilemma: you have a group of insanely smart and hard working individuals advancing technology and the rest of society turning into worthless sloths because of it.

Edited September 30, 2012 by farang000999

[GreenSnapper]

What is it about ? You want us to believe that rich kids in the west don't buy the latest electronic gadgets, fast cars and expensive designer cloth ? And don't act like dumb spoil brats ?

An other racist thread.

Boring

Not racist, but plain dumb.

He spoke to a tiny sample of british kids and now believes rich educated kids don't own iPads. Nonsense.

iPads and other tablets are great learning tools, and those who say "we don't need them" may not be the brightest. And owning iPads in the West is just as common as wearing socks - you don't brag about it.

In Thailand, iPads are status symbols. They are not used as learning tool either, but for Facebook and playing games. These are the cultural differences.