Are The Days Of The Village Vip/headman Numbered?

[Jezz]

The topic of village VIP man, head man, chief, poo yai ban - call him - or her what you will - has featured frequently in this forum. Without rerunning the familiar stories about the early morning loudspeaker announcements preceded by the important person's personal choice of a song, I wonder how many more years this traditional position will last? How many of the usually daily announcements are actually necessary now that just about every household has mobile phones, TV, radio, daily mail delivery in most communities etc.? I wonder how the cost of salaries and expenses paid to these special people can be justified these days when the information could be conveyed by the modern means mentioned? Even localised information about events, occasions and the like could be transmitted by SMS for example from the amphur office at a fraction of the cost of the salary.

[SlyAnimal]

A lot of people still aren't really up with the play re: technology.

I live in a town, rather than a city or village (In a village, I'd imagine use of technology would be less, in a city more), and I think that a lot of the people on my street would struggle with even just sending/receiving a text message, let alone something more complicated. Also I don't think that they'd adapt well to change.

Also the headman of the Moo Baan does also have other responsibilities which he takes care of as well.

I think they're here to stay for at least the next 10-20 years, possibly for longer (Any government who got rid of them, wouldn't be very popular I'd say).

[cooked]

Be thankful that government in this country isn't more centralised; sure, a lot of naughty stuff goes on, but the boss guy lives next door and you can go to him. Many people in our village have no possibility of going to the local Amphur, wait around for an hour or two, and come up against a disinterested brick wall.

I quite like our boss lady's choice of music. A lot of the stuff she talks about is buffaloes or tractors being stolen, suspicious strangers in the neighbourhood, sport days, trips to temples, king's birthday... many have no phone here, mail is unreliable to say the least. 6.00 am what's wrong with that, the day started for goodness sake and not everybody was up at the Bamboo bar drinking until 02.00 am.

[Jezz]

In a village, I'd imagine use of technology would be less, in a city more

I would have thought so too, but in my village even pre-school kids use mobiles and pop along to the internet shop.

[MAJIC]

If they all go over to Red Shirt Thaksin Villages,as seems to be the plan,then wouldn't a Head Man/Co ordinater be even more in demand?

[Jezz]

Many people in our village have no possibility of going to the local Amphur, wait around for an hour or two, and come up against a disinterested brick wall.

Our headman collects villagers in his pickup, drives them to the amphur, waits around until they're ready to go home and drives them back. My point is, a car service operated by amphurs, coupled with a modernised communication systems could work extremely cost effectively. However, as has been pointed out already in this thread, maybe times ain't ready for a-changing. Yet.

[Jezz]

To add a bit of focus to why I started this thread. I'm aware that access to, the understanding of, and desire to use modern technology doesn't exist in all villages. But in the many, many communities fortunate enough to enjoy these benefits, I still believe the continued appointment of VIP's is surplus to requirements in many cases. Maybe redistribution of the money paid to certain VIP's to more needy areas would be a real benefit.

[WindyGale]

Our village head man is respected and from what I’ve seen, very active in all aspects of village life. He’s the man to turn to for births, deaths and marriages, not the legal side perhaps, but ensures all the arrangements are both correct according to tradition and funded if required. Events throughout the year, according to the local and country calendar are organized in advance, coordinated and overseen by him. I don’t know him well, but my family show respect, which is reciprocated in full. My FIL (loaded with a few enquiries from my good lady) meets him periodically with other village heads of family to discuss local issues. Having a head man ensures a sense of community and leadership, the right to ask and be answered for any issue of interest.

His morning briefings are a source of information to the village folk, just like us listening to local radio I guess. For me, it’s a sense of this is Thailand, the tradition, the peculiarities and another example of the differences between England and this land I fondly choose to call home. And yes his PA system is impressively loud of course!

I’d miss the head man and the customs he adopts should this be replaced by the modern technology I enjoy for my leisure , but consequently suffer for at my work. A double-edged sword these new fangled gadgets…..

[maprao]

He is also very useful for those purchasing land in their wife's name with only dubious land titles. He confirms the boundary lines for the land before money exchanges hands.

[ubonjoe]

My wife served 5 years as village head person. Now it is until they reach the age of 60 or resign.

She had a lot more to do than just make those announcements. They were not done on daily basis just when info about a meeting or some other useful information was received. In fact she seldom did them herself and had her assistant do it.

She started out getting paid 4000 baht a month then it was raised 6000 and then to 8000 baht.

We both had had enough of her job so she didn't run for reelection.

[Jezz]

I know they do more than just make announcements. My query was about their activities in general and whether or not those undertakings could be better implemented some other way. I've been very interested in the replies that show, in the main, keen support for the current system. Just an observation on ubonjoe's remarks about the salaries paid, albeit they probably vary, 8000 baht a month explains why there's a rush of candidates when election time comes round. Not bad money for a villager.

[sirchai]

A lot of people still aren't really up with the play re: technology.

I live in a town, rather than a city or village (In a village, I'd imagine use of technology would be less, in a city more), and I think that a lot of the people on my street would struggle with even just sending/receiving a text message, let alone something more complicated. Also I don't think that they'd adapt well to change.

Also the headman of the Moo Baan does also have other responsibilities which he takes care of as well.

I think they're here to stay for at least the next 10-20 years, possibly for longer (Any government who got rid of them, wouldn't be very popular I'd say).

Well, that's obviously true. He/she's the guy receiving cash from the government, which never comes to those who need it.

They paid good money this year to my wife to vote for the Pujaybaan, but the farmers didn't get anything as far as I know.

[krisb]

I love poo yai baan. I remember the first time I stayed at my wifes farm and I heard him in the morning. He woke me up and I thought what the hells goin on?

Hes fantastic I think, its just a great part of living in a Thai village and I hope they stay around for a long time to come!

BTW, I see a few saying theres doesnt put any cash into the village. Ours puts on food and drinks regularly. Great guy. If you get to know them they can really be helpful to a falang wanting help with government related issues.

Edited December 22, 2012 by krisb

[sirchai]

Took me along tiime that the guy speaking in my wife's village is the same guy speaking in some parts of Sisaket downtown. So the news don't really come from the Puujaybaan. Maybe some internal stuff.

[sirchai]

I love poo yai baan. I remember the first time I stayed at my wifes farm and I heard him in the morning. He woke me up and I thought what the hells goin on?

Hes fantastic I think, its just a great part of living in a Thai village and I hope they stay around for a long time to come!

BTW, I see a few saying theres doesnt put any cash into the village. Ours puts on food and drinks regularly. Great guy. If you get to know them they can really be helpful to a falang wanting help with government related issues.

Sounds great, some food and drinks. But what do you think where he gets the money from? Is it really to buy some people food and drinks?

The majority live a very sad life.

Edited December 22, 2012 by sirchai

[tinfoilhat]

A lot of people still aren't really up with the play re: technology.

I live in a town, rather than a city or village (In a village, I'd imagine use of technology would be less, in a city more), and I think that a lot of the people on my street would struggle with even just sending/receiving a text message, let alone something more complicated. Also I don't think that they'd adapt well to change.

Also the headman of the Moo Baan does also have other responsibilities which he takes care of as well.

I think they're here to stay for at least the next 10-20 years, possibly for longer (Any government who got rid of them, wouldn't be very popular I'd say).

i have yet to meet a Thai in the last 10 years who does not have, let alone cant use, a mobile.

Edited December 22, 2012 by tinfoilhat

[Lancelot]

I'm not familiar with village life; however, I can not imagine any position of power going away. Be it Thailand or any other country

[jamescollister]

Think most don't understand how the system works. In most villages cars phones etc didn't work or were not here until recently. The Government needed someone to register births and deaths, land transfers etc and just have control of the area.

FIL is the life time county coroner, someone dies he fills in a death certificate. No way would a non car owner would walk 27 KM to the Amphor office to register a death, or birth for that matter. This system started well before there were cars and phones.

We have no police presents out here, if a crime is commented who would you report it to, only have the village head. He in consultation with other village leaders will decide on the punishment. Disputes over land or bad husbands beating their wives are brought to him. His word is still law out here, be it banishment for 5 years, or a bad boy has a walk into the jungle never to return.

Times are changing, we now have a road, electricity, still no police only border soldiers and the village heads power is decreasing. People can now drive to the Amphor office and as of a few weeks ago to Tesco/ Lotus. Jim

[Jezz]

There's a huge difference in village facilities around the vast area. My village is one of those built on both sides of a busy main road with a good bus service and endless songthaews conveying folk to the city 15 minutes away, or the local market town just a a kilometre or so along the road where there are doctors' surgeries, dentists, clinics, a cottage hospital, ambulance station, amphur, ATM's, 7-eleven, police station, gold shops . . . you name it. It's so close most villagers don't bother with the buses or songthaews; they ride their motorbikes, three-wheelers or bicycles. Many drive their smart cars and pickups. Police regularly patrol the road running through the village. There are numerous other villages of a similar nature all with their own headman.

In the remote villages the headperson obviously plays an important role and earns his/her money. In the case of my village ... forget it, I made my point earlier!

[krisb]

I love poo yai baan. I remember the first time I stayed at my wifes farm and I heard him in the morning. He woke me up and I thought what the hells goin on?

Hes fantastic I think, its just a great part of living in a Thai village and I hope they stay around for a long time to come!

BTW, I see a few saying theres doesnt put any cash into the village. Ours puts on food and drinks regularly. Great guy. If you get to know them they can really be helpful to a falang wanting help with government related issues.

Sounds great, some food and drinks. But what do you think where he gets the money from? Is it really to buy some people food and drinks?

The majority live a very sad life.

I always thought they are paid from the government? Ours gets 7000baht a month. Some of the girls in the village want my wife to run for it and she probably would but we are living in Oz at moment. Wonder if then she would be called mare yai bahn? Suppose so.

[jamescollister]

I love poo yai baan. I remember the first time I stayed at my wifes farm and I heard him in the morning. He woke me up and I thought what the hells goin on?

Hes fantastic I think, its just a great part of living in a Thai village and I hope they stay around for a long time to come!

BTW, I see a few saying theres doesnt put any cash into the village. Ours puts on food and drinks regularly. Great guy. If you get to know them they can really be helpful to a falang wanting help with government related issues.

Sounds great, some food and drinks. But what do you think where he gets the money from? Is it really to buy some people food and drinks?

The majority live a very sad life.

I always thought they are paid from the government? Ours gets 7000baht a month. Some of the girls in the village want my wife to run for it and she probably would but we are living in Oz at moment. Wonder if then she would be called mare yai bahn? Suppose so.

You will need deep pockets if she ran, wife's Uncle ran this year and lost, 200,000 Baht down the drain. You buy the votes. It's all about money. Jim

[swissie]

I love poo yai baan. I remember the first time I stayed at my wifes farm and I heard him in the morning. He woke me up and I thought what the hells goin on?

Hes fantastic I think, its just a great part of living in a Thai village and I hope they stay around for a long time to come!

BTW, I see a few saying theres doesnt put any cash into the village. Ours puts on food and drinks regularly. Great guy. If you get to know them they can really be helpful to a falang wanting help with government related issues.

Sounds great, some food and drinks. But what do you think where he gets the money from? Is it really to buy some people food and drinks?

The majority live a very sad life.

I always thought they are paid from the government? Ours gets 7000baht a month. Some of the girls in the village want my wife to run for it and she probably would but we are living in Oz at moment. Wonder if then she would be called mare yai bahn? Suppose so.

You will need deep pockets if she ran, wife's Uncle ran this year and lost, 200,000 Baht down the drain. You buy the votes. It's all about money. Jim

Yes, takes a deep pocket at any rate. After that, one can get lucky and have a decent "puu yai baan" or simply a money grabing SOB.

At this time, I think rural Thailand has no alternative. A monthly assembly of the villigars to discuss and settle matters in a democratic way (??!!). Or receiving settlements by way of SMS by a distant Bangkok-Governement-Branch that would investigate everything from murder to theft of chickens?

Like it or not, Thailand ticks accoring to a power distribution system:

- The first family.

- The military.

- The police.

- The politicians (Red or Yellow, nevermind), but always in connection with the above.

On a smaller scale:

- The puu yai baan.

- The grandparents.

- The father of the children.

- The mother of the children

- The rest of the family.

And last in this hitparade: A Farang, supporting the Family, sometimes over years. asking and hoping that his Thai-Wife will love him forever, even if the Farang ends up in a wheelchair.

Cheers.

[MobileContent]

I/We have a very good relation to our village headmen. Just yesterday he announced on his speakers that 20 packs of rice was stolen from another villager and several dogs have been poisoned over the past few days (including the dog of my FIL). We often meet an chit-chat around as he worked many years in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Our village head is a Christian and very well respected by the whole Buddhist community. He was elected because the other guys that run against him where always drunk in the morning and didn't really do anything for our village.

I call him Khun Newin with a smile as he supports Newin Chidchob, but even the red shirts voted for him as he is the best man for the job.

For us those daily announcements are important to get daily updates about marriages, deaths and also on possible crimes.

[krisb]

I love poo yai baan. I remember the first time I stayed at my wifes farm and I heard him in the morning. He woke me up and I thought what the hells goin on?

Hes fantastic I think, its just a great part of living in a Thai village and I hope they stay around for a long time to come!

BTW, I see a few saying theres doesnt put any cash into the village. Ours puts on food and drinks regularly. Great guy. If you get to know them they can really be helpful to a falang wanting help with government related issues.

Sounds great, some food and drinks. But what do you think where he gets the money from? Is it really to buy some people food and drinks?

The majority live a very sad life.

I always thought they are paid from the government? Ours gets 7000baht a month. Some of the girls in the village want my wife to run for it and she probably would but we are living in Oz at moment. Wonder if then she would be called mare yai bahn? Suppose so.

You will need deep pockets if she ran, wife's Uncle ran this year and lost, 200,000 Baht down the drain. You buy the votes. It's all about money. Jim

Perhaps money for votes is but so is the right man for the job. They arent stupid in that they know all the contenders for the job offer money for votes. My MIL takes money from all of them but votes in the best suited.

If my wife ever gets the job, village rubbish bins on every 2nd corner. Keep Thailand beautiful will be the message over those speakers.

[bina]

the role of headman of a village is not to be the announcer; it is rather closer to being a sheik in a village: deals with disputes between parties, takes care of certain types of loans rather then the bank, personal and community oriented activities...dealing with newspaper items that involve the village, the same functions that many town/village mayors or govenors or whatever they are called do ...in rural america the job was more then just a political function but the head knew everyone, personalities, problems, etc

the puu yai is similar to our kibbutz 'mercaz meshek/menahal kehila ' (farm manager/community head); in towns near us, the sheik is whom people go to to settle disputes before too much blood is shed, intervenes in community issues both internal and also external , problems with teenagers, marriage disputes, family feuds (lots of those here, honour of the family/woman etc)... when there is political unrest it is the sheik that pulls the reins in...

i think the role is a great one, without town leaders/heads, towns fall apart and poeple dont work together but against eachother... but then again, i also live in a communal village (too communal for my thai husband), who u know and who sits 'close to the plate' always affect decisions but all in all it often keeps petty problems from growing in to large money wasting problems ... if teh puu yai is a good one.

bina

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