If There About 10% Of Thai-Chinese Descendants, Why Almost All Thais Celebrate The Chinese New Year?

[Will2011]

I am just wondering why in Thailand almost everybody seems to celebrate chinese new year.

Any insights?

[TommoPhysicist]

Any excuse for a party?

[Berkshire]

Any excuse for a party?

Yeah, sort of like St. Patrick's Day in the US. The Irish make up a very small percentage of Americans, but we all party nevertheless.

[Will2011]

Yes, but I think that there are other factors maybe related to society and culture that play a major role.

Any cultural comments?

[David48]

They celebrate and acknowledge the 'Farang' New Years Eve ... and so happy they do ...

[Semper]

Yes, but I think that there are other factors maybe related to society and culture that play a major role.

Any cultural comments?

Not sure if it counts as cultural, but Thailand is ruled by the Chinese.

[h90]

Almost no Christs in Thailand why the celebrate Christmas in Thailand?

Chinese New Year is celebrated because many shop owner are Chinese and they give bonus and gifts to the staff.

Often 1 month salary or more as bonus....that should be reason enough to celebrate

[h90]

Yes, but I think that there are other factors maybe related to society and culture that play a major role.

Any cultural comments?

Not sure if it counts as cultural, but Thailand is ruled by the Chinese.

ethnic Chinese.

Like USA is ruled by English....

[Will2011]

Yes, but I think that there are other factors maybe related to society and culture that play a major role.

Any cultural comments?

Not sure if it counts as cultural, but Thailand is ruled by the Chinese.

Could you elaborate?

[patri]

According to wikipedia it's 15% of thai population not 10% and they also produced 50% of the GNP, so why not?

And I haven't seen so many middle-class thai that don't have at least a bit of Chinese blood or some Chinese relatives.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_Chinese

Btw, Less than 1% of Thais are christian, but they celebrate X'mas too.

[Will2011]

According to wikipedia it's 15% of thai population not 10% and they also produced 50% of the GNP, so why not?

And I haven't seen so many middle-class thai that don't have at least a bit of Chinese blood or some Chinese relatives.

http://en.wikipedia....ki/Thai_Chinese

Btw, Less than 1% of Thais are christian, but they celebrate X'mas too.

Thank you for the precision. I"m unsure if 5 points make any difference though. As a matter fact, there are a lot of Muslims in Thailand as well as in England, but it doesn't mean that everybody is celebrating Islamic new year aka the end of the Ramadan.

[h90]

According to wikipedia it's 15% of thai population not 10% and they also produced 50% of the GNP, so why not?

And I haven't seen so many middle-class thai that don't have at least a bit of Chinese blood or some Chinese relatives.

http://en.wikipedia....ki/Thai_Chinese

Btw, Less than 1% of Thais are christian, but they celebrate X'mas too.

Thank you for the precision. I"m unsure if 5 points make any difference though. As a matter fact, there are a lot of Muslims in Thailand as well as in England, but it doesn't mean that everybody is celebrating Islamic new year aka the end of the Ramadan.

Islamic: No Alcohol and no pork.

If Islamic new year would mean to drink a lot, it would be celebrated.

[Fookhaht]

Yes, but I think that there are other factors maybe related to society and culture that play a major role.

Any cultural comments?

Not sure if it counts as cultural, but Thailand is ruled by the Chinese.

Could you elaborate?

80% of Thailand's commerce and wealth is controlled by 20 families--all of which are Thai-Chinese. Most of the wealth in mid-to-smaller cities in Thailand are also controlled by Thai-Chinese. When the purse strings of your community are controlled by the local Chinese, of course you will celebrate Chinese New Year!

[StreetCowboy]

According to wikipedia it's 15% of thai population not 10% and they also produced 50% of the GNP, so why not?

And I haven't seen so many middle-class thai that don't have at least a bit of Chinese blood or some Chinese relatives.

http://en.wikipedia....ki/Thai_Chinese

Btw, Less than 1% of Thais are christian, but they celebrate X'mas too.

Thank you for the precision. I"m unsure if 5 points make any difference though. As a matter fact, there are a lot of Muslims in Thailand as well as in England, but it doesn't mean that everybody is celebrating Islamic new year aka the end of the Ramadan.

Islamic: No Alcohol and no pork.

If Islamic new year would mean to drink a lot, it would be celebrated.

The end of Ramadan, Eid Al Fitr, is a time of feasting.

[besth]

"Just in case".

Most Thais are very superstitious and the Chinese new year is supposed to be an eventful date for hopefully good things to come (and a good excuse to have a party as well, as some others have already said )

[MrWorldwide]

As a kid here in Oz in the 60s and 70s, I didnt even know there WAS a 'Chinese' New Year - Jan 1 was New Years Day and everyone got drunk the night before. Over the years, Chinese restaurant owners have lifted the profile of their festival and almost everyone has gotten on board, even if it means little more than some fireworks and a few excited Asian kiddies in the town of 7000 I currently call home. Go to any of our Chinatowns - particularly Melbourne - during CNY and it is a *very* big deal. All this in an Anglo-dominated culture thousands of kilometres from the nearest Chinese majority in Sillypore. We do have successful Chinese-Australian business people, and we do have large projects funded by the Chinese themselves, but IMO none of that is responsible for the growth of CNY in Oz. I put it down to our love of exuberance, celebration and a bloody good feed.

Australia, like Thailand, embraces any excuse for a party. Gung Hay Fat Choi !

[phuturatica]

I celebrate Chinese New Year and I'm not Chinese or Buddhist?!

Someone call the party police!

[h90]

According to wikipedia it's 15% of thai population not 10% and they also produced 50% of the GNP, so why not?

And I haven't seen so many middle-class thai that don't have at least a bit of Chinese blood or some Chinese relatives.

http://en.wikipedia....ki/Thai_Chinese

Btw, Less than 1% of Thais are christian, but they celebrate X'mas too.

Thank you for the precision. I"m unsure if 5 points make any difference though. As a matter fact, there are a lot of Muslims in Thailand as well as in England, but it doesn't mean that everybody is celebrating Islamic new year aka the end of the Ramadan.

Islamic: No Alcohol and no pork.

If Islamic new year would mean to drink a lot, it would be celebrated.

The end of Ramadan, Eid Al Fitr, is a time of feasting.

Alcohol and pork....I really doubt that.

[Jingthing]

Alcohol and pork....I really doubt that.

That would be rich. Celebrating the end of Ramadan without having to do the fasting part. Sign me up!

[h90]

Alcohol and pork....I really doubt that.

That would be rich. Celebrating the end of Ramadan without having to do the fasting part. Sign me up!

I think the fasting part would be very difficult to promote to Buddhist Thais, I hardly see any who are willing to fasting longer than 1 hour.

[h90]

"Just in case".

Most Thais are very superstitious and the Chinese new year is supposed to be an eventful date for hopefully good things to come (and a good excuse to have a party as well, as some others have already said )

My wife is half Chinese, but doesn't celebrate anything. Last year she heard the bangbangbangbang from the neighbor opposite, looked at me: "what is he doing he is not even Chinese".....

[arthurwait]

"Just in case".

Most Thais are very superstitious and the Chinese new year is supposed to be an eventful date for hopefully good things to come (and a good excuse to have a party as well, as some others have already said )

My wife is half Chinese, but doesn't celebrate anything. Last year she heard the bangbangbangbang from the neighbor opposite, looked at me: "what is he doing he is not even Chinese".....

Where as they'll be no boom boom for me tonight.

[MrWorldwide]

I celebrate Chinese New Year and I'm not Chinese or Buddhist?!

Someone call the party police!

I gave them a call, but they refuse to attend unless they get a guarantee that there will be free booze and hot chicks (also free, of course). I advised them to wait till Dec 31st.

[David48]

I think the fasting part would be very difficult to promote to Buddhist Thais, I hardly see any who are willing to fasting longer than 1 hour.

... the Monks?

... but I know what you mean ...

[arthurwait]

Because Chinese new year = any excuse

Thais = and moaning about the Chinese.

Older generation Chinese do the cooking then straight back to their business. Staff eat and drink.

Younger generation Thai-Chinese eat and shop.

[MrWorldwide]

All that eating must make for an interesting office environment .......

[StreetCowboy]

I think the fasting part would be very difficult to promote to Buddhist Thais, I hardly see any who are willing to fasting longer than 1 hour.

... the Monks?

... but I know what you mean ...

I think the fasting part would be very difficult to promote to Buddhist Thais, I hardly see any who are willing to fasting longer than 1 hour.

... the Monks?

... but I know what you mean ...

It'll be tough for the Northern Hemisphere chaps, with Ramadan in July this year coming. They're not even supposed to drink water, which is a bit arduous for the construction workers in the Middle East, although they work alternative hours to keep out of the heat of the mid-day sun. I didn't mind skipping lunch too much, and obviously the coffee-wallah didn't work, but I would've been quite unhappy to try to go the day at work without a drink of water.

SC

[MrWorldwide]

Because Chinese new year = any excuse

Thais = and moaning about the Chinese.

Older generation Chinese do the cooking then straight back to their business. Staff eat and drink.

Younger generation Thai-Chinese eat and shop.

As opposed to those of us who moan about ALL Thais ....

[patri]

According to wikipedia it's 15% of thai population not 10% and they also produced 50% of the GNP, so why not?

And I haven't seen so many middle-class thai that don't have at least a bit of Chinese blood or some Chinese relatives.

http://en.wikipedia....ki/Thai_Chinese

Btw, Less than 1% of Thais are christian, but they celebrate X'mas too.

Thank you for the precision. I"m unsure if 5 points make any difference though. As a matter fact, there are a lot of Muslims in Thailand as well as in England, but it doesn't mean that everybody is celebrating Islamic new year aka the end of the Ramadan.

Muslims are about 5% of total Thai population and most of them are in the 4 provinces down in the South. They are not blended well with Thai-Buddhist society unlike Chinese that been here for over 400 years and presented in every provinces and every level of society and Western influence that's considered COOL by Thais.

[h90]

I think the fasting part would be very difficult to promote to Buddhist Thais, I hardly see any who are willing to fasting longer than 1 hour.

... the Monks?

... but I know what you mean ...

yes what is with the monks....they eat secretly.....

I had a longer while ago with a talk with an old friend (65+, and real Buddhist believer, halt Thai half Chinese) and told him how monks in Europe developed beer and eat a lot fish in the fasten time.

He found it funny and told how it is really with the monks in Thailand...like with the Christs, some really do as they say, others play the show only.......and some not even that.....