Yingluck: 2013 Will Be The Year Of Thailand

[chiangmaikelly]

70% of Thailand is not employed in agriculture

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13.3%

industry: 34%

services: 52.7% (2011 est.)

Take a ride two hours South from Pattaya to Rayong and see the real Thailand.

<deleted>, Whats does percentage of GDP have to with dodgy unemployment figures? As a self professed economics guru you dont seem to know much.

48.5% of the Thai labour force is employed in the agricultural sector.

On top of the 1.4% unemployment rate you should add that 20% of all eligible males and 35% of all eligible females do not participate in the Thai work force.

1. Please quote where I professed to be an economics guru or take it back. 2. I wrote, "70% of Thailand is not employed in agriculture and that is correct. 3. I think I posted somewhere that around 40% of the Thai work force is employed in agriculture. It is going down and I would not be surprised 2013 it is below 40%.

Why don't we just wrap up the figures for today- You should know if you stay in thailand in different counties that the figures are unknown apart from some drummed up, from folks who have to give out stats. Like your 2 and a half hours to Rayong from Pattaya ....go out and have a beer stop trying to convince posters on these stats. TO add these figures were for 2012---if so 99% were in work during the floods????? most of them were filling sand bags were they??

I worked in Rayong for three years and lived in Pattaya. The average time of a bus going from Pattaya to Rayong is 2 and one half hours. In the morning, 1 hour to Sattahip. I and one half hour to Ban Chang and 2 hours to Rayong. Late afternoon add one hour sometimes more. The two major buses are a 57 and 44 or 45 can't remember. If you happen to stop in Ban Chang going South you can't board a bus or van going to Rayong and are forced to take a Song Tau which takes at least an hour. You can however board a bus or van in Ban Chang going to Pattaya. I don't drink. What year were the floods? I think you will find they were in 2011 not 2012.

Edited February 10, 2013 by chiangmaikelly

[waza]

Thai unemployment benefits...

Qualifying Conditions

Unemployment benefit:

The insured must have at least 6 months of contributions in the 15 months before unemployment.

The insured must be registered with the Government Employment Service Office, be ready and able to accept any suitable job offer, and report at least once a month to the Government Employment Service.

Unemployment must not be due to performing duties dishonestly; intentionally committing a criminal offense against the employer; seriously violating work regulations, rules, or lawful order of the employer; neglecting duty for 7 consecutive days without reasonable cause; or causing serious damage to the workplace as a result of personal negligence.

The Social Security Office may suspend benefit payments for failure to comply with conditions.

[Robby nz]

So it seems no one knows how unemployment is worked out in this country.

Ok carry on with your arguments, dosent really matter in relation to them.

[Buchholz]

Is that what their respective leaders said in their phone conversations with you?

If you disagree with what I said try expressing that and not attacking me personally.

Sorry, without you expressing how you came to your preposterous conclusion, one is left only to surmise on their own how that absurdity was achieved.

Why on Earth would Malaysia ever "love to change places with" Thailand's per capita GDP of $8,646 from its own $16,051?

Malasya. GDP (purchasing power parity)

$447 billion (2011 est.)

$424.8 billion (2010 est.)

$396.4 billion (2009 est.)

note: data are in 2011 US dollars

Unemployment rate

3.1% (2011 est.)

3.4% (2010 est.)

Public debt

53.5% of GDP (2011 est.)

53.1% of GDP (2010 est.)

industrial production growth rate

1.4% (2011 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$129.6 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$106.9 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

Thailand

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$601.4 billion (2011 est.)

$600.8 billion (2010 est.)

$557.4 billion (2009 est.)

note: data are in 2011 US dollars

Unemployment rate

0.7% (2011 est.)

0.5% (2010 est.)

Public debt

40.5% of GDP (2011 est.)

42.4% of GDP (2010 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$175.1 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$172.1 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

http://www.indexmund...my_profile.html

No reply to the question posed? Ok, I can live with that.... there is none you could make in reply to the most glaring and cut to chase stat.

.

But thanks anyway for the stats you provide. Do you have any for Malaysia and not Malasya ?

j/k...typos are easy to make

And please remember to triple any of the non per capita totals to reflect the population differences.

Or just save yourself further embarrassment and stop.

Anyone spending more than 10 minutes observing the infrastructure and level of living in Malaysia would laugh at your assessment.

.

Edited February 10, 2013 by Buchholz

[marstons]

Well it is the year of the snake.

Mosha this should read "After all it IS the year of the snake'. But well said anyway. Let's hope it will be the year of the PTP downfall and better still the fall of the Shinawatra clan.

To be replaced by what is the problem, cant see it myself.

[chiangmaikelly]

If you disagree with what I said try expressing that and not attacking me personally.

Sorry, without you expressing how you came to your preposterous conclusion, one is left only to surmise on their own how that absurdity was achieved.

Why on Earth would Malaysia ever "love to change places with" Thailand's per capita GDP of $8,646 from its own $16,051?

Malasya. GDP (purchasing power parity)

$447 billion (2011 est.)

$424.8 billion (2010 est.)

$396.4 billion (2009 est.)

note: data are in 2011 US dollars

Unemployment rate

3.1% (2011 est.)

3.4% (2010 est.)

Public debt

53.5% of GDP (2011 est.)

53.1% of GDP (2010 est.)

industrial production growth rate

1.4% (2011 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$129.6 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$106.9 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

Thailand

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$601.4 billion (2011 est.)

$600.8 billion (2010 est.)

$557.4 billion (2009 est.)

note: data are in 2011 US dollars

Unemployment rate

0.7% (2011 est.)

0.5% (2010 est.)

Public debt

40.5% of GDP (2011 est.)

42.4% of GDP (2010 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$175.1 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$172.1 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

http://www.indexmund...my_profile.html

No reply to the question posed? Ok, I can live with that.... there is none you could make in reply to the most glaring and cut to chase stat.

.

But thanks anyway for the stats you provide. Do you have any for Malaysia and not Malasya ?

j/k...typos are easy to make

And please remember to triple any of the non per capita totals to reflect the population differences.

Or just save yourself further embarrassment and stop.

Anyone spending more than 10 minutes observing the infrastructure and level of living in Malaysia would laugh at your assessment.

There are some people who would take the extra 150 billion US dollars. Or the difference in the other statistics above. Thailand is bigger and has more money. Ask the auto companies why they picked Thailand.

2012 was a banner year and 2013 will be better. If you feel Malaysia is so much better well you know the answer to that one don't you. I am sure there are reasons for living there although they escape me at the moment.

Edited February 10, 2013 by chiangmaikelly

[chiangmaikelly]

So it seems no one knows how unemployment is worked out in this country.

Ok carry on with your arguments, dosent really matter in relation to them.

Maybe this will get you started, http://www2.bot.or.t...93&language=eng

[Buchholz]

Sorry, without you expressing how you came to your preposterous conclusion, one is left only to surmise on their own how that absurdity was achieved.

Why on Earth would Malaysia ever "love to change places with" Thailand's per capita GDP of $8,646 from its own $16,051?

Malasya. GDP (purchasing power parity)

$447 billion (2011 est.)

$424.8 billion (2010 est.)

$396.4 billion (2009 est.)

note: data are in 2011 US dollars

Unemployment rate

3.1% (2011 est.)

3.4% (2010 est.)

Public debt

53.5% of GDP (2011 est.)

53.1% of GDP (2010 est.)

industrial production growth rate

1.4% (2011 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$129.6 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$106.9 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

Thailand

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$601.4 billion (2011 est.)

$600.8 billion (2010 est.)

$557.4 billion (2009 est.)

note: data are in 2011 US dollars

Unemployment rate

0.7% (2011 est.)

0.5% (2010 est.)

Public debt

40.5% of GDP (2011 est.)

42.4% of GDP (2010 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$175.1 billion (31 December 2011 est.)

$172.1 billion (31 December 2010 est.)

http://www.indexmund...my_profile.html

No reply to the question posed? Ok, I can live with that.... there is none you could make in reply to the most glaring and cut to chase stat.

.

But thanks anyway for the stats you provide. Do you have any for Malaysia and not Malasya ?

j/k...typos are easy to make

And please remember to triple any of the non per capita totals to reflect the population differences.

Or just save yourself further embarrassment and stop.

Anyone spending more than 10 minutes observing the infrastructure and level of living in Malaysia would laugh at your assessment.

There are some people who would take the extra 150 billion US dollars. Or the difference in the other statistics above. Thailand is bigger and has more money. Ask the auto companies why they picked Thailand.

2012 was a banner year and 2013 will be better. If you feel Malaysia is so much better well you know the answer to that one don't you. I am sure there are reasons for living there although they escape me at the moment.

Personal preferences of where either of us choses to live has diddly squat with your contention that Malaysia is envious of Thailand.

I see we're getting no where in pointing the frivolity of your assertion, but that's ok.

Clearly you haven't any first hand experiences to base it on and avoid facing the most glaring fact (Malays have twice the income of Thais) and in that context, it's understandable.

We're done.

.

[HaruHaru]

China is bigger and has more money than Taiwan but it doesn't mean that the average mainland Chinese are wealthier than Taiwanese. They just have more populations.

Edited February 10, 2013 by HaruHaru

[Thaddeus]

So it seems no one knows how unemployment is worked out in this country.

Correct..... so gum banging about reported numbers is pretty much pointless, and more to the point, proves nothing.

I look out of the window to see what is going on, I sit at my coffee table outside to see what is going on, I travel in to town and notice what is going on.

I don't use reported figures, I use my eyes, and to say that Thailand has less than 1% unemployment is nothing more than unadulterated crap.

[Ricardo]

I suspect that, if there were some financial-reward for registering as being an unemployed Thai, the reported unemployment-figures would jump significantly.

And that doesn't even start to recognise the other problem, of under-employed people, which may never be addressed until minimum-wage rates are several times higher than they currently are.

Edited February 11, 2013 by Ricardo

[chiangmaikelly]

Personal preferences of where either of us choses to live has diddly squat with your contention that Malaysia is envious of Thailand.

I see we're getting no where in pointing the frivolity of your assertion, but that's ok.

Clearly you haven't any first hand experiences to base it on and avoid facing the most glaring fact (Malays have twice the income of Thais) and in that context, it's understandable.

We're done.

Thailand has a GDP 157 billion US dollars larger than Malaysia. Now we are done.

[Thai at Heart]

Or will the next generation become taxi drivers andbrikkies. Employed yes, very productive and valuable? If having 10mn subsistence farmers means an unemployment rate of 1% is this a success?

but industry is crying out for people. Suggests to me that the population is grossly under educated to meet industrys requirements....

Wow, someone who can take a positive (a country with full employment) and can spin a negative thought from it must surely have a heavy heart.

Well as an economist, isn't this a rather large issue. 1% unemployment and below looks like a great number, the question is, is it a great number?

Parroting the number as showing some kind of economic miracle without context doesn't mean much does it..

[Buchholz]

Thanks for the last laugh, chiangmaikelly

.

It should have even a much larger GDP than Malaysia than what you cite, if we are to believe your malarkey.

Thailand - 69,518,555 population

Malaysia - 29,859,154 population

Thailand - $601 billion GDP

Malaysia - $447 billion GDP

As said.... the more reflective, more revealing GDP per capita

Thailand - $8,646

Malaysia - $16,051

Yep, a lot there for Malaysia to be envious of Thailand.

Have a nice day.

.

Edited February 11, 2013 by Buchholz

[chiangmaikelly]

China is bigger and has more money than Taiwan but it doesn't mean that the average mainland Chinese are wealthier than Taiwanese. They just have more populations.

I wrote, “The rest of South East Asia would love to be like Thailand and Singapore. I first came to Thailand 40 years ago and the progress has been immense and far greater than any other country in the region with the exception of Singapore.”

“Buchhotz wrote, “Unquestionably, Malaysia has easily outpaced Thailand in progress over the past 40 years. From being below Thailand then to being at a higher level of progress than Thailand today.”

It's not much of an argument and only made to distract from the main point that Thailand is doing great.

Who is doing the best; Malaysia, Singapore or Thailand? Who cares they are all doing great.

[chiangmaikelly]

Thanks for the last laugh, chiangmaikelly

.

It should have even a much larger GDP than Malaysia.

Thailand - 69,518,555 population

Malaysia - 29,859,154 population

Thailand - $601 billion GDP

Malaysia - $447 billion GDP

As said.... the more reflective, more revealing GDP per capita

Thailand - $8,646

Malaysia - $16,051

Yep, a lot there for Malaysia to be envious of Thailand.

Have a nice day.

.

Big fish eat little fish. You have a nice day too.

[chiangmaikelly]

So it seems no one knows how unemployment is worked out in this country.

Correct..... so gum banging about reported numbers is pretty much pointless, and more to the point, proves nothing.

I look out of the window to see what is going on, I sit at my coffee table outside to see what is going on, I travel in to town and notice what is going on.

I don't use reported figures, I use my eyes, and to say that Thailand has less than 1% unemployment is nothing more than unadulterated crap.

Gum banging as you call it is what the world runs on. The numbers from the Bank of Thailand are believed by economists the world over and are one reason the SET is up 33% last year. But your information is better? Forgive me it I go with the folks who are paid the big bucks to be right about numbers including the Thai unemployment rate. One of the reasons the pound and US dollar is down and the Thai baht is up is the unemployment rate. There are thousands of small towns in Thailand. Have you been to them all? It is beyond me how anyone could look at Bangkok and the industrial areas in Thailand and all of the Burmese labor and think there was anything less than 100% employment. Why do you think all the Burmese people are here? Thjey are all working here. They are not on some kind of welfare system. Wake up and look around you. Not everyone is speaking Thai.

[chiangmaikelly]

Or will the next generation become taxi drivers andbrikkies. Employed yes, very productive and valuable? If having 10mn subsistence farmers means an unemployment rate of 1% is this a success?

but industry is crying out for people. Suggests to me that the population is grossly under educated to meet industrys requirements....

Wow, someone who can take a positive (a country with full employment) and can spin a negative thought from it must surely have a heavy heart.

Well as an economist, isn't this a rather large issue. 1% unemployment and below looks like a great number, the question is, is it a great number?

Parroting the number as showing some kind of economic miracle without context doesn't mean much does it..

How about the Stock exchange of Thailand is up 33% for 2012 and the GDP is up and investment is up and the baht is up?

[OzMick]

China is bigger and has more money than Taiwan but it doesn't mean that the average mainland Chinese are wealthier than Taiwanese. They just have more populations.

I wrote, “The rest of South East Asia would love to be like Thailand and Singapore. I first came to Thailand 40 years ago and the progress has been immense and far greater than any other country in the region with the exception of Singapore.”

“Buchhotz wrote, “Unquestionably, Malaysia has easily outpaced Thailand in progress over the past 40 years. From being below Thailand then to being at a higher level of progress than Thailand today.”

It's not much of an argument and only made to distract from the main point that Thailand is doing great.

Who is doing the best; Malaysia, Singapore or Thailand? Who cares they are all doing great.

Then why did you bring it up? Remember "envious......blah,blah,blah"

[chiangmaikelly]

China is bigger and has more money than Taiwan but it doesn't mean that the average mainland Chinese are wealthier than Taiwanese. They just have more populations.

I wrote, “The rest of South East Asia would love to be like Thailand and Singapore. I first came to Thailand 40 years ago and the progress has been immense and far greater than any other country in the region with the exception of Singapore.”

“Buchhotz wrote, “Unquestionably, Malaysia has easily outpaced Thailand in progress over the past 40 years. From being below Thailand then to being at a higher level of progress than Thailand today.”

It's not much of an argument and only made to distract from the main point that Thailand is doing great.

Who is doing the best; Malaysia, Singapore or Thailand? Who cares they are all doing great.

Then why did you bring it up? Remember "envious......blah,blah,blah"

Because Thailand is in South East Asia. It should be compared to the other countries in South East Asia to determine success or failure. Singapore is doing better but Thailand is still doing great. So?

[Thai at Heart]

Or will the next generation become taxi drivers andbrikkies. Employed yes, very productive and valuable? If having 10mn subsistence farmers means an unemployment rate of 1% is this a success?

but industry is crying out for people. Suggests to me that the population is grossly under educated to meet industrys requirements....

Wow, someone who can take a positive (a country with full employment) and can spin a negative thought from it must surely have a heavy heart.

Well as an economist, isn't this a rather large issue. 1% unemployment and below looks like a great number, the question is, is it a great number?

Parroting the number as showing some kind of economic miracle without context doesn't mean much does it..

How about the Stock exchange of Thailand is up 33% for 2012 and the GDP is up and investment is up and the baht is up?

The debate was turned to the lower than 1% unemployment rate in Thailand. On the surface it seems like a brilliant number, but it needs to be put in context. I never said that Thailand wasn't in relatively good shape in comparison with many other countries, but the 1% figure doesn't bear direct comparison with other countries, there is always a caveat to any country's statistics. There are still a huge amount of people employed in agriculture in comparison with many other contries, many with very small holdings of land, living essentially hand to mouth.

If you are a 50 year old farmer in Roi-et, you aren't very likely to be able to fill a job in Rayong in a car factory. You may not be seeking a job, but you are living barely above the bread line. Is this success? May this very large percentage (reportedly 50%) in agriculture show that Thailand's labour market supply and skill sets not quite match those of modern industry? There is still a LONG way to go in Thailand's economic development.

This is an issue that Thailand will have to solve, whether the stock market goes up, or the baht strengthens. I have been one of the people saying that Thailand looks in pretty good shape. However, there is a mismatch in the type of labour supply and the labour required,the rates paid, and the geographical distribution of the industrial employment centres. Beyond that, we have companies bitching about paying 300 baht, but ridiculously allowed to import foreign labour.

Edited February 11, 2013 by Thai at Heart

[ginjag]

China is bigger and has more money than Taiwan but it doesn't mean that the average mainland Chinese are wealthier than Taiwanese. They just have more populations.

I wrote, “The rest of South East Asia would love to be like Thailand and Singapore. I first came to Thailand 40 years ago and the progress has been immense and far greater than any other country in the region with the exception of Singapore.”

“Buchhotz wrote, “Unquestionably, Malaysia has easily outpaced Thailand in progress over the past 40 years. From being below Thailand then to being at a higher level of progress than Thailand today.”

It's not much of an argument and only made to distract from the main point that Thailand is doing great.

Who is doing the best; Malaysia, Singapore or Thailand? Who cares they are all doing great.

Then why did you bring it up? Remember "envious......blah,blah,blah"

Because Thailand is in South East Asia. It should be compared to the other countries in South East Asia to determine success or failure. Singapore is doing better but Thailand is still doing great. So?

Give it a rest, try another topic--Thaddeus is thinking NORMAL I share his view totally, having been here 40 years you have had plenty of time to see how many are not working in this land, and should not have to rely on some A4 printed garbage. topic should be shut down seems to be getting nowhere, could go on to eternity.

[chiangmaikelly]

I wrote, “The rest of South East Asia would love to be like Thailand and Singapore. I first came to Thailand 40 years ago and the progress has been immense and far greater than any other country in the region with the exception of Singapore.”

“Buchhotz wrote, “Unquestionably, Malaysia has easily outpaced Thailand in progress over the past 40 years. From being below Thailand then to being at a higher level of progress than Thailand today.”

It's not much of an argument and only made to distract from the main point that Thailand is doing great.

Who is doing the best; Malaysia, Singapore or Thailand? Who cares they are all doing great.

Then why did you bring it up? Remember "envious......blah,blah,blah"

Because Thailand is in South East Asia. It should be compared to the other countries in South East Asia to determine success or failure. Singapore is doing better but Thailand is still doing great. So?

Give it a rest, try another topic--Thaddeus is thinking NORMAL I share his view totally, having been here 40 years you have had plenty of time to see how many are not working in this land, and should not have to rely on some A4 printed garbage. topic should be shut down seems to be getting nowhere, could go on to eternity.

Normal is the distrust of any figures used by international economic rating agencies? Don't be silly. Because the world of economics agrees with Yingluck does not mean you are right and she is wrong.

By any economic rating agency Thailand is doing well. It has been for quite some time. Most of the posters in this thread have used any straw to try and cast a negative feel on a positive OP? I wonder why so many find it so hard to believe Thailand is doing well and Thai men are hard working people?

[ginjag]

CMK.....please, give it a rest SNZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ another coffee please.

[chiangmaikelly]

CMK.....please, give it a rest SNZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ another coffee please.

May I offer you a well intentioned suggestion. Don't read it.

[Melyn]

70% of Thailand is not employed in agriculture

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13.3%

industry: 34%

services: 52.7% (2011 est.)

Take a ride two hours South from Pattaya to Rayong and see the real Thailand.

<deleted>, Whats does percentage of GDP have to with dodgy unemployment figures? As a self professed economics guru you dont seem to know much.

48.5% of the Thai labour force is employed in the agricultural sector.

On top of the 1.4% unemployment rate you should add that 20% of all eligible males and 35% of all eligible females do not participate in the Thai work force.

1. Please quote where I professed to be an economics guru or take it back. 2. I wrote, "70% of Thailand is not employed in agriculture and that is correct. 3. I think I posted somewhere that around 40% of the Thai work force is employed in agriculture. It is going down and I would not be surprised 2013 it is below 40%.

If 48% of the labour force is employed in the agriculture sector then stating that 70% is not employed in that sane sector is a Venn disaster

[chiangmaikelly]

70% of Thailand is not employed in agriculture

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 13.3%

industry: 34%

services: 52.7% (2011 est.)

Take a ride two hours South from Pattaya to Rayong and see the real Thailand.

<deleted>, Whats does percentage of GDP have to with dodgy unemployment figures? As a self professed economics guru you dont seem to know much.

48.5% of the Thai labour force is employed in the agricultural sector.

On top of the 1.4% unemployment rate you should add that 20% of all eligible males and 35% of all eligible females do not participate in the Thai work force.

1. Please quote where I professed to be an economics guru or take it back. 2. I wrote, "70% of Thailand is not employed in agriculture and that is correct. 3. I think I posted somewhere that around 40% of the Thai work force is employed in agriculture. It is going down and I would not be surprised 2013 it is below 40%.

If 48% of the labour force is employed in the agriculture sector then stating that 70% is not employed in that sane sector is a Venn disaster

I was responding to the following posts written by ginjag, “70 % of Thai is rural, and a large part of that rural workforce is NOT accountable, they do not report to anyone, no surveys are carried out in local areas.” And, “So I am mistaken about 70% of rural Thailand being fully employed”

If you want to read the whole post it's on the third page I think. I thought ginjag might think 70% of Thais were farmers.

[PoodMaiDai]

I thought last year was Thailand's miracle year.

How do you top a miracle?

Only Jesus Thaksin could top a miracle.

[waza]

CMK.....please, give it a rest SNZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ another coffee please.

May I offer you a well intentioned suggestion. Don't read it.

Hi CMK,

have a look at this, its an interesting comparision study including Thai unemployment..............

http://www.esri.go.j...3/120803-05.pdf

and this one is a mono dimentional economic report card for the miracle year. (a bit more on topic) .........

http://www.apfhrm.co..._march_2012.pdf

Edited February 11, 2013 by waza

[Robby nz]

So it seems no one knows how unemployment is worked out in this country.

Ok carry on with your arguments, dosent really matter in relation to them.

Maybe this will get you started, http://www2.bot.or.t...93&language=eng

No CMK the question I asked was HOW they are worked out not what the numbers are.

You see I get areound the place a bit and everywhere I go I see, men mostly, sitting around drinking, smoking or just talking and I wonder where they get the Baht.

This country has a large what in other countries would be called a black economy of small stall or barrow holders who I doubt ever pay any tax or appear on statistics so it seems to me that compiling adult statistics must be a fair bit of guess work.

Which side do you think any error would be on?