Why Is Thailand So Backward?

DhammaBum · June 7, 2006

<snip>

Singapore follows the Swiss model - EVERY male citizen must actually serve on active duty for several years, and then must serve in reserve status for several weeks each year for the rest of his adult life.<snip>

Cheers

Steve

Indo-Siam

Actually, not for their entire adult life. I can't remember the exact numbers, but they do reserve for 17-20 years after their initial stint, or up until the age of 40-42, whichever comes first.

DhammaBum · June 7, 2006

Well BILL GATES just visited Vietnam, and not Thailand.

Bill Gates was in Thailand earlier this year

Postie · June 7, 2006

I'm with GaryA , Plus, Octaviousbp and Siripen on this one...

Contentment, happiness, Jai yen.

If it ain't broke...Do you need to fix it?

The oldest known civilisation on Earth (Ban Chiang)

When the other metal working civilisations were making weapons and slaughtering each other

(read war, expansionism, instability)

Ban Chiang culture has only yielded tools, advanced water irrigation and copious amounts if rice strains.

Beautiful, balanced designed artifacts created for carrying, cooking their yield.

13th century "Thailand" adopted Buddhism as a philosophy/religion.

I still see ALL of this lineage in EVERYTHING i look at...

Whether it be a Wat, a cut bamboo support. Someones' face when presented with a significant problem.

I love the SYNERGY of Thailand.

I got out of advertising.

Why? Because it takes so many people where they don't want to go.

Television, the same.

WHY IS THAILAND LAGGING BEHIND?

Why are you running for the bus...Betty swallocks

...when Thailand waits for the one coming down the road.

etc, etc...

Octaviousbp · June 7, 2006

A good thread with lots to consider. I'm curious about the professional/academic/experiential background of some of the posters.

Edited June 7, 2006 by Octaviousbp

ROFL · June 7, 2006

You are "taking advantage" of poverty.

"advantage" isnt necassarily a negative word.

What you want may be different than what many Thais want, you're comment that you dont want to see the Thailand do "so well" is what you want.

Your post is all about YOU.

You're by your own admission not wealthy, so for you Thais becoming competitive and ambitious is a bad thing.

You've found a little oasis to drop out in and that suits you, the fact that you hope for the people to remain impoverished is a little selfish.

Good comments ROFL. I think the key is that developing Thailand does not mean it should follow the industrial and consumer goaled path of western countries. This path is failing socially even in the so called developed world. Sadly it seems that Thailand is well on its way down that path. Being ambitious for the betterment of yourself and the community is laudible, to be competitive to buy a plasma screen TV while your neighbours, who dont get the breaks or family advantages, fail to eat seems unfair. The "trickle-down effect" is just not realistic. The gap between rich and poor is growing in the west as it is anywhere in the world. What will happen when the poor have had enough??

I think the times have gone beyond the day when one can call consumerism a product of the west.

I just think the west did it first and the rest of the world is doing what they want their way.

When people see someone in Dubai driving a Mercedes is it because they've some how become westernized? No, its simply that they want to drive a nice car and right now Mercedes are one of the top cars out there.

Nobody ever says that the USA is becoming Japanized because they buy more Japanese cars than they do American cars.

I think the world is flatter than that and "blaming" the west every time a country takes a technological or commercial leap forward is "passe".

If you give a computer to a kid in Africa that was made in Korea is that kid being corrupted by the WEST?

I dont think one can call it "the industrial and consumer goaled path of western countries" anymore.

Its a human condition, not a regional one.

cheers

Martin · June 7, 2006

Re post 335, from 'ROFL', it does seem nowadays that the words "the West" have to be interpreted according to context.

In some contexts, they include Australia and New Zealand!

Re post 334, from 'Octaviousbp', I also have some curiosity about posters' backgrounds.

For myself, I am a retired professional engineer (on and off) and engineering-college teacher (off and on).

In my thirties, I had a decade as a celtic peasant, but had to work 40 hours a week as a nuclear reacctor controller to fund it. (Because peasantry in the UK is now negatively profitable as it has no infrastructure left---the UK drew all its peasants into its various secondary elites, particularly machine-making, and then used other countries' peasants---it was called the British Empire).

Now I am back amongst the peasantry, and happily proud of it. And it has given me an interest in the relationships amongst groups that make up a society, as I compare the societies of the places where I have lived and worked (England, Canada, Wales, Brunei, Singapore and Thailand).

OK. I have shown you mine---now show me yours!!!

saeb · June 7, 2006

I'm with GaryA , Plus, Octaviousbp and Siripen on this one...
Contentment, happiness, Jai yen.

If it ain't broke...Do you need to fix it?

The oldest known civilisation on Earth (Ban Chiang)

When the other metal working civilisations were making weapons and slaughtering each other

(read war, expansionism, instability) [/b] Ban Chiang culture has only yielded tools, advanced water irrigation and copious amounts if rice strains.

Beautiful, balanced designed artifacts created for carrying, cooking their yield.

13th century "Thailand" adopted Buddhism as a philosophy/religion.

I still see ALL of this lineage in EVERYTHING i look at...

Whether it be a Wat, a cut bamboo support. Someones' face when presented with a significant problem.

I love the SYNERGY of Thailand.

I got out of advertising.

Why? Because it takes so many people where they don't want to go.

Television, the same.

WHY IS THAILAND LAGGING BEHIND?

Why are you running for the bus...Betty swallocks

...when Thailand waits for the one coming down the road.

etc, etc...

Methinks that yourself might have a look at the ".Ladybird Book of Anthropology"

Tsk...tsk....surely as migrants they brought the skills from A.N. Other Place?.

Why is Thailand lagging behind?. Easy:

GREED.

Pure and simple. Full stop.

Get it in the short term and screw any future or even any concept of a future.

I could say, 'look at the trees and deforestation with the result of land erosion, I could say the pollutants shoved into the water supply for umpteen years, I could say that the people who have always made the most money out of the narcotics trade.....within Thailand....are whoops!.

Thai people.

Greed. Full stop.

Pip-Pip.

Octaviousbp · June 7, 2006

or myself, I am a retired professional engineer (on and off) and engineering-college teacher (off and on).
In my thirties, I had a decade as a celtic peasant, but had to work 40 hours a week as a nuclear reacctor controller to fund it. (Because peasantry in the UK is now negatively profitable as it has no infrastructure left---the UK drew all its peasants into its various secondary elites, particularly machine-making, and then used other countries' peasants---it was called the British Empire).

Now I am back amongst the peasantry, and happily proud of it. And it has given me an interest in the relationships amongst groups that make up a society, as I compare the societies of the places where I have lived and worked (England, Canada, Wales, Brunei, Singapore and Thailand).

OK. I have shown you mine---now show me yours!!!

Interesting life... glad you've wound up where you want to be!

I'm in my last couple months as a grad student, feverishly trying to finish my research. I'm writing on social institutions/movements as a means for progressive change in Thailand. I'm particularly interested in the Assembly of the Poor and concepts of engaged Buddhism. The theoretical base is from Robert Cox.

I've lived and worked in South Korea and Thailand, am currently in Canada, and heading back to Thailand mid-August for another stint of work.

samran · June 7, 2006

Well BILL GATES just visited Vietnam, and not Thailand.

I'm sure Mr Gates scratched his nads this morning too. I don't quite understand what that has to do with anything apart from the fact that he has itchy nether regions of a morning.

saeb · June 7, 2006

In my thirties, I had a decade as a celtic peasant, but had to work 40 hours a week as a nuclear reacctor controller to fund it. (Because peasantry in the UK is now negatively profitable as it has no infrastructure left---the

Celtic peasant?. What, a like a Druid or something?. What is a Celtic peasant?.

Should peasants be allowed to work in Nuclear Power sites?.

Should peasants be allowed to work with reactor control technology?.

Dr. Strangelove...where are thee?.

Are you proud to call yourself a peasant?. (Adopt Communism 'brother' - you might like it!).

Me, I like being an 'Engineer'.

P.S. I have my worries about an engineer in reactor control who can't use a spell check

Edited June 7, 2006 by saeb

Sir Burr · June 7, 2006

Celtic peasant?. What, a like a Druid or something?. What is a Celtic peasant?.

Probably just a strange way of saying he ran a small-holding, or, croft in either Wales, or, Scotland.

Sounds like an ex-back-to-the-earth hippy.

Edited June 7, 2006 by Sir Burr

saeb · June 7, 2006

Celtic peasant?. What, a like a Druid or something?. What is a Celtic peasant?.

Probably just a strange way of saying he ran a small-holding, or, croft in either Wales, or, Scotland.

Sounds like an ex-back-to-the-earth hippy.

Hmmm...but like vegan milk being sacrificed to the moon god or summat?.

Deny the impurities of nuclear fusion by working amongst the unclean?.

(Chairman Mao did say to be a minnow amongst big fish).

Kinda reminds me of that movie the 'Wicker Man' and that was in the Outer Hebrides.

Being Scots, and my brother being married to a "Coast Wester"...perchance the chap is a Druid

technology terrorist.

However, there is always an answer to any problem : In Oxord City there are and have been a bunch of people protesting about medical research on animals.

Said person may join them ;

But here lies the paradox - were he a small holder in Wales or Grannies Heilan' Hame in Scotland he would slaughter his own animals for food.

After all, the winters are long, wet, and cold.

I suppose we could live with T.B. if no animals got hurt..........Not.

We eat them - where is the problem?.

OlRedEyes · June 7, 2006

Celtic peasant?. What, a like a Druid or something?. What is a Celtic peasant?.

Probably just a strange way of saying he ran a small-holding, or, croft in either Wales, or, Scotland.

Sounds like an ex-back-to-the-earth hippy.

Ex-back-to-earth. Is that like back-in-outer-space?

ColPyat · June 7, 2006

However, there is always an answer to any problem : In Oxord City there are and have been a bunch of people protesting about medical research on animals.
Said person may join them ;

This post has even less to do with the topic than the posts on south africa - may i remind you - the topic is "Why is Thailand so backward?"

Other than that, you are being disrespectful to a poster who was reasonable and thoughtful in his posts. Basically, this thread is getting out of order.

Sir Burr · June 7, 2006

Other than that, you are being disrespectful to a poster who was reasonable and thoughtful in his posts. Basically, this thread is getting out of order.

So, apply to be a moderator. Sounds like you'd be good at it, ad hominem.

Edited June 7, 2006 by Sir Burr

ColPyat · June 7, 2006

Other than that, you are being disrespectful to a poster who was reasonable and thoughtful in his posts. Basically, this thread is getting out of order.

So, apply to be a moderator. Sounds like you'd be good at it, ad hominem.

Yes, excellent, lets just flame the shit out of each other until a moderator can call the children to order. Nah, we don't need to apply self restraint and manners, because it's the internet, and every small little w_anker can instantly transform himself into a big boy.

Disgusting.

Sir Burr · June 7, 2006

^^^

You're rude.

I was just making a suggestion ad homenim.

ColPyat · June 7, 2006

^^^
You're rude.

I was just making a suggestion ad homenim.

OlRedEyes · June 7, 2006

However, there is always an answer to any problem : In Oxord City there are and have been a bunch of people protesting about medical research on animals.

Said person may join them ;

This post has even less to do with the topic than the posts on south africa - may i remind you - the topic is "Why is Thailand so backward?"

Other than that, you are being disrespectful to a poster who was reasonable and thoughtful in his posts. Basically, this thread is getting out of order.

game4shame · June 7, 2006

Yes, excellent, lets just flame the shit out of each other until a moderator can call the children to order.

OK, you're a <deleted>.

OlRedEyes · June 7, 2006

Yes, excellent, lets just flame the shit out of each other until a moderator can call the children to order.

OK, you're a <deleted>.

Where's the popcorn.

game4shame · June 7, 2006

Yes, excellent, lets just flame the shit out of each other until a moderator can call the children to order.

OK, you're a <deleted>.

Where's the popcorn.

Sir Burr · June 7, 2006

Yes, excellent, lets just flame the shit out of each other until a moderator can call the children to order.

OK, you're a <deleted>.

That's a bit strong!

I'm sure he's a decent bloke in real life, but, his posting style makes him come across as, what my old maths teacher would call, "a stuffed-shirt".

Come to think of it, my old maths teacher didn't have a sense of humour and would never use one word when five would do, too.

I wonder...........Nah!!

jdinasia · June 7, 2006

Nice to drop back in here and see the same charachters involved in Flaming wars ... (including one that flames by calling on the moderators!)

As I said about 10 pages back ... the initial post was flawed severly ... leading to a whole discussion based upon silliness. If you want to compare Thailand to Singapore or the Major cities of Malaysia it is accurate ... compared with the rest of SE Asia ... it is not. And all the silliness about English language skills in Laos etc ... 5555

and Welcome to Dhammabum ... know the guy .. he'll be a very insightful addition to TV

OlRedEyes · June 7, 2006

Nice to drop back in here and see the same charachters involved in Flaming wars ... (including one that flames by calling on the moderators!)
As I said about 10 pages back ... the initial post was flawed severly ... leading to a whole discussion based upon silliness. If you want to compare Thailand to Singapore or the Major cities of Malaysia it is accurate ... compared with the rest of SE Asia ... it is not. And all the silliness about English language skills in Laos etc ... 5555

and Welcome to Dhammabum ... know the guy .. he'll be a very insightful addition to TV

So now you want to restart the 'debate'.....

No view has been accepted, including the above...

ColPyat · June 7, 2006

Yes, excellent, lets just flame the shit out of each other until a moderator can call the children to order.

OK, you're a <deleted>.

And you are being facetious.

...whatever, the thread is anyhow in the dregs... i give up.

Tony Montana · June 7, 2006

Interesting thread,seems to go from one extreme to the other,some interesting & well informed replies & the other less informed & playground stuff.

I think the big bang in Thailand will come soon,this will come when the present king dies,which IMHO will be a very sad day.When this event happens I can see some huge changes for the country,lets hope its for the better.

The future for Thailand for me is unclear,China will take a lot of the current industry from Thailand (and lots of other countries) so Thailand needs to diversify & specialise,this can not be done with out education & I mean for the masses.The next Bill Gates might be in Isaan but this is not going to happen if the Thai elite continue to squander the money away,through graft,corruption etc which is then filtered of to Swiss bank accounts & into Mercedes,rolex watches.This money has to go back into schools & hospitals,this is not going to happen if the Thai masses dont change.

saeb · June 7, 2006

Sorry 'bout the Celtic peasant nuclear power station back to planet earth night witch vegan eatin' technonolgy is wrong burn effigies at the stake ---------but use a computer and international dial up to make a point?.