Although, I know every country in this world changes over time, I feel I am starting to see some general changes in Thailand, which I find worrying and sad. Of course there is the political situation, which can not be described as good - but now even monks are getting beaten up.

To me it is like the many years of economic growth of Thailand has finally caught up with this country. Personal greed and corruption has reached a level were people do no longer even bother to vote and even religion has lost the respect and power it once had here.

When I first visited this country over 20 years ago, I would never have imagined this country and its people changing this much. I would never have expected to see a monk fly off in a private jet or a monk getting beaten up by a crowd of people. I would never have imagined that people in general would lose completely faith in their government and not even bother to vote. Is this what happens, when corruption just gets too far?

Is it just me or is this place starting to lose, what really was the foundation of why foreigners love/loved this place and its people?

I agree, greed and corruption has played it's part in the downfall to the country,

but you have to add the lawlessness as the major culprit.

Without the rule of law, anything goes.

There's greed and corruption all over the world, even in the so called biggest democratic countries. Only difference is Thailand seems to air they're dirty laundry in public!

Watched a program on internet, from dutch tv, about scams happening with naive tourists. As this happens everywhere in the world, it was still shocking to see that the touristpolice in bangkok is involved in many scams. I.e. keeping their eyes closed and benefitting from the scams financially. It was even told by a couple of taxidrivers in Pattaya and Bangkok that it is all a big maffia.

So where is Thailand heading to.....i would say that if you cant trust the police to uphold the law on a basic level.....the country is in fact.... lawless.

And ..yes to all the apologists, i know that it happens in many other countries in the world....but this is Thaivisa.

Right is right and wrong is wrong.

I agree though partly with above poster that many western democracies are better in hiding it.

I just don't see a future for my kids if they had gone through the Thai system even if they had had international school.

Too much nepotism and corruption. Sad really

It is just you. Remember Black May? Thailand was just as screwy and corrupt 20 years ago - there was coup after coup and Thai citizens were attacked by the government. However, I loved the place then and I love it now, even if there are plenty of bad apples. There always has been.

Edited March 25, 201412 yr by Ulysses G.

Ulysses G, you're a realist - kudos.

So where is Thailand heading to.....i would say that if you cant trust the police to uphold the law on a basic level.....the country is in fact.... lawless.

As the saying among Thais goes: "If you have a problem, don't go to the police. Why? Because they are the problem."

Why I do not worry too much about what Thailand has or has not become:

Don't own property. Don't own a house. Not married. No children for whom I am legally responsible. Don't own a business. Not employed. Don't go to a shared work space and say I'm not working. Don't live in a tourist area. Don't much hang out with persons who speak or speak only English. Don't own a car. Don't frequent bars at 2 AM. ...

Why I do not worry too much about what Thailand has or has not become:

Don't own property. Don't own a house. Not married. No children for whom I am legally responsible. Don't own a business. Not employed. Don't go to a shared work space and say I'm not working. Don't live in a tourist area. Don't much hang out with persons who speak or speak only English. Don't own a car. Don't frequent bars at 2 AM. ...

Keep your bag packed, Passport and plane ticket in your pocket, never leave the airport concourse, don't have a life. Yep I love Thailand!!!

^^^ u forgot don't have a life.

Why I do not worry too much about what Thailand has or has not become:

Don't own property. Don't own a house. Not married. No children for whom I am legally responsible. Don't own a business. Not employed. Don't go to a shared work space and say I'm not working. Don't live in a tourist area. Don't much hang out with persons who speak or speak only English. Don't own a car. Don't frequent bars at 2 AM. ...

Sweet Jesus - you've just ticked off everything I want in a potential partner, JL. PM sent !

The silence from some quarters is deafening. Change is sometimes painful, and sometimes slow. But for sure it's happening.

Not many students get shot by the army these days, that's an improvement!

Khunpa, I hear what you are saying but would read your indicators slightly differently.

Greed and corruption have been here all the time and, IMHO has not increased but, has been brought more into the spotlight by different means of social media adding to the general media frenzy making catchy headlines. Accusations from both sides of the political divide add to the frenzy as the dirty washing is being put on view for the rest of the world.

Your comments on Thai people in general losing faith completely in their government and not bothering to vote? That to me is one side of the coin. The other side would be saying that people in general were being prevented from voting by 'friendly' blockades of the polling stations. My concern on this point would be more towards anybody being able to organize a 'peaceful' protest, defy the laws of the country under the umbrella of freedom of speech and protest and able to disrupt the country for an undetermined period of time to present their own agendas, deviating away from the original topic of protest. I know this is a very contentious issue, but those are my views, right or wrong, on what I have seen.

One thing you didn't touch on was drugs. Yes, drugs have always been part of Thailand since the first poppy was milked. What was not always the case is the numbers involved in addiction and the vast increase in small time dealers and pushers. With the dealerships come territorial limits and the chaos caused protecting these areas. In this arena alone, where large sums of money are involved, corruption and vice are rife, leading, IMHO, to the greatest increase in corruption to this country. .

Thailand is becoming what it deep down has always been.

Why I do not worry too much about what Thailand has or has not become:

Don't own property. Don't own a house. Not married. No children for whom I am legally responsible. Don't own a business. Not employed. Don't go to a shared work space and say I'm not working. Don't live in a tourist area. Don't much hang out with persons who speak or speak only English. Don't own a car. Don't frequent bars at 2 AM. ...

same here, i can leave in 15 minutes, whenever, wherever and don't look back... existential autonomy.

Much better now. A few years ago some yahoos in yellow shirts closed the airport. I think the only people who have not seen positive differences between Thailand of a few years ago and now are those special interest groups who want to see Thailand fail. I would imagine they are funded by other countries who compete for tourism or foreign investment or some such stuff.

It is just you. Remember Black May? Thailand was just as screwy and corrupt 20 years ago - there was coup after coup and Thai citizens were attacked by the government. However, I loved the place then and I love it now, even if there are plenty of bad apples. There always has been.

Agreed, I have been coming to Thailand for 27 years and live here now more than 10 years.

Yes, countries/peoples attitudes changes somewhat,

but the major change is the technology, news infra-structure.

All is almost immediately out there.

People hear and see more (daily) things happening and see how the (civilized) western world lives (and upper class Thais).

People get more envy and want the same lifestyle.

Honest jobs will not give that for most, so some use other methods, which we hear daily in the news.

I also think that in the more farang area's in Thailand, many Thais are envy and angry.

Daily they see farangs spend money in bars and such 3000-5000-10.000 baht in one day/evening, which is their monthly salary.

Thailand is not the same of course from 20 years ago, but not as the OP says, all is more in the open.

20 years ago there was no ThaiVisa to report daily news/events or internet (worth while)

Thailand is becoming what it deep down has always been.

A pathetic attempt at sounding perceptive. Typical deadwood expat blather. Find a space and then create it in your own image- And then have the cojones to speak as though you actually have knowledge about Thailand.

Much better now. A few years ago some yahoos in yellow shirts closed the airport. I think the only people who have not seen positive differences between Thailand of a few years ago and now are those special interest groups who want to see Thailand fail. I would imagine they are funded by other countries who compete for tourism or foreign investment or some such stuff.

U sober ?

Why I do not worry too much about what Thailand has or has not become:

Don't own property. Don't own a house. Not married. No children for whom I am legally responsible. Don't own a business. Not employed. Don't go to a shared work space and say I'm not working. Don't live in a tourist area. Don't much hang out with persons who speak or speak only English. Don't own a car. Don't frequent bars at 2 AM. ...

Keep your bag packed, Passport and plane ticket in your pocket, never leave the airport concourse, don't have a life. Yep I love Thailand!!!

I've been living in Thailand 10 years now for better or worse but I would say mostly better ... but now I get to read about all the people with great lives in Thailand in the 'Ask The Lawyer' Forum

Edited March 25, 201412 yr by JLCrab

It is just you. Remember Black May? Thailand was just as screwy and corrupt 20 years ago - there was coup after coup and Thai citizens were attacked by the government. However, I loved the place then and I love it now, even if there are plenty of bad apples. There always has been.

Agreed, I have been coming to Thailand for 27 years and live here now more than 10 years.

Yes, countries/peoples attitudes changes somewhat,

but the major change is the technology, news infra-structure.

All is almost immediately out there.

People hear and see more (daily) things happening and see how the (civilized) western world lives (and upper class Thais).

People get more envy and want the same lifestyle.

Honest jobs will not give that for most, so some use other methods, which we hear daily in the news.

I also think that in the more farang area's in Thailand, many Thais are envy and angry.

Daily they see farangs spend money in bars and such 3000-5000-10.000 baht in one day/evening, which is their monthly salary.

Thailand is not the same of course from 20 years ago, but not as the OP says, all is more in the open.

20 years ago there was no ThaiVisa to report daily news/events or internet (worth while)

Pattaya used to be what you say now it is crawling with poor white tourists that buy food and drink at 7/11. I think the Thais feel sorry for the poor drunk white folk who swim in such bad water and can only afford to eat and drink at convenience stores.

In Bangkok the Thais look at the families dressed in black robes and the other ones with the colored turbans and thank their lucky stars they are Thai.

[quote name="benalibina" post="7603997" timestamp=

Right right and wrong is wrong.

Wait, what?

Much better now. A few years ago some yahoos in yellow shirts closed the airport. I think the only people who have not seen positive differences between Thailand of a few years ago and now are those special interest groups who want to see Thailand fail. I would imagine they are funded by other countries who compete for tourism or foreign investment or some such stuff.

U sober ?

If you disagree with me say why. If you want to flame me by implying I am drunk see the

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9) Do not post inflammatory messages on the forum, or attempt to disrupt discussions to upset its participants, or trolling.Trolling can be defined as the act of purposefully antagonizing other people on the internet by posting controversial, inflammatory, irrelevant or off-topic messages with the primary intent of provoking other users into an emotional response or to generally disrupt normal on-topic discussion.

It is just you. Remember Black May? Thailand was just as screwy and corrupt 20 years ago - there was coup after coup and Thai citizens were attacked by the government. However, I loved the place then and I love it now, even if there are plenty of bad apples. There always has been.

+1

Thailand is becoming what it deep down has always been.

A great place to retire. I agree.

Not many students get shot by the army these days, that's an improvement!

No, but more of them are shooting each other.

A pathetic attempt at sounding perceptive. Typical deadwood expat blather. Find a space and then create it in your own image- And then have the cojones to speak as though you actually have knowledge about Thailand.

Call me a cynic if you wish but the old 'Truism' "Nobody's perfect" hasn't changed anywhere I'm aware of... even in squeaky-clean Singapore.

However, a tough legal system that is backed up by tough actions (as in the case of Singapore) will scare/keep under control the bad of most people at least until they can realise for themselves that they also hurt themselves and those they care about when they do bad stuff.

There is always a need for good strong leadership but in this freedom of speech socially-networked world, seems Thailand hasn't found the right strong leader yet.... I live in hope!

Not many students get shot by the army these days, that's an improvement!

No, but more of them are shooting each other.

After Thanom was replaced by a civilian prime minister in October 1973, an army faction headed by Major-General Pramarn Adireksarn began plotting a return to military rule. Right-wing paramilitary groups were armed and trained and a crackdown on left-wing activists was prepared. The Communist takeover of Indochina in 1975 at the end of the Vietnam War convinced many that Thailand could be the next communist target and that the nation's unruly left-wing students were "aiding the enemy".

Although the students pleaded for a ceasefire, Chumphon, the police commander, authorized free fire on the campus. Students who tried to surrender were forced to lie on the ground. Several were beaten to death and then hanged. Those who attempted to escape by jumping into the Chaophraya River were shot at from naval vessels. Wimolwan, a nursing student, was shot dead while trying to swim to safety. The attack lasted for several hours. Time described the event as a "A nightmare of lynching and burning":

Female students allegedly were raped, alive and dead, by police and Red Gaurs. Officially, there were 46 dead and 167 wounded. The unofficial estimate of over 100 dead.

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