Are the machines destroying Thai culture?

[thaibeachlovers]

I was having a snack in a local Thai cafe and noticed that of the 7 other customers all were immersed in their machines. 6 were together, and the only topic of conversation was what was on their machine when they showed it to each other.

I'm sure we've all been bumped into by a Thai too busy with the machine to look where they were going.

In the large IT cafe where I am now, it is full of boys and a few girls all spending hours gaming instead of getting out and about with their friends like we did in our youith before the invasion of the machines.

Is this the beginning of the end of Thai culture as they become subsumed into a horrible world wide subjugation to the machines?

If it is, can anything be done to reverse it?

[draftvader]

Yep, this is the sad truth in modern Thai culture. Truthfully it is a very Asian obsession. Having been "expat" for nearly a decade I was very curious as to whether this was true of England on my last visit. I was pleased to say that I saw a minimal amount of this out and about. Speaking to friends they confirmed that people who spend too long on their devices are frowned upon and people do comment.

It is true to say that every time I go out for a meal I see whole family units failing to engage each other. So sad.

[Costas2008]

OP, the things to come

[h90]

They said the same about TV decades ago.

I think children who grow up with this technology won't find it that amazing and are way more resistant to it.

[thaibeachlovers]

They said the same about TV decades ago.

I think children who grow up with this technology won't find it that amazing and are way more resistant to it.

Hmmmmm. I didn't walk around all day with a tv stuck in my face the way they have their face in a stupidphone nowadays ( and I was addicted ).

[pgrahmm]

It's in the US too....reason you see it here more is there are hardly any "latchkey" kids here because of the fear in the US - kids that go from school to an empty house and sit there waiting for their parents to get home....most of them are on computer - only behind doors.....

Social skills dimished while anti-social skills increase - you can only play so many shoot them dead games on the computer where the hero gets a new start next game.....I use to know an anti gang activist in the US and he said a good number of deaths occur because of these games programming where kids become anethestitised to the reality of risks and fear of bullets but still feel comfortable pulling a trigger......he remembered holding the hand of a dying teen that had been shot....as he was dying he looked up and said "nobody told me it would hurt".......

I think in LOS it's more social media - which means exactly the opposite as it singles away the individual & reduces activities such as scouts, after school sports, music programs/pursuits....healthy group activities where values as well as competition, winning, and losing are learned.....much easier to visit the world through a little electronic window - not even wanting to think or experience for themselves......

I believe there was a TV article awhile back about complaints at a well established eatery for time served, cold food, etc (USA)....turned out after reviewing CCTV tapes from 12 years before that the difference was from people playing on their phones, making waitiers come back many times to get the orders, having pictures taken, forgetting about the served food, then complaining about the service and food.....meanwhile, even though the place had hired more help to offer better service it didn't work because the diners were spending double the time "eating" & also depriving the establishment of generating more profit by not being able to turn the tables over quickly and having waiting diners leave rather than wait for a table......

[zeichen]

"it is full of boys and a few girls all spending hours gaming instead of getting out and about with their friends like we did in our youith before the invasion of the machines."

"YOUR YOUTH". Sorry grandpa but the world has changed, get used to it or stay in your closet.

People share information faster and with more people than you could have ever dreamed of as a child. People cannot BS anymore because 99.9 percent of all information can be accessed day or night.

Hate to break it to you but it is the world that we live in not just Thailand.

But you go ahead and live in your glory years when everyone was smarter, more polite and better at everything. PS I bet you weren't studying Calculus at age 15 like kids today or making mobile apps that net you millions of dollars before you can drive a car.

[samran]

Isn't this thread all a bit ironic being posted on a web form?

[zziffle]

Dang machines!

The younguns oughta be playin crokinole.

But seriously, why is TV so chockablock full of opinions about what other people should be doing?

[farang000999]

maybe they are all on thai visa or pantip

[manarak]

555 - it's called change, guys!

1- "culture"

Many western cultures are stuck in the past, and new things have a very time being accepted as culture.

Culture changes. it doesn't stay the same over centuries.

And no, the old way is not necessarily better than the new way.

Anyway, the new way will impose itself, regardless of what is perceived as good or bad by dinosaurs resistant to change.

2- there are many reasons why young people become criminals and run amok, computer games is not one of the main reasons.

3- Thai culture will be alive on the new media, don't worry. It involves cuteness for the girls and sending many stickers on LINE.

[sustento]

They said the same thing when Gutenberg started printing those damned books...

[AlexRRR]

Ive been known to glance at my iphone....and a few times drag out the trusty ipad in a cafe....gee and in now where near 17......ahhh progress...social network...email.....google...yes walking around with the phone book tucked under ya arm can be a bit of a pain, amazing i just dont have time to see what everyone esle is doing.

[bkkjames]

Isn't this thread all a bit ironic being posted on a web form?

where would you suggest he post it, letters to the editor of the post?

[benalibina]

555 - it's called change, guys!

1- "culture"

Many western cultures are stuck in the past, and new things have a very time being accepted as culture.

Culture changes. it doesn't stay the same over centuries.

And no, the old way is not necessarily better than the new way.

Anyway, the new way will impose itself, regardless of what is perceived as good or bad by dinosaurs resistant to change.

2- there are many reasons why young people become criminals and run amok, computer games is not one of the main reasons.

3- Thai culture will be alive on the new media, don't worry. It involves cuteness for the girls and sending many stickers on LINE.

My beloved wife achieves ...new high score 4 times a day....victories all over the place....on LINE.....no stickers from me though....

[hellohello123]

Um its not just thailand, its the entire world,

Rather then bitch and moan about it (dont worry I do it too), just embrace it, this is how society is changing

Even I have found that I cant sit on the plane for 5 hours without some kind of electronic device to keep me entertained, when I was young it wasnt a problem

[Aussieroaming]

My children and their friends rack up plenty of machine hours per day. I used to have to remind my son that his friends were visiting so get off the computer. He would give me the dazed computer zombie look. Now it's the same with their iPads and mobile phones. I leave them too it now.

If my kids don't want to talk to me I just ramp up my candy crush

[samuibeachcomber]

Well we cant go back to the days that were free of technologly(only tv. and landline phones).Only thing i would like to see is some kind of social etiquette program taught in schools in regards to smart phone usage when in the company of others.

For example,when dining out,it would be nice imo for all parties to switch off cell phones which would encourage conversation.

[WitawatWatawit]

Og has a lot to answer for.

[Boycie]

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/744514-disconnect-to-connect-thai-tv-ad/

[bkksteve123]

It's in the US too....reason you see it here more is there are hardly any "latchkey" kids here because of the fear in the US - kids that go from school to an empty house and sit there waiting for their parents to get home....most of them are on computer - only behind doors.....

Social skills dimished while anti-social skills increase - you can only play so many shoot them dead games on the computer where the hero gets a new start next game.....I use to know an anti gang activist in the US and he said a good number of deaths occur because of these games programming where kids become anethestitised to the reality of risks and fear of bullets but still feel comfortable pulling a trigger......he remembered holding the hand of a dying teen that had been shot....as he was dying he looked up and said "nobody told me it would hurt".......

I think in LOS it's more social media - which means exactly the opposite as it singles away the individual & reduces activities such as scouts, after school sports, music programs/pursuits....healthy group activities where values as well as competition, winning, and losing are learned.....much easier to visit the world through a little electronic window - not even wanting to think or experience for themselves......

I believe there was a TV article awhile back about complaints at a well established eatery for time served, cold food, etc (USA)....turned out after reviewing CCTV tapes from 12 years before that the difference was from people playing on their phones, making waitiers come back many times to get the orders, having pictures taken, forgetting about the served food, then complaining about the service and food.....meanwhile, even though the place had hired more help to offer better service it didn't work because the diners were spending double the time "eating" & also depriving the establishment of generating more profit by not being able to turn the tables over quickly and having waiting diners leave rather than wait for a table......

Exactly, not only Thailand. The article you mention can be found here: http://news.distractify.com/culture/craigslist-surveillance-restaurant/?v=1

Living through "machines" is also common in Northern Europe, but I feel as if people are becoming more conscious about it and try to avoid it. However, having lived in Hong Kong and Bangkok during the past 2 years, I can say that this problem is much worse in those Asian cities than back here in Farangland.

I hope that the realisation that seems to have hit Western countries as of lately i.e. people realise that they have become slaves to technology and attempt to free themselves, will eventually happen in Asia. For now it still seems totally acceptable to stare at your phone during a dinner in BKK or HK, and this is no longer the case in Europe.

[pinkpanther99]

It's not only in Thailand where people sit around playing on their phones and tablets rather than talking to each other. The same thing happens in the UK too.

I don't want to get into Thai bashing but what is Thai culture exactly?

[metisdead]

Inflammatory posts have been removed.

[manarak]

Well we cant go back to the days that were free of technologly(only tv. and landline phones).Only thing i would like to see is some kind of social etiquette program taught in schools in regards to smart phone usage when in the company of others.

For example,when dining out,it would be nice imo for all parties to switch off cell phones which would encourage conversation.

Depending on the company, conversation could be the last thing I would want.

[claffey]

How can you claim that this is specific to Thailand?? This is a global development and an attribute of modern society..Take off your tinted imperialistic sunglasses!!

[BudRight]

The robot apocalypse is upon us.

[pgrahmm]

Proof that Zombies really do exist.....

[3NUMBAS]

yep theyre all zombies and couch potatoes now .looks bad for the future .

go on a commuter train in the UK in the morning and they're all immersed in gadgets ,same in BKK.

no time for anything else .

many hobbies will vanish in the future .

[wandasloan]

Well we cant go back to the days that were free of technologly(only tv. and landline phones).Only thing i would like to see is some kind of social etiquette program taught in schools in regards to smart phone usage when in the company of others.

Because it used to be like this. (1914)

And now it's like this, so much worse! (2014)

[Stradavarius37]

Times change - deal with it old folks.