Lots of missing links in Thailand's social development

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STREETWISE
Lots of missing links in Thailand's social development

BANGKOK: -- It caught me by surprise when Channel 3 began airing "Sud Kaen Saen Rak" (Blinded by Love and Hate) recently.

The series is a radical departure from the channel's traditional primetime recipe - modern-day love affairs of the upper-middle class laced with

plenty of juicy cat-fights. In contrast, "Sud Kaen Saen Rak" is set in a small village in Phitsanulok some 30 years ago. The drama features actors dressed and scripted (though suspiciously good-looking) to evoke the rural folk of yesteryear. As suggested by the name, the series is about two families enduring a love-and-hate relationship.

The acting is mesmerising (singer-turned-actress Ratklao Amaradit should win this year's vote for Best Actress). But more importantly, the series serves as a chronicle of the changes in Thai society over recent decades and the birth of Thailand's middle class.

Thirty years ago, far fewer people thought about uprooting themselves from the countryside to move to the city. Children were raised according to whatever means where at hand. Most left school after Grade 10. But the financial success of peers who made the brave move to the city encouraged others to follow suit. Those with the financial means spotted new opportunities, like offering high-interest loans to small-time vendors. Such small cash loans only began to appear a couple of decades ago, fuelled by the demand from city people who didn't have assets as guarantees against loans from banks. With greater financial power, these entrepreneurs are able to send their children to key universities in big cities. Though they return occasionally to their provinces, their way of life now differs from that of their grandparents. This widening generation gap looms large in the Channel 3 show.

"I don't care about grandma. I can support myself financially," says one character after being told not to pursue a guy because her grandma detests him.

Living in a bigger house and with better financial means and education, the third generation pursue the lives they prefer - lives that their grandparents did not foresee. From the village, the setting moves to a provincial city as well as to Bangkok. Television sets and mobile phones come into play and help bridge the gaps.

Years have passed since the days depicted. Has the migration from the provinces to big cities changed the structure of society?

One thing that undoubtedly remains is the sense of inequality. In an interview with the Isaan Record (http://goo.gl/ZR8lPj), renowned film director Apichatpong Weerasethakul admits that as a schoolboy about two decades ago in Bangkok, he dared not say he was a kid from Khon Kaen. He was afraid of being laughed at, as a provincial boy dreaming about becoming an architect.

That feeling withered long before the art-house director decided to use Khon Kaen as the setting of his new movie, "Cemetery of Splendour" ("Rak Thi Khon Kaen"), currently screening at Cannes Film Festival.

"I feel terrible saying that Khon Kaen is like other cities in the country that portray no identity of their own. The statues of dinosaurs located on corners in Khon Kaen are captured in my film. This movie portrays Khon Kaen in a saddening way," said Apichatpong

That is true, and reflects the fact that our provincial cities have sought to copy Bangkok's development model (if it can be said to have one). As Apichatpong remarked, Khon Kaen today is choked with high-rises and concrete, while the number of trees is diminishing. The same goes in other cities.

Years have passed and people in the provinces can now elect their own local leaders. Still, these leaders are not entirely independent of officials appointed by the central government and national agencies, which are all headquartered in Bangkok. Few provincial leaders have the ability to showcase the best of their cities without help. For example, Nan is a heaven for tourists thanks to its splendid natural surroundings. But would it be on the world map without help from the Tourism Authority of Thailand?

When the Pheu Thai Party was in power, leaders and villagers in some northern provinces were elated by the party's high-speed rail plan. That dream was put on hold by the coup a year ago. The junta then revived the hopes with a plan to award the project to Japan. But even if the Cabinet approves this, will Japanese companies really participate in the project? Notably, the junta will not bare responsibility for any mishaps, as guaranteed by the interim constitution. Will that protection be extended to officials who have to proceed with the concession procedure?

Likewise, the citizens who are now discussing the constitution are mostly long-time residents of Bangkok, though the national law will apply to all Thais.

Despite pleas from local and international bodies, inclusiveness is practically absent in Thai society in terms of political, economic and social development.

The past few decades have seen mass migration from our countryside to the cities. But the physical movement has done little to change the fundamentals of Thai society.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Lots-of-missing-links-in-Thailands-social-developm-30260382.html


-- The Nation 2015-05-19

[canuckamuck]

Maybe one day they will make a TV show or movie about something other than Thailand.

[MESmith]

Maybe one day they will make a TV show or movie about something other than Thailand.

E.T.?

[cloudhopper]

"Despite pleas from local and international bodies, inclusiveness is practically absent in Thai society in terms of political, economic and social development."

There's your problem right there.

[Lupatria]

Maybe one day they will make a TV show or movie about something other than Thailand.

Iron walls imagined- are no less solid steel...

[SoilSpoil]

From a feudal to a global society, that's the road were on. In the old feudal agricultural Thailand the young worked in or around the villages and lived with and took care of the elder. In modern global Thailand the young live in cities and are less and less able to take care of their families. Credit and social mobility are their biggest threats. Very challenging times ahead of us with an aging population.

[KhunMoo]

Maybe one day they will make a TV show or movie about something other than Thailand.

Why why? Thailand number one!

[Lee4Life]

Pointless

[kaorop]

Love, hate?

So same plot as before just not set in brand new fancy Bkk houses?

He is right about the large provincial cities having next to no character, one looks the same as another.....horrible

It is the smaller cities that still retain a modicum of historical beauty

[canuckamuck]

From a feudal to a global society, that's the road were on. In the old feudal agricultural Thailand the young worked in or around the villages and lived with and took care of the elder. In modern global Thailand the young live in cities and are less and less able to take care of their families. Credit and social mobility are their biggest threats. Very challenging times ahead of us with an aging population.

The road who's on? Thailand is obediently marching back to its feudal roots.

[Lupatria]

[SoilSpoil]

From a feudal to a global society, that's the road were on. In the old feudal agricultural Thailand the young worked in or around the villages and lived with and took care of the elder. In modern global Thailand the young live in cities and are less and less able to take care of their families. Credit and social mobility are their biggest threats. Very challenging times ahead of us with an aging population.

The road who's on? Thailand is obediently marching back to its feudal roots.

No its not, also in Thailand we will see a migration to the cities. With increasing debts and consequent loss of land and lower motivation levels to become farmers, Thailand agricultural back land will fall in the hands of the big agro giants. Urban migration will increase exponentially.

Kids these days want to get a degree and 'escape' rural Thailand.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/566087/university-admission-applications-top-130000

http://www.thaiwebsites.com/thailand-urban-migration.asp

[cloudhopper]

in Thailand we will see a migration to the cities. With increasing debts and consequent loss of land and lower motivation levels to become farmers, Thailand agricultural back land will fall in the hands of the big agro giants. Urban migration will increase exponentially.

Kids these days want to get a degree and 'escape' rural Thailand.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/566087/university-admission-applications-top-130000

http://www.thaiwebsites.com/thailand-urban-migration.asp

Unfortunately neither urban migration nor a degree will allow them to escape a culture of conformity, forced respect, bigotry, ignorance, superstition, predation and hubris. We need look no further than Chula grads parading around in Nazi uniforms. The adoption of technology should not be confused with societal wisdom.

Edited May 19, 2015 by cloudhopper

[micmichd]

Any pic of those "Chula grads parading around in Nazi uniforms"?

Edited May 19, 2015 by micmichd

[SoilSpoil]

Any pic of those "Chula grads parading around in Nazi uniforms"?

http://www.bangkokpost.com/lite/topstories/359954/hitler-mural-done-by-ignorant-first-year-students-says-chulalongkorn-university