I wish that would translate to a few smiles at the supermarket checkout or when ordering food. Most staff look utterly miserable... when they arnt gazing at their smart phones.

You should try living in Spain then!! They havent a clue to smile, or to greet a customer, you are lucky if they speak at all. At the checkout in a supermarket they will toss the bags at you, for you to fill yourself whilst they sit impatiently waiting.

Simple question: When there is no way in Thailand to register as unemployed, how does anyone - government or Bloomberg - know how many are unemployed?

This guy Bloomberg obviously has not bought a bowl of soup in the market lately.

low rate of unemployment and inflation and Misery Index at 2.2 points.

that is only one side of the coin. What about export, GDP, stability, investment, housing, income, crime rate,aso.....

But good report for the govt. Can be proud!

Ah yes, Bloomberg.

And how are Thailand's exports coming along? Looked a bit glum last time I checked. Maybe that's the new happy.

I expect the intrepid Bloomberg reporter was happy in the massage parlour when he wrote this guff

There are 4 girls on the towell-department in our mall, mind you they ONLY sell towells. Then we have 4 people selling ONLY mattresses, 2 for the beddingsheets, 1 for the pillows, 4 cashiers, 2 to put your stuff in plastic bags, 2 cleaning the floors nonstop, 3 at the reception, 1 at each door, 5 parkingassistants/security......i can go on like that for hours.

But as long as they're happy than what's the ploblem?

The "Underemployment" in Thailand is massive. If and when wages here increase you will see an increase in unemployment as employers jettison these extra employees

I wish that would translate to a few smiles at the supermarket checkout or when ordering food. Most staff look utterly miserable... when they arnt gazing at their smart phones.

You should try living in Spain then!! They havent a clue to smile, or to greet a customer, you are lucky if they speak at all. At the checkout in a supermarket they will toss the bags at you, for you to fill yourself whilst they sit impatiently waiting.

"SPAIN", this is a Thai forum, Mr. apologist.

1 China 1,428.7 1,201.8 1,578.3 1,899.2 2,048.9 7.9% 2 United States 1,287.4 1,056.0 1,278.5 1,480.3 1,545.7 4.4% 3 Germany 1,451.4 1,120.7 1,261.6 1,477.0 1,410.4 -4.5% 4 Japan 782.0 580.7 769.8 822.6 798.6 -2.9% 5 France 608.9 476.1 516.9 584.7 557.3 -4.7% 6 Netherlands 545.9 431.7 492.7 569.5 554.7 -2.6% 7 Korea, Republic of 422.0 363.5 466.4 555.2 547.9 -1.3% 8 Russia 467.6 301.7 397.7 516.5 525.4 1.7% 9 Italy 545.0 406.7 446.9 523.3 501.0 -4.3% 10 United Kingdom 467.2 356.8 410.0 478.5 476.3 -0.5% 11 Canada 456.4 314.0 387.5 452.1 454.8 0.6% 12 Belgium 471.9 371.4 407.1 476.0 446.6 -6.2% 13 China - Hong Kong SAR 362.7 318.5 390.1 428.7 442.8 3.3% 14 Singapore 338.2 269.8 351.9 409.5 408.4 -0.3% 15 Saudi Arabia 313.4 192.3 251.1 364.4 386.0 5.9% 16 Mexico 291.8 229.7 298.1 349.6 370.9 6.1% 17 Taiwan 255.6 203.7 274.6 308.3 301.2 -2.3% 18 United Arab Emirates 239.2 185.0 220.0 285.0 300.0 5.3% 19 India 194.8 164.9 226.3 302.9 296.8 -2.0% 20 Spain 277.7 220.8 246.3 298.5 286.2 -4.1% 21 Australia 187.0 153.9 212.4 271.7 256.7 -5.5% 22 Brazil 197.9 153.0 201.9 256.0 242.6 -5.3% 23 Thailand 175.9 151.9 195.4 226.4 228.2 0.8% 24 Malaysia 199.4 157.2 198.6 228.1 227.4 -0.3% 25 Switzerland 191.8 166.8 185.8 223.2 214.0 -4.1%

http://www.geohive.com/charts/ec_exim1.aspx

Thailand No 4 ????

So let me get this right. Thailand has "less misery" than Switzerland?

"You're simply the best, better than all the rest....."

What on earth was Tina Turner thinking when she chose Switzerland (province)?

Was she not aware of Isaan?

Edited February 26, 201610 yr by lkv

I wish that would translate to a few smiles at the supermarket checkout or when ordering food. Most staff look utterly miserable... when they arnt gazing at their smart phones.

You should try living in Spain then!! They havent a clue to smile, or to greet a customer, you are lucky if they speak at all. At the checkout in a supermarket they will toss the bags at you, for you to fill yourself whilst they sit impatiently waiting.

"SPAIN", this is a Thai forum, Mr. apologist.

Well amigos para siempre to that!

So Bloomberg journalists will now be able to renew their media accreditation for Thailand, since they are reporting the "correct" things.

"How happy is the moron he doesn't give a dam , I wish I were a moron, my god perhaps I am."

Nothing like a Kumbaya moment to end a week of otherwise lack luster headlines

I must remind all my neighbours that don't have a pot to piss in that they are the very happiest of people on the Planet. I'm sure they will write to Bloomberg thanking them for their sound judgement !

It is pleasing to note the Prime Minister felt satisfied with the happiness of the Thai economy. Presumably Bloomberg came to Thailand to experience and share and feel that happiness first hand and ride on one of those almost derelict Bangkok bus. And I suppose while he was there he classified the million motorbike taxi drivers as employed. Was the Prime Minister also happy with the report that Thailand was almost at the bottom of the list of the safe cities in the world for expats? Who cares about expats so long as everyone else is happy.

Thailand tops the world’s most happiest economy in 2016

That's not the bestest grammar I've ever read. Perhaps they should of employed a proof reader.

Edited February 26, 201610 yr by chickenslegs

Basically if you have enough rice to eat you will be happy, Thai's should therefore have stomachs be bursting at the seams with all the available unsold rice from Yinglak's (Taksin's) brilliant scheme.

Agree with Bloomberg: good weather, beautiful nature, friendly non-conflicting people, good cheap food, western medicine, economy is doing well, etc etc.

Ignorance is bliss baby!!

Bloomberg click bait.

Ignorance is bliss baby!!

"Envy is ignorance" ©

Who filled out the survey? BOT, of course.

Back when I took chemistry classes, we had to perform lab experiments and were expected to arrive at a result based on doing the experiment correctly. Some people, however, did not bother with the work of coming into the lab after school or Saturday and just "made up" the experiment. This was known as "dry labbing" as you never had to get wet.

Edited February 26, 201610 yr by Balance

How is it possible , to not lose face , while stating these fabricated facts on tv, and everybody knowing it's a hoax.

That's the part i never got in all my years. I lose face constantly for every little detail if i have to believe them., they somehow feel they don't. And although they do, if the whole country says they don't , it must be true...TIT

How do you keep face when telling a childs lie......Is it when you believe yourself so much and keep saying no not true, to adversaries, that it makes the lie go away

like the 3 monkey's covering with their hands

But hey i see enough people here, completely missing what's happening, and they have ( or at least should have) better information than most Thais get.

Not bashing at all. I am not going anywhere , but hey right now, the feeling is wrong here......no matter how much you smile about it. Been here long enough to see the difference.

I am not speaking in regard of the average pensionado........that maybe a different game, But the young, ambitious and the ones in deep already must see right?

Let's hope for a new government soon. Doubt it will make a big change, but at least there is the hope for some economic stimulus, to get FACE with the people.

Edited February 27, 201610 yr by BuriramDevelopers

Ah right unemployment was a factor. That nifty figure the Thais pull out of their arse since there are no real statistics like people claiming benefits.