Thai-ness

[laolover88]

What is the essence of Thainess?. What demonstrates it? Through what is it discerned?

Is it nationalism or more than that?

There were times when "Britishness" or "Englishness" were, and perhaps still are, expressed through a set of values and behaviours.

There were times when Brits thought themselves, say 200 years ago, superior to every nation on earth.

I don't think, nowadays, in spite of multiculturalism and declined economic and military power most Brits think themselves either right about everything or "superior"

I am puzzled, therefore why Thais

a. Think they know everything.

b. Hold other cultures and people in disdain. I don't find them particularly racist, just xenophobic!

c. Are so insecure both personally nationally and have elevated evasiveness to a virtue

As I understand it, maybe wrongly, there was an extensive campaign in the middle of the 20th century to "establish Thainess" and partly in response to the later communist so-called threats that was intensified in the North and North East. Thailand is, after all, a construct. There are many provinces and regions and many languages. The language is clearly critical to the notion of Thai-ness partly because it is unique. What else? Why is it nearly impossible to ask anyone to question anything?

No bashing just inquiry!!

[MadMac]

It's all a plot after the French were here. They even call us Farang still today.

[kannot]

Brits were superior at one time http://www.answers.com/Q/Which_country_has_produced_the_most_inventions

Thailand is nowhere.

A study by MITI - Japan's equivalent of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) - concluded that 54% of the world's most important inventions were British. Of the rest, 25% were American and 5% Japanese. The figures offered by MITI are generally agreed throughout the scientific and engineering community.

Thais are brainwashed from birth with poor education to believe the crap they are fed.

[CharlieH]

I am puzzled, therefore why Thais

a. Think they know everything.

b. Hold other cultures and people in disdain. I don't find them particularly racist, just xenophobic!

c. Are so insecure both personally nationally and have elevated evasiveness to a virtue.

And thats not Thai bashing?

Forum rule:

9) You will 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.

11) You will not post slurs, degrading or overly negative comments directed towards Thailand, specific locations, Thai institutions such as the judicial or law enforcement system, Thai culture, Thai people or any other group on the basis of race, nationality, religion, gender or sexual orientation.

CLOSED