Poorest But Happiest, Northeasterners Rank Highest In The Thailand's Gnh Index

[sriracha john]

Seems Thailand is becoming the "hub" of surveys lately:

Thailand wants to measure "happiness" as well as wealth

BANGKOK - People in Thailand's impoverished northeast are the poorest in the country, but according to a new measure of social well-being, they are also the happiest.

Based on factors including life expectancy, job satisfaction, health and family relationships, people in northeastern Thailand are happier than the rest of the country -- even though they earn less than one third of the nation's average income of 2,700 dollars a year (99,100 baht; for Northeasterners "less than one third" equates to less than 2,752 baht per month).

"Even though people in the northeast are not rich, they are happy because of local tradition and culture, relations with their families and communities and partly because they have adopted the concept of the sufficiency economy," said researcher Noppadon Kannikar.

Noppadon is a founding member of the Well-Being Index Networks, created earlier this year to develop a way to quantify the nation's "gross domestic happiness" -- using a broad range of indicators of well-being and prosperity.

The finance ministry has tossed around the idea since before the September 19 coup, as a way to determine whether growth in the nation's gross domestic product (GDP) was improving the lives of Thais.

But the concept has taken a new prominence since military-installed Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont announced shortly after taking office that he would focus on making the nation happier, rather than just richer.

Part of that call is simply paying respect to the nation's revered His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who has long advocated a "sufficiency economy" -- an economic concept aimed at sustainable growth and investment levels appropriate to the country's resources.

It stresses the traditional Buddhist value of moderation, and stands in sharp contrast to the gung-ho capitalist approach of ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The idea of gross domestic happiness is most famously applied in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, where the government has made it one of the most important measures of economic well-being.

Thailand has long been intrigued by the concept, which appeals to its Buddhist values, but developing a measure of a nation's happiness is also a growing field of study in economics and psychology.

Even though Thailand bills itself as the "Land of Smiles", one international study this year found that Thailand is less happy than neighbors like Vietnam, the Philippines and Indonesia.

The British think-tank New Economic Foundation developed its scale mainly based on life expectancy and the management of natural resources.

Thailand's own economic think-tank, the National Economic and Social Development Board, is trying to develop a broader measure of national prosperity.

"GDP just reflects the economic dimension, which is not enough to measure the happiness of the Thai people. It depends how you define your happiness," said Kitisak Sinthubanich, the board's deputy secretary general.

"We are considering ways to find 'common goods' such as quality of life and life satisfaction, that would quantify people's happiness," he told AFP.

The concern about happiness is increasingly shared by more developed nations, where public worries about social concerns -- such as health and education -- often rank higher than the economy.

"There is an increasing political interest in using measures of happiness as a national indicator in conjunction with measures of wealth," said Adrian White, an analytic social psychologist at Britain's University of Leicester.

For example, a recent BBC survey found that 81 percent of Britons think the government should focus on making people happier rather than wealthier.

"Further analysis showed that a nation's level of happiness was most closely associated with health, followed by wealth and provision of education," White said.

"There is a belief that capitalism leads to unhappy people," he added.

Noppadon agreed, saying that economic growth often leads to environmental problems that damage people's well-being.

"It is not too late to adopt the GNH (gross national happiness) to use along with the GDP to measure the people's well-being in order to maintain a balance in the nation's economic development," he said.

- AFP

*edit*

Mods, is it possible to capitalize GNH in the thread title?

(gosh that's an aggrevating feature of the otherwise excellent forum software)

Done !

Edited October 29, 2006 by endure

[ColPyat]

People in Thailand's impoverished northeast are the poorest in the country, but according to a new measure of social well-being, they are also the happiest.

What a pile of rubbish.

In many areas of the North East rice harvest has not been possible for the past three years. I guess these farmers must be very happy about that. They must be also extremely happy about the fact that these North Eastern farmer's daughters are now the biggest pool of prostitutes in Thailand. The must be very happy about the fact that there is hardly no work available there, and have to migrate to the industrial belt of Bangkok, Chonburi and the eastern seaboard.

and partly because they have adopted the concept of the sufficiency economy," said researcher Noppadon Kannikar.

Somebody appearantly does not really understand the concept of "sufficiency economy" as devised for small scale farmers. In many areas of Isaarn this form of agriculture is not possible, and very few farmers there do that. But if "sufficiency economy" is now translated in having almost nothing, and to be indebted, than maybe he is right.

And i don't even want to touch the subject of politics at the present moment...

But, yes, ideology overriding reality is always convenient.

[sriracha john]

wikipedia:

Gross National Happiness (GNH) is an attempt to define quality of life in more holistic and psychological terms than Gross National Product.

The term was coined by Bhutan's King Jigme Singye Wangchuck in 1972. It signaled his commitment to building an economy that would serve Bhutan's unique culture based on Buddhist spiritual values. Like many worthy moral goals it is somewhat easier to state than to achieve, nonetheless, it serves as a unifying vision for the Five Year planning process and all the derived planning documents that guide the economic and development plans to the country.

While conventional development models stress economic growth as the ultimate objective, the concept of GNH is based on the premise that true development of human society takes place when material and spiritual development occur side by side to complement and reinforce each other. The four pillars of GNH are the promotion of equitable and sustainable socio-economic development, preservation and promotion of cultural values, conservation of the natural environment, and establishment of good governance.

[ColPyat]

Funny that especially Bhutan comes up with such a concept.

http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2001/sa/8228.htm

excerpt:

The Government's human rights record remained poor, and problems remain in several areas. Citizens do not have the right to change their government. The King exercises strong, active, and direct power over the Government. The Government discourages political parties, and none operate legally. Arbitrary arrest and detention remain problems, and reports continue of torture and abuse of detainees. Impunity for those who commit abuses also is a problem.

more articles here:

http://hrw.org/doc/?t=asia&c=bhutan

I wonder how all that suits their "Gross National Happiness"...

[Thaddeus]

King Jigme Singye Wangchuck

Wasn't that a hit for Boney M

I think somebody may be a little confused here. They are mixing up happiness with the rural Thais typical unwillingness to complain to anyone with some authority.

[minimart]

relations with their families

Usually one of the biggest causes of unhappiness among the rural poor IMHO.

[sriracha john]

*edit*

Mods, is it possible to capitalize GNH in the thread title?

(gosh that's an aggrevating feature of the otherwise excellent forum software)

Done !

This post has been edited by Totster: Today, 2006-10-29 11:46:58

appreciate the effort, Totster, but it's still reading,

"Poorest But Happiest, Northeasterners Rank Highest In The Thailand's Gnh Index"

however, it's not a big deal... just one of those annoyances...

Edited October 29, 2006 by sriracha john

[plachon]

and partly because they have adopted the concept of the sufficiency economy," said researcher Noppadon Kannikar.

Somebody appearantly does not really understand the concept of "sufficiency economy" as devised for small scale farmers. In many areas of Isaarn this form of agriculture is not possible, and very few farmers there do that. But if "sufficiency economy" is now translated in having almost nothing, and to be indebted, than maybe he is right.

And i don't even want to touch the subject of politics at the present moment...

But, yes, ideology overriding reality is always convenient.

I think being more or less self-sufficient is possible in just about all areas of Isaan I've seen, so long as you have at least about 5 rai of rice fields, a source of water (e.g. pond of 0.5. rai plus or well with freshwater) and a few rai left over for livestock, veg, trees, etc. The reason they mostly don't do self sufficient farming in Isaan is not due to land suitability but other social, political, cultural and economic factors which run against the farmer. Don't confuse self sufficiency with high income/high risk modes of farming, which predominate and lead to the problems of land degradation, indebtedness, out-migration, etc.

Adoption would come with the right "enabling environment", which is what is being addressed by certain people and institutions right now, but its an uphill struggle with all the naysayers around.

[bannork]

There's a lot of happiness in rural areas, I hear and see it everyday with the housewives waiting to give food to the monks, gossiping and chatting at the morning markets and at present villagers laughing and joking together as they cut the rice.

Anyone who has lived in Issan can see their sense of humour, friendliness and fun is an integral part of village life.

[ColPyat]

I think being more or less self-sufficient is possible in just about all areas of Isaan I've seen, so long as you have at least about 5 rai of rice fields, a source of water (e.g. pond of 0.5. rai plus or well with freshwater) and a few rai left over for livestock, veg, trees, etc. The reason they mostly don't do self sufficient farming in Isaan is not due to land suitability but other social, political, cultural and economic factors which run against the farmer. Don't confuse self sufficiency with high income/high risk modes of farming, which predominate and lead to the problems of land degradation, indebtedness, out-migration, etc.

Adoption would come with the right "enabling environment", which is what is being addressed by certain people and institutions right now, but its an uphill struggle with all the naysayers around.

Actually, you need about 10 Rai at least per family in order to survive from the land. A majority of land for ricefields, as most areas in Isaarn are, is not suffient for the "por puang" model to work. In this model rice is only grown for consumption, and not for sale. If rice is grown for sale, than it has to be done in high intensity fertilisation, and is only economical on larger plots of land.

What you need in the sufficiency model is a few rai for rice, more land for veggies, orchards and other crops, a water pond of one rai to raise fish, and water small veggie plots during dry season. The whole thing has to be finetuned as well over several years. And very important is the use of organic fertilisers, selfmade, of course, not to fall into the debt trap.

"Sittakit Por Pueang" is not just growing some stuff, and send your daughters off to a brothel in order to finance a completely uneconomical rice based agriculture that makes only profits for the exporters and middlemen.

And yes, there are huge vested interests by socio-economical and political powers to keep the status quo. And they are independent of recent political changes in Thailand.

As to this being adressed by certain people and institutions, it has been adressed since more than 12 years now (that was the point i was made aware of this idea). But so far, the result has been only lipservice, and not much else. Don't keep up your hopes for significant changes.

[ColPyat]

There's a lot of happiness in rural areas, I hear and see it everyday with the housewives waiting to give food to the monks, gossiping and chatting at the morning markets and at present villagers laughing and joking together as they cut the rice.

Anyone who has lived in Issan can see their sense of humour, friendliness and fun is an integral part of village life.

I guess that happines in rural areas is why we have had an exploding drugsituation in Thailand that resulted in the 2003 drugwar, in which several thousand Thais were murdered. Not just in Bangkok, but very much in rural Thailand as well.

But maybe i am wrong there, according to Luang Por Khun, highly respected North Eastern monk, those drugdealers were only bad people, and no negative karma resulting from killing them. Therefore all those must not really count in the happyness barometer.

And yes, i have lived in rural Thailand, still have a house and a farm there. And yes, i know the humor etc.

But at the same time i know the constant clan feuds, the brutal politics, the killings that are not recorded officially, and the disruption of the families through migration and prostitution.

[Valjean]

Having spent some time in Issan, time with Issan families – dispersed around Thailand and all the issues raised above I can’t but agree that the life there is hard. Very hard. But it doesn’t at all surprise me that they rate as the happiness. These two things don’t seem at odds to me. It is the stoic heart of the Issan people in the face of all this which is the source of the happiness. Life is full of suffering – it’s how we deal with it that is the measure of happiness. We never have enough, we always have adversity, there is always death and deceit. This is life. And the Issan people have more than their share. They are not a bunch of enlightened people – I’ve seen the fights – the deaths from the fights, the cheating, the gossip – it’s not a picnic. But there is something very, very special in the Issan heart. There is a happiness there in spite of everything that has really touch me deeply.

Highly recommend reading: "A Child From the Northeast" by Kampoon Bantawee

Valjean

My Life in Thailand

[Thaddeus]

But there is something very, very special in the Issan heart. There is a happiness there in spite of everything that has really touch me deeply.

I agree wholeheartedly, that's why I like living here, but there is also the case that Isaan families are pretty much shielded from ever seeing the bigger picture.... one that anyone having access to this forum will take for granted.

My friends and neighbours are without doubt some of the nicest people I have ever met, but that doesn't stop them being stumbling bumbling half wits.... until Thailand opens up it's borders, gets some real professionals to perform some education, teaches the 'common people' that 'yes, there is a better way to do that, here's how' ..... nothing will ever change.

The Baht will go up, the Baht will go down.

A corrupt regime will replace the last corrupt regime.

But nothing will change and Thailand will remain a 3rd world country full of smiling peasants.

[sriracha john]

What does Sufficiency Economy mean?

The Surayud government says it will follow the "Sufficiency Economy". That commitment is written into the preamble of the Interim Constitution.

So what is the Sufficiency Economy, and what might it mean for government policies? The official Thai definition of the Sufficiency Economy, drawn up in 1999, can be summarised as follows:

"The Sufficiency Economy is an approach to life and conduct applicable at every level from the individual through the family and community to the management and development of the nation. It promotes a middle path, especially in developing the economy to keep up in the era of globalisation.

"Sufficiency has three components: moderation; wisdom or insight; and the need for built-in resilience against the risks which arise from internal or external change. In addition, the application of theories in planning and implementation requires great care and good judgement at every stage.

At the same time, all members of the nation - especially officials, intellectuals and business people -need to develop their mental commitment to the importance of knowledge, integrity and honesty, and to conduct their lives with perseverance, toleration, wisdom and insight, so that the country has the strength and balance to respond to the rapid and widespread changes in economy, society, environment and culture in the outside world."

This statement has a history. Since the 1970s, His Majesty the King has frequently given talks on the learning from several thousand Royal Projects for local development. He observed people too easily get carried away by enthusiasm for development, and little people too often get left out. Real progress is measured by the ability to stand on one's own feet, and have control over one's life and future.

Successful projects tended to be those which evolved gradually, and were driven by an inner dynamic, especially the accumulation of knowledge and expertise. Such projects did not rely heavily on outside assistance, especially loans, which tempted people to blunder beyond their own capability.

In 1996, His Majesty the King crystallised this wisdom in the example of a model family farm. By dividing up the average Thai holding of 2.4 hectares into a pond, rice paddy and space for trees and vegetables, a farming household could theoretically achieve self-reliance. For many families that had sunk steadily deeper into debt as cash mono-cropping delivered lower returns and higher risks, this model was an alternative. But it was not an end in itself. Full self-sufficiency was, in His Majesty the King's words, "only a Stone Age economy ... There must be some gradual development, some exchange and cooperation".

A measure of self-reliance was only the foundation for the household to progress to more trade and specialisation within the local community, and then for greater engagement between the community and the outside world. The King later explained, "Progress is not just about planting enough rice to eat. There must be enough to create schools, even works of art, so that Thailand prospers in every way, with no hunger or poverty, food for body and soul, and many other things."

After the financial crisis of 1997, His Majesty the King commented on the national economy in the same vein. The country had got carried away by growth, relied too much on the outside world for finance, indulged in extravagant projects which stretched local capabilities, and thus invited the crash.

The solution required the same approach as the model farm, but adapted to the national level. Aim for greater self-reliance. Progress at the pace of the country's real capabilities. Avoid risky debts and obligations. The 1999 statement on the Sufficiency Economy became the manifesto for this approach.

A team then codified the approach into three simple principles to facilitate applications of various kinds. First, follow moderation or the middle path. The Thai term for sufficiency (pho phiang), just like the English, has the dual meaning of both not too much and not too little. The right course avoids extremes of both extravagance and excessive economy. Second, use insight, in the sense of being aware of both the causes and consequences of any planned action. Third, build self-immunity or resilience to deal with unexpected shocks.

The team added that these principles would only work if people fulfilled three other conditions: they acquired the knowledge to know what they were doing, they acted with honesty and integrity and they worked hard. The core idea is that heavy dependence implies high risk. The solution is to cultivate greater self-reliance, not in order to be isolated from the outside world, but as a basis for dealing with it more securely and more profitably.

The Sufficiency Economy is not so much a theory about how the world works, more a set of simple maxims about what brings success, based on practical experience. Know what you're doing. Act honestly. Work hard. Exercise moderation. Apply insight. Build up inner resilience. According to the enthusiasts for this approach, these maxims can be applied in any situation, from the family farm to the national economy. But the disarming simplicity of these maxims also means they are capable of varying interpretations in different hands.

In 1999, Thailand's economists got together to discuss the Sufficiency Economy and happily concluded it was fully compatible with the skills and tools of their discipline. The idea of moderation could be approximated to new ideas on fuzzy optimisation. The idea of resilience emphasised the need to return to Thailand's tradition of conservative macro management which had been abandoned before the crisis. And so on.

But at the same time, a more radical fringe of economists claimed Sufficiency rejected the whole acquisitive principle at the core of mainstream capitalist economics. And the Thaksin government claimed to be following the Sufficiency approach while it dreamed mega projects and sprayed cash into the villages. So to predict what Sufficiency Economy may mean for the policies of the Surayud government, understanding the ideas alone is not enough. We need to understand those who are interpreting them too.

This is part one of a two-part series, which will conclude tomorrow.

- The Nation

[ColPyat]

What does Sufficiency Economy mean?

The Surayud government says it will follow the "Sufficiency Economy". That commitment is written into the preamble of the Interim Constitution.

So what is the Sufficiency Economy, and what might it mean for government policies? The official Thai definition of the Sufficiency Economy, drawn up in 1999, can be summarised as follows:

The whole thing can be summarised in order to safe space as: apply common sense.

Other than that - i am completely missing any practical suggestions of implementation.

For example - how do you built up strong institutions that force even the corrupt to a minimum of "honesty"?

How do you achieve transperency, work towards equal opportunities, and reach accountability for all, including the ones who enjoy a status beyond the reach of the law?

How do you implement practical measures of fighting poverty, such as a landreform, decentralisation of industry, built up of infrastructure in order to facilitate the needs of industry?

It is not enough that academics have agreed in 1999 upon applying common sense, and that politicians in 2006 give lipservice to the idea that applying common sense is not a bad idea.

[ColPyat]

And now part two of "what means sufficiency":

What does Sufficiency Economy mean? ( II)

The Sufficiency Economy offers a set or principles for planning and decision-making.

Know what you're doing. Act honestly. Work hard. Exercise moderation. Apply insight. Build up inner resilience. But these principles can have different meanings in different hands. Who will be interpreting them for the Surayud government?

Pridiyathorn Devakula is a professional banker turned technocrat. At the Bank of Thailand, he consolidated the return to conservative macro-management following the 1997 crisis, resisted political pressure to manipulate the baht, and capped the government's enthusiasm for increasing consumer credit.

Kosit Panpiemras is a technocrat turned professional banker. In the long-running debate whether government should prioritise growth or stability, he has consistently been on the side of stability. His name will always be associated with the 1980s Poverty Plan, a major early attempt to push development funding down to the local level.

In the background as a key adviser is Ammar Siamwalla. Long before these people became spearheads of Sufficiency, they were committed free-marketeers, believing that monopolies and other rigidities make the economy less efficient and the society less fair. The Sufficiency principles of moderation, insight and prudence can be used to argue the case for removing restrictions on the operation of the market. This logic is already written into the Tenth Plan, which was based on Sufficiency principles and is due to debut next year. Kosit endorsed this line of thinking last week.

We can expect moves to undercut monopolies and politically created business advantages. The future of the Board of Investment could be at risk. The existing Monopoly Law has proved toothless and may be improved. Perhaps there will be moves against bid-rigging in the construction industry, unfair trade practices in the liquor market, and the detritus of concession structures in telecommunications. The new charter may make a better stab at outlawing conflict of interest.

At the level of macro-management, the most important part of the Sufficiency approach is the idea of self-immunity, or building inner resilience to deal with unexpected shocks. This government is not likely to move an inch from the post-crisis conservative macro-management of high reserves, inflation targeting, minimal management of the currency, and early-warning systems.

It may consolidate this with a more conservative fiscal stance, especially as Thailand could face dual deficits in the budget and current accounts. This will certainly mean cleaning up the Thaksin government's use of off-budget financing by making the amounts involved transparent and possibly reducing them too. It will also mean scaling back plans for mega-projects. As the falling oil price has lessened the threat to the current account, some budget deficit may be tolerable and perhaps appropriate given the economy's general lack of buoyancy.

This government is unlikely to interpret Sufficiency as meaning any change of attitude towards the foreign role in the economy. Economic nationalists will make a lot of noise in an attempt to influence the new government, but that was true of the early stages of the Thaksin government also, and ultimately came to nothing. In this area, the real world is more forceful than theory. Thailand's growth depends on exports, and exports depend on the multinationals. The business backers of the new government are no less involved in the globalised economy than those clustered around Thaksin.

But the sale of Shin Corp to Temasek has made it impossible to ignore the wholesale avoidance of the Foreign Business Act through the use of pyramided holding companies and nominees. The government has hypocritically outlawed certain foreign investment with one hand, and welcomed it with the other. The Sufficiency condition of integrity demands that this be cleaned up.

A trickier issue concerns household debt. The Thaksin government boosted growth and bought friends by multiplying new sources of credit. Advocates of Sufficiency have criticised these policies for making households less self-reliant, more dependent on loans and handouts, and more at risk from unexpected shocks. Moreover, on a macro scale, the Thaksin era completed Thailand's transition from a high-savings society. With financial liberalisation, followed by the 1997 bust, followed by Thaksin's credit splurge, the savings rate has fallen, especially the savings from households. This undermines the national economy's self-immunity by increasing dependence on foreign funds.

One solution is to convert Thaksin's village funds and other local credit schemes into micro-credit banks. This would force more discipline in credit management, encourage savings and possibly form a basis for financing local welfare schemes. But this would be a huge project, difficult to achieve in the time frame. The government may settle for imposing tighter accounting controls and better monitoring of credit usage on the village funds. But it might go farther. Lurking within the Sufficiency school is a distaste for government-provided social welfare. But politically this is a high-risk area. Thaksin's schemes were not only populist but popular. Abolishing them could increase nostalgia for the recent past.

The Sufficiency approach's emphasis on knowledge should dictate more spending, or at least better spending, on education. Thaksin talked a lot about education, but did very little other than inventing yet more credit schemes. The ambitious schemes of education reform, hatched in the late 1990s, have marked time during this interlude. The Tenth Plan puts a major emphasis on getting the upgrading of education moving ahead, not behind the changes in economy and society.

In the expected time span available to the Surayud government, the Sufficiency Economy approach is unlikely to imply any major shift of direction. The post-coup government of Anand Panyarachun in 1991-92 took the opportunity to push forward an agenda of economic liberalisation. This time it would probably be wrong to expect a shift of similar scale, either outward or inward. Rather, this government is likely to clean up some of the mess left behind by its predecessor, mount some attacks on long-standing distortions of the market and provide a welcome interlude from the tendency to turn every aspect of government into a business opportunity.

This is the conclusion of a two-part article. The first part was published yesterday.

chang noi

Nothing new about this. A few minor modifications in policy, just another interpretition of a basically very undefined theory that can be redifined at will according to one's political and economical convictions.

I still don't see any reason for the hype.

[turnpike]

Having spent some time in Issan, time with Issan families – dispersed around Thailand and all the issues raised above I can’t but agree that the life there is hard. Very hard. But it doesn’t at all surprise me that they rate as the happiness. These two things don’t seem at odds to me. It is the stoic heart of the Issan people in the face of all this which is the source of the happiness. Life is full of suffering – it’s how we deal with it that is the measure of happiness. We never have enough, we always have adversity, there is always death and deceit. This is life. And the Issan people have more than their share. They are not a bunch of enlightened people – I’ve seen the fights – the deaths from the fights, the cheating, the gossip – it’s not a picnic. But there is something very, very special in the Issan heart. There is a happiness there in spite of everything that has really touch me deeply.

very well said valjean.

i've only been there just over 2 years, half of that away working, but i couldn't agree with your post more. there really is something special about these people that has made me start to look at life in a different way. i'm not talking a major transformation here as of yet, i still worry about petty things, and i suppose i always will, but when you see how happy these people are with so little, you have to wonder why waste time fretting about the little things.

are they the happiest people in thailand? how long is a rope? impossible to say, but they are a long ways from being the saddest, even though they have every right to be.

again, thanks for the good post valjean.

[Gary A]

Many people on this board like to complicate things and judge happiness by western values. I live in a small village and most of the people here are VERY poor. Happiness is music, dancing and a full belly. Yesterday when I came home, I noticed my neighbors dancing on the street and having a great time. Everyone within hearing distance of the music was joining in. My wife was also quite happy to join in. I asked her what the occasion was. She gave me a strange look and replied "sanook". When is the last time you have seen people in Bangkok or your home country dancing in the street just to have fun. Poor, uneducated? That may be true but some people are easily satisfied and able to enjoy the simple life. They really had no idea they were poor until they got televisions.

[Scott]

Ignorance is bliss.

[Neeranam]

QUOTE

People in Thailand's impoverished northeast are the poorest in the country, but according to a new measure of social well-being, they are also the happiest.

What a pile of rubbish.

In many areas of the North East rice harvest has not been possible for the past three years. I guess these farmers must be very happy about that. They must be also extremely happy about the fact that these North Eastern farmer's daughters are now the biggest pool of prostitutes in Thailand. The must be very happy about the fact that there is hardly no work available there, and have to migrate to the industrial belt of Bangkok, Chonburi and the eastern seaboard.

How many poor farmers are driving around in a brand new 'toyota I've got a little dick hilux' paid for by a middle aged taxi-driver from Essex?

They are happy.

[bannork]

Ignorance is bliss.

Issan people are far less ignorant then Bangkokians in many areas, ie Issan women can cook, sew, weave, plant and harvest rice and other crops.

Issan men can do the above apart from weaving, in addition they can plough, repair vehicles and do general building.

The average city dweller is doomed to work a 9-5 blue or white collar existence and consume as ordered by the ubiquitous ads on TV and the streets. He or she can't enjoy space, fresh air and nature, except on TV, a limited existence.

[ColPyat]

How many poor farmers are driving around in a brand new 'toyota I've got a little dick hilux' paid for by a middle aged taxi-driver from Essex?

They are happy.

Yes, you are so right!

We should all take an example at the recipy for all around happiness of those Isaarn folks, and send our daughters off to the brothels so they can find some middle aged sugar daddy.

hel_l, yeah, why did we waste our time taking advantage of the opportunities for education and equal opportunities our western countries gave us, when blissful happyness could be so easy to achieve?

[ColPyat]

Ignorance is bliss.

Issan people are far less ignorant then Bangkokians in many areas, ie Issan women can cook, sew, weave, plant and harvest rice and other crops.

Issan men can do the above apart from weaving, in addition they can plough, repair vehicles and do general building.

The average city dweller is doomed to work a 9-5 blue or white collar existence and consume as ordered by the ubiquitous ads on TV and the streets. He or she can't enjoy space, fresh air and nature, except on TV, a limited existence.

Well, no choice to be happy with that.

Other options than cooking, sewing, weaving, planting and harvesting rice they don't anyhow get. Additional choices are sending your daughters and sons off to the sex business, or work a dead end job in construction sites or a factories far from your home with murderous overtime.

A nice life...

[Creeper]

How many poor farmers are driving around in a brand new 'toyota I've got a little dick hilux' paid for by a middle aged taxi-driver from Essex?

They are happy.

Is the fact that nobody will buy you one the reason that you always appear to be unhappy ?

[Creeper]

Well, no choice to be happy with that.

Other options than cooking, sewing, weaving, planting and harvesting rice they don't anyhow get. Additional choices are sending your daughters and sons off to the sex business, or work a dead end job in construction sites or a factories far from your home with murderous overtime.

A nice life...

I guess they could always, like you, have a nice life banging out thousands of useless posts on an anonymous internet forum.

Now that's what I call livin'.................

[Thaddeus]

Well, no choice to be happy with that.

Other options than cooking, sewing, weaving, planting and harvesting rice they don't anyhow get. Additional choices are sending your daughters and sons off to the sex business, or work a dead end job in construction sites or a factories far from your home with murderous overtime.

A nice life...

I guess they could always, like you, have a nice life banging out thousands of useless posts on an anonymous internet forum.

Now that's what I call livin'.................

It beats wearing a racoon on your head

[Thaddeus]

QUOTE

People in Thailand's impoverished northeast are the poorest in the country, but according to a new measure of social well-being, they are also the happiest.

What a pile of rubbish.

In many areas of the North East rice harvest has not been possible for the past three years. I guess these farmers must be very happy about that. They must be also extremely happy about the fact that these North Eastern farmer's daughters are now the biggest pool of prostitutes in Thailand. The must be very happy about the fact that there is hardly no work available there, and have to migrate to the industrial belt of Bangkok, Chonburi and the eastern seaboard.

How many poor farmers are driving around in a brand new 'toyota I've got a little dick hilux' paid for by a middle aged taxi-driver from Essex?

They are happy.

Papa-in-law bought a brand new Vigo about eight months ago (his money) it was his lifelong dream to own a new pick-up and they had a good season with the trees and had finally settled the loan with the bank from 30 years ago, they asked me if I would drive it back from the dealership.... why? .... non of the family could drive.

Papa took great joy for a few months telling everyone that he had his chauffeur imported from England.... I have since taught brother-in-law how to drive (properly) ..... the lad is doing Ok

[Neeranam]

Thadeus, you're scaring me - your avatar, number of posts(666) and this on All Saints Day

QUOTE(Neeranam @ 2006-10-31 11:53:59)

How many poor farmers are driving around in a brand new 'toyota I've got a little dick hilux' paid for by a middle aged taxi-driver from Essex?

They are happy.

Is the fact that nobody will buy you one the reason that you always appear to be unhappy ?

Why would I want one - I'm big enough already thanks, I have a car and I'm not a farmer.

Why do you have a racoon on your head?

[jumnien]

Blessed are the meak, they shall inherit the earth! Same, same world over. Most wealthy people are disgusted with the war in Iraq, worried about global warning, disgusted with North Korea, worried about muslims, disgusted with Bush, worried about the dollar, disgusted with most everything and worried about all. Then they extend this attitude towards those closest to them. They don't like this about their wife and her family sucks, the neighbors are too noisy and the blah, blah, blah...

To stay in the moment and appreciate true wealth, good friends and mother earth, seems to come easier to the poor of all countries.

Suffice it to say that many Bangkokians are disgusted and worried that Thaksin was stealing the money they should have been stealing.

[LaoPo]

There's a lot of happiness in rural areas, I hear and see it everyday with the housewives waiting to give food to the monks, gossiping and chatting at the morning markets and at present villagers laughing and joking together as they cut the rice.

Anyone who has lived in Issan can see their sense of humour, friendliness and fun is an integral part of village life.

"Happiest".... ?

I agree!

Since I've been coming to the Far East (some 30 years now) I've seen a lot more people smiling, laughing and being happy in the Far East than I've ever seen in the West.

That doesn't mean the Eastern people don't wish to have more money or a better life, it just means they are able to cope with their lifes as such a lot better than 'our' so-called BETTER Western society with more money, larger homes and cars and bigger ego's.

Wether you are in a restaurant or on the streets.....make a joke or smile and you will receive the same back...

Smiles and laughs!

Aaahhhh, we Westerners have so much to learn from the Far East.

As a Bangkok businessman once told me:

" you, from the West, you don't know how to enjoy life".

He was bloody right !

LaoPo