Why do they use so much paper here?

[thaipod]

I've been amazed the amount of paper that they use here unnecessarily. I went to the immigration today for my extension and there are stacks of paper everywhere and was given extra sheets to fill out while sitting in front of the woman that didn't check what I wrote and added them to the stack. I see it as a huge waste.

Yesterday I went with the wife to the land department to transfer some land titles and the same but stacks of paper to photocopied and more to be signed.

They must have huge warehouses of paper here

[Lannig]

Why do you think businesses like Double A are so extraordinarily successful here?

[tifino]

... and then there's the amount of paper used in a toilet there

- and it's never put down the toilet

To counter the lazy habit of throwing all down the hole - especially Kleenex, Huggies and WetWipes:

there are now [Not allowed...] signs everywhere...

...but now the locals think the Notice applies to ALL paper without exception

Edited July 14, 2016 by tifino

[BudRight]

The economist Milton Friedman was at a conference with a third world dictator who bragged that he provided his laborers shovels instead of construction equipment in order to employ more workers. Friedman's response was "why not give them spoons instead?"

Thais use giant stacks of paper precisely it is a waste of time and droves of employees can be employed to sift through it all. The downside is that it makes the country uncompetitive.

[Happy Grumpy]

What will we complain about tonight.... ah yes, paper.

Stoopid Thais, and their stoopid paper usage.

[Happy Grumpy]

Thais use giant stacks of paper precisely it is a waste of time and droves of employees can be employed to sift through it all. The downside is that it makes the country uncompetitive.

I fear you are reading too much into it.

[KMartinHandyman]

Copying is the national specialty

[BudRight]

Thais use giant stacks of paper precisely it is a waste of time and droves of employees can be employed to sift through it all. The downside is that it makes the country uncompetitive.

I fear you are reading too much into it.

I see that you have never worked in a large Thai-run company. That is exactly what it is.

[dbrenn]

I manage a business here, and seem to spend most of my time signing pieces of paper.

[djayz]

The economist Milton Friedman was at a conference with a third world dictator who bragged that he provided his laborers shovels instead of construction equipment in order to employ more workers. Friedman's response was "why not give them spoons instead?"

Thais use giant stacks of paper precisely it is a waste of time and droves of employees can be employed to sift through it all. The downside is that it makes the country uncompetitive.

Hence the relatively low number of unemployed...

[ripstanley]

If the Government offices do not insist on photo copies where are the going to get there photo copy paper from.

[dcnx]

In the digital age, using an abundance of paper makes sense.

[kannot]

The economist Milton Friedman was at a conference with a third world dictator who bragged that he provided his laborers shovels instead of construction equipment in order to employ more workers. Friedman's response was "why not give them spoons instead?"

Thais use giant stacks of paper precisely it is a waste of time and droves of employees can be employed to sift through it all. The downside is that it makes the country uncompetitive.

Hence the relatively low number of unemployed...

or the lack of unemployment benefit available

[01322521959]

And what is it with the amount of toilet paper my girlfriend gets through. I thought the wonderful jet wash would do away with the need to use quite so much.

[thaipod]

We have a photo copy business at the end of the soi and they have around 20 machines and 15 staff running from 7-30 to 9-00 and trucks delivering stacks of copy paper every week. Around the universities is good business also.

[fishbrando]

You realize you're talking about the government here? There's no incentive for them to be come more efficient; they're not competing against anyone.

[daveAustin]

Hub of paper.

[stoneyboy]

Nah the offshore industry puts even the Thais to shame on this one I'm afraid.

[daoyai]

They need it for all the rubber stamps, can't stamp a computeerr screen.

[daoyai]

And what is it with the amount of toilet paper my girlfriend gets through. I thought the wonderful jet wash would do away with the need to use quite so much.

They use it to dry their lady parts after the spritzing.

[Adolfaart]

What will we complain about tonight.... ah yes, paper.

Stoopid Thais, and their stoopid paper usage.

No, I don't agree with you because Thais people had culture and they are followed their culture. We are not authorized to stupid talk about their culture.

[dageurreotype]

Why do you think businesses like Double A are so extraordinarily successful here?

I don't think that's it. The Indians are exactly the same. Rule of thumb - Lower down the list of Civilised Countries they come, the more paperwork demanded. 1. Because it makes them feel important. 2. They can't handle anything online except Facebook. Oh and 3. It makes them feel more important.