digibum Posted September 29, 2016 Share Posted September 29, 2016 2 hours ago, Father Fintan Stack said: Xenophobia and nationalism is on the rise here. We have a right-wing military junta in control. Economy is struggling with exports suffering as other regional countries become more attractive and more competitive. Much worse to come and deporting a few Bangladeshis and Burmese isn't going to help. Any farang who has set up a life in Thailand and doesn't think that this xenophobia won't spill over to them as conditions deteriorate in the Thai economy doesn't understand history. Project out a few years when Vietnam has caught up to and surpassed Thailand. When Thais can no longer flaunt their Thai exceptionalism as Cambodia and Myanmar start catching up. It's going to be a very hard landing for Thais to wake up to the fact that the rest of the world has passed them by. There will be a lot of finger pointing and blaming before they come to accept it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jesimps Posted September 29, 2016 Share Posted September 29, 2016 1 hour ago, Father Fintan Stack said: As pointed out above by another poster the wages in those countries are lower. You will see migration of Thai firms to these other countries, as has been the trend in the last ten years but not economic migrants. But these neighbouring countries are far from recession as you asserted earlier. In fact, their economic outlook is far more rosy than that of Thailand. Don't ask a fanboy to criticise Thailand while their beloved junta's in charge. On any subject. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geisha Posted September 29, 2016 Share Posted September 29, 2016 For many years Phuket, for example, has been relying on Burmese for positions such as cooks, waiters, cleaners, and all the other usual construction jobs. Many of my once regular hang outs had Burmese employees , who were always charming, and did their job well, and didn't " disappear" ( Thais, one day they're there, the next, not) .Buisness owners are usually very happy with them, especially as they speak English , which is not the case with the locals ! I think they were mostly all legal. All the condos I've rented have had Burmese running them , and they are very competent. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScotBkk Posted September 29, 2016 Share Posted September 29, 2016 (edited) 4 hours ago, Father Fintan Stack said: Far from it. Cambodia - Despite heightened risks to the outlook, growth should remain solid. FocusEconomics Consensus Forecast panelists expect the economy to expand 6.9% in 2016, which is down 0.1 percentage points from last month's projection. In 2017, panelists also expect the economy to expand 6.9%. Laos - Growth should remain solid this year—despite weaker regional trade—thanks in part to the government’s loose and infrastructure focused fiscal policy. FocusEconomics Consensus Forecast panelists expect GDP to expand 7.1% in 2016, which is down 0.1 percentage points from last month’s forecast. For 2017, the panel also sees growth of 7.1%. Myanmar - The lifting of economic sanctions is another milestone for Myanmar, an increasingly attractive destination for FDI. FocusEconomics panelists expect the economy to grow 8.2% in 2016, which is unchanged from last month’s estimate. For 2017, the panel projects growth of 8.1%. Then we look at Thailand it is all pretty negative over the spread. http://www.focus-economics.com/countries/thailand How can they steal jobs from certain thais who are allergic to work suffering from: Bone Idle Lazy Bastard. Syndrome Edited September 29, 2016 by ScotBkk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pumpuy Posted September 29, 2016 Share Posted September 29, 2016 Thailands economy is stagnant . but without the foreign workers it would break down complety . No thais are willing to work hard 7 days a week for 300 Baht a day . Taking jobs from the Thais ? All construction workers where I live are Burmese , Thais would not do it ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOTIRIOS Posted September 29, 2016 Share Posted September 29, 2016 ....because they...and their governments objected to them being duped....then treated like slaves.... ...unless they can drain your blood....seems like you are not welcome any more.... ...like countless marriages....drain....then find a fake pretext to dump...... ...good for you Cambodia...for standing up for your citizens.... ...as for the 'western nations'......never once heard 'boo' from them.... ...case in point..... 'Justice for Jessie'..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thaidream Posted September 29, 2016 Share Posted September 29, 2016 Business in Thailand is bad for everyone. Most of the westerners doing business in Thailand are trying to sell out be it bars or restaurants. They better find a buyer soon as the next foreigner blamed for taking Thai jobs will be the Western business owners. It's been back and forth like this for decades, hence, my statement- never open a business in Thailand. there is no long term stability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwikeith Posted September 29, 2016 Share Posted September 29, 2016 6 hours ago, Father Fintan Stack said: Far from it. Cambodia - Despite heightened risks to the outlook, growth should remain solid. FocusEconomics Consensus Forecast panelists expect the economy to expand 6.9% in 2016, which is down 0.1 percentage points from last month's projection. In 2017, panelists also expect the economy to expand 6.9%. Laos - Growth should remain solid this year—despite weaker regional trade—thanks in part to the government’s loose and infrastructure focused fiscal policy. FocusEconomics Consensus Forecast panelists expect GDP to expand 7.1% in 2016, which is down 0.1 percentage points from last month’s forecast. For 2017, the panel also sees growth of 7.1%. Myanmar - The lifting of economic sanctions is another milestone for Myanmar, an increasingly attractive destination for FDI. FocusEconomics panelists expect the economy to grow 8.2% in 2016, which is unchanged from last month’s estimate. For 2017, the panel projects growth of 8.1%. Then we look at Thailand it is all pretty negative over the spread. http://www.focus-economics.com/countries/thailand When I look at Thailand I see senseless importing of Burmese labour to undercut Thai workers. They are flat out in Hua Hin and Cha amm building empty resorts and apartment blocks. I think young Thai men feel that gumagone/ labourer is below them , therefore turning to pimping and drug dealing. Very sad that the government lets these workers in by the thousands when unemployment is high for Local Thai residents. Brain dead I call it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xircal Posted September 29, 2016 Share Posted September 29, 2016 6 hours ago, Kasset Tak said: The migrant workers are here because many small companies can't find Thais willing to work for 250-300 Baht a day. One of my friends has a pig farm and all workers are Burmese and he pay them 250 Baht a day + 3 meals and accommodation. This is because there is no one in the surrounding villages that are willing to work for 300B (that's what he is offering Thais as they would go back home to sleep and eat). Actually that's quite a good deal your friend is giving them if he's providing food and decent accommodation into the bargain as well. Most of them earn 100 Baht a day without any extras. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brer Fox Posted September 29, 2016 Share Posted September 29, 2016 7 hours ago, trogers said: If the economy here stagnants, the economy of neighbouring countries must be in recession forcing their people to work illegally here... The economies of neighbouring countries are going gangbusters e.g Myanmar and Vietnam so all the lazy unqualified layabouts from those countries come to Thailand to "get some work" because they know Thai authorities have no work ethics or productivity requirements. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red roger Posted September 29, 2016 Share Posted September 29, 2016 7 hours ago, Father Fintan Stack said: Xenophobia and nationalism is on the rise here. We have a right-wing military junta in control. Economy is struggling with exports suffering as other regional countries become more attractive and more competitive. Much worse to come and deporting a few Bangladeshis and Burmese isn't going to help. A good observation Father. Now.... let me think of a western nation in similar straits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trogers Posted September 29, 2016 Share Posted September 29, 2016 3 hours ago, Thaidream said: Business in Thailand is bad for everyone. Most of the westerners doing business in Thailand are trying to sell out be it bars or restaurants. They better find a buyer soon as the next foreigner blamed for taking Thai jobs will be the Western business owners. It's been back and forth like this for decades, hence, my statement- never open a business in Thailand. there is no long term stability. Not wise to mention bars and restaurants. There has been a supply bubble blown up, until the the Russians and Europeans face their economic downturn. So, with demand down, the weak has to close. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pegman Posted September 29, 2016 Share Posted September 29, 2016 (edited) Whatever happened to the talk about changing laws that would require all foreign owned businesses be Thai controled? https://www.yahoo.com/news/foreign-investment-plummets-junta-ruled-thailand-064555840--finance.html?ref=gs Edited September 29, 2016 by pegman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digibum Posted September 29, 2016 Share Posted September 29, 2016 1 hour ago, kiwikeith said: When I look at Thailand I see senseless importing of Burmese labour to undercut Thai workers. They are flat out in Hua Hin and Cha amm building empty resorts and apartment blocks. I think young Thai men feel that gumagone/ labourer is below them , therefore turning to pimping and drug dealing. Very sad that the government lets these workers in by the thousands when unemployment is high for Local Thai residents. Brain dead I call it. It's not senseless if it makes sense. :-) The government, as a populist move, raises the minimum wage. Businesses that cannot pass the increased cost onto consumers (like producers of commodity items) are faced with either making less money or hiring immigrant labor who will work for a lower wage. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what what's going to happen. Thailand's chief export is not rice or rubber, it's cheap labor. And cheap labor has prevented Thailand from making many productivity improvements because it wasn't cost effective if one could simply throw more cheap labor at it rather than make capital expenditures. That's all fine and dandy unless the cost of living starts increasing at a pace that exceeds the rise in wages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kickstart Posted September 29, 2016 Share Posted September 29, 2016 7 hours ago, Kasset Tak said: The migrant workers are here because many small companies can't find Thais willing to work for 250-300 Baht a day. One of my friends has a pig farm and all workers are Burmese and he pay them 250 Baht a day + 3 meals and accommodation. This is because there is no one in the surrounding villages that are willing to work for 300B (that's what he is offering Thais as they would go back home to sleep and eat). Not only pig farms where I am is a big dairy cow area, nearly all the larger farms use labour from Burma or Cambodia, they all say the same thing ,can not get Thai labour ,ok it is long hours ,milking at 4.30-5.00 am ,and not finishing until 7 pm ,but they do have a good few hours off during the day ,they get free accommodation ,water ,electric ,and a lot get a 15 kg bag of rice a month ,as you say they get about 250 Baht day ,with the above taken in to account ,not a not a bad living ,one farmer friend of mine ,when I visit him ,he always seems to have new workers ,a lot do not seem to stay long , must be a pain having to train new people all the time , and I must agree ,about language ,most Burmese and Cambodian's speak good Thai , more than can be said of the employer's, about speaking other languages. As I see it Thailand can not do without them . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squeegee Posted September 29, 2016 Share Posted September 29, 2016 23 minutes ago, digibum said: cheap labor has prevented Thailand from making many productivity improvements because it wasn't cost effective if one could simply throw more cheap labor at it This makes a lot of sense and seems to be a good insight if we just consider the very many examples on this forum that riff on the theme of employees in numbers not being productive. It's endemic and, like most of their problems, chronic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worgeordie Posted September 29, 2016 Share Posted September 29, 2016 It seems they want to have Thailand ,for Thais only, everybody else can leave,it's not only illegal workers,Immigration is continually making things more difficult,Xenophobia is alive and well,here. regards Worgeordie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredNL Posted September 30, 2016 Share Posted September 30, 2016 "Slaves" are still cheaper than machines and electric.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisinth Posted September 30, 2016 Share Posted September 30, 2016 I can't remember who said this but every developing nation depends on a slave work force. The fact that countries like Thailand fight future development with immigration/labour principles instead of looking at what is required for progress will/has lead to the local illegal immigrant issue. Now Thailand looks towards a problem if this is a full scale exercise; arrest and deport all the illegal workers they can find, who is going to step in and fill the void (to the level of worker experience that already exists)? The Thais that are being deprived of these jobs? Good luck with that. If they regard the present economic situation as stagnant the country can expect a downward spiral if they get rid of their 'slave' labour force. Like everything else that is undertaken here though, i expect this is a token gesture that can be recorded in some obscure report to be filed in some archive as something 'seen to be done'. IMO of course.............................. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gandalf12 Posted September 30, 2016 Share Posted September 30, 2016 19 hours ago, baansgr said: ASEAN has been discussed since 1957 regarding trade deals, free movement of citizens regarding working has never been part of the discussions. Thailand wants to take things from ASEAN but give nothing in return Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caps Posted September 30, 2016 Share Posted September 30, 2016 Just now, gandalf12 said: Thailand wants to take things from ASEAN but give nothing in return Wow, I can't believe that at all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soalbundy Posted September 30, 2016 Share Posted September 30, 2016 20 minutes ago, gandalf12 said: Thailand wants to take things from ASEAN but give nothing in return just the normal hypocrisy, give a PC talk to reporters then carry on as usual, it's the same the world over but Thailand is more pragmatic than most and they usually get away with it because nobody really cares about slave labour as long as the shirts, Nike shoes and shrimps are cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madmitch Posted September 30, 2016 Share Posted September 30, 2016 With an official unemployment rate of around 1%, what have they to worry about? Unless that figure is somehow inaccurate! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soalbundy Posted September 30, 2016 Share Posted September 30, 2016 12 minutes ago, madmitch said: With an official unemployment rate of around 1%, what have they to worry about? Unless that figure is somehow inaccurate! That is a little unfair because no country tells the truth about unemployment,there are ways and means and statistics. The U6 measurement of unemployment in the USA (called the real unemployment figure) for example shows unemployment at almost 10% not the official rate of 4.7%. The same could be said for Europe as well. my daughter in Germany is a single mother who is desperately looking for work but because she doesn't receive unemployment benefit she is not classed as unemployed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannot Posted September 30, 2016 Share Posted September 30, 2016 20 hours ago, Kasset Tak said: The migrant workers are here because many small companies can't find Thais willing to work for 250-300 Baht a day. One of my friends has a pig farm and all workers are Burmese and he pay them 250 Baht a day + 3 meals and accommodation. This is because there is no one in the surrounding villages that are willing to work for 300B (that's what he is offering Thais as they would go back home to sleep and eat). none will work round here for less than 450 500, got a Burmese lad all registered with permit and id etc 12500 month, free house electric motorbike, fuel + rice, Thai locals want to work inside not interested in any agricultural type work at all so the govt can stop bleating about taking jobs from Thais. If they throw them out the Thais will be going hungry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wilsonandson Posted September 30, 2016 Share Posted September 30, 2016 (edited) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwxkIg8rA5w Edited September 30, 2016 by Wilsonandson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jools Posted October 1, 2016 Share Posted October 1, 2016 Scratching my head in confusion at the xenophobic Thai nonsense. Many of the expats who live here do not work, they merely spend money. This is STILL resented by the Thai anti-foreigner contingent who use Trump-like prejudice to rouse ignorant Thais to a fever pitch. The jobs that ARE taken by foreigners, tend to be the ones that a Thai could never fill, such as English-teacher. Imagine learning English from a Thai. How would you ever be understood by a native English speaker? Thais will believe nearly ANYTHING as long as it is invective aimed at "outsiders" who are deemed to be at fault for all the Kingdom's problems. Never face facts, never admit you're wrong and most importantly, never change course when it's obvious that you're on the wrong track. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digibum Posted October 2, 2016 Share Posted October 2, 2016 On 9/29/2016 at 8:10 PM, soalbundy said: That is a little unfair because no country tells the truth about unemployment,there are ways and means and statistics. The U6 measurement of unemployment in the USA (called the real unemployment figure) for example shows unemployment at almost 10% not the official rate of 4.7%. The same could be said for Europe as well. my daughter in Germany is a single mother who is desperately looking for work but because she doesn't receive unemployment benefit she is not classed as unemployed. It's not unfair at all. Yes, all countries lie (a bit) about unemployment but Thailand's unemployment ranges from 0% to 1%. If you know anything about economic you know that 0% unemployment is not even possible. Just people changing jobs in a robust economy would have higher unemployment than that. And that says nothing about the fact that 0% unemployment should have massive upward pressure on wages and-or stunt economic growth as new businesses wouldn't be able to find employees. There's a huge difference between economists using numbers that sound better than the situation actually is and completely fabricated numbers that defy all laws of economics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digibum Posted October 2, 2016 Share Posted October 2, 2016 On 9/29/2016 at 8:28 AM, worgeordie said: It seems they want to have Thailand ,for Thais only, everybody else can leave,it's not only illegal workers,Immigration is continually making things more difficult,Xenophobia is alive and well,here. regards Worgeordie I hope you didn't just figure this fact out. Look at ANY debate about anything going on in Thailand involving farangs and within 3 responses a Thai will jump to their standard line, "Well, if you don't like it, get out of my country." Thailand is like Facebook. There is no thumb down option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gainsbourg Posted October 2, 2016 Share Posted October 2, 2016 All foam no beer. Hub of crackdowns. So many words. So little action. Ps. Meanwhile at ministry of crackdowns: eat rice yet? Priorities first! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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