Thailand - People Page 1

People

This page is not about demographics or the ethnic makeup in Thailand. I have tried to keep these pages for my own thoughts and observations. For that kind of information all I would be doing is copying facts and figures from other sources. If you are interested in such information you'll be better off going to other sources such as the BBC web site, Yahoo! or one of countless other Internet sources.

These are just some personal observations of Thais after several visits to the Kingdom over a period of 18 years. You couldn't wish to meet a more pleasant race of people. In a population of 60 million there are of course a few rogues but relatively few. Most of the bad people are probably only that way as a result of foreign influence anyway.

The culture of Western consumerism has made some Thais greedy and the greediest Thais can be found in the biggest tourist areas.

There are huge wealth gaps among the population and ironically some of the nicest people are also the poorest. They have no axes to grind, no chips on their shoulders but go about their daily lives with smiles on their faces and kind words for others.

They are a very proud race, fiercely patriotic and have a love for their monarchy like no other race I have ever encountered. The notion of 'face' and presenting a good image to the world is important. However, once you get to know the people you start to uncover some desperately sad backgrounds but you would never have guessed.

Many come from broken families or have lost parents at an early age. There are thousands of young girls living far away from their families and children who have moved to find work so they can send money home to support their families. They do mundane work or find themselves working in the sex trade. They live in squalid conditions, only returning home very occasionally to see their loved ones but never make much of a fuss.

Society is self-regulated and fairly gentle. There aren't many Thais that are going to set the world alight by discovering and pioneering new inventions but quietly in the background there is a lot happening. Thailand has been leading the field with cheap retro-viral drugs for use in the treatment against AIDS, for instance.

Outside of Bangkok, life still goes on at a slower pace compared to most people and people have time to speak to others. They are a very playful race and love to joke. Once you get to know Thais you will notice that they tease each other constantly in a nice way.

An American friend of mine has a Thai friend in the States who he describes as "lovably goofy". This is an appropriate description for many Thais I know. There is a lovely simplicity and naïveness found in Thai people that seems to have been lost in the West where people, for the most part, are hard and cynical. If you have been in a heavily touristed area of Thailand such as Phuket you will understand what I mean. You will notice that other farangs will look at you with suspicion or even contempt. The Thais though will smile and want to speak to you. Okay, you can be cynical and argue that they are only interested in your money, and this may be true in some cases, but in many cases the friendliness and curiosity it totally genuine.

For their age, most Thais seem very young, both physically and mentally. Sixteen year-olds look about 12, and 22 year-olds about 16. They don't seem to grow up as quickly as people in the West. Among girls there is a fondness for clothes and accessories featuring cute cartoon characters that Western girls grow out of at a much younger age.

The majority of Thais have not travelled outside the country and don't follow world events very closely. They are therefore not as worldly-wise as many visiting tourists. On the other hand they are very streetwise and most have a good survival instinct. This is important in Thailand where there is effectively no welfare system. People have to look after themselves as the government won't hand out money if they are down on their luck. Some foreigners complain about the Thai obsession with money (I do it myself at times) but money is important here for the security and peace of mind it brings.

I have been upset at times to see natural environments destroyed in order to make money. This is one aspect of Asia (not just Thailand) I find difficult to deal with. Dynamite and cyanide fishing goes on, as does deforestation and destruction of natural habitats to make way for tourist developments. It can never really be justified but after being here for a while the reasons start to become clearer. Life isn't always easy.

Shaped by our Environment

Updated: 5th April 2007

We are all shaped by the environment in which we live. If you get the chance to visit Singapore it's worth taking a look around the Chinatown Heritage Centre. Old photographs and personal accounts give a graphic description of the lives of the Chinese immigrants who moved to Singapore in search of a better life.

They came from abject poverty and endured terrible conditions on long boat journeys that lasted several weeks. The ships they travelled on were so crowded there wasn't enough room to lie down and diseases flourished on board.

Those who died on the journey (and there were many) were just thrown overboard. Upon getting to Singapore, it didn't get a lot better for the newly-arrived immigrants, many of whom were treated like slaves and lived in tiny, overcrowded cubicles (replicas of which can be seen at the Heritage Centre).

In order just to survive they developed an incredibly strong work ethic and it is the same with many Chinese around the world.

Early Europeans and other peoples from temperate climates faced different problems. Harsh winters where little food can be harvested for several months each year develops an ability to plan ahead. People really did have to make hay when the sun shone in order to survive the winter months.

Thailand, on the other hand, has never had any such issues. It is an amazingly fertile land with an overabundance of land crops (I have never seen so much fruit or as many rice fields in my life) and equally well-stocked seas. The hot, year-round tropical climate is lacking of any harsh winters, thus providing food throughout the year.

For the Thais there has never been any great need to work particularly hard to survive or to think very far ahead. I don't like describing 'Thais' - that is, all Thais - as lazy because they're not but certainly a lot are.

I'm sure that if the same people had been born in a harsh environment they would have been very hard-working and industrious but because there is no need in Thailand to work hard to survive, most are very laid back and many don't seem to be able to think very far ahead.

It should come as no surprise to anyone as to why the Chinese have been so successful in Thailand and why it is that most business in Thailand is Chinese-owned.

Understanding the natural way of life for the Thais - which is one of being contented, not worrying about money or material things, and doing no more than is absolutely necessary to meet their immediate needs - also goes some way to explaining why many Thais now suffer mentally since the onset of American cultural imperialism which began effectively at the end of WW2.

The culture of consumerism, capitalism and the particular brand of democracy that the Americans have foisted on the rest of the world - including and especially Thailand - completely contradicts the natural Thai way of life.

Many Thais brainwashed with American lifestyle advertising (notably in Bangkok) have adopted a lifestyle that has got them into a lot of debt and is guaranteed to make them unhappy eventually.

America's early founders were frontier people who - like early Chinese immigrants - faced hardships and developed a powerful work ethic. The culture of the United States as it is today might suit the American people very well but it doesn't mean it will suit people whose culture is very different.

America doesn't care about the mental well-being of people in developing countries so long as they continue to buy goods to keep the system of capitalism going. The people of Thailand should care though and they should do whatever they need to do to safeguard their natural way of life.

Apathy

Updated: 9th September 2010

With indolence goes apathy and Thailand really is the land of, "I can't be bothered." This, combined with a lack of foresight, is one of the reasons why so many Thais underachieve. It's a shame because they are a talented race of people when they can be bothered.

The problem is that nothing gets done unless there is some kind of instant gratification or other rapid personal benefit - normally financial. If you are teaching English in Thailand you will normally find at least five students who can't be bothered for every one that can, maybe more. It goes way beyond learning English though.

At the time of writing, the entire region is suffering from a Dengue Fever outbreak. Dengue isn't a pleasant disease and in the form of Dengue Haemorrhagic Fever (DHF), it can kill. A number of people have died in Thailand from Dengue recently.

So, what are the authorities doing? Well, from where I sit in Thailand, absolutely nothing as usual. In almost four years of living here I have only seen public areas being sprayed with insecticide once. There are mosquitoes everywhere and many Thais do nothing about them. Nor do they take measures to prevent them from breeding.

In many Thai homes there are no insect screens or other precautions to keep mosquitoes out. You often see young children with marks all over their legs where they have been bitten so many times. I take precautions but because of the number of mosquitoes I still get a fair number of bites.

While out photographing a few weeks ago during the day time, I was forced to go home early by some very aggressive Aedes mosquitoes. These are the type that transmit Dengue and they can be identified by the black and white stripes on their bodies and legs.

Within minutes of walking into the infested area, I had mosquitoes on my arms, hands and face - and they were determined to get a good meal of my blood. I am always wary at dusk and dawn but was taken by surprise with this attack as it was about 2pm.

Unlike Thailand, other countries can be bothered about dealing with serious health issues. I returned from Singapore two days ago and it couldn't be more different down there. The Singapore government - famous for its public service campaigns - may be authoritarian but I have to agree with their approach.

The current government campaign in Singapore is about Dengue. There are posters all over the MRT and there is a government web site with information about the disease. People are told how to deal with it, how to protect themselves and how to prevent the disease from spreading.

There are specific instructions about removing items that allow water to collect and thus provide mosquito breeding grounds. What's more, if people are found guilty of allowing water to collect they are fined. This is something that would never happen in Thailand where, even if there are laws for something, they are never enforced.

Stand by a set of traffic lights in Thailand for a few minutes and observe how many motorcyclists get bored with waiting and just take off while the lights are still red. It's a joke but with no police around and no deterrents, it happens all the time.

Public areas in Singapore are sprayed with insecticide every day. In an entire week in hot, steamy, tropical Singapore I saw not a single mosquito. Insect screens are unnecessary. It is possible to leave windows open without being infested and it is possible to sit outside in the evening without getting bitten to death.

With the right attitude and concern, this is what can be done. However, the way Thais and Singaporeans think couldn't be any more different. You can't completely eradicate mosquitoes but - as Singapore has shown - you can control the problem in rseidential areas if there is a will to do so.

This is just one example but there are lots more. Never expect too much in Thailand because if it takes any kind of an effort you will probably only end up disappointed.

Update: Three years after writing this, a foreign teacher I know in Thailand was infected with dengue. There were lots of mosquitoes at his school and they were the dangerous stripy variety that bite during the daytime.

He kept telling people about the problem and asked them to spray the affected area but, of course, nothing was done. He then became very ill and was diagnosed with dengue.

He was angry because he predicted what would happen. This kind of thing is so typically Thai.

"The one drawback of the Thai is the climatic conditions of the country. Living in the tropics where food is in abundance and the weather fair, they have become lethargic."

Empathy

Updated: 2nd February 2008

Lots of people from around the world have difficult or unsatisfying lives but how they deal with other people around them makes a big difference to the overall happiness factor of a society.

I come from a country where miserable people seem to find pleasure in making life difficult for other people. Call it bloody-mindedness or Schadenfreude, if you will.

The bus driver who decides not to stop for someone waiting in the rain and grins as he drives past. The traffic warden or policeman who takes great delight in giving a young mother a ticket for going slightly over the speed limit or parking in the wrong place for a few moments as she struggles to collect her children and organise the family meal.

The ticket inspector on a train who fines passengers for standing in a first class corridor with second class tickets because there isn't any room in second class, when all the passengers want to do is get to work.

I could go on. It's one of the factors why I left the UK.

My experience of life in Thailand is that there is a fundamental difference in the way people treat other people as they struggle through life. Thailand isn't a poor country but the wealth divide is enormous and many poor Thais lead tough lives struggling to make ends meet.

However, there is a tremendous amount of camaraderie and empathy among Thais. Old women struggling to get their shopping home from the fresh market have no other option than public transport. What you will find though is that bus drivers go out of their way to stop for people and Thais will always help old people with their shopping.

I have been very critical about lax law enforcement in Thailand and the fact that the police don't do enough. They clearly ignore a lot of minor traffic offences which, at times, is annoying but somewhere there is a balance between what happens in Thailand and the overzealous behaviour of anyone in a uniform in the Western world.

In the comparison, I am reminded a little of the old adage about heaven and hell. In hell there is an enormous feast laid out but the inhabitants only have 10 foot long chopsticks with which to eat the food. Everyone looks miserable sitting around unable to get the tasty food into their mouths.

In heaven, the set up is exactly the same - the feast and 10 foot long chopsticks - however, everyone is happy because they are feeding each other. In exactly the same situation, some cooperation from our fellow human beings can be the difference between heaven and hell.

Maybe this attitude comes from adversity. Stories from wartime Britain would suggest that there was a lot more cooperation, camaraderie and empathy in those dark times.

All I know, is that whatever the reason, Thailand is generally a much more pleasant place in which to live than the UK.

The Privileged Elite Versus The Common Man

Updated: 8th September 2010

I came across a fascinating article from 1965 written by Sulak Sivaraksa, Thailand's foremost and most controversial social critic. I found it fascinating not only because it was written by a Thai (Thais do not generally criticise anything about their own country but instead just keep their mouths shut and look the other way), but also because much is still exactly the same now, over 40 years later.

The book is called 'Siam in Crisis' and was published in 1980 although some chapters were written much earlier. Here are some extracts:

"Thai society has always been divided into two groups: the Privileged Elite and the Common Man. The former are not necessarily members of the royalty or noblemen, though many of course are. The Privileged Elite may be further subdivided into classes whose privileges are determined by their respective levels.

If a man has a large car with a special emblem attached to the front, or has a soldier as his driver, he can turn left or right contrary to a traffic policeman's orders. Furthermore, if the policeman has any flair he will show his respect by saluting the car and its occupant, further impressing the Privileged Man with his own power and reinforcing his faith in the propriety and cleverness of his subordinates.

If a man belongs to a somewhat lower class and has to drive his own car, but has epaulettes on his sleeve or at least leaves a military hat strategically on the back shelf of his car, he may also break traffic regulations at will.

The Common Man has to take the bus to work. While he is hanging out the doorway, the ticket collector feels free to shout at him unceasingly, for the collector knows full well that no Privileged Man would ever be travelling by bus.

When the Common Man wants to cross the street as a pedestrian, he must often do so at a crosswalk where all the paint has long since faded away. But he must never criticise this as a fault of government authorities, nor blame the administration for the plethora of potholed roads all over the city. Flooded roads are also supposed to be graciously accepted as small inconveniences which the Common Man must learn to tolerate.

Even though a Common Man may have enough money to take a taxi to work, how the taxi driver acts towards his passenger - over whom for the moment he has power is informative. The Common Men who drive their own cars to work (without benefit of military identification) encounter the power of traffic policemen, who consider themselves Privileged Men when facing a Common Man.

They can issue a summons, a fine or a scolding - whatever they like - and if the Common Man has the audacity to bring the matter to the attention of a senior police official, the official without exception supports his bureaucratic subordinate.

How many people dare go to the police station to file a complaint? Is there a single Thai citizen who likes or respects the police? We only "like" a particular policeman who can reverse a decision or exert on our behalf.

The Common Man also cannot avoid frequent contact with district and municipal officials. Every Thai has an aversion to going to such offices, not only because it is a waste of time but because he knows that he will be ill-treated by the clerk, who is poorly paid and looks on the Common Man as a supplementary source of income.

The Privileged Man, on the contrary, would never have had to go to such an office in the first place. He would either have had someone go for him, or he would simply have telephoned to settle the matter quickly. Wealthy people in Siam can use money to obtain all manner of favours from officials.

In every government office the Common Man who comes for assistance is disdained as an inferior being. Officials do not want to waste their time with him. This situation prevails throughout Siam because the administrative branch of government controls nearly all political power, forcing the Common Man to deal constantly with bureaucratic officials in all aspects of his daily life.

If you are engaged in commerce, you must pay a special "tax." When you go to the post office, no matter whether you need stamps, a money order or whatever, you must wait in long lines as if you were begging. When you receive an imported item at the Customs House, not only do you have to wait but you also have to pay additional bribes according to the personal whims of the customs officer.

In depositing or withdrawing money at a government bank, even if it is your own savings account, the process is still made inconvenient and time consuming. If the government were to open public services to free competition, it is unlikely whether a single facility would continue to exist.

When the Common Man becomes ill, those who devote themselves to caring for others have an opportunity to display their power. The ordinary, poor patient eats dirty meals in the public hospital and receives medical treatment reluctantly at best. However, if the Common Man visits the same doctor after office hours at a private clinic he will be received differently.

None of these matters are of any particular concern to the Privileged Man. If he is sick, he can ask for a special room and his doctor will be most attentive. He does not have to pay taxes, or go to the post office.

If he travels by train, a special compartment will be provided. Consequently, it is extremely difficult for the Privileged Man to really understand the plight of the Common Man.

All Thais aspire to become Privileged Men, even if only on a temporary basis. When we visit a government office, if we happen to know someone or drop the name of a senior official at an appropriate time, we become a temporary Privileged Man.

By doing so, we can cut ahead of the queue or obtain special services. In a hospital, a sick bed can be arranged even if officially there "no beds available." Meals are more hygienic and nutritious, visitors can come at any time, and all the staff will say "Sir" to you.

In Siam not a solitary Common Man is satisfied with public services. Even in funeral services at the monastery, the monks will not speak politely to the sponsor if the deceased was a Common Man.

All this is so discouraging at first glance, but if one thinks a bit further he may feel more in sympathy with the agents of the Privileged Elite: the ticket collector, the traffic policeman, district clerk, hospital admissions clerk and monk.

Their work is monotonous and they are only carrying out their duties as a matter of routine, seeing their jobs only in terms of money (or as steps to other, better paying jobs). Thus their hearts are not in their work.

It is not their fault, but the fault of top administrative officials who permit these people to wield far too much power over the Common Man. In the eyes of top officials this is necessary, for lower officials must be given certain privileges and a modicum of power to keep them so satisfied.

No matter where one goes in Siam, he will find only these two classes of persons. Only in highly progressive countries are civil servants and lords subject to the power of others. Where absolute administrative power continues to prevail, as in Siam, low ranking officials can exercise power over the rest of us. And so the system of patrons and clients goes on indefinitely."

All the answers are in the article above. What is maybe surprising is that despite getting such a bad deal for such a long time, so many poor Thais seem remarkably contented. This is down to various aspects of Thai culture and Buddhist beliefs.

However, all it ever needed to create immense dissatisfaction among Thailand's poor was for one man to start stirring things up.

This is exactly what happened when Thaksin arrived on the political scene. The poor in Thailand represent a majority, and this was the majority Thaksin needed so that he could establish a power base among the electorate and then set about his own agenda.

It was all very predictable and in order to prevent more problems in the future it is extremely important that the government starts to put in place measures to make Thai society a little fairer.

For as long as Thai society continues to be divided into the Privileged Elite and the Common Man, there will always be problems.

As of September 2010 - after months of bloody battles on the streets of Bangkok earlier in the year - the bitter divides between rich and poor in Thailand are showing no signs of getting any better. The rich continue to get richer, while the poor continue to get poorer.

The Nation points out that 5.4 million Thais live below the poverty line; and even more shocking than this statistic is that the 'poverty line' is set at an unbelievable Bt1,134 per year.

Farang tourists visiting Thailand would think nothing of spending this amount on one meal.

The wealth gap also continues to have clear geographic lines, with Bangkok and the south being generally more affluent, while the north and northeast (Isaan) regions continue to be the most impoverished.

See The Northeast has potential, if only it was given a chance and This is still a land of bitter division.

At this rate, it will only be a matter of time before riots erupt in Bangkok yet again.

Class distinctions

Updated: 4th December 2008

The BBC published an article: Thai crisis exposes class struggle.

Annoyed at this, The Nation responded with: It is a fallacy to analyse present troubles as based on class system and cited the fact that the King's mother was a commoner (she was originally a nurse when she met the King's father who was a doctor). The Nation goes on to explain how men from fairly ordinary backgrounds have become Thai Prime Ministers.

A slight difference of opinion, then; so who is right? Neither really and in fact it's a really stupid argument.

What is class? If you think of class as an Indian caste type system, or as an English type of class system where someone's class can be identified as soon as they open their mouth, then Thailand is classless. But Thailand isn't classless in the same way that America isn't classless.

Sure, it is technically possible for anyone born in America to become President but it sure helps if they come from an extremely wealthy family and if their father or husband has already served as President.

Class these days - more often than not - means social status, and social status is based on wealth. In Thaksin's autobiography he tried to make out he came from a very poor background and earned his success as a result of hard work. This couldn't be further from the truth.

He was born into a wealthy, well-connected Chiang Mai family and then married into more wealth. His initial attempts at business were a failure but he got his first big break through his wife's family's police connections.

As is the case in America, it may be 'technically' possible for a very poor Thai person to work their way up in society but this is almost impossible in real terms.

Thais are terribly elitist and the first thing they look at is a person's education. Education isn't cheap for many people in Thailand. Poor Thais can't afford a decent education and do just the minimum six years. However, rich Thais educate their offspring for many years and even though their kids may not be very bright, by the time they reach 30 they will have a string of degrees. If people can afford an education in Thailand it is guaranteed that they won't fail no matter how dense they are.

If people can't afford an education in Thailand, then their opportunities in life stop right there. To flip burgers in MacDonalds needs a Bachelor's degree and any decent job will require a Master's Degree at least. Qualifications in Thailand have little to do with intelligence but more to do with who can afford to be educated.

The people cited by The Nation who have risen to the top based on merit may not have come from very distinct family backgrounds but they at least came from middle class families who could afford to pay for their education.

There may not be a class system as such but a child from a poor family in rural Isaan who has a brilliant mind is going to struggle to reach his or her potential in Thailand.

By contrast, spoilt kids from wealthy families who spend the first 30 years of their lives being educated are going to end up with good jobs.

Thais also have other prejudices apart from education. Is it a coincidence that girls with good jobs seem to have fairer skin and are taller than girls with menial jobs? I don't think so. Skin colour and appearance play a big part.

So, there is no class system if you compare Thailand to certain other countries but for The Nation to suggest that any Thai can rise to the top of society by hard work alone is complete rubbish. Money is everything in Thailand, and people who come from poor backgrounds are nothing.

The Good and the Bad

In every society in every country there are hard-working, kind-hearted people who show lots of consideration for others while at the same time there are lazy, immoral people who have no consideration for others, expect others to do their work, to give them money and generally expect to get an easy ride through life by riding on the backs of other people. Thailand is no different to anywhere else in this respect.

However, the ratio of good to bad people in Thailand is probably higher than most other countries I have visited. Having a good heart (jai dii, as the Thais say) is an important cultural quality and the act of merit-making (tum bhun) is important to ensure good karma.

I have never witnessed such strong community spirit as I did watching Thais pull together in the aftermath of a natural disaster, a flood. On a personal level too, I have been on the end of countless acts of kindness in Thailand.

Sometimes this doesn't seem to be the case but the reason for that is farangs are like big magnets for rotten Thais.

Greed

Why is it that I sometimes find myself making blanket statements about how greedy the Thais are? Other farangs sometimes do the same thing. Sure, Thailand has some of the greediest people I have ever come across but when my emotions calm down and I analyse the situation rationally it is only a very small percentage. The fact is, I know so many people in Thailand who are not at all greedy. What's behind this irrational thinking?

Firstly, it has to do with the impact a greedy person has on me. Greed is something I dislike intensely and when I come into contact with greedy people the situation normally becomes quite uncomfortable. I can have lots of pleasant encounters with good Thais and forget about them very quickly but just one heated argument over money leaves a nasty taste in my mouth for a long time.

Secondly, as a farang I am more likely to come into contact with greedy Thais because they tend to prey on foreigners as an easy source of money. In Thailand, making a decent amount of money honestly is impossible for most ordinary people.

The only Thais that make a lot of money are the ones that already have a lot of money. The majority of Thais just don't have the opportunity to make a lot of money. With Thai customers patronising their small businesses, they work on tiny profit margins because most Thais have only a very small amount of disposable income. It's not as if they can work harder because most already work a ridiculous amount of hours to earn just a little.

When ordinary Thais get greedy for money they either turn to outright crime and steal money or they try to con people out of money. Conning money out of other Thais is not a good idea because the other Thais can work out what is going on and anyway, they don't have much money.

On the other hand, millions of foreigners come to Thailand each year with money to throw around and they don't have a clue about anything in Thailand. This is a gift from the heavens for every greedy Thai in the land and so they flock to all of the tourist hotspots.

I see this every time I go to Bangkok, Phuket, Samui and, most recently, Koh Lanta. It is why I don't go to these places any more unless I have to in order to meet friends or relatives. This is why Thailand sometimes seems to be the greediest place on earth but actually it's not.

It seems that once greedy Thais have decided their path to fortune is by conning foreigners, they almost see it as a right that foreigners will just hand over money. This has caused me quite a few problems in Thailand because I am not a tourist and I am not as gullible as these idiots imagine. When they try to con me and I refuse to be conned they actually have the audacity to get angry with me. It's unbelievable.

It has happened repeatedly in tourist ghettos such as Phuket and Krabi because I have refused to pay for overpriced accommodation and day trips. It also happened with a landlord who had been taking a lot of rent from me and then continued to take the piss by doing whatever he could to squeeze out a few more Baht each month.

I got really bored with him and his money grubbing ways and decided to leave. When I found another place to stay and told him I was checking out he was furious because I wasn't actually leaving town. How can a landlord get angry when a tenant decides to leave? Did he really think the only reason I was in Thailand was to give him money? Apparently, he did.

Lovely people the Thais but when they start getting greedy they change beyond recognition.