Monday, June 19, 2006

Why Is Thailand So Poor?

Thailand has a very large portion of its population that lives on less than $300 a month. In a country with a fair amount of industry, a comparatively good educational system, exceptionally good internet and media infiltration, and no real shortage of upwardly-mobile job opportunities, why does Thailand remain so poor?

The answer is simple: Lower class Thai people are too busy supporting their parents, and thus short-changing their children when it comes to life's opportunities. Instead of spending money on placing a child in a private school, or paying fees to send the child to an after-school educational forum, or saving for a college education, Thailand's poorest people are sending their money home to keep their parents comfortable. The children of Thailand's poorest people are dropping out of the educational stream, and winding up in the working world as early as they can so that they can start helping out the family. That's the way it has always been in Thailand.

Once a Thai parent/child somehow manages to break this cycle, and the child gets a proper "full" education, and finds his or her way to and through college, things become easier. Each proceeding generation gets a better chance at helping their own children, creating a snowballing collection of opportunities.

However, for each Thai child who manages to escape the culturally-enforced vicious circle of "poverty via parents", there are ten children who are going to drop out of school and go to work in the fields (or on Walking Street) as soon as they possibly can so that they can start "pulling their weight around the house", and the opportunities to escape poverty for that person are lost.

Japanese society is not far removed from Thai society. Eighty years ago, Japan had much the same parent-oriented work ethic. However, World War 2 managed to break that cycle and created the now-famous Japanese child-centered work ethic.

Thailand is certainly better off than it was 80 years ago as well, but not nearly so much as Japan, obviously. However, things may improve if only Thai people can be taught to encourage their children to stay in school, and they stop placing their parents' well-being above their children's future. It's a nice, caring sentiment to make sacrifices for one's parents, but it is keeping Thailand from being the economic superpower it could be.

3 comments:

The Fall said...

what the meaning of poor ? , I don't think that it could decide by the money , some place no need a lots of money to live but people can live well enough food and happy life,

while someone have to work hard for a lots of money just for pay so many thing to keep they live in another society, but never so happy

someone need a lots of money for stupid reason ,many prostitute in Thailand can make large money in a month sometimes much more than the manager of the big company

poor farmer in Thailand someone no need to change the job they happy with what they do .
that why a lots of Thai neighbor likes from Myanmar Cambodia or Laos come to work in some kind of works that Thai people don't like to do they almost look same

in 65 million of Thai population ,it less than 15 percent that be poor. a lots percent stand very close to be poor . but I think that It couldn't decide by salary .. it should decide by how much materialism

I do know and Thai people know that it very large gap between rich and poor people here.

but many Thai people like to be poor , when you go to the slam in Thailand ugly dirt outside look house , you can see BIG TV , DVD player,fan and anything is that mean poor ? being poor would be the reason to get support by the government stupid lazy never change .

actually I am the one of Thai children who leave my parent behind , they not really poor some money can earn more than 100000 but they love to be poor as they like play gamble and drinking or play for something stupid instead saving money in the Bank for the future ... I do think that it not my work to support that kind of stupid thing If can take care of myself and don't have to beg them money to study or anything so they have to take care of them self too , thet cold but I accept that I am selfish and I wanna have own life some of good Thai culture that I don't like

this gonna make Thailand gonna be like some cold country in Europe in the future , cold and lost so many good thing between family relationship ... but I don't think that most Thai people will be like me they will always help each other even for something stupid. this is Thailand my home country....

Thailand is a rich country just keep stay in rich people society I don't know any poor people for long , the last one I saw is the beggar sit on the walk bridge , and I'm sure than 80 percent of beggars like that are not Thai.. just look like.20 percent yes but I don't think that I could help them at all , little money is keep stay the same as it them job and it seem make a lots of money in each day also to play with the feeling of human ...

sometime Thai government like to tell the world that Thailand is poor as it make Thailand can sell more products and pay less tax , it would support rich people here become richer.


become to rich country it such a hard work for The government , Thai money would be more expensive . then Thailand can export less product . and have less tourist . I hope that it gonna change like Malaysia .

in south east Asia the richest country gdp per capita is Brunei I don't wondering why as they also stand in top 5 of the world , another counter like Singapore they are top 20 world the world richest country by gdp per capita .

Thailand is not communist country so people can find the way , they can choose what they wanna be and catch it .

don't say that your country don;t have poor people or prostitute ..

I just feel upset when the foreigner looking down to my country of course some of them may from a develope country like Japan England .German Sweden , but them country oce use to be un develope have poor people and they just lucky to be born in theh right time where anything seem more easy for them , the world is not fair...but most rich Thai people also stand in top list of the world ... is that mean they good ?

Anonymous said...

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good job

Anonymous said...

if a man can feed his famliy and put a roof over there head the more mony there is the more crim there is when a person have to mutch thay what more become bord take drugs drink if a person has every thing thay can have then thay want what thay cant have and should not have the mind whants more and more untill there is no more then what thay will have the things that destroy the spiritand humanatywe kill for greed anmals in the jungel dont do that if we had not have destroyed most of them thay would be thriving and we are soppost to be of a highter level we hurt our young and we let them be hurt what for a tv or the a new this or that that joy dose not last for ever we soon want somthing diffrentand it gose on and on and on time is the master we will get our karma when you have it all what more is there to strivefor and man was meant to strivelike the anmalshute each time thay need food only at that time thay could teach us how to live any person who hurts a child should not live and i mean that from the bottom of my hart you dont see anmals having sex with there young or other young it is in some munky group thay say we are near to them only thay are anmals whos brain is lower then ours so is that not telling us the brane of an abucer is low and should be stopet we kill monkeys when will we become like the anmals the sooner the better dont you think