iuytrede Posted June 23, 2004 Report Share Posted June 23, 2004 in another thread I posted that Isaan is not considered the poorest part of Thailand and Nan is the poorest province. I have to qualify this statement: "Poverty (...) is spread round the edges. The far northeast is not the only poor region. The far south and the northern hills are just as unfortunate." (Chris Baker in The Nation, June 19, in a review of "Atlas of Thailand") The maps in the article show that "far northeast" means Isaan except the corridor Korat - Khon Kaen - Udon - Nong Khai (admittedly these are the parts of Isaan I know better) and "far south" refers to the 3 provinces known for "violence in the south". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Central Scrutinizer Posted June 23, 2004 Report Share Posted June 23, 2004 iuytrede, Well, this guy obviously hasn't been to Surin, because Surin is far from poor. Most of the Isaan cities are not poor. It's parts of the rural countryside that lack the bucks here. And each village is different. Some are doing very well, some look like ads for UNICEF and Feed The Children. But Surin is booming really. Plenty of baht being made up here, and it shows throughout the area. Cent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keekwai Posted June 24, 2004 Report Share Posted June 24, 2004 From what I've seen, and no great insight here, the distance the Issan village is from a town and the distance and quality of the road to get to the town is an indication of the standard of living you might expect to find. A few extra kilometers of shitty road can make a big difference in the quality of homes and vehicles and appears to affect the incidences of inbreeding and IQ level as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiery Jack Posted June 24, 2004 Report Share Posted June 24, 2004 I shafted a desperate freelance bird up the arse in the Nana Hotel early afternoon on December 23 2003. She was very poor, especially when it came to "oral to completion'. She was pretty good at sucking off the entire contents of the mini-bar then stealing my credit cards whilst I was having 40 winks though. Does that count. jack Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
check_bin_krap Posted June 24, 2004 Report Share Posted June 24, 2004 "iuytrede, Well, this guy obviously hasn't been to Surin, because Surin is far from poor. Most of the Isaan cities are not poor. It's parts of the rural countryside that lack the bucks here. And each village is different. Some are doing very well, some look like ads for UNICEF and Feed The Children. But Surin is booming really. Plenty of baht being made up here, and it shows throughout the area." .................................................................... Think you are right. There has been a tremendous improvement in the area around Khon Kaen through the time I have been there - the place I know is a fairly long drive from there ( about 1 1/2 hour or so), on the way to Udon. Near the dam. Sure, a couple of girls are married to farangs in the village. But it does not explain the huge difference from whats today and before. As you say, I am sure its very village related. They is a huge local say in how it goes - it depends of the chief in charge in the village and how its run. Some places are ravaged by crime, drugs and not safe at all for those who live there. I also know a place nearer Khorat. Outside Bahn Phai (sp?), which has far more problems than the village I know outside Khon Kaen. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thalenoi Posted June 25, 2004 Report Share Posted June 25, 2004 I see poor people all over the country Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pattaya127 Posted June 25, 2004 Report Share Posted June 25, 2004 and the distance and quality of the road to get to the town is an indication of the standard of living you might expect to find. -------------------- Sometimes, but not always. i remember visiting one of my GF's sister in Pak Chong, and god, did her place look really decrepit, though the whole country side around was full of orchards, vines, and a huge luxury resort was only 5 minutes away by car (the road was good). I know FlyW would scold me, but i have always felt that there was a lot of poverty in Thailand, but rarely misery. Miserable is an adjective i have never found appropriate to affix next to "thai people". Probably, the most miserable thais, if any, live in shanty towns near tepid waters in the outskirts of BKK, and there are some villages who may continusously fall on hard times, I think cent, reading your Surin account, you will agree poverty is not tied to a whole region, or province, but more at district and moo baan level anywhere. With differences of wealth within these smaller administrative entities too. Almost an educated guess, but not quite.... :: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keekwai Posted June 26, 2004 Report Share Posted June 26, 2004 I think much of the misery that does exist is self inflicted out of greed or simply going into debt so they can buy modern conveniences, motorcycles, trucks, fridges for their water. Or going into debt to an overseas job broker so that someone might go to Taiwan and send money back so they can buy all those modern conveniences. Those that continue to live simple farming lives resisting temptation appear to be the most content but since I can't see into their hearts I don't know who is the most content at the end of the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thalenoi Posted June 26, 2004 Report Share Posted June 26, 2004 <Those that continue to live simple farming lives resisting temptation appear to be the most content but since I can't see into their hearts I don't know who is the most content at the end of the day. Sorry, but that's bullhsit. Beating your children, threatening them to death if something happens to the kwai and sending them to Bangkok for 10 years to work their asses of to pay for the house and then requesting endlessly for more is not what I would call "being content" in life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keekwai Posted June 26, 2004 Report Share Posted June 26, 2004 I think you missed my point that they would not be sending their children to work in Bangkok or elsewhere if they had maintained a simple life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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