The Down-Trodden Rural Poor of Thailand

[khunsanuk]

Hi,

 

"I do, however, think that the rural and working poor have a legitimate argument that thai society goes out of its way to "keep em down on the farm". They have done it via a crappy education system, an economic model that favors price fixing by middlemen and commodity cartels, a corrupt political process, and a certain institution that shall not be discussed on this board."

 

I think most people would agree with this. However, I don't think the red shirts were the answer to that problem.

 

Sanuk!

 

[Flashermac]

Keep 'em down on the farm, huh. I was just reading statements by government officials that Thailand needs MORE farmers. So many rural Thais are leaving agriculture to work in factories or service industries that the country may be facing a food shortage in future years.

 

 

[rchapstick]

However, I don't think the red shirts were the answer to that problem.

 

Sanuk!

 

If by "Red Shirts", you are saying the the protesters who took over the CBD, then i would agree. Just as I do not think the "Yellow Shirts" who took over the airport or the "Blue shirts" who stormed the Asean conference were the answer to problems.

 

But there are a lot of people who identify themselves as "red shirt" who are in favor of peaceful, non-disruptive protest. And I suspect their numbers are far greater than the hotheads (on both sides) whose actions lead to the latest violence.

[ThaiHome]

..or the "Blue shirts" who stormed the Asean conference ...

 

Your uncanny ability to get facts wrong in order to support your “neutral†position has struck again.

TH

 

[BaronTT]

My thoughts exactly.

 

And I bet he doesn't even have a clue as to what is wrong with his statement, even though it is so obvious.

[iuytrede]

"Girls on average get 14 years of schooling and boys 13 years"

 

In Bangkok 10 years, in the north and especially in the northeast 6-7 years.

 

This numbers were quoted today by Andrew Walker in "Thailand in crisis - Episode 3" from the Australian National University, as seen on http://asiapacific.anu.edu.au/newmandala/ on June 11, 2010.

 

Personally, as an average (including all the poor) I find 10 years hard to believe. I mean, all those 15 and 16 year-olds in certain gogo bars - are you sure they go to school during the day time?

Or do they count as "northeast" because that's where they were born?

And those 250000 students registered at Ram - are they all counted as "studying"?

 

[Flashermac]

520,000 students enrolled at Ram!

 

Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University only a mere 181,372.

 

I expect the 10 years in Bangkok includes anuban (nursery school). Rural areas seldom even have anuban offered. Don't ask me what they learn in anuban, especially not 3 years of it!

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_universities_by_enrollment

 

[dave32]

BTW Toqueville's view means that OP is basically right - but some people didn't get that

 

Forgot to respond to this earlier. Made me smile. Lets look at the line in question:

 

"Oh, BTW, it is rising expectations that cause revolutions (Toqueville)."

 

I like neat little sayings, they all have some truth. But to utilize them to quickly justify the bullshit that happened in Bangkok and the complicated turmoil in Thailand is a different story.

 

I'm very skeptical that people here, who criticize the reds, have issue with the poor or wish to see them cheated or oppressed. The issue is with the actions taken. The irrational violence and persecution of Bangkok, and the manipulations of Thaksin and gradually some of the violent sub-leaders with their own power designs.

 

Do you honestly believe that what motivates Thaksin is a better life for the poor?

 

That aside, the quote about rising expectations is reduction ad absurdum. It is so vague and general that it means nothing. If you want to get abstract and fancy, lets just say all people everywhere are driven by desire and fear at their core. That's the cause of revolution. It's also the cause of non-revolution. I just summed up the world. wheeeeeeeee!

 

The author of the piece is direct in informing the reader that he is serving up an interpretation of the situation. It's an editorial type piece (imho a well written one), but it should not be taken otherwise.

 

I thought you brought up some good points too.

[iuytrede]

"to utilize them to quickly justify the bullshit that happened in Bangkok"

 

i cannot remember justifying anything

 

"I'm very skeptical that people here, who criticize the reds, have issue with the poor or wish to see them cheated or oppressed."

 

Unfortunately, most farangs that I personally know wish to see the poor stay poor. Because this is what keeps them (relatively) rich in Thailand.

 

I also feel this attitude in most farang dominated boards, as well as in the farang oriented press.

 

The writer of this article speaks for this group.

"He's seen the American lifestyle on TV, and it's so far beyond the range of his experience, he doesn't feel deprived or envious." This sentence expresses all the scorn and disdain heaped on the reds after they lost.

The laughter is always on the loser.

 

In the long run, some changes are going to happen in Thailand. The structure of Thai society is obsolete and will change. The changes may not be pretty.

If farangs associate so close with the old order as many do it now they may still come to regret it.

 

DISCLAIMER: this is not a justification for anything. On the contrary, I fear that one day I may be hold responsible (as a farang) for farang attitudes these days.

 

 

[dave32]

You may be a bit harsh on the author (and farangs in general), don't think he intended scorn but rather to impress upon the audience the difference in culture/values -- eg., imitating or measuring oneself against a glamorized American (or Western) lifestyle doesn't mean much for a significant portion of the Thais.

 

And he might also be wrong. Television does have a way of ripping across barriers (and not always for the good).

 

I think you're right in a sense that people are ambivalent to things that don't affect them directly, and don't want to be taken from their comfort zone. Be they farang, Thai, or whatever. And most of us are guilty -- but that's different than oppression.

 

And yeah, even those with only a cursory knowledge of things Thai (me) know that Thailand is looking at some shaking up in the near future -- a lot of which can't be discussed.

 

So be it. Hope for the best. And definitely hope that those that took celebration in burning Bangkok aren't the alternative. (I don't believe that's the case).