Around what time did the Thais stop wanting to leave Thailand?

[Halibed]

The Philippines has a culture where a lot of the lower class, which is most of the population, is trying to get out of the country and go somewhere else.

 

I heard that Thailand used to be like that. But eventually they grew and prospered out of it. Kind of hard for me to understand considering there's so much poverty here still. 

 

For any longtime tourists or ex-pats, do you remember about when the general cultural mentality shifted from wanting to get out to having pride in being a Thai and wanting to stay? 

 

I think recall somebody mentioning it happened in the 90s although my memory is hazy.

Edited July 5, 2016 by Halibed

[Mayor G]

On 7/5/2016 at 20:05, Halibed said:

The Philippines has a culture where a lot of the lower class, which is most of the population, is trying to get out of the country and go somewhere else.

 

I heard that Thailand used to be like that. But eventually they grew and prospered out of it. Kind of hard for me to understand considering there's so much poverty here still. 

 

For any longtime tourists or ex-pats, do you remember about when the general cultural mentality shifted from wanting to get out to having pride in being a Thai and wanting to stay? 

 

I think recall somebody mentioning it happened in the 90s although my memory is hazy.

Generally the Thai's are brought up revering family and thought to always stay close and connected. As opposed to Western culture, where you're thought to be independent as soon as you come of age. 

This is especially true if they have elder dependents, children, etc.. and sometimes applies more true to females than males. 

I also note, the Thai way of life (if you stay in LOS long enough you should get this) is something that is nearly impossible to weed out of them. The pace most of us live our lives back home does not appeal to them, well, besides the money and security. 

I guess the rare few that are willing don't have family, or perhaps broke ties. More often than not they'd still rather stay in LOS and eventually you'd meet the family. 

Be wary of the sick buffalo/goat =)

[timbota]

I have been here since 93.  I have never seen the Thai people as ones who willingly relocate outside of their own country.  Generally speaking, they do not fair well with non-Thai food, cool/cold temperatures, separation from family, Thai tv, language, etc.  I have much respect for the Thai BG's who make a life for themselves abroad.   And in Taiwan, for example, there are factories which employ Thais, although from what I have seen, relatively few compared to Filipinos.   IMO it is more difficult for Thais to live outside of their own country compared to most other nationalities living outside of their own country.

But to be fair in comparing PI & Thailand, if I lived in the PI I would be very anxious to leave for greener pastures and having lived in Thailand, I am in no hurry to leave the Land Of Smiles.

 

[bsand]

When the baht like the Swiss Franc became a Teflon reserve currency and the value of western currencies dropped precipitously as governments flooded international markets with made up money to stop their economies collapsing. Back in the UK I remember 76 baht top the pound back in 2003 and older folks can remember 90 ffs. And given the much more difficult visa system and with biometrics and fingerprinting almost impossible to keep trying to come back under different ids you have a perfect storm. That said all the Thai's I know living in the UK don't want to come back to Thailand full time not least because the heat in the hot months is a real killer.

[FarangKiNok]

Its a misconception. They never wanted to leave in the first place. 

[SiamDreamer]

There are a lot more better paying dignified jobs (better than rice, farming and agricultural jobs) in Thailand than ever before. And more on the way.  After 2000, Thailand was no longer a 3rd world country. Thanks to globalization, there has been a massive amount of foreign investment in Thailand and much much much more on the way. Hundreds of thousands of Thai's are now employed in factories that once produced the same goods in the west. India and China alone will triple the amount of investment the west Japan, and South Korea has brought to Thailand.  China is already looking for ways to transfer its least desirable (but still profitable)  manufacturing (and associated jobs) to Thailand. Even more so now because of tariffs.

[Mr Wombat]

6 hours ago, SiamDreamer said:

There are a lot more better paying dignified jobs (better than rice, farming and agricultural jobs) in Thailand than ever before. And more on the way.  After 2000, Thailand was no longer a 3rd world country. Thanks to globalization, there has been a massive amount of foreign investment in Thailand and much much much more on the way. Hundreds of thousands of Thai's are now employed in factories that once produced the same goods in the west. India and China alone will triple the amount of investment the west Japan, and South Korea has brought to Thailand.  China is already looking for ways to transfer its least desirable (but still profitable)  manufacturing (and associated jobs) to Thailand. Even more so now because of tariffs.

If the thai baht keeps rising all that foriegn investment will move somewhere else. We are already seeing it with tourism, but the large manufacturers like toyota etc will be next

[chippysam]

     I once met a group of Thai women on holiday where I live in the UK . They were setting up a Thai style picnic just across from my house on the village green , I live in a village in a tourist area on the coast . 

    So as I was passing them taking my dog for a walk I passed  a comment and we started chatting . They were all married and living in the Birmingham area and they all worked in a factory there. This was a short break away from their husbands and kids for a bit of Thai time together . A pleasant and chatty group they were , anyway I carried on my dog walk on the way back a passing shower was arriving and the girls were packing up fast . I invited them in for a cuppa while the shower passed , they accepted . We chatted for about an hour they were asking about my life style and living in a little village . I asked about Thailand and how they managed over here many had been here for years got kids in school born here .

   Bottom line if they would prefer to live in Thailand , but as they earned enough to support their families in Thailand parents etc . , and visit home once a year or so they could manage . But they told me many who try to live in the UK do not last , as the pull of their families and being Thai , drags them back .

    These women were aged from late 30s to 40s , I asked if many still come to the UK they said yes but not as many now . Because it is possible to earn Ok money now in Thailand , meaning it is not as hard to get by now in Thailand like it was for these womens parents . Even for these women they said the last 15 to 20 years things have impoved in Thailand for ordinary people . They notice when they go home for the annual visit things are different for they younger ones growing up , with much higher expectations money wise now . 

    I should imagine those women I met about 4 years ago will be most unhappy about the high Baht , earning in my poorly performing £ and sending money home . I wonder if any have gone back for good .

  

[FarangKiNok]

On 26/09/2019 at 01:14, SiamDreamer said:

There are a lot more better paying dignified jobs (better than rice, farming and agricultural jobs) in Thailand than ever before. And more on the way.  After 2000, Thailand was no longer a 3rd world country. Thanks to globalization, there has been a massive amount of foreign investment in Thailand and much much much more on the way. Hundreds of thousands of Thai's are now employed in factories that once produced the same goods in the west. India and China alone will triple the amount of investment the west Japan, and South Korea has brought to Thailand.  China is already looking for ways to transfer its least desirable (but still profitable)  manufacturing (and associated jobs) to Thailand. Even more so now because of tariffs.

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/pm-says-thailand-aiming-to-become-a-high-income-country-in-17-years/

China is already looking ( and is doing ) for ways to transfer its least desirable (but high pollution)  manufacturing (and chemical jobs) to Thailand.

[maxtroy]

7 ish . When the Tom Yum and papaya salad aroma's cross their nostrils they rethink leaving Thailand .

[laxmin]

IMHO, the Thaification and Thai Exceptionalismthat has been promoted by the Thai Govt since a few decades has instilled a sense of cultural superiority and a feeling of pride in the Thai culture, society and nation. 

Combined with increasing prosperity and economic growth, Thais are now more comfortable in their own country rather than migrating to the western developed nations.