Village diversity...

[cdnmatt]

I guess I still have quite a bit of learning about Thailand to do, but here's something that's been on my mind. For those who have traveled throughout Issan a bit, have you ever noticed the huge discrepancy in villages, even those close together? You know, there's some villages that are seem fairly well off. Nobody's rich, but there's some nice houses and vehicles around, and everyone seems just fine. Nobody seems to be hurting.

Then you drive 20 mins down the road to another village, and it's a completely different story. The houses in general are far more run down, everyone is obviously poorer and struggling more. That, and no disrespect intended, but everyone is far less intelligent, to put it lightly. Have you ever noticed that? Why is that? Did one village just end up with better village elders and monks than the other, or what happened there? We're only talking 20 mins apart from each other here.

[TOQ]

I guess I still have quite a bit of learning about Thailand to do, but here's something that's been on my mind. For those who have traveled throughout Issan a bit, have you ever noticed the huge discrepancy in villages, even those close together? You know, there's some villages that are seem fairly well off. Nobody's rich, but there's some nice houses and vehicles around, and everyone seems just fine. Nobody seems to be hurting.

Then you drive 20 mins down the road to another village, and it's a completely different story. The houses in general are far more run down, everyone is obviously poorer and struggling more. That, and no disrespect intended, but everyone is far less intelligent, to put it lightly. Have you ever noticed that? Why is that? Did one village just end up with better village elders and monks than the other, or what happened there? We're only talking 20 mins apart from each other here.

If it is like where I live, it depends on the amount of land owned that can be farmed. Maybe some village aren't in a good growing area.

john

I have noticed the same diversity. I think TOQ is right. Much depends on the size and quality of land available and on the adequacy of a good water source.

"Everyone less intelligent" ? ... could be that all the intelligent ones have figured out how to get on the bus to Bangkok or Pattaya.

Much of the government funds that come up from Bangkok is feed through the "head man". You can tell which head man has his village at heart or has his pocket at heart!