Class System

[bucknaway]

Have you seen Thailand's social class system in action? Is it something that is talked about but seldom witnessed?

I ask because today A co-worker from England told us about his little son getting in a fight at school and he told his son that it is not important having that other boy as a friend because his father is nothing more than a sandwich maker. This boys father -- The sandwich maker -- owns his own restaurant and is doing very well for himself.

His remark reminded us that England has a social class system and after talking with him about the difference in the social systems of England and the USA, I wondered if I ever encountered Thailand's social class system and didn't realize it?

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IMO its far worse than the class system you see in places like the UK. Money counts for almost everything, and family names are equally important. A sandwich maker might be doing OK but he can't compare with some of the guys who buy their children Mercs with the petty cash. There's also the "who you know" (old school) syndrome which applies much more here than in most western countries. I saw an example of this recently where a busy road was being flooded fairly frequently. Residents had complained for several years but then a new comer to the area made a phone call to a friend, and days later new drains were being laid...

I know a couple of Thai guys here in Brissie with Falang boyfriend and they never fly Thai Airways because the flight attendants are all hi-so and look down on ordinary Thais or at least thats what they say they also talk about the top 500 families from what I can gather everyone knows there place and there is no social mobility.

I think its still a class war...the have's and have nots.....i believe in people being equal....but most people dont want to know
as long as thier ok ..thats why i like Buddism because it makes you see the world in a new light
anyway rich or poor ..we all die...and you cant take it with you..the Egyptian Pharaohs tried that ha ha
In Britain a lot of us have a social awarness and come up against the class system all the time through experience
In Manchester i'm a well known concert promoter and have done 850 shows in 23 years and i treat every one equally and because every one in the show feels valued and give great performances
I've never been motivated by money ..i just need enough to get by...the world is so gready now..they need a bit more wisdom

".thats why i like Buddism because it makes you see the world in a new light"
Unfortunately, the national religion of Thailand used to be Buddhism, but it was replaced quite a long time ago by the all pervading worship of money.

[Marsilius]

....from what I can gather everyone knows there place and there is no social mobility.

Actually, research seems to indicate that things are more fluid - at least when it comes to rising from the Thai working class into the middle class - than you might think.

See http://www.ide.go.jp/English/Publish/Pe ... _02_07.pdf

It's a long read but looking at just the opening abstract, the charts of statistics (especially Table IV) and the final conclusion will give you an idea of what the findings were.

[Dodger]

Is it something that is talked about but seldom witnessed?

I think a person would witness this very clearly if he were to toggle between the two distinct socio-economic classes in Thailand, as there is a very thick wall between those who have and those who do not have in the Land of Smiles.

Thailand is one of the most socially unequal countries in Asia, where the top 20 percent of the population controls 80 percent of the nationтАЩs wealth. The orchestrated clashes between the Yellow Shirts (those who have) and Red Shirts (those who don't have) just goes to emphasize the huge divide between these classes.

Everyone looks down on the rural farming classes - evan the Chinese-Thais who control the majority of business enterprises in Thailand. The only class of people who don't have anyone to look down on are the indian hills tribes people, i.e., Aka, Isu, Karen, because they have been placed by society on the lowest shelf. Buddhist monks have been placed in a class all their own and not viewed by the Thai people as being in either a higher or lower class level.

The only big difference I see between Thailand and the West, is if a Thai farmer was to win the lotto and become wealthy over night - he would immediately enter a higher class level and be acknowledged as such by society in large regardless of his family blood-line. Conversely, if a truck driven from Little Rock Arkansas won the lotto and became wealthy over night, he would just be viewed by society as a truck driver form Little Rock with a lot of money.

[francois]

Thailand is one of the most socially unequal countries in Asia, where the top 20 percent of the population controls 80 percent of the nationтАЩs wealth.
.

Isn't that similar to the wealth distribution in the USA where 10% controls 80% of the wealth?

[bkkguy]

There's also the "who you know" (old school) syndrome which applies much more here than in most western countries.

from Khun Voranai Vanijaka, Political and Social Commentator, Bangkok Post:
Who's your daddy?

bkkguy

[bruce_nyc]

Yes, I was going to say that too...

This all sounds so very familiar..... like nearly every country on Earth.

Is there any country that does not have some version of a class system, society, old boys network of wealthy old-money families., etc...?

It seems universal to me.