The social structure of Thailand

You should choose your dinner companions more wisely. You are confusing the Thai social structure with what one human being will do for another. The great mass of the common people in every society look out for one another, if they're not trying to toady to someone further up the tree. It's why those who hold that someone can't be ethical without being religious are wrong - "doing the right thing" is now thought to be a genetic impulse, part of what being human is about - it's what distinguishes us from our closest genetic "neighbours" that I see some animal rights fool in Germany (where else?) wants to accord human rights. Germany, by the way, is the logical origin of the Green movement and was the first place to have a serious Green Party. Hitler was a great conservationist, and Greens everywhere are strong on propaganda and weak on dissent - just ask Cedric

But I digress. Thailand's social structure is feudal (in the strict technical, rather than the pejorative, sense of that word) - a fixed hierarchy where everyone knows his place. Daily life is medieval. I can walk outside my front door any time of the day, any day of the week, and instantly I'm back in the Middle Ages. We even have monks selling the equivalent of indulgences, although in Thailand it's lucky numbers for the lottery

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[Lunchtime O'Booze]

"So, the next time you go into a go-go bar, try for a moment to reflect on who the boys are. Are they from the elite, or the middle class? No! They come from the vast majority which has NOTHING. "

Jesus Christ..has this only just dawned upon you ???????????????????? :cyclopsani: :cyclopsani: :cyclopsani: :cyclopsani: :cyclopsani:

[bucknaway]

What is the focus on gogo boys? There are many people who have nothing.. The street sweeper, the hotel maid, the restaurant waiter, the food vendor, the person giving foot massage......

[bucknaway]

Ok... You win!

Gee, I dunno, maybe because they are sexy.

Basically, Thailand, is an agrarian economy with some regions more prone to climatic difficulties than others. Most of the social structures are pre-industrial; strong hierarchy, fillial pety, extended family. The merchant classes who brought the numbers beyond two were entrepreneurs from the Middle Kingdom who clustered around the court.

During the "Age of Discovery", Thailand was able to preserve it's identity because its monarchy were adept in playing one set of imperialist prince protectors against another. They haven't had an industrial revolution beyond a recent minor influx of light industry leveraging labour arbitrage. Post WWII they have reverted to form.

This doesn't mean that the paddy planter has nothing. They weren't flung off the land in the style of the Highland clearances (that populated Canada and much of central North America). Those you meet who have very little, may have come to an entrepreneurial life phase through some agrarian disaster but not only do the agrarian working class not have literally nothing. They may have very little materially but mostly they have a deep self-respect and confidence, mutual support, an optimistic world-view and joy of living. I don't see these structures shifting anytime soon.

And, yes, I have travelled in much poorer countries.

I think that you have incorrectly titled your interesting information. It is not about Social structure but Wealth Distribution.

The Social structure goes

King & Royal Family
Monks
Teachers
followed by an incredibly complex grading of status based on Education, Age, Wealth, Integrity, Lineage and there is an appropriate wai for the giver and replier for each. I hear that at a wedding reception receiving line 200 guests will automatically line up by status without a word being said and, of course, we foreigners don't notice that.

The wealth distribution and sources are interesting especially the fabulous wealth of the Chinese Thai trading families, the small but slowly growing middle class and the massive numbers of the poor.

"GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 10%
industry: 44.9%
services: 45.2% (2006 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):
$9,100 (2006 est.)

"https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/th.html

I am not sure how these figures are derived but it would indicate that Thailand has moved on from an agrarian economy to have a well developed industrial base and, surprising to me, a massive service industry. I wonder if this includes many aspects of tourism?
A drive from Bangkok to Pattaya by Highway 3 or Motorway 7 will show the roads virtually lined with modern factories much of the way and clogged with droves of lorries moving goods to and from Lam Chabang the main port and going to "The Detroit of the East" at Rayong.

Gee, I dunno, maybe because they are sexy.

More sexy that the general run of Thai young male population? That's not my experience

The Social structure goes
King & Royal Family
Monks
...

Not quite. Monks are supposedly ranked higher than the King, which is why he greets them with a wai, and they sit in his presence, not the other way round

The next time that you complain that "the Thai never give anything," ask yourself: is that Thai person from the elite, or the middle class? Almost certainly not. And what he has to give may amount to: physical affection, some variety of love, and sex. Is that "nothing?" If it is "nothing," then (ahem) why are you here?

He offers physical affection, some variety of love and sex (a lot of time these are fake and lousy) in exchange of my money. In other words, he sells and I buy...that is all. And you said he is giving?
:bounce:

Not to be too much of a pest but this Asian American student of Thai society makes a distinction between "social organization", described by the author of this thread, and "social structure" which consists of the rules, roles and processes by which individuals live out their lives through social relationships.

A barebones concept of social organization has been outlined by the initiator of the thread as described to him by his associate. However, it is "social structure" that is highly complex, individualized, and constantly changing in Thailand as elsewhere.

What you are worrying about is a vision frozen in time, a polaroid frame from the past.