Who Owns The Wealth in Thailand

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Undaunted
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Who Owns The Wealth in Thailand

Post by Undaunted »

Report says Thai wealth disparity is the worst:

https://www.bangkokpost.com/business/ne ... ry-in-2018
"In the land of the blind the one eyed man is king"
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Captain Kirk
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Re: Who Owns The Wealth in Thailand

Post by Captain Kirk »

Situation is getting worse throughout the world. I've said before and will no doubt again; the wealthiest don't want a lot of money, they don't want most of the money, they want ALL of the money. Will inevitably lead to more war but I'll be dead so care little if/when there is.
fountainhall

Re: Who Owns The Wealth in Thailand

Post by fountainhall »

Undaunted wrote:Report says Thai wealth disparity is the worst
The worst of the first 40 perhaps. What happened to the other 150 + countries I wonder?
Jun

Re: Who Owns The Wealth in Thailand

Post by Jun »

Captain Kirk wrote:Will inevitably lead to more war but I'll be dead so care little if/when there is.
Inevitably there will be more wars. However, I wouldn't be too sure about them being after your death.

As for inequality, I would think Cambodia must give Thailand some good competition. Extreme poverty for the poor. Range Rovers, Bentleys and Rolls Royces for the rich.

I despise socialism, but some mechanisms to drive up minimum wages would be good.
fountainhall

Re: Who Owns The Wealth in Thailand

Post by fountainhall »

Jun wrote:I despise socialism, but some mechanisms to drive up minimum wages would be good.
I wonder how you think that can be effected at the level that would be required to reduce the income inequality gap? Seriously!

I can't be bothered looking up reams of figures on internet sites, but I am pretty sure the statistics will show that whilst the poor in many countries may not have got poorer in real terms over the last 2 or 3 decades, the rich have unquestionably gotten vastly richer. Many right-leaning governments have made this a matter of policy, with some probably believing - mistakenly, in my view - in the trickle down theory of economics. As far as i am concerned, Trump and the right wing leaders of endless countries can tell their constituents till the cows come home that by giving the mega rich even more largesse this will then result in their spending more so that over time new jobs will be created that will make the poor better off. When the Reagan administration started this trend, I thought it was fiddlesticks. I do so now even more.

I do not believe income inequality can be solved even by a tiny fraction as long as the rich keep on getting richer. You can double the wages of the poor and the middle class and say that will help. But if at the same time you cut the taxes of the mega-rich you are back at square one.

I believe one reason why some individuals in Thailand are so vastly rich is partly due to the major cross-fertilisation of a huge number of Chinese immigrants with their commercial skills. But, much more importantly during the period of rapid economic growth in the two decades prior to 1997, government policies were designed to ensure that only a very small elite group grabbed virtually all the pie. The Taksin clan later ran with the same ball whilst throwing out some crumbs here and there to the poor. But inequality still increased.

Until the culture of greed which has taken off so dramatically in recent decades is replaced by a culture more committed to sharing out a nation's wealth more equably, I fear the conditions are being created that will lead to more revolution and ultimately war.
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Captain Kirk
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Re: Who Owns The Wealth in Thailand

Post by Captain Kirk »

Jun wrote:Extreme poverty for the poor. Range Rovers, Bentleys and Rolls Royces for the rich.
When I was a nipper that was what the rich seemed to covet, a large mansion and a flashy car for every day of the week. Then I noticed that the wish list was increased to include a helicopter to do the shopping in. Then they appeared to want a private jet. Oh, and a luxury yacht and what is it now? Spaceships! Fucking ridiculous "my wallet is bigger than yours" multi billion dollar race to put themselves into space alongside an in-built desire to be the richest and/or most powerful person on the planet. Would be sweet if they all shared in the maiden journey never to return.
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Re: Who Owns The Wealth in Thailand

Post by Dodger »

CORRUPTION is always the main conduit for the flow of "funny money" which makes the wealthy wealthier and the poor poorer in any country and Thailand ranks near the top of the scale in this category as well.

The Chinese already control 80% of the wealth over here and will probably have their flag flying in Bangkok one day. Hopefully that will be well after I'm dead and gone.

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Re: Who Owns The Wealth in Thailand

Post by Gaybutton »

Dodger wrote:probably have their flag flying in Bangkok one day. Hopefully that will be well after I'm dead and gone.
I don't know. Maybe that cloud would have a silver lining. I wouldn't mind a few Chinese restaurants around here . . .
James the First

Re: Who Owns The Wealth in Thailand

Post by James the First »

Foreigners, that is to say, persons living in Thailand on annual visas which say at the top: "Application for temporary stay in the kingdom" might wish to be very circumspect in what they say about this issue. I think if you are concerned for the many who have less you should participate in acts of generosity. If you consider yourself retired here it is useful to remember the phrase at the top of what we loosely call our "retirement visa application."
Regardless of what we do the deck is weighted in favor of the "haves" rather than the have nots in every country in the world. Now if you are honest with yourself and you really want to effect change (also known as raising costs) do it in a country where you are a citizen rather than where you moved to "temporarily" for your retirement.
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Re: Who Owns The Wealth in Thailand

Post by Gaybutton »

James the First wrote:I think if you are concerned for the many who have less you should participate in acts of generosity.
Apparently you think we don't.
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