Thailand - a country rich in contradictions

Thailand has a woman prime minister!  According to Business Report Thailand 30% of Thailand’s CEOs are women and 45% of senior managerial positions are held by women. – the highest respective proportions in the world by a long chalk!

Thailand’s Prime Minister Yingluck Shiniwatra 

But this remarkable female participation rate is apparently largely the result of Thailand’s dynastic society, still dominated by an inner circle of rich, and, it would seem, self interested, families. Prime Minister Yingluck Shiniwatra was the CEO of two large family firms before her election. She is the sister of disgraced former prime minister, Taksin Shinawatra, and is accused of being his puppet.  In one instance of self interest Taksin’s family sold telecommunication shares for a tax free profit of US$1.9 billion after directing legislative changes exempting such shares from capital gains tax!.

In fact the commoditization of women in Thai society has a long tradition.  Before polygamy was outlawed Thai kings routinely kept harems.  Families seeking to develop ties with the royal family would actively lobby to place their daughters in the royal household.  Rama V (1868-1910) had 77 children by 40 mothers and Rama III is said to have accumulated 242 wives and consorts.

During the Vietnam War era the US established large military bases in the country and Bangkok became a favoured R&R destination – entrenching a modern ‘entertainment’ industry that still flourishes.  An industry in which it is estimated a staggering 9% of the country’s female population (including children) continues to participate (Business Report Thailand Feb 2012 pg 17)!

The girls really are lovely – they always made a fuss of Nina as we walked by on the way to the supermarket.  

Thai’s are nearly all Buddhists and enjoy a worldwide reputation for peacefulness and accommodation.  Absolute monarchy ended in 1932 with the adoption of a constitutional monarchy based on the British model.  It all sounds good - but political instability has become the status quo.  There have been at least 19 coup attempts since 1932, many bloody and violent, with eleven successful.  The most recent include the 1991 army seizure of power and the bloodless 2006 deposing of Taksin Shinawatra.  Civil unrest, largely un-noticed by the rest of the world, continues in the country’s south with an estimated 4,000 deaths since 2004 in politically motivated murders and bombings.

Chalong Temple – the most famous of Phuket’s temples – it houses the statue of the highly revered monk Luang Po Cham.  Thais still take their religion seriously and young men are expected to devote a portion of their youth (even if it is just a rainy season) in its service as novice monks.

 The country is one of the wealthiest in SE Asia, but has developed an ‘in your face’ dependency on foreign investment (which really got off the ground during the US/Vietnam occupation).  Phuket bustles with western expatriates, more men than women, but including whole families and many retirees, who reside full, or part-time, on a variety of easily obtainable visas.  On relatively modest incomes they enjoy very comfortable lifestyles.  The upper strata live in large, luxurious, landscapes and pooled houses and units, and all utilize the well resourced and highly affordable western directed services such as medical, dental, optical, educational, plastic surgical and marriage services, not to mention amazingly stocked western style boutique supermarkets (while Thai peasants are currently experiencing rice shortages in the wake of devastating monsoonal floods).  Currently Russians are the top property buyers in Phuket, buying beach resort properties.  The burgeoning Russian middleclass want a ‘beach house abroad’ and Phuket is currently looking like a good deal.

The Thai property boom has little to do with providing affordable housing for the locals!  We understand  though that mostly foreigners are not granted freehold title - a good move I think.

        

Villa Market – soft lighting, mood music and beautiful displays: 5 kinds of apples, Atlantic salmon (from the Atlantic seaboard of Tasmania!), wines of the world and Nina’s favourite – French pastries! 

Thailand is a place of remarkable beauty and international tourism targets this natural wealth.  Currently about 20 million visitors arrive annually (in a country of about 65 million).  But like so much tourism in the third world it has an edge of shame.  At one end of the spectrum, the walled, guarded resorts, secret enclaves of the world’s super wealthy, and at the other end, the ‘flashpackers’ realm, the islands and beaches descended upon by the western world’s twenty-something years old singles, who parachute in from their white collar jobs to surf, dive, rock climb, drink, drug take, dance, flaunt and cavort (all the things they could just as happily do at home) amongst a deeply religious, socially conservative, and often highly impoverished society.

We spent a couple of weeks exploring Phang Nga Bay, it really is gorgeous and largely protected – but tranquility it has not.  From 9 till 5 a continuous stream of tourists in high speed, noisy boats thunder through all the best spots.

Rai Leh Beach, a stunning spot, with many resorts from low key basic to super luxury.  These ‘long-tails’ look beautiful, but are powered by un-silenced 4-cylinder car engines – they can be heard 2kms and more away.

Some of the best rock climbing happens around Rai Leh Beach, apparently attracting young climbers from all over the world.  We spent several hours watching these guys – it was fascinating.