The Thai Middle Class

[Guest kjun12]

I previously read a post that asserted that there was virtually no Thai middle class. After living in Bangkok for 4 years, I must disagree with this assessment. At least as far as Bangkok is concerned it is apparent that there is a sizable middle class and that it is growing. This is evidenced by clothing, cars, and other factors, not the lease of which is how the kids live and what they are able to afford. No doubt that there is a very large class of Thais who live in poverty but there is certainly a class that is much above that level but not in the Mercedes/BMW class..

[TotallyOz]

I totally agree with you here. I comment to the BF all the time when we go out, there are tons of Thais spending money. Yesterday we were at Central World to go to the movie. We ate at a nice place there and cost was around 500 baht per person at least. The place was full of all Thais.

 

We were shopping after the movie in Central and Thais were purchasing very expensive items. I have also noticed the way the younger Thais dress. They know designers and fashion. This is not the wealthy or the poor, IMHO, this is the rise of the middle class Thais.

 

My fitness center costs 20k baht to join and then 2k baht per month. It is filled with Thais and they are always getting personal training sessions at 1k baht an hour. There is a great deal of money in Thailand that is being spent by those not in the upper or lower class.

 

I think Khun Kjun is right on the mark with his assessment.

[Guest fountainhall]

One of the features of most growing economies is surely the emergence of a middle class. It's not a new development in Thailand, although the progress has not been smooth. Quite a number of Thais became relatively rich with the economic boom which started in the mid-1980s and the resultant big jump in land prices. In 1991 I remember meeting a Thai in in his late 20s. He was from a relatively poor background but a couple of years earlier had been able to borrow enough money to buy a small flat. By 1991 he owned 3! The economic crisis of 1997 and subsequent crash in land values halted the momentum, but only for a few years.

 

As people move from poverty into the so-called middle class, so they want the same things as those in other countries - homes and cars they own, good schooling for their kids, more fashionable clothes, better outlets for their leisure time, the opportunity to travel, etc. The danger for any country like Thailand, though, is that far too few people are able to break into this socio-economic group. Far too many remain mired in poverty from which there must seem no escape.

[Guest JamesBarnes]

There certainly is a Thai middle class and not just in Bangkok.

 

This is refelected in the mail we get at www.out-in-thailand.com from all over The Kingdom- even in Isaan which is regarded as the poorest region. This increasing band of wealthier Thais can be seen in all university towns, where huge numbers of young Thais, many of them gay, throng in the the bars and cafes. In Chiang Mai, there are literally dozens of new Moo Baan being built and they are being bought as fast as they are erected.

[TotallyOz]

there are literally dozens of new Moo Baan being built and they are being bought as fast as they are erected.

 

Can someone explain what Moo Baan means?

[Guest fountainhall]

Basically it's a gated housing community. There are lots near the outskirts of Bangkok.

[Guest kjun12]

It is what is referred to in the US as a "Subdivision".

Can someone explain what Moo Baan means?

[Bob]

Can someone explain what Moo Baan means?

 

It can mean several things - village, hamlet, or a group of houses - but 99% of the time Thais ever use that term around me they simply mean a village.

 

[For the pedantic, "moo" (falling tone) means a group or collection (or even "those", "friends", or "officers") and "baan" (also falling tone) normally means a house (or houses or a settlement) but it can also mean other things].

[Bob]

"moo" (falling tone)

 

Hate to quote myself especially when I'm wrong. The "moo" is low tone, not falling tone.

[ChristianPFC]

here in Thai:

 

หมู่บ้าน mòo bâan low tone falling tone

[TotallyOz]

Went with the boys to Siam Paragon for lunch. I am always amazed at how many people actually go there on the weekends. We had to walk around about 20 minutes downstairs before we were able to find a table and it was sheer luck we found one.

 

Paragon must be making a mint as every time I go there are an abundance of people there. The majority of which are Thais. I realize the cost of the food court is not great but I always see tons line up for Krispy Kreme Donuts and I see lots of bags that were from upstairs.

 

Last week I need to do some shopping for the BF and we went to the Paragon Store to buy some clothes, etc. Again, as a farang, we are in the minority and as we sat looking at shoes there are 6 sales to Thais. The shoes they were buying were all the same price range as I was looking to buy for the BF and that is over 3,000 baht. Specifically, one guy bought a 7,000 baht pair of shoes.

 

I realize that I continue to be surprised at the money being spent and I have said many times that Thais have money. It is obvious to me every time I go out and go shopping.

[Guest fountainhall]

Paragon must be making a mint as every time I go there are an abundance of people there. The majority of which are Thais.

One caveat about the supermarket at Paragon. I like blueberries in the mornings. 10 days ago Paragon had some nice US blueberries marked down ("down"?) from Bt. 399 to Bt. 299.That is a total unadulterated near-criminal rip-off! On the very same day, TOPS at Central Chidlom had the very same blueberries from the same US supplier at Bt. 199. 3 days later, TOPS had marked them down to Bt. 179!

 

No wonder Paragon makes so much money!

[Rogie]

Last week I need to do some shopping for the BF and we went to the Paragon Store to buy some clothes, etc. Again, as a farang, we are in the minority and as we sat looking at shoes there are 6 sales to Thais. The shoes they were buying were all the same price range as I was looking to buy for the BF and that is over 3,000 baht. Specifically, one guy bought a 7,000 baht pair of shoes.

As a shoe lover I envy anybody buying shoes that cost 7,000 baht. If money did indeed grow on trees this is where I'd head to buy mine. An endangered species, the hand-made shoe.

 

http://www.johnlobbltd.co.uk/main/main.htm

 

You often hear a gentleman's shoes tell you a lot about him. I usually take a quick peek to see how a fellow I'm introduced to is shod.

 

I like blueberries in the mornings.

Yummyacious indeed!

 

I have every reason to believe those prices you quote Fountainhall are excessive. The price we typically pay in the UK is

[Guest fountainhall]

Do they grow blueberries in Thailand? If not, and they have to be imported, does that explain the cost?

The berries are imported. I doubt if blueberries are grown here. No doubt there is not much demand for them which is one reason why prices are high.

 

Yet, the prices I quoted were absolutely correct. And note they were for a punnet weighing 125 gms - NOT 200 gms - from Driscoll’s in the USA. Yesterday, I noticed that TOPS has reduced them still further to Bt. 139. I am pretty certain Paragon will have kept the price at Bt. 299!

[KhorTose]

The berries are imported. I doubt if blueberries are grown here. No doubt there is not much demand for them which is one reason why prices are high.

 

This is an eat you heart out post. Washington State is the 6th largest blueberry producer in the world. We have over 3000 acres all in blueberrys and more production added yearly. There are many places inside and outside of Seattle where you can pick all the blueberries you want for .75 cents. I really miss them too, but I do buy the all to expensive frozen ones at tops and Fountainhall's prices are correct.. By the way, I have eaten frozen blueberries and fresh blueberries for years and there is no difference in taste. This is one of the only fruits that suffers no ill effects or loss of flavor from freezing.

[Rogie]

I doubt if blueberries are grown here.

 

This is an eat you heart out post.

 

By the way, I have eaten frozen blueberries and fresh blueberries for years and there is no difference in taste. This is one of the only fruits that suffers no ill effects or loss of flavor from freezing.

That's interesting to know you can freeze them KhorTose. They have a short shelf life and I have been known to throw some away because I couldn't eat 'em in time! You are lucky you live (or lived) in Washington, a state I have never visited, if blueberries are so big there. One of my favourite breakfasts is blueberry pancakes! Last eaten by me when cooked by my cousin in Toronto on a recent visit there.

 

Fountainhall you are right. The link below confirms that. I'm actually impressed that blueberries are so hard to grow and maybe I feel a bit more charitable now I know the complexities involved.

 

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090618153720AA43cJ2

[Guest fountainhall]

I have eaten frozen blueberries and fresh blueberries for years and there is no difference in taste.

I find when I freeze them, they lose their firmness and come out more mushy. Is there a way to avoid that?

[Guest snapshot]

I previously read a post that asserted that there was virtually no Thai middle class. After living in Bangkok for 4 years, I must disagree with this assessment. At least as far as Bangkok is concerned it is apparent that there is a sizable middle class and that it is growing. This is evidenced by clothing, cars, and other factors, not the lease of which is how the kids live and what they are able to afford...

Thailand is wealthier than most of its neighbours.

 

Imagine the impression you’d get if you went to the States without any exposure to American culture via the media and spent all your time with low-class trailer trash and rednecks. This is what many foreigners do in Thailand.

 

Most foreigners spend most or all their time in Thailand with prostitutes and unskilled service workers. They come away thinking Thais are stupid, uneducated, disorganised, lazy, dishonest and such. They get the impression that all Thais are poor and live hand to mouth.

 

This is forgivable as a tourist but if you choose to live in Thailand, you should keep an open mind to widening your social circle and the variety of Thais you spend time with.

 

There are plenty of working class Thais who have done reasonably well to achieve a good (by Thai standards) income and living standard. A good number of middle-class Thais earn incomes comparable with average Western incomes.

 

These Thais are probably the type of people you'd spend time with in your home country. They tend to have greater means and intelligence and are capable than poorer working class Thais.

 

It's great that you're becoming aware of this. I don't mean to sound snobbish or imply you should avoid poorer working class Thais. I'm just saying that if you're living in Thailand, you should be open minded and seek to expand your horizons there.