System Observations: Bangkok

 

I attended a conference and took care of some business in Bangkok recently. I couldn’t help but notice how much more work the Philippines has ahead of her in order to at least catch up with Thailand’s infrastructure. I took the shot above from the executive lounge of our hotel, and I was amazed at what I saw.

Decades ago, the Philippines was #2 to Japan. Now, hard as it may be to admit, we are pretty much at the low end of the totem pole. Not that the Philippines is a backward country, but you can’t help but begin to question why we are moving at snail’s pace. We have vast amounts of natural and man-made resources, yet we lag behind most of our neighbors.

Despite all the similarities in culture with the Philippines, I thought I could figure this country easily, but the more I observed my surroundings and thought about what I saw, the more confused I became:

Why are there so many foreigners all around Bangkok, including the rest of Thailand? You would think that most of them would be men, what with Bangkok’s popularity for its nightlife. Wrong. A lot women and children, caucasians, africans, other asians…spread across a wide spectrum of nationalities.

How can it be that the salaries of employees in Bangkok are higher than that of the Philippines, yet the prices of basic commodities are so much cheaper? Proof of that fact is that Bangkok is slowly becoming the shopping haven of choice for Filipinos. 

In the city, I was told employers rarely pay minimum wage to employees, and yet their middle to upper management salary ranges are very similar to ours? It is different in the factories, on the outskirts of the city, but I really couldn’t help but notice how much better the quality of life of the minimum wage earners are compared to ours. A friend who went to Patthaya claimed not to have seen any squatters. Maybe they were in ’strategic locations’? I did notice beggars on the city streets, but most of them were either disabled or were buddhist monks working on their training. Someone told me that, similar to the Philippines, these disabled beggars work for the local syndicates. Interestingly, I saw a caucasian begging for money, holding up a sign which bore the words, “Lost my Job. Please help me get back home.”

How is it that some of the basic services, such as public transportation, which are cheaper than the Philippines, can be so much more well-maintained and comfortable? The oldest taxis I have seen are no more than 5 years old, most of them being Toyota Altises! And if any of them insist on staying for more than a few seconds on a curb, waiting for passengers, they would have to face the wrath of this motorcycle-riding officer. I stood and observed this for several minutes, and I can say as-a-matter-of-factly, that drivers were definitely fearful of these officers.

 

Although I did not get to try their subway, I did get to ride their MRT and BST, which I must say is almost at par with that of Singapore’s! There were quite a number of ticket vending machines that dispensed train tickets, capable of handling a huge volume of commuters.

 

And their version of our tricycle, the Tuktuk, was not as noisy yet faster, properly maintained and was not forcefully filled to the brim. They only take on 2 passengers at a time, maintain its cleanliness and do not belch out smoke. I rented a tuktuk to get around and it only cost me the equivalent of P25 for one whole hour. I must admit that it was a very comfortable ride. No complaints, and a lot of legroom. I later realized what it was for. I saw a passenger cram a whole lot of merchandise by her feet and beside her. It was amazing how much merchandise one could pack in that rear cabin with them. And boy, do these things fly!

 

One thing that I noticed immediately upon arrival, in fact even while I was still on the plane, is the immense love and respect the Thai’s have for their King. I was only a few seats away from a lady who had a huge gold necklace with the King’s picture on it. I initially thought it was uncommon, that is until I got to the city proper and met person after person publicly displaying their love for their King. It made me wonder, if Thailand’s progress could be attributed to that, their loyalty to their King. Coming from the Philippines, one concept I did not easily adapt to, is the fact that they have a monarchy. I often wondered if the existence of a monarchy contributes to their success as a nation? At the end of my trip, I had finally concluded that it probably was. Whatever happens in that country, the King could always step in and tell everyone to just STFU, and everyone will promptly cease and desist.

I usually don’t like comparing, for each country has its own unique character, capabilities and culture. I just wonder why we could let a country like Thailand overtake us, when it was from the Philippines where they learned, once upon a time, the latest in rice-cultivating technologies and whom we now import our rice from. If only I could see my country properly address food security, socialized housing and employment, then I probably wouldn’t be thinking along these lines.

Anyway, in spite of all the reasons why one would thnk Thailand is so much better than the Philippines, I can still think of a dozen more reasons why I would rather live in my own country. I am a Filipino and I will stick by my country.

If you want to read about the lighter side of my trip to Bangkok, read my other blog HERE.