Dr. Saul: Thailand & The Desire Economy

Dr. Saul Kruggerand, the renowned Ph.D. economist and native of South Africa, whom we last heard from in his article titled Thailand to Tackle World’s Desire Deficit in which he outlined the present economic structure of Thailand’s Desire Sector (DS) along with an insightful and detailed estimate of the Desire Sector’s current contribution to Thailand’s overall GNP. In today’s post Dr. Saul analyzes Thailand’s plan to target and develop Thailand’s Desire Economy Sector in order to re-stimulate & maximize Thailand’s GNP.

“Dr. Saul,” as he is affectionately called by his students, having focused his highly-tuned analytical skills on the present structure and dimensions of the Thailand’s Desire Sector, now follows with a detailed analysis of the radical and heretofore overlooked proposal the Thailand government made at the recent G-20 and Apec meetings to further develop the Desire Sector of the Thai economy in order to help reduce the World’s Desire Deficit (WDD) as well as to make a surprisingly significant contribution to the re-stimulation of overall economic growth in Southeast Asia and the world.

Dr. Saul is himself a Yesbel Laureate with his Ph.D. from the prestigious London School of Economics LSE. Dr. Saul has worked with or along with the World Bank, IMF, Goldman Sachs, the Dubai Sovereign Fund, AIG Hedge Fund Division and George Soros. A generous grant from the Chuwit Foundation in Bangkok where Dr. Saul is the director of research and senior fellow has helped to fund Dr. Saul’s recent studies in this area. And now, without further introduction, here is

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January 26, 2010 | Filed Under Being Farang, Business & Economics, Culture Shock, Nightlife & Entertainment, Survey / Poll, Travel & Tourism | 27 Comments 

The Vongthip Letter Jan ‘10

Tiger, tiger, burning bright! The Year of the Fiery Tiger has arrived and promised to be no less ferocious than the Year of the Mad Bull that has just left! Those who did not believe in astrology, seemed to be hoping and praying that 2010 would be the beginning of a better decade than the “noughties.” Although the much feared global depression did not materialize in ‘09, world’s economists have been debating whether the recovery would be a W or a U shape.

Thailand has certainly done well to benefit from the global turnaround but we could have done much better, had it not been for the self-inflicted political crisis that has been haunting us in the last three years. The majority of the people have become totally fed up with the power hungry politicians and greedy bureaucrats. All they wanted was to be left in peace to get on with their lives, without having to look over their shoulders all the time, fearing another violent political break out.

Happy days: With the cool weather in the first half of 12/09, the country was able to celebrate HM the King’s recovery and his 82nd birthday with great joy and happiness. Most people vowed to do what they could to bring back peace and national unity, for the sake of HM’s happiness and Thailand’s survival as a peaceful and united nation. It was anyone’s guess, how this could be done while Thaksin & Co. were raising even louder war cries for their fight “to restore democracy and justice” in 2010.

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January 6, 2010 | Filed Under Business & Economics, Nightlife & Entertainment, Politics, The Vongthip Letters | 7 Comments 

Why Are Thai Women Not Like That

“I can’t believe that Thailand has become like this,” she says.

“Why does no one think of Thailand in that light?”

“Why do Thai women let people do that to them?”

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December 30, 2009 | Filed Under Culture Shock, Nightlife & Entertainment, Society | 33 Comments 

Hail 2010, Year of More Liberal Booze

As we all know, being a wine lover in Thailand is an elitist thing. Imports being taxed over 200%, because wine lovers are considered to be snobs who can afford any price. An average bottle sets you back at least the double of the price you pay in the West. Or even in Vietnam or Cambodia for that, former colonies still honoring their former master’s way of life.

Some good news for a change. There’s a fierce price war between local alcohol producers and importers looming. Prices could fall, partially at least. Starting 2010 the Asean Free Trade Area Afta will be fully established. Afta reduces and – for some products – entirely drops import taxes. Darn free trade and globalization. Meaning imported alcohol will also be cheaper. Import duty on alcoholic beverages is cut down to zero, nullifying the customs tariff.

That doesn’t go down well with our purists who not only pushed for laws that reinterpret what a beer calendar can look like. The radicals of Chamlong Srimuang’s Santi Asoke sect successfully prevented legal Thai companies producing legal alcoholic products from listing on the Thai stock exchange. Perfectly consistent with his yellow insurrection against Thai democracy. But change is in the air:

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December 26, 2009 | Filed Under Business & Economics, Food & Drink, Health, Body & Mind, Nightlife & Entertainment, Society | 5 Comments 

Beauty’s Moral Decay

Finally we see some focused government action in these trying times. Not only the Ministry of Information & Communication Technology is overly active these days to ensure a pure and prosperous society.

We learn that the Ministry of Health “is considering action against alcohol beverage firms that distribute calendars clearly showing their brand names or logos – but with no constructive or educational information of value to society.” Instead they show sexy girls. Wow.

Another Protect-the-Nation’s-Dignity campaign by our puritan leaders. Say thanks to the chosen ones behind the yellow movement who want to ban alcohol altogether. Mens sana in corpore sano. Never mind the endless political bickering and hate. It all comes down to, it seems, loose morals and abounding obscenities in today’s Thai society.

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December 16, 2009 | Filed Under Bangkok Sirens, Culture & Arts, Food & Drink, Nightlife & Entertainment, TTT - Top Thai Things | 17 Comments 

Innocence Lost

Wanna know about the inner workings of the Royal Thai Police? You heard all the hearsay and read some of those stories. But do you have proof? Did you learn anything the hard way? Here’s an eyewitness account:

Recently I was visiting a friend in Rangsit. It was a Friday night and we decided while his wife was out visiting neighbors a couple of streets away we would play some chess and keep each other company in their home.

If you play chess you know how time can fly. Hours can go by without realizing it. It is a sort of zen experience except that at the end of it you can be more frustrated than before. And it is, or can be addictive.

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December 12, 2009 | Filed Under Culture Shock, Nightlife & Entertainment, The Thai Mind | 12 Comments 

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