The Bangkok Podcast25 Feb 2020

We Ask An Economist: Is Thailand a Poor Country? [Season 4, Episode 19]

People are often quick to call Thailand 'developing' or even 'third world' - but what do those terms even mean? We decided to find out.

Ed interviews Dan Honig, a professor of international development at Johns Hopkins University. After explaining Dan's unique educational background and world travels, the guys dig into some basic questions about the Thai economy. Right off the bat, Dan notes that when compared to the entire world, it is not accurate to consider Thailand poor. Instead, it would probably be categorized as 'upper middle income'.

But that describes Thailand as a whole - what about other indices like inequality, development, or poverty? Dan discusses different ways of measuring these things and notes that Thailand has a very low poverty rate, with most Thais generally having access to health care and education. But the extreme gap between the one percent at the top in Thailand and everybody else impacts the political situation, and in Dan's mind definitely is a problem.

Last, the guys riff on the oddness of having salaries that put them in the top one or two percent in the world, but at the same time feeling 'disadvantaged' in some way. In the end, it's only traveling and seeing the way most people live that lead to really appreciating what you have. Something listeners of the Bangkok Podcast should know already. :)

As always, the podcast will continue to be 100% funded by listeners just like you who get some special swag from us. And we'll keep our Facebook, Twitter, and LINE accounts active so you can send us comments, questions, or whatever you want to share.

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(575)

Crackdown! Is Thailand Becoming a Rule of Law Society? [S8.E53]

After a recent wave of news headlines highlighting government crackdowns on things as varied as fake paternity scams and cheating civil servants, Greg and Ed begin by asking whether Thailand is finall...

21 Jul 0s

Strange Bedfellows: Prof. Khemthong on the Buddhism and Politics [S8.E52]

Ed interviews K. Khemthong Tonsakulrungruang, a constitutional lawyer and professor from Chulalongkorn University whose work bridges law and Buddhism. After Ed shares his own background as an American...

14 Jul 42min

In the Know: A Few Deep Cut Reasons to Love Expat Life in Bangkok [S8.E51]

Greg and Ed explore the small, unexpected joys of being an expat living in Thailand. Ed begins the main discussion by sharing his amusement over miscommunications regarding his job. Despite teaching u...

7 Jul 31min

Realtor Tracy Leelalumlert Dives Deep Into Bangkok's Condo Market [S8.E50]

On the heels of a recent episode where Greg and Ed opined on the nuances of the tricky Bangkok property market, this time they have a real, er… real estate pro on to get into things from her POV - Tra...

30 Jun 47min

Thai Games: From Playgrounds to Cards to Beetle Fighting [S8.E49] (Classic ReCast)

Thanks to a suggestion from a listener Greg and Ed discuss the fascinating topic of games that are common - if not unique - to Thailand. Both guys have some familiarity with some games played in publi...

23 Jun 41min

Eight Specific Things That Bother Greg About Bangkok Driving [S8.E48]

Inspired by an unusually long commute, the boys decide to discuss a list of things - very specific things - that bother Greg while he drives his trusty silver Honda around Bangkok. Greg begins by shar...

16 Jun 32min

Conflict & Legacy: Journalist Denis Gray Discusses His New Memoir [S8.E47]

In this episode, Greg interviews legendary foreign correspondent Denis Gray about his memoir, Lost Horizons. Denis details his fascinating life story, beginning with his family's escape from communis...

9 Jun 43min

Thai Style vs Western Style: The Diverse Art of Storytelling [S8.E46]

With Ed unavailable this week, Greg welcomes his friend John as co-host to talk about storytelling. Specifically, the difference between how westerners tell stories, and how Thais tell stories. This i...

2 Jun 36min