Thailand's economy is growing nicely

[phio]

While most countries are having a tough time, Thailand seems to be moving up:

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/thailand-economy-expands-more-than-forecast-91-2010-08-23

[mdw]

Yep, driven primarily by exports esp agricultural and manufactured. Other sectors doing well too, like the recent upturn in real estate despite what it's like in many other parts of the world. Travel and tourism still slumping badly though, due largely to political turmoil earlier this year.

[Drewbert]

I think the nations with agriculture surpluses will be the ones that hold up the best WTSHTF.

[mdw]

Agree, growing earth population is gonna keep demand for food strong regardless of anything.

Thailand's exports grew something like 20% this year, largely on the back of agricultural exports. Vietnam is the main regional competitor for a lot of this, but ran short of rice this year which helped the Thai rice exporters. The BP oil disaster has spurred a significant rise in demand for seafood from the Gulf of Thailand as well, with shrimp and other products stronger than ever.

Unfortunately for Thailand those shrimp stocks and some others are not well managed, and many of those gulf products will not be able to continue like this. Sustainability is not on anyone's radar, there will be trouble ahead.

[domainguru]

Agree, growing earth population is gonna keep demand for food strong regardless of anything.

Thailand's exports grew something like 20% this year, largely on the back of agricultural exports. Vietnam is the main regional competitor for a lot of this, but ran short of rice this year which helped the Thai rice exporters. The BP oil disaster has spurred a significant rise in demand for seafood from the Gulf of Thailand as well, with shrimp and other products stronger than ever.

Unfortunately for Thailand those shrimp stocks and some others are not well managed, and many of those gulf products will not be able to continue like this. Sustainability is not on anyone's radar, there will be trouble ahead.

All those "poor rice farmers with their buffalos" will have the last laugh in a world where food is getting more and more expensive.

Sustainability - well, not a concept the West has exactly gotten the hang of in the last 100 years is it, fishing stocks anyone?

What will "modern" countries do, where everyone is busy "servicing", instead of making anything or growing food?

In macro terms, sure, governments are messes, but in micro-terms, Thais in the countryside are experts at sustainability. They have had to be to survive. They live with nature and know how symbiotic the relationship is.

[Rubber Duck]

Which dialect of English is "Sustainability", Scottish perhaps? Seems to be a term that is increasing in prevelence in British English, but I am surprised to see it in Websters. Anyone know what it means?

All those "poor rice farmers with their buffalos" will have the last laugh in a world where food is getting more and more expensive.

Sustainability - well, not a concept the West has exactly gotten the hang of in the last 100 years is it, fishing stocks anyone?

What will "modern" countries do, where everyone is busy "servicing", instead of making anything or growing food?

In macro terms, sure, governments are messes, but in micro-terms, Thais in the countryside are experts at sustainability. They have had to be to survive. They live with nature and know how symbiotic the relationship is.

[domainguru]

Which dialect of English is "Sustainability", Scottish perhaps? Seems to be a term that is increasing in prevelence in British English, but I am surprised to see it in Websters. Anyone know what it means?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sustainability ?

[TrafficDomainer]

For a small/mid-size country, Thailand has lots of natural resources, fertile land in general, conducive climate and amazing beaches. What we lack is really the serious effort by the government to reform the archaic educational system that doesn't encourage people to think. With the right human resource development in place, Thailand would do even much better. The recent high growth is partially due to lots of pent up demand scenario where Thailand was hit by chaos after chaos. The dust is begnning to somewhat settle now and the future for Thailand is looking brighter.

[phio]

I'm ready for another visit....it's an amazing place, and still very affordable for an extended stay. People are wonderful, and even the beer is good.

Piña Coladas are the best in the world especially after a morning of snorkling.

[Drewbert]

Thailand's exports grew something like 20% this year, largely on the back of agricultural exports.

Better keep a lid on that fact or some major power is going to get offended and want to bomb you back into the stone age.

[Rubber Duck]

Better keep a lid on that fact or some major power is going to get offended and want to bomb you back into the stone age.

Is that what is known in Management Guru circles as Competitive Advantage.

Honestly, not only the US running the World's biggest Ponzi scheme, they are running the World's biggest protection racket. It is is not really surprising that see the Afgan drugs supply as a major issue. Narcotics has to be the next major divestment.

Did you the French are looking into allegations that CIA tripped out a whole town on LCD or similar after WWII?

Oh, and what happened to the Wikileaks guy?

[mdw]

I'm ready for another visit....it's an amazing place, and still very affordable for an extended stay. People are wonderful, and even the beer is good.

Weather's getting better now, time to go :D

[Wot]

Thailand's amazing growth is happening despite the incompetence of current and past governments.

Just imagine what might happen when the lunatics stop running the asylum and a govt that wants to do good for the country instead of lining the various pockets of politicians, military and police etc.

But TIT and that is not going to happen in the near nor even distant future.

Great country, lovely people, superb food and the weather is not bad either!

[phio]

Weather's getting better now, time to go :D

Yep, Last time I was there in December, perfect weather every day.