The Thai village economy in earlier times
Thai historiography is almost exclusively about the state, the rulers, the kings, their palaces and temples, and the wars they fought. The 'ordinary man and woman', the villagers, get off badly. An exception to this is an influential booklet from 1984, which portrays the history of the Thai village economy. In about 80 pages and without pompous academic jargon, Professor Chatthip Nartsupha takes us back in time.
The Decline of Village Buddhism
Tino Kuis describes how the practice of Buddhism changed in the first fifty years of the 20th century. These changes coincided with Bangkok's efforts to extend its authority over the whole of Thailand.
Marit about her internship at Philanthropy Connections
Marit is an intern for Sallo Polak's Philanthropy Connections. She wrote a blog for her family in Thailand that we also publish here after permission. Hi everyone, I received a lot of requests after my project visit last week. I have already told a few of you about it and also through my parents I heard that there is a lot of interest in the story. I get that! This weekend I was honestly so…
Thai villages in remote areas get WiFi
Between 2019 and 2024, the NBTC will install 3.920 WiFi hotspots in 5.229 remote villages. 2,1 million Thai households with 6,3 million people can benefit from this.
It appears that the junta is improving its image in the run-up to elections due in February next year. For example, 30 billion baht is being invested in 82.000 villages.
Reader question: Public Wi-Fi point in Thai rural villages progressing or deteriorating?
TOT recently installed a public Wifi point in our village. You can log in here with your ID number. The image is now that the youth no longer plays and sports at the school as before, but mainly stays at the village hall for the public wifi point. Apparently all villages are provided.
Fast internet also in rural Thailand in 2018
By the middle of next year, 3.920 villages in 62 provinces should have access to cheap and fast internet. Fast in this case at least 10 Mpbs and that will cost 50 baht per month. A bit more speed is also possible: 15 and 20 Mpbs for 150 and 200 baht per month respectively.
Statement: 'Thai society is changing much faster and more fundamentally than we think'
'Thai society is changing rapidly and fundamentally' is this week's statement. Especially in the countryside and in the villages, the inhabitants are becoming more assertive. Is this development mainly positive or perhaps also negative? Respond to the statement.