People's Socialist Republic of Thailand

thailand's political structure is officially a constitutional monarchy/parliamentary democracy. but anyone who's ever visited and/or lived in thailand and spent any time outside of bangkok and the southern resorts has undoubtedly realized that this country functions under a more socialist guise than anything.

i came to this conclusion after several encounters, all related to money. my musings about the socialist nature of thailand began when i got my nose here pierced for 20 baht (about 60 cents in the U.S.), which included the jewelry. until that point i had never considered getting a nose piercing, but i was bored one afternoon and it seemed like a good deal. the thing is-thailand is full of good deals. but when you look closely, you realize that what you're witnessing is not a deal in the sense that we perceive of it in the West. no, it's sharing, it's fairness, it's honesty, it's wealth aversion...it's fiscal socialism. since then i've had countless 20 baht (60 cents) meals, 100 baht ($3) tire replacements, a maid who gets paid 200 baht ($6) to clean our 3 bedroom house, dozens of refusals to accept tips, and a store clerk who chased me 3 blocks on foot in 100+ degree heat while i drove away on my motorcycle to give me 3 baht (9 cents) that she overcharged me for a 2-course 17 baht (51 cents) lunch. this isn't cheap...again, it's socialism.

the majority of thai people are hard-working individuals who value kindness, fairness and equality. it might be genetic, or have something to do with thailand being a buddhist country and most people abiding by the laws of karma...but regardless of why, the fact is most people do not indulge in cheating, stealing, thwarting, over-charging, taking advantage, deceiving, outdoing, or lying (unless you consider ghreng jai to be lying out of benevolence and respect). 

point being, the thais are good people who do good things. they want everyone to be happy and prosperous, so sharing and fairness is a natural extension of that philosophy. if a meal costs a cook 15 baht to make, they charge 20 to cover their expenses and have some left over to take care of their family. you don't consider your profit margin; you just want to make ends meet. i'd say 80% of thai people live in this manner. i reckon the other 20% is split evenly between the financially  disenfranchised and the privileged...all others are equal, in terms of their wealth. as such, the disparity in wealth is marginal. 

as a result, their is a sense of commonality here in thailand unlike anywhere else i've lived (especially south africa and boulder colorado, where the disproportionate distribution of wealth is sickeningly blatant and, to some degree, lauded). but when there is a discrepancy in wealth in thailand, it is often solved by income sharing, where a group of people will pool their income and distribute it evenly over the course of several years so that no one goes without necessities. 

many might disagree with my people's socialist theory, so i remind you that this is only one person's skewed view of a culture that i've only been acquainted with for roughly 7 months. further, this is no anti-capitalist, liberal decree - it's merely my mind wanting to explain/justify a set of common observations. i do, afterall, understand the concepts of gouging, interest, competition, inflation, profit, etc...but while i understand it, i don't always agree with it. what i do agree with is fairness, justness and health. and that, in a nutshell, is why i never want to leave thailand.

c