I have to agree with you as far as the educational system is concerned. The fact that Thai students cannot speak out openly and that teachers have a monopoly on being right and some other facts that you mentioned definitely stifle the learning system in Thailand. And this is no secret. I recently read a big editorial in the Bangkok Post where a Thai person was writing about all those issues as well.

As far as “greengjai” is concerned, while I am sure that this can be and is taken advantage of in some circles, I have to say that it is still very pleasant to be treated in a friendly and considerate way, even if it is superficial sometimes. But after traveling all around southeast Asia, I still find the Thai people the most friendly and easiest to deal with.

I know that there are negative things in Thailand as there are in all countries, but on balance I feel better here than in most places that I know.

The intent of my article is not to criticize Thailand or its political establishment since this can be done with every country on the planet. My intent is to show how to understand the Thai mentality and how to cope with it while you are in Thailand. I do not see a right or wrong here.

Every country in the world has good and bad sides, as do all people. It would not be realistic to expect Thailand or any other country to be close to perfect, that just does not go along with human nature. So I just look at the balance of things and see if the scale tips to the positive or negative side. And for me, the positive outweighs the negative in Thailand.