"Pope Benedict has warned that a form of colonialism continues to blight Africa.

Opening a three-week synod of African bishops, he said political colonialism was over. But he said the developed world continued to export materialism - which he called "toxic spiritual rubbish" - to the continent. Pope Benedict praised Africa's rich cultural and spiritual treasures, calling them a "spiritual lung" for the world. " (from the BBC)

This Pope’s pronouncements should not to be underestimated.  He is progressive and has wisdom. What he says also applies to Thailand.  Thailand is in the process of being colonized by the West.  Thai youth is under the thumb of western materialism, and is addicted to the consumption craze. It’s social colonialism that we’re facing, with the Thai elite co-operating, wittingly or unwittingly, with western capitalists by opening the gates for all their products, and itself being the conduit of obscene consumerism, having adopted it with such open arms. This colonialism of the mind is more destructive of the Thai nation because it’s hard to see, being sort of invisible except to those who look searchingly.  Look at Hawaii which was an independent sort of state but volutarily joined the union.

The elite is responsible, because they are most socially influential, and the object of imitation by the other classes. Whatever they do is copied by the middle class and grassroots. They are leading Thais down a bottomless pit, and they are doing it, some sleepwalking, others conscious but mindless. One day, Thais are going to be struck back by nature for having abused it so much, in their quest for nature-degrading consumption. The Tsunami in 2004 was in many respects a warning by the god of nature to stop its rape down there in Phuket and environs.  People might think this interpretation is BS in this age of science. But I don’t, and have good reasons too, but too long to expand here.

By elite I mean both the new and old rich, as well as those up and coming to the high reaches of the social and economic pecking order. All are striving to reach further heights of irrational behavior, as if spell-bound. Before the 1997 economic collapse, Thailand I believe was the largest importer of Mercedes Benz in the region, and rolex watches were selling like hotcakes. These two are indicators of impending economic crises.  Capitalism itself contains the seeds of its own destruction in its reliance of greed and mindless consumption for its survival, as the two crises (1997 and now) has shown.  And this BTW is the consensus of top economists. We were then and now lucky to have the wise state bail us out, both here and abroad. 

But watching closely the Thai elite’s behavior I don’t see that they’ve  changed at all, indicating that they have learned nothing from history, so brace yourself for another economic crisis in about 5 years time, the next one will be more severe because of the global warming and energy problems added on. That’s why it’s 5 years rather than the usual 10 year cycle.