Thailand tops list of world's 15 happiest economies: Bloomberg

[webfact]

Thailand tops list of world's 15 happiest economies: Bloomberg

BANGKOK, 26 February 2016 (NNT) - Bloomberg's Misery Index 2016 reported that Thailand has topped a list of 15 Happiest Economies in the World for two consecutive years.

Bloomberg stated that Thailand has a low rate of unemployment and inflation and Misery Index at 2.2 points.

Government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said further that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has felt satisfied with the Bloomberg report and the performances of government agencies in containing the inflation rate and admired the cooperation with the private sector and people who contributed to the improvement of the Thai economy.


-- NNT 2016-02-26

[Bkungbank]

This year sure able to renew work permit.

[Bellacissa]

They seem to have left out a critical line from the Bloomberg story:

"Thailand, in part due to unique structural issues that allow more people to count as employed, will stay as least miserable."

It doesn't really count when only your number fudging gets you on the list.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-02-04/these-are-the-world-s-most-miserable-economies

[Jessi]

"Bloomberg stated that Thailand has a low rate of unemployment and inflation and Misery Index at 2.2 points."

They believe the B/S numbers that come from the Government.

[Somtamnication]

The moonies are the happiest religious group with a close second with Hare Khrisnas. Good club, Thailand.

[TacoHell]

stop being negative. They are happy.

[maewang99]

Bloomberg didn't rank the DPRK.

[Ricardo]

Sometimes a cynic might wonder whether these indices are merely an excuse for a journalistic research-trip to Bangkok ?

Or perhaps the rest of the World is in even more of a mess than we know !

[thesetat2013]

Sometimes a cynic might wonder whether these indices are merely an excuse for a journalistic research-trip to Bangkok ?

Or perhaps the rest of the World is in even more of a mess than we know !

You have to remember that the visa laws have changed for journalists. Make Thailand look bad and you will lose your visa.

For sure this report is accurate because anyone not legally employed works on farms for any money they can get. And for those who don't work on farms, hey! It's hard work lifting those liters of beer and picking leaves for your smoke and cutting up plants to make a chew.

[ezzra]

I don't think that even the Thai officials knows for sure and certainty what the true unemployment

and inflation rate are, they have been lying and distorting the truth for so long to suit their agendas

that no one remember or know what the real figures are, so what Bloomberg perceived as correct

figures might very well be and orchestrated misinformation.....

[Srikcir]

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has felt satisfied ... containing the inflation rate

The good news is Prayut feels satisfied.

The bad news is the economy doesn't care about Prayut's happiness:

- slowest GDP growth of the ASEAN

- 78% drop in foreign investment

- flat to minimal export growth

- decline in industrial sentiment index

- more national debt

- more household debt

- decline in investor confidence index

- decline in consumer confidence index

- increase in employment in the low-wage agricultural sector

- 13 straight months of negative inflation

- languishing in a middle income trap

- flat to minimal growth in wholesale and retail sectors

- et cetera

[little mary sunshine]

The world must be turning imto a really sad place!

,

[Jimbo2014]

I wish that would translate to a few smiles at the supermarket checkout or when ordering food. Most staff look utterly miserable... when they arnt gazing at their smart phones.

[Lupatria]

Is it “Happy Rigged Statistics Day” again?

Thailand tops list of world's 15 happiest economies: Bloomberg

173rd place: Bangkok ranks near bottom of 'safe city' list for expats

[Thian]

There are 4 girls on the towell-department in our mall, mind you they ONLY sell towells. Then we have 4 people selling ONLY mattresses, 2 for the beddingsheets, 1 for the pillows, 4 cashiers, 2 to put your stuff in plastic bags, 2 cleaning the floors nonstop, 3 at the reception, 1 at each door, 5 parkingassistants/security......i can go on like that for hours.

But as long as they're happy than what's the ploblem?

[DrTuner]

Least miserable. I like that. Bloomberg journos have been reading TVF.

[Baerboxer]

"Bloomberg stated that Thailand has a low rate of unemployment and inflation and Misery Index at 2.2 points."

They believe the B/S numbers that come from the Government.

Why not - they believed the BS numbers from the previous government too. And all the other BS numbers other governments around the world churn out.

[Baerboxer]

There are 4 girls on the towell-department in our mall, mind you they ONLY sell towells. Then we have 4 people selling ONLY mattresses, 2 for the beddingsheets, 1 for the pillows, 4 cashiers, 2 to put your stuff in plastic bags, 2 cleaning the floors nonstop, 3 at the reception, 1 at each door, 5 parkingassistants/security......i can go on like that for hours.

But as long as they're happy than what's the ploblem?

Must make you feel like you're back home? Only better service here.

[Thian]

There are 4 girls on the towell-department in our mall, mind you they ONLY sell towells. Then we have 4 people selling ONLY mattresses, 2 for the beddingsheets, 1 for the pillows, 4 cashiers, 2 to put your stuff in plastic bags, 2 cleaning the floors nonstop, 3 at the reception, 1 at each door, 5 parkingassistants/security......i can go on like that for hours.

But as long as they're happy than what's the ploblem?

Must make you feel like you're back home? Only better service here.

No sir, back home there's nobody at the towell department at all...we don't need advice about towells

Also we don't have parkingassistants or security on parkinglots, we have driverslicenses and police.

In our malls you don't get plastic bags, bring your own bag.

We also don't shop in malls often, it's easyier and cheaper to buy online and they bring it to your frontdoor for free.

[Enoon]

As Bloomberg had already stated (and was posted) on 6th February:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/892755-because-im-happy-thailand-rated-worlds-happiest-economy-in-misery-index/

But:

http://www.bloomberg...-0-6-here-s-why

[dageurreotype]

There are 4 girls on the towell-department in our mall, mind you they ONLY sell towells. Then we have 4 people selling ONLY mattresses, 2 for the beddingsheets, 1 for the pillows, 4 cashiers, 2 to put your stuff in plastic bags, 2 cleaning the floors nonstop, 3 at the reception, 1 at each door, 5 parkingassistants/security......i can go on like that for hours.

But as long as they're happy than what's the ploblem?

Thais aren't very good at multi tasking

[webfact]

Thailand tops the world’s most happiest economy in 2016



BANGKOK: -- Bloomberg, the global business and financial information and news leader, has given Thailand the world's most happiest economy among 51 countries surveyed.

The ranking by the New York-based financial software, data, and media company, was welcomed by government spokesman Maj Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd who said later that the prime minister was informed of the survey and felt satisfied with it.

Bloomberg has come up with the 15 happiest economies, who scored lowest on the misery index of the 51 countries surveyed.

It stated that Thailand has a low rate of unemployment and inflation and misery Index at 2.2 points.

The ranking was seen as a surprise, given Thailand’s recent political troubles.

Thailand is still under martial law after last year’s military coup but the Land of Smiles manages to live up to its moniker.

With an unemployment rate of just 0.6 per cent and one of the lowest inflation rates in Asia, Thailand has received the lowest score on the misery index, and therefore the top spot on Bloomberg’s happiest list.

The NNT reported that government spokesman Maj Gen Sansern said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has felt satisfied with the Bloomberg report and the performances of government agencies in containing the inflation rate and admired the cooperation with the private sector and people who contributed to the improvement of the Thai economy.

Coming after Thailand in the list if 15 happiest economies are Switzerland, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Denmark, China, United States, Norway, United Kingdom, Austria, New Zealand, Iceland, Malaysia, and Germany respectively.

Bloomberg said it may be unsurprising that the fourth-wealthiest economy in the world is also the second-happiest. Switzerland placed fourth in the IMF’s projections of GDP per capita in 2015, and comes in second on this list based on its low unemployment rate at 3.3 per cent, as well as its projected 0.9 per cent drop in prices in 2015.

For Japan, Bloomberg survey said emerging from a decades-long battle with deflation, Japan has found itself in third place with a projected inflation rate of 1 per cent and unemployment rate of 3.5 per cent for 2015, down from last year’s 3.6 per cent.

As for China, it said with fairly low inflation and unemployment, the emerging giant of Asia has moved up two places to the seventh-happiest of the 51 economies surveyed by Bloomberg News.

The United States came just behind China in eighth place, the world’s largest economy will fall behind only Norway and Hong Kong in GDP per capita this year according to International Monetary Fund (IMF) projections, but is held back on this list by its continuing high rate of unemployment.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/152543


-- Thai PBS 2016-02-26

[Krataiboy]

Makes perfect sense when you consider that only 87 per cent of the working population are heavily in debt and the economy is in sh-t state..

[jaywalker]

Happy Happy Joy Joy.

I don't think you're happy enough! I'll TEACH YOU to be happy!

Watch this particularly at the 1:20 mark, as it is particularly fitting.

[Mot Dang]

Is it just me or does anyone see the irony in the fact that this story pops up next to the story of Thailand being 173rd on the list of unsafe countries in the world, in the same issue. Now that must be some aspect of the "Thainess" myth.

[stickylies]

Is it just me or does anyone see the irony in the fact that this story pops up next to the story of Thailand being 173rd on the list of unsafe countries in the world, in the same issue. Now that must be some aspect of the "Thainess" myth.

BKK not Thailand.

Never mind, another day, another B/S....

[MrTee]

Anyone that is not happy will be subjected to attitude adjustment..

[Jessi]

Im so happy for you General!!!!

[hugh2121]

Ah yes, Bloomberg.

And how are Thailand's exports coming along? Looked a bit glum last time I checked. Maybe that's the new happy.

[stickylies]

What they meant was:

Thailand tops list of world's 15 happiest endings: Bloomberg