Editor,
Re: Once upon a time? (PM Mailbag Friday, 22 April 2016) – Robert, what criteria have you used to state that all Chiang Mai people were born there? Chiang Mai has a very large Chinese population. Most of the successful businesses are owned by these people. With the defeat of the Kuomintang Government in 1949, these astute people led by Chiang-Kai-Shek (who fled to Formosa) moved from their headquarters in Kunming (Yunnan) to Thailand. It is thought that as they bought their wealth to Thailand they were granted citizenship.
You fail to acknowledge the many Rohingya Muslims granted refugee status. No mention of the hill tribe people, you seek to make us believe that Chiang Mai is a squeaky clean enclave of thoroughbreds.
On the other side of the country (Issan) the Pathet Lao formed a communist government (1975). As the Lao’s were more or less farmers, those who moved into Northern Thailand came with a bowl of rice & a blanket. They soon assimilated & learnt new skills and now work in many industries. Sure some of them had a dream that they would get rich quickly. Some did but most were satisfied to work for a livable wage.
I find your 80% of people on the take is over the fence. If I were to believe that I would class myself a literal cul-de-sac.
Ryan Patricks
