News Forum - Deputy PM insists using Thai numerals to keep “uniqueness”

[Thaiger]

Following a campaign on Change.org to remove Thai numbers from official documents, Deputy PM Wissanu Krea-ngam said it was “an absurd controversial topic”. He insisted that Thai numbers might be complicated, but it is the way to maintain Thai uniqueness. Thai numerals are written in Thai script in formal documents, not the Arabic numerals used in many other countries. A Thai man launched a campaign on Change.org urging government departments to use Arabic numerals instead of Thai numbers. The man claimed that he worked in the digital sector and saw that using Arabic numerals would be more international and convenient for […]

The story Deputy PM insists using Thai numerals to keep “uniqueness” as seen on Thaiger News.

Read the full story

[DiJoDavO]

"Thai netizens said that maybe Thai numbers were kept to lure foreigners into paying a higher entrance fee." 

 

Exactly what I thought. 

[Cabra]

"we should sometimes let it be complicated to keep our uniqueness"

And that, ladies and gentlemen, in a nut shell, explains almost everything about Thailand

[Vigo]

One day, people will stop saying arabic numerals and accept that they are Indian of origin. merchants of the middle east who were so reliant on the  eastern trade routes adapted to the number format.

[Morpheus]

Still living in a draconic  world. Theres a place for everything, including culture, a museum comes to mind. Move on Thailand and catch up with the rest of the world.

[Rebel]

Still live in another century. Gosh 

[dbrenn]

Thai numerals look rather charming, and learning them is as easy as 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9....

[Soidog]

The deputy PM needn’t worry. Thais are already unique enough in so many ways, thankfully! 

[Henry]

So if I can read Thai numbers can I pay Thai prices?

 

Of course the answer is no.

I’m all for preserving heritage and uniqueness but not if it risks alienating your country from the world economy. We have to accept that on a world stage Arabic numerals are the norm.

I’m also reminded of the Thai calendar which doesn’t lend it’s self to the world stage where everyone else is in 2022 not 2565…..

Edited May 31, 2022 by Henry

[Ivo_Shandor]

50 minutes ago, Henry said:

I’m also reminded of the Thai calendar which doesn’t lend it’s self to the world stage where everyone else is in 2022 not 2565…..

It's 1443 for Muslims, 5782 for Hebrews, 4719 for Chineses (with regional variations), 2077 for Indians, 4355 for Southkoreans, 111 for Northkoreans, etc...

[Henry]

From the outside looking in there does seem to be a conflict between attracting foreign cash - whilst not allowing actual ownership of anything Thai related and purposely making it hard for that foreign money which generally flows along the path of least resistance. 
 

Sad though it may be countries where English is widely spoken and the Arabic numbering system is used tend to do quite well. You might champion China as somewhere that bucks this trend but they make it very easy for foreign businesses to spend $US and will be any nationality you want them to be in the name of striking a deal.

[Thaidup]

A Thai man launched a campaign on Change.org urging government departments to use Arabic numerals instead of Thai numbers

As soon as I read this part, the gears started to roll around in my head, "Change.Org" "New World Order" "The Great Reset" "World Economic Forum" "Klause Schwab" "Davos".  All of the above are in favor of Kulling humans(in my opinion)

[Thaidup]

1 hour ago, Henry said:

From the outside looking in there does seem to be a conflict between attracting foreign cash - whilst not allowing actual ownership of anything Thai related and purposely making it hard for that foreign money which generally flows along the path of least resistance. 
 

Sad though it may be countries where English is widely spoken and the Arabic numbering system is used tend to do quite well. You might champion China as somewhere that bucks this trend but they make it very easy for foreign businesses to spend $US and will be any nationality you want them to be in the name of striking a deal.

One thing that should be noted is the financial crash in 1997 Thailand was caused by George Soros.

https://www.businessinsider.com/how-george-soros-broke-the-bank-of-thailand-2016-9?op=1

The Thai's have since learned and put restrictions to foreign investment in-place.

The UK had the same issue with the same George Soros in 1992.

https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/08/george-soros-bank-of-england.asp

 

[whyuthinktoomut]

6 hours ago, Thaidup said:

One thing that should be noted is the financial crash in 1997 Thailand was.....

Aren't we well overdue for another one? 

Plenty of people would love to see late 90's - mid 2000's exchange rates.   Won't be happening long term but a few quarters of it and  TAT might actually have  a chance their fairytale tourist projections materialize from lala land. 

 Ahah..but the era of welcoming Mr Farang has ripened like a overripe durian...

in recent times Mr Suk h deep Singh  has earned the red carpet treatment and the gold mining attention of their new adam's appled friends.   Mr.Li  is patiently awaiting to unleash the power of zero dollar tours and traffic coming to a standstill as buses reverse.. and belle of the month, the KingdUM of Saudi Arabia is ready to bless Thai GDP by throwing handfuls of fertilizer in the air like confetti.  " insha'Allah "

Different camel, same smell?