What a Sad Country Thailand is

[dirtydog]

It's a dream come true for Pornpimol Yadee, a Prathom 4 student at a local school in this central province. Yesterday she finally tasted fried chicken and french fries for the first time, during Children's Day festivities. Pornpimol's dreams were revealed in a Bangkok Post article on New Year's Day. She told the Post that although she had seen advertisements for franchised fried chicken and french fries, she had never tasted them. ''Just a small bite would be great,'' she said.

Her comments moved Bangkok Post staff, who joined hands to organise a Children's Day lunch for Pornpimol and her friends at the Wat Nakhon Prod Sat School in Ayutthaya's Ban Phraek district.
The story also touched readers. Students at Rajini Bon School set aside 2,700 baht for the lunch.
Reader Sawartwimol Polcharoen turned up with her parents and a friend to donate two television sets to allow the school to receive education programmes from His Majesty the King's Klai Kangwol transmission. Twelve other readers gave two notebook computers, cash and other gifts.
Yum Restaurants International, holder of the KFC franchise, provided 85 cartons of chicken nuggets and another 85 sets of chicken pop. At first, the fast food chain was reluctant to give french fries. It was worried the fries would lose their flavour during the long drive to the school. In the end the company agreed _ just to make the children's treat complete.
And complete it was. Donors could see the students waiting eagerly as they approached the small wooden school.
Teacher Pornipa Phankhem arranged the students into rows to receive their gifts. She and other teachers had initially kept the chicken treat a surprise.
Some students did not want to eat it all at once. They shyly put the package to one side after nibbling at only one or two pieces. One of these was the girl who started it all, Pornpimol.
The chicken, she said, tasted even better than expected. ''But I want to save it to take home, so my parents and brother will be able to share,'' she said.

Bangkok Post

[MeMock]

even I could write a better article then that.

[dirtydog]

What, about how delicious KFC really is? You would be willing to be so dishonest? cold fries from KFC, cold nuggets from KFC, yuck...

[friscofrankie]

I want to save it to take home, so my parents and brother will be able to share

Sad country? Wanting to taste something you hear about and are in\undated with how delicious it is? Well maybe priorities are a bit fucked up, Kids dreaming of Cold KFC rather than a decent education, an opportunity to grow up and "be somebody" or a government that truly wanted to improve the welfare of those less fortunate.

But that little gem of a quote above; dunno anywhere in the western world a kid would even stop to even consider such utter nonsense?

[massagelondon]

most probably she eats fried chicken every day and can make fries by buying some potatos at the local market.

[ChiangMai noon]

But that little gem of a quote above; dunno anywhere in the western world a kid would even stop to even consider such utter nonsense?

Obviously never seen Willie wonka's chocolate factory Frankie.

[The Gentleman Scamp]

What a sad sad sad country Thailand is, I totally agree, they just worship anything American. Fillipinos are not that fucking stupid, and they are educated.

[stroller]

they just worship anything American. Fillipinos are not that fucking stupid

You've obviously never been to the Philippines.

[Marmite the Dog]

they just worship anything American. Fillipinos are not that fucking stupid

You've obviously never been to the Philippines.

That's what I was thinking.

[Fabian]

Cold fries, I agree, that's yucky.

I wondered about one man on Thai Airways, he took some KFC take away from Bangkok to Khonkaen. Now what a treat is that for his family, why not just drive to the next KFC instead?

[Skulldigger]

He probably took it for himself, thinking that outside Bangkok There Be Dragons...

[dirtydog]

At first, the fast food chain was reluctant to give french fries. It was worried the fries would lose their flavour during the long drive to the school.

Why would KFC worry about their fries not tasting like cardboard? I mean thats what they normally taste like, maybe a couple of hours in the traffic would improve their flavour.

[bustak]

you guys are seeing the glass as 1/2 empty, I see it as being 1/2 full!

I think it'd be worst if this kid grew up on this crap! instead she (& the others) grew up on home cooked meals! So feel bad for the western kids who started eating KFC from the age of 2!

So this just goes under the "Thailand is Charming" column in my book!

[lom]

So this just goes under the "Thailand is Charming" column in my book!

Exactly ! Hopefully those kids are also not able to watch MTV.

[Hootad Binky]

What a bunch of cynical sour pusses!

Did it ever occur to you that the girl was too poor to enjoy a KFC dinner, so therefore this was a special treat for her that she thoughtfully wanted to share with her family? So what?

Telling poor Thais what's good for them, looking down on them, being Western and then in the same breath telling them they shouldn't be able to enjoy Western food is patronising and mean-spirited.

[MeMock]

Cold fries, I agree, that's yucky.

I wondered about one man on Thai Airways, he took some KFC take away from Bangkok to Khonkaen.

People here in rural australia do that all the time. I remember one friend bringing me back a dozen cheese burgers one time, tasted like crap but as a kid I was eating McDonalds in the remotess part of Australia and that was cool.

[MeMock]

What a bunch of cynical sour pusses!

Did it ever occur to you that the girl was too poor to enjoy a KFC dinner, so therefore this was a special treat for her that she thoughtfully wanted to share with her family? So what?

Telling poor Thais what's good for them, looking down on them, being Western and then in the same breath telling them they shouldn't be able to enjoy Western food is patronising and mean-spirited.

Great post.

[Whimsical]

I'm with binky.
Life is about experiences, after all why have most here gone to asia. The non routine has appeal to all and especially to kids. I thought the story was wonderfull, but then I'm a soppy old bastad.

[stroller]

People here in rural australia do that all the time.

Why am I not surprised?

[MeMock]

^

I don't know, why am I not surprised that you are not surprised?

[Wallace]

I just don't get it. At the end of my Soi they do brilliant deep-fried chicken. It tastes about 100 times better than any processed shit from KFC and costs half the price.

What is wrong with people in this country educating the youth about how delicious Thai food is? It might be just as fattening, but it's a damn sight better.

Anyway, now they've got their TV they should sit down and watch 'Super Size Me'. That'll take the smiles off their faces.

[Aurora]

It intrigued me that the article states that so many kids just tasted a bit & then "shyly" put it to one side. Maybe this was something they'd looked forward to, but, after tasting, discovered they didn't like it after all (cold KFC? mmm )

To me, the "I want to share it with my family" response seems to be a very polite Thai, face saving way of saying "OK, now, I really don't see what the fuss is about. Mai aroy!"

[Little Chuchok]

I can't see what all the fuss is about.

I can still remember as a kid the first time I had KFC and when the first mcDonalds opened.It was a real treat for us when we were allowed it.

When KFC opened in NZ,there were people lining up the road for 100 meters.

I still enjoy KFC every now and then.You can stick mcdonalds up your jacksie though....

[barbaro]

I agree with the OP.

Pretty sad....my dream was to eat fried chicken and chips at a franchise.


But it also shows....people still dream.

[Marmite the Dog]

Anyway, now they've got their TV they should sit down and watch 'Super Size Me'. That'll take the smiles off their faces.

Probably not. Oo-wun narak maak!