Thailand: Third World?

[Rural Surin]

...but we have a fourth world as well.

[DangerMouse]

In today's geopolitical strategies of classification and catagorization, might you consider our fair land Third World? Or is LOS on the cusp of 2nd/3rd? If so...what makes us third....if not, your reasons and whyfores. Or is Thailand classified as that middle-roader, Brazil; Korea; Turkey; etc. Even more interesting to consonsider, who makes-up this Third World and First World design?

1st world countries tend to be advance technology wise and also have stable governments. Thailand although not 3rd world is most probably 2nd world. The Thais cannot even keep their international airport open as I found out on my most recent visit. They have had 18-19 coups in the last 70 years and they also have many poor people as well. I think they have a long long way to go until they reach 1st world status, if ever. A lot of it also comes down to the culture and mentality of the people and of course education which is also lacking in most parts of Thailand.

[Loy Toy]

A country which has such a transparent and in your face sex industry will always be referred too as being "Third World".

Even though the authorities here claim there is no prostitution in Thailand.

That statement alone reeks of third world!

[Norton]

A country which has such a transparent and in your face sex industry will always be referred too as being "Third World".

No question!

The Dutch have just been demoted!



Oops, Japan gets a big demotion!



Korea a goner!





Need I go on???

[Rural Surin]

^ Outstanding point Norts.....you left out Germany {Third World}

[plorf]

1st, 2nd and 3rd world countries are somewhat outdated labels that were only valid in the past where you had a developped, capitalist 1st western world + Japan, communist/socialist 2nd world countries an unaligned, poor 3rd world countries. Nowadays in social sciences and geography they do indeed have 4th and 5th world countries, based on their developpment and potential.
Thaksin managed to get Thailand from an official UN 3rd world country to a developping nation, which in itself of course is positive but with that changing status it lost a lot of export privileges and much lower membership payments to the UN, to which Thaksin protested against.
4th world countries, if I remember correctly, are countries with little to no indusstry and infrastructure but raw materials and agriculture, while 5th world are quite simply without any potential of future improvement.