Thailand is one of the least peaceful countries in the world and is ranked behind neighbours Indonesia and Cambodia in a new assessment, the Global Peace Index.
Out late last month, the GPI places Thailand at 105 of 121 countries on the index. Indonesia is at 78 and Cambodia 85. In the Asia-Pacific region only Burma, India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan score worse.
The GPI describes Thailand's state of peace as "very low", with risks of violent demonstrations, terrorist acts and a high level of violent crime and political instability.
The index scores countries from one to five, with one being a "very high state of peace". Thailand scores 2.49, just a little better than Burma at 2.52 and is ranked at 108. Norway is the world's most peaceful country with a score of 1.35. It is followed by New Zealand at 1.36, Denmark with 1.37, Ireland at 1.39 and Japan on 1.41.
The least peaceful country on the list is Iraq. Its score is 3.43. Next to bottom was Sudan at 3.182. Israel scored 3.03, Russia 2.90 and Nigeria rated 2.89.
The United States also didn't fare too well, being ranked 96 with 2.317, just ahead of Iran at 97th with 2.32. The Economist Intelligence Unit and an international team of academics and peace experts compiled the list. It was the first time any index had ranked nations by their peacefulness.
It uses 24 indicators - including military spending, access to "weapons of minor destruction", guns, small explosives, corruption and respect for human rights.
The index is tested against a range of potential drivers, or determinants of peace - including levels of democracy and transparency, education and material well-being.
It uses the latest figures from a wide range of sources, including the World Bank and the United Nations.
Source: The Nation
Thailand near bottom on Peace Index
Thailand near bottom on Peace Index
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
Beheadings and motorcycle bombs!
On the topic of Thailand ranking rather low on the global peace index:
There is a media blog affiliated with Webster Thailand where one of the posters said that Webster University (an American university in Thailand) needs to watch out for Jemaah Islamiyah, a bad actor terrorist group active in Thailand.
JI is pushing aweful hard on the same side of the southern insurgents sepratists' movement.
Anyway JI does not like things American and the poster commented about Webster Thailand's remote and difficult to properly safeguard location.
Can you imagine the negligence lawsuit that could filed by a victim's family in a US court against Webster Thailand if something actually happened?
Even though OJ Simpson was acquited in the criminal trial he was still sued for wrongful death and lost big time. OJ has to hide his assets because he has so many judgements against him.
There is a media blog affiliated with Webster Thailand where one of the posters said that Webster University (an American university in Thailand) needs to watch out for Jemaah Islamiyah, a bad actor terrorist group active in Thailand.
JI is pushing aweful hard on the same side of the southern insurgents sepratists' movement.
Anyway JI does not like things American and the poster commented about Webster Thailand's remote and difficult to properly safeguard location.
Can you imagine the negligence lawsuit that could filed by a victim's family in a US court against Webster Thailand if something actually happened?
Even though OJ Simpson was acquited in the criminal trial he was still sued for wrongful death and lost big time. OJ has to hide his assets because he has so many judgements against him.
I was so horny when I woke up this morning the crack of dawn looked good!
Pete 
Rank Country Score
1 Norway 1.357
2 New Zealand 1.363
3 Denmark 1.377
4 Ireland 1.396
5 Japan 1.413
6 Finland 1.447
7 Sweden 1.478
8 Canada 1.481
9 Portugal 1.481
10 Austria 1.483
11 Belgium 1.498
12 Germany 1.523
13 Czech Republic 1.524
14 Switzerland 1.526
15 Slovenia 1.539
16 Chile 1.568
17 Slovakia 1.571
18 Hungary 1.575
19 Bhutan 1.611
20 Netherlands 1.620
21 Spain 1.633
22 Oman 1.641
23 Hong Kong 1.657
24 Uruguay 1.661
25 Australia 1.664
26 Romania 1.682
27 Poland 1.683
28 Estonia 1.684
29 Singapore 1.692
30 Qatar 1.702
31 Costa Rica 1.702
32 South Korea 1.719
33 Italy 1.724
34 France 1.729
35 Vietnam 1.729
36 Taiwan 1.731
37 Malaysia 1.744
38 United Arab
Emirates 1.747
39 Tunisia 1.762
40 Ghana 1.765
41 Madagascar 1.766
42 Botswana 1.786
43 Lithuania 1.788
44 Greece 1.791
45 Panama 1.798
46 Kuwait 1.818
47 Latvia 1.848
48 Morocco 1.893
49 United Kingdom 1.898
50 Mozambique 1.909
51 Cyprus 1.915
52 Argentina 1.923
53 Zambia 1.930
54 Bulgaria 1.936
55 Paraguay 1.946
56 Gabon 1.952
57 Tanzania 1.966
58 Libya 1.967
59 Cuba 1.968
60 China 1.980
61 Kazakhstan 1.995
62 Bahrain 1.995
63 Jordan 1.997
64 Namibia 2.003
65 Senegal 2.017
66 Nicaragua 2.020
67 Croatia 2.030
68 Malawi 2.038
69 Bolivia 2.052
70 Peru 2.056
71 Equatorial
Guinea 2.059
72 Moldova 2.059
73 Egypt 2.068
74 Dominican
Republic 2.071
75 Bosnia and
Herzegovina 2.089
76 Cameroon 2.093
77 Syria 2.106
78 Indonesia 2.111
79 Mexico 2.125
80 Ukraine 2.150
81 Jamaica 2.164
82 Macedonia 2.170
83 Brazil 2.173
84 Serbia 2.181
85 Cambodia 2.197
86 Bangladesh 2.219
87 Ecuador 2.219
88 Papua New
Guinea 2.223
89 El Salvador 2.244
90 Saudi Arabia 2.246
91 Kenya 2.258
92 Turkey 2.272
93 Guatemala 2.285
94 Trinidad and
Tobago 2.286
95 Yemen 2.309
96 United States
of America 2.317
97 Iran 2.320
98 Honduras 2.390
99 South Africa 2.399
100 Philippines 2.428
101 Azerbaijan 2.448
102 Venezuela 2.453
103 Ethiopia 2.479
104 Uganda 2.489
105 Thailand 2.491
106 Zimbabwe 2.495
107 Algeria 2.503
108 Myanmar 2.524
109 India 2.530
110 Uzbekistan 2.542
111 Sri Lanka 2.575
112 Angola 2.587
113 Cote d'Ivoire 2.638
114 Lebanon 2.662
115 Pakistan 2.697
116 Colombia 2.770
117 Nigeria 2.898
118 Russia 2.903
119 Israel 3.033
120 Sudan 3.182
121 Iraq 3.437
1 Norway 1.357
2 New Zealand 1.363
3 Denmark 1.377
4 Ireland 1.396
5 Japan 1.413
6 Finland 1.447
7 Sweden 1.478
8 Canada 1.481
9 Portugal 1.481
10 Austria 1.483
11 Belgium 1.498
12 Germany 1.523
13 Czech Republic 1.524
14 Switzerland 1.526
15 Slovenia 1.539
16 Chile 1.568
17 Slovakia 1.571
18 Hungary 1.575
19 Bhutan 1.611
20 Netherlands 1.620
21 Spain 1.633
22 Oman 1.641
23 Hong Kong 1.657
24 Uruguay 1.661
25 Australia 1.664
26 Romania 1.682
27 Poland 1.683
28 Estonia 1.684
29 Singapore 1.692
30 Qatar 1.702
31 Costa Rica 1.702
32 South Korea 1.719
33 Italy 1.724
34 France 1.729
35 Vietnam 1.729
36 Taiwan 1.731
37 Malaysia 1.744
38 United Arab
Emirates 1.747
39 Tunisia 1.762
40 Ghana 1.765
41 Madagascar 1.766
42 Botswana 1.786
43 Lithuania 1.788
44 Greece 1.791
45 Panama 1.798
46 Kuwait 1.818
47 Latvia 1.848
48 Morocco 1.893
49 United Kingdom 1.898
50 Mozambique 1.909
51 Cyprus 1.915
52 Argentina 1.923
53 Zambia 1.930
54 Bulgaria 1.936
55 Paraguay 1.946
56 Gabon 1.952
57 Tanzania 1.966
58 Libya 1.967
59 Cuba 1.968
60 China 1.980
61 Kazakhstan 1.995
62 Bahrain 1.995
63 Jordan 1.997
64 Namibia 2.003
65 Senegal 2.017
66 Nicaragua 2.020
67 Croatia 2.030
68 Malawi 2.038
69 Bolivia 2.052
70 Peru 2.056
71 Equatorial
Guinea 2.059
72 Moldova 2.059
73 Egypt 2.068
74 Dominican
Republic 2.071
75 Bosnia and
Herzegovina 2.089
76 Cameroon 2.093
77 Syria 2.106
78 Indonesia 2.111
79 Mexico 2.125
80 Ukraine 2.150
81 Jamaica 2.164
82 Macedonia 2.170
83 Brazil 2.173
84 Serbia 2.181
85 Cambodia 2.197
86 Bangladesh 2.219
87 Ecuador 2.219
88 Papua New
Guinea 2.223
89 El Salvador 2.244
90 Saudi Arabia 2.246
91 Kenya 2.258
92 Turkey 2.272
93 Guatemala 2.285
94 Trinidad and
Tobago 2.286
95 Yemen 2.309
96 United States
of America 2.317
97 Iran 2.320
98 Honduras 2.390
99 South Africa 2.399
100 Philippines 2.428
101 Azerbaijan 2.448
102 Venezuela 2.453
103 Ethiopia 2.479
104 Uganda 2.489
105 Thailand 2.491
106 Zimbabwe 2.495
107 Algeria 2.503
108 Myanmar 2.524
109 India 2.530
110 Uzbekistan 2.542
111 Sri Lanka 2.575
112 Angola 2.587
113 Cote d'Ivoire 2.638
114 Lebanon 2.662
115 Pakistan 2.697
116 Colombia 2.770
117 Nigeria 2.898
118 Russia 2.903
119 Israel 3.033
120 Sudan 3.182
121 Iraq 3.437
I didn't write that article, just posted something I read on the Nation.
Personally I think its a bunch of arse and they're labelling the entire country on account of what is occurring in the troubled southern three provinces. I feel safer on the streets of Bangkok than I ever did in London.
Its a mess down there but no worse than other regions that have gone through periods of violence and insurgency such as Iraq, East Timor, Southern Philippines, Kashmir, Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Somalia, Lebanon, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka ....
Personally I think its a bunch of arse and they're labelling the entire country on account of what is occurring in the troubled southern three provinces. I feel safer on the streets of Bangkok than I ever did in London.
Its a mess down there but no worse than other regions that have gone through periods of violence and insurgency such as Iraq, East Timor, Southern Philippines, Kashmir, Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Somalia, Lebanon, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka ....
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
-
JimboPSM
- Specialist
- Posts: 159
- Joined: Sun Dec 17, 2006 11:38 pm
- Location: Isle of Man, Udon Thani & HH
This is the GPI page with data relating to Thailand: They use a considerable number of diverse "Indicators" and "Drivers" in their criteria and/or methodology before coming to their various conclusions; one could argue about their respective merits and relative weightings, but it is worth reading what they are before condemning the results.
On feeling safer (rather than peaceful), I do generally feel much safer in Thailand than in the UK, but not as safe as being in Singapore - I'll stop there before getting into list mode.
On feeling safer (rather than peaceful), I do generally feel much safer in Thailand than in the UK, but not as safe as being in Singapore - I'll stop there before getting into list mode.
Fairplay, I didnt actually go that deep into it, just had a look now and these are among the more interesting nails in the coffin:
Likelihood of violent demonstrations
Political instability
Respect for human rights
Potential for terrorist acts
Electoral process
Functioning of government
Civil liberties
Freedom of the press
Likelihood of violent demonstrations
Political instability
Respect for human rights
Potential for terrorist acts
Electoral process
Functioning of government
Civil liberties
Freedom of the press
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
No mention of Scotland?