Generation Y Thailand: A new Me Generation?

32% of population, Gen Y shares hobbies on social media as road to instant fame, seeks out exotic lifestyles, but needs to exercise more & eat less.

TRENDS, DEMOGRAPHY & MARKETING

Generation Y Thailand: A new Me generation?

17/07/2016
Paritta Wangkiat, Spectrum

Millennials, or Generation Y are now 20 to 35 in age and born between 1980 and 1994 with a more generous definition extending to the year 2000.

They are said to be a diverse group, tech savvy, eager for promotion, individualistic and embrace globalisation via boundless online channels.

They love being online, and according to the National Statistics Office (NSO), use the internet for eight hours a day on average.

Many of them feel a growing disconnect with Thailand and its centuries of tradition and culture.

They feel under pressure from the older generations' interpretation of core Thai values and are shackled by chronic problems of ineffective education and political unrest.

In short, Generation Y seems to share a lot in common with the so-called "Me Generation" or "Baby Boomers" of the past, people who are in many cases actually their parents, perhaps the first generation that was given a name by marketers I(and pop-demographers prone to absurd generalisations for hundreds of millions of people).

Baby Boomers got their name they were born in the generation after World War II and the Korean War (1946-1964), periods that experienced a big jump or "boom" in the number of babies born when soldiers came home from war and quickly made families.

They were called the "Me Generation" because they thought more of themselves and what was best for "me" then previous generations did, even being called "narcissistic" with self-fulfillment allegedly ranking higher than social responsibility in their list of priorities (see here).

DRIVING THE ECONOMY

Generation Y, or "Millenials" are already a significant presence, making up 32% of the Thai population of about 68 million and catching up with Generation X.

Globally, the millennials are now the world's largest demographic, accounting for 38.8% of the population.

Developing countries tend to have a higher Generation Y population than developed countries.

Millennials are already the drivers of the national economy based on their spending habits.

With a low birth rate and long life expectancy, Thailand is becoming an "aged society" characterised by a high percentage of older people needing to be looked after by the younger demographic.

By 2030, 25% of the population will be aged over 60, compared to the current 15%.

Half of Thai workers (aged 15 to 59) will be millennials.

Generation Y has already been identified as the largest consumer group.

SEEKING EXOTIC LIFESTYLE CHOICES

Generation Y are said to seek out exotic lifestyle choices, travel to out-of-the-way places and play extreme sports.

Their idea of fame is participating in a television competition like The Voice Thailand and Thailand's Got Talent.

The quickest path to fame is sharing their lives and hobbies on social media, which can bring them fame overnight.

FAT PROBLEMS & DON'T LIKE EXERCISE

Studies also reveal that millennials and even younger people are less healthy than earlier generations.

According to a 2015 Public Health Ministry survey, the obesity rate of children in pre- primary school classes had risen 36% compared to a study from five years earlier.

For those aged six to 13 years, the increase in obesity was 15.5%.

Unhealthy eating habits are the main factor.

Generation Y also tends to exercise less than previous generations.

A low birth rate and more one-child families has resulted in parents spoiling their children.

UNCENSORED SOCIAL MEDIA HAS EXPOSED THEM TO THE REALITIES OF THE WORLD

Thai millennials have grown up in the era of social media.

About 80% of Gen Y who use the internet spend time on social media, the NSO reported.

This has led them to become more sceptical of teachers, soldiers and monks -- members of society who previously faced little criticism.

Cliches like "a teacher is another mother", "the teacher is a role model of the nation" or "a solder is the fence of the nation" are deeply embedded in the Thai psyche.

But in recent years, those same institutions have been undermined by social media, with photos or video clips of the people they respect misbehaving, going viral.

Those social media posts have included teachers hitting students and writing on their pants with coloured pens to discipline them, a young army conscript being beaten by a military officer and monks taking drugs, drinking and having sex.

The 2014 NSO survey showed 92.4% of Thai millennials agree that religious doctrine is still important in their lives, although it is a smaller percentage compared to previous generations.

Many of Generation Y use social media as a vehicle for venting their frustration with the older generation.

TRADITIONAL 12-VALUES QUESTIONED

Generation Y seems to have values and goals that differ in many ways from The junta's "12 core values of the Thai people" was introduced after the 2014 coup (see here).

Students are required to recite the 12 core values of the Thai people either as part of their daily flag-raising ceremony or in class.

The values include: upholding the nation, religion and monarchy; respecting parents and teachers; concentrating on studies; and preserving Thai traditions and culture. These values have typified "good Thai behaviour" for decades.

Generation Y values such as being free to express themselves and making decisions independently, as well as crafting their own "extraordinary lifestyle" may differ in many ways from the more traditional 12-values.

Many of Generation Y are bored with the old-style rote learning offered by teachers.

But they can't express this openly, as criticising a teacher means disrespecting his elders, a "no-no" in Thai society.

Education without dialogue is making each student a replica of each other or classrooms should be the beginning point of an exchange of diverse ideas, are some of the educational reform ideas they dream of.

CREATIVE ECONOMY

The NESDB suggests that a creative economy can rescue Thailand which has been trapped in labour-intensive industries and export dependence, and has set making Thailand the creative industrial hub of Asean as one of its goals.

Gen Y has opportunities from digital technologies that can produce successes that previous generations can only dream of.

But technology itself is said to be making them yearn for quick success while lacking the motivation and understanding to develop skills.

In contrast, the best conditions for developing a creative economy is when everyone develops themselves in their own ways and share with others, giving back support to the whole society, say creative economy experts.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/special-reports/1037669/mind-the-generation-gap

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Me_generation

http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/learning-news/451528/12-thai-values-stickers-unveiled

สามารถฝึกอ่านออกเสียงและดูคำแปลได้ที่ : http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/learning-from-news/1038478/generation-y-thailand-a-new-me-generation-