Thursday afternoon, Vic (who is back after three weeks in San Francisco) and I were having lunch at Sunrise Tacos. Discussing his observations while back in the States, Vic was commenting how materialistic and superficial he feels US society is becoming.
I added that I felt that Thai society, at least that which we see in Khrungthep, was following the same path. People choose their clothes, handbags, cars, etc. with an eye to how it will make them appear to others.
As if on cue, one of the stray dogs from the pack roaming the parking lot chose that moment to mark his territory. He took a whiz on the license plate of a Volvo, the nicest of the cars in the lot.
christao408 
I think Asian Societies including Thai are as materialistic and superficial as American Society, even more in some cases. You can see the example at LV, Prada, Gucci and etc stores around the world, who are the big spenders there. Thailand is ranked the third in the world for number of Mercedez after Germany and the USA.
Do you remember one of your entry about “Face” and Thai culture? Bottom line is that there is nothing wrong with that as long as we do not rob the bank, steal money or borrow money from credit cards to buy luxury things just to show off.
Nicky
Nicky – Yeah, it is very difficult to say that one society is more or less materialistic than another. It is really a global phenomenon these days. One thing that I find interesting about observing it in Thailand is that it is really an urban phenonmenon. Out in the various jangwat there is a lot less of it – although you find the plasma TVs and satellite dishes poking up through the canopy of trees that hints to a sea change in that regards – but within Khrungthep it is rife.
The sad news is, many of the urbanites are using credit cards to prop up this lifestyle. In fact there was an article in the Post the very morning that Vic and I ate at Sunrise Tacos that explained how stress levels among urban residents were increasing and that credit card debt is a major cause of that.
Most countries are becoming material and superifical if not already. Especially those in the former Eastern Bloc.