I admit isn't been awhile since I was last in Thailand although I've been to Vietnam, Cambodia, Philippines and other places in the interim. One of the oddities I was struck with, and I wonder if it's true in Thailand as well is the epidemic of cell phone users.

While in the Philippines it would seem everyone from 10 - 35 literally lived on their cell phone. Keep in mind that they are dirt poor in the Phlippines yet everyone seemed to not only be able to own one but also pay the monthly bill which isn't cheap. I didn't attempt to separate out text messaging from calls as it really didn't matter to me but aside from wondering how they could afford a cell phone and the air time they were burning up I was also wondering how they could ever get anything done at work - though I'm sure most had no job. Which brought me back to "how can they afford it?"

Thailand has a far better economy, a better government [yep!] and there seem to be more jobs for young and old. Is the "Cell Phone Annie" syndrome alive and well in Thailand too? It's epidemic in the US to. I'll see 4-8 friends together at a table and not one is talking to the other. They're ALL text messaging their absent friends [I think they're not there] or talking on the phone. What do they have to talk about? Maybe it's my generational gap talking and, yes, I DID talk on the telephone as a kid [usually to a girl] but how does anyone get anything done in life? Is this an epidemic in Thailand [as I fear it is] or are the Thais a bit smarter than the Philippines? Same is true to a lesser degree in Japan and not so evident in Cambodia or Vietnam. 'It's a puzzlement. Enlightenment wanted

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