Concert/ crowd

It may seem an unlikely way to deal with Thailand's crisis... but today singing is just what is needed.

01.00.00

This is a country blues Thai-style - once shunned as old fashioned as tough times get tougher it's back with a vengeance.

Music video

A new batch of country music videos is fueling the fad.

00.21

But in these uncertain times it's really the new lyrics of despair that are really driving Thailand's rebirth of country.

My pay's been cut. My tears now fill the car I took years to buy as it's being repossessed. Bye bye my friend one day I will buy you back again. Even the cats and dogs are leaving me because the economy's so bad.

00.33

He's also hocked his watch and gold chain.

00.54

Now I've lost my job because the economy's so bad.

And a bad economy's bad for romance.

01.04

Music video

Across the country hearts are breaking as lover's feelings fly away with the recently devalued baht.

Why does your heart keep changing like the baht... sometimes you love me sometimes you love me, sometimes you hate me, it's never stable, your heart's flying away just like the baht.

01.14

For this young Romeo that means proving his worth to a suspicious father...

01.34

And more bad economic bad news doesn't help.

01.48

Zoom into radio

Announcement, announcement. Now the dollar is growing stronger, and our baht is weaker and weaker and the price of gold is increasing so unbelievably even I can't believe it.

01.53

I'm sorry I won't give you my daughter.

02.13

Throwing balls at politicians

Having already voted out the politicians in charge of the crash - the Thai's are still seeking revenge.

02.21

VOX POP Man in street

I think they made a big mistake.

02.28

VOX POP Market Trader

They throw, their feeling is up and then they left and make them feel better after they walk in my market. Go back home and feel better.

02.30

Trade fair

Not feeling too good are yesterday's high flyers. Here at the market  of the formerly rich the hallmarks of success are going for a song.

02.40

WINES

Thailand's love affair with imported wines is definitely over.

But just like the plummeting stockmarket where there are bargains there are buyers.

Market Owner

I think we're going to have about one or two hundred people, but last week we got almost five thousand.

03.00

Katoes Beauty Contest (drag queens)

Capitalising on Thailand's reputation as a centre for sex changes, one plastic surgeon has even suggested promoting the operation overseas... they can even shop for their clothes and jewelry for their new anatomy while they're here.

03.18

Thai's handing over their gold

But nobody mobilises the masses like the military. 1000s heeded the army's call to donate cash and gold, no matter how precious, to shore up the battered economy.

03. 38

PTC

Among the few benefiting from the currency crisis are the foreign tourists, whose dollars now go twice as far as they did before the crash. As bargain hunting as  backpackers are, they have become a valuable source of foreign currency.

03.50

Siriwat & sandwich board

And that makes them a target for this man.

04.04

Before the crash, Siriwat earnt millions for his company as one of Thailand's top stock brokers. Now he plies the streets selling sandwiches - more recently seeking dollars from tourists.

Big House

This was Siriwat's last big venture... Just two hours from polluted Bangkok it was a sure fire hit in the boom. But the crash left him holding a huge debt with no buyers.

04.22

Sandwich shop

He now works from here.

04.36

Siriwat NATSOT

In this kind of economy there's no better business than the food business.

04.38

Siriwat and his wife decided to cut their way out of the recession, taking half his staff with him. These days he says cash - any cash - is better than credit. But it wasn't easy, especially for his children.

IV Siriwat

I think Thai  people have learnt number one that in social value, social status, we have been wrong. Because when I see you travel overseas, buying expensive items like brand names, I would have done the same thing to keep my status, to keep my face.

04.54

Once celebrated, conspicuous consumption has now become a state enemy.

05.13

Advert

Wake Up Thai people! Don't be obsessed, be more aware: spend less!

‘Our nation's prosperity depends on us.'

05.30

Bangkok is waking up to the full impact of the recession.... [woman's voice on phone] ... and the voice of reason isn't always what they want to hear.

05.44

Veera Therapat, DJ

For many Thais that voice is the King of Drivetime. He's getting swamped with calls on the economy - and has just stopped a suicide by sorting out a bankruptcy on air.

05.58

IV Veera Therapat

Usually Thai people are optimistic - but when it comes to this they are very pessimistic. We don't rely on the middle way of Buddhists.

06.11

With all else failing around them it's no wonder Thais are rallying around what they know...

06.25

Pop video about IMF

You want to know how to get a beautiful girlfriend - go and ask the IMF - just ask the IMF.

And that usually means the hardships of life faced with a large dose of humour.

ENDS 06.45