[actioliGalm]

Just as 'Lo-So' stands for 'Low Society' (the famous band's name!) 'Hi-So' stands for 'High-Society'.

This thread is an off-shoot of a question posed by another member on another thread.

This isn't really an easy question to answer.

'Hi-So' are seen at lots of fancy 5 star hotel banquets and parties and get their faces plastered all over the newspapers (inc. the English ones) and magazines. But just what is the definition of a Hi-So'.

I think....'Hi-So' just doesn't mean 'rich', there is more to it than that. Like a family legacy i would say, sometimes a family closely related to the royal family. Many of the 'Hi-So' i see in the Bangkok Post very often have the titles 'MR' (Mom Ratchawong) 'ML' (Mom Luang) or/and Na Ayutthaya etc.... And/or they have very well-known surnames which descend directly from monarchy.
This linage is very Thai-Thai though with just little Chinese involvement.

So, a lot of the above royal descendant 'Hi-So' are rich too.

Then there are the children/grandchildren of hugely successful Thai-Chinese merchant families, who are super rich. I think though that these kind families only make the league of 'Hi-So' if the family becomes famous too - over a longish period of time.

To become a Chinese rich 'Hi-So' you really have to get out there and be a party-pooper/socialite ie....you gotta make a name for yourself!

Is Thaksin's family 'Hi-So'? May be a very new 'Hi-So' family (Thaksin's wife likes to have her hair-do like a 'Hi-So). I think a family like this have just recently popped into the 'Hi-So' status after Thaksin's huge earnings. His son especially enjoys going to every party under the sun.

That's just my idea of what 'Hi-So' is but i am sure there is more to it than that!

What do you think?

[MeatteCen]

I was thinking of this just the other day!

I thought the biggest difference was that "rich" spend lots of money, but "hi-so" have an attitude towards money.

Being hi-so means anything below attending banquets and shopping at Gaysorn would be below your place in society. Most people say someone is hi-so when they wouldn't be caught doing something.

ie. eating in a noodle shop, riding a taxi, shopping in local market...

[boltondd]

Go rent "High Society", Grace Kelly, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Celeste Holmes, and Satchmo. Would give you an idea about "High Society" and entertain you too!

[favwebbb]

What do you think are the main differences between Thai Hi-So and Hi-So in your home country?

I got the impression that many Thai people try to be Hi-So by adapting to western or Japanese culture - but this is just my own biased opinion.

[sessoorale]

With his body guards, BMWs and multi-million assets, I'll have to classify Paul as "Hi-So".

[sessoorale]

Hi-So in Thailand is over-rated. I've heard Teenagers screaming "Hi-So" whenever a series 7 BMW drive pass.

One wears branded clothings, expensive jewelleries, drive imported cars, they're "Hi-So".