Malaysia's Growth Holds Near Decade High

[opebo]

This isn't the kind of thing that happened during the 1929-33 downward spiral.

Well I guess that is true, and perhaps encouraging.  Singapore also (right next door of course, and closely related) has had tremendous growth recently - I think far higher than Malaysia.

The economy here in Thailand is also extremely good, though nothing like that.  Money is still flowing like water in the Capital. 

In all seriousness I think a lot of you young chaps could make more money teaching in Bangkok than you could doing whatever back home (or perhaps even being unable to find any work).   Lots of people are making $2,000-2,500/month nowadays with extra work, in a place where apartments are $200-250/month, and food $2/meal.  If you have a specific teaching qualification which would allow you to teach in the public schools in US you can make around $3,000 or so salary alone.

[opebo]

Is Indonesia also booming?

More along Thai lines - fine growth, 4-6%, but not the very rapid Indian/Malaysia/Singapore/China level.

[opebo]

Thailand had 12% growth in the first quarter according to The Economist.

Jesus, I didn't know it was that high.  I don't like that.  So where's the link?

[opebo]

The most combustible problem with Southeast Asian economic growth is that it is concentrated in the hands of a very distinct minority (namely the Chinese - the Jews of Southeast Asia)

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The communities coexist in relative harmony, but the wealth gap among them is grave. Despite making up 60% of the population, Malays own just 19% of the economy, trailing far behind the minority ethnic Chinese, who make up only a quarter of the population but hold 40% of the economy;

IIRC it's worse (wealth gap is bigger + tensions are even higher) in Indonesia and worst in Philippines.

Yes, and its notable here in Thailand - and its a huge motivator behind the recent political troubles here.  (though to be fair Thailand is more egalitarian than the USA).

[opebo]

...Overall, it seems that the two have very similar income distributions.

Yes - overall I find no great difference in either the standard of living or the level of inequality between the two places.