When you say apart from the obvious many of those here willnot be able to fathom the obvious and the non obvious I am sure. 50 years ago many parts of Thailand were remote and difficult to access.Many new comers donot realize that growing up in countries with roads that gave easy access to everywhere. In Petchebun 50 years ago the trip from lomsak to petchebun which is 43 kilometers took all day, people had to stop half way for a lunch and a break.
Trucks are cars were few,motorcycles were for the rich, bicyles were the transportation.Of course no propane for cooking all charcoal.No running water in most areas people went to the river for water.No electricity.I had a friend who worked in Chiang Mai around 50 years ago he told me after 8 oclock at night you could have shot a cannon off down main street and not hit anyone the streets were vacant everyone was at home.My last gf who was 34 told me when she grew up in Esan as a young girl there was only a narrow red shale road to her village, now a bus from Bangkok comes to within one block from her house on nice paved road.
Many towns and villages still had opium houses, that gave free opium to anyone who wanted it or needed it.The tuk tuks at that time were done by man power these guys were treated very poorly by many people and sometimes they would find one of these guys dead in front the opium house dead of starvation. They used opium to kill the hunger pains.I think Pitsanuloks last opium house burnt down around 50 years ago.
The nomadic hilltribes didnot know borders and wandered freely from Burma Loas in and out of Thailand.
Could go on but this is making me realize just how much it has changed. Too much maybe.