If you want to understand the difference between a collectivist and an individualist society, go to Benchakitti Park in Bangkok.
There are public basketball courts, a public gym with weights and barbells, and courts where guys play takraw (the 3-a-side game with the woven ball, where they throw crazy overhead kicks over the net).
Everything is in top condition. No graffiti, no vandalism, nothing broken. The weights just sit outside, and you can be pretty sure they'll still be there tomorrow morning.
Now picture the same park in a lot of Western cities. I'd bet on graffiti all over the courts, burned or smashed equipment, and weights stolen or thrown into the water for fun.
Everything boils down to who comes first. In a collective society the group comes first and your own impulse comes second. In an individualist society it's more "me first", and when you're drunk, or a teenager with your friends, breaking the rules is what feels right in that moment.
Both societies have pros and cons. Individualism gives you a lot of freedom, and Thailand has its own problems of course. But it's hard to ignore when you see it in a park.
Is it just culture? Or is there more to it?