"GENG JAI": this word is a mixture of the feelings of guilt and embarrassment and reluctance ... [plus] a feeling of gratitude, but with a healthly dose of embarrassment

2 words spring to mind, halfomnipotent ["demipotent" for short?]

"sheepish", and "compromised", the latter in this sense:

"A concession to something detrimental or pejorative: a compromise of morality." [A-H]

It occurs to me that there are cultural differences between Thailand and North America [even the West generally] which might explain why we do not have a word which translates "GENG JAI" [a wonderful word] precisely.

Our citizens, particularly in Canada and the U.K, generally accept that a minimum standard of living is a right, not a charity, and therefore it is not demeaning to accept well-intentioned assistance from any source when it is honestly required.

This sense of 'entitlement' not only mutes any sense of belittlement or obligation, but also the sense of gratitude itself.

No doubt, one who receives assistance in such circumstances does feel gratitude, but this feeling is more likely to be diffused toward society as a whole. In other words, they may feel grateful that they live in a country infused with such an amplitude of common decency.

Extract from scholarly paper published in 1996 entitled "Social Safety Net in Thailand: the Role of Government"

"In a competitive economic system like Thailand, people are expected to look after their own welfare. However, Thailand does not have permanent income maintenance program. The two-way compulsory social security system became operational only in 1991, when the government passed a law requiring large firms with 20 or more workers to participate in the state-run social security system. This social security system, which covers illness, death, in and out of the work places, maternity leaves, and invalidity, is expected to expand its operations to cover larger contingencies such as old-age pensions and unemployment benefits in the near future. ... Of all the labor force in Thailand at present, more than 30 million economically active persons, those covered by the public and private social security systems are still quite few. Thus, social safety net programs initiated by the government have become more urgent for the poor and the needy."

http://216.239.41.104/search?q=cache:nZ_AdD2FnfYJ:www.asianscholarship.org/publications/papers/Shao%2520Zhiqin-%2520Social%2520Safety%2520Net%2520in%2520Thailand%2520the%2520Role%2520of%2520Government.doc+social+assistance+in+Thailand&hl=en