Dental Thailand Forum, Dental Bangkok Dental Phuket | DentalThailand.ORG
Land of Smiles"Thailand" => About Thailand => Topic started by: zabolian on March 21, 2012, 11:14:46 PM
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Hello to everyone,
I just moved from Philadelphia to settle down in Thailand with my lovely Thai wife. Since my company is a global chain so I requested to base in BKK, as a Regional Manager. I will be start working sometime in May as they have to prepare about my paper work. I love Thailand, Thai food, and Thai people!! Really want to make it work to living here. So, I want to learn more about Thais, as I know little bit from my wife that there have a specific for Thai culture, etiquette and all the stuffs. Can anybody share about these?
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Here you go zabolian!!
There are a number of issues for farang (foreigner) working in Thailand, especially those who have had no work exposure in Asian countries. These issues arise primarily because of cultural differences between the East and West. For example, in Asian working culture it is rare to see direct confrontation between employees and among the management. In the West, it is normal practice to question your superiors. In Asia (certainly in Thailand, although each Asian country has its own business practices and taboos), junior executives and employees rarely question their superiors and never openly. This is considered disrespectful.
If you are working in an international organization, assimilation will be easier because people in the organization generally have experience working with expatiates and are used to Western management models. That said, the following tips and information may be useful:
* Never shout at your staff especially in front of others. Politely ask them to repeat what you said to ensure mutual understanding –English is very much a second language for Thais and it might be that your staff does not understand you clearly, but also does not want to disappoint you by showing it. Thus, it is better for you to recap. Always treat your staff politely. If youneed to give them negative feedback, do it in private.
* Be aware of "KREANG CHAI"culture. This is a difficult Thai behaviour trait to explain but let me give an example. You ask one of your staff no work overtime due to a heavy work load. Unfortunately, it happens to be his wife’s birthday and he promised to take her out that evening. He does not refuse your request because he feels kreang chai as his superior requested him to help and he feels he obliges to do it even though he knows it will create a problem with his wife.
* Kisses, hugs and familiar touches are a no-no with female staff.
* Practice your "WAI". This is the traditional Thai greeting and a way to show respect to elders. Wai by placing the palms of your hands together and raising your hands to the face or forehead.
* Learn to say "Sawasdee krab" for guys or "Sawasdee Ka" for ladies and smile a lot! A friendly greeting will charm your staff and earn their respect.
* Learn to speak some Thai and don’t be shy about practicing it. Your staff will appreciate the effort (and guide you) and you’ll get more out of your time in Thailand as a result.
sourced by : Munthana Thamlikitkul
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Hi,
I have lived and work in Bangkok for 10 years. Just bought a condo in Cha-am as a weekend getaway, I have gained much more useful Thai culture information from my experience so just wanted to share about Thai business customs to all on this forum.
In business circles, some Thai people will have a reasonable command of English. However, most Thais do not feel comfortable speaking English. Address a Thai man or woman by their first name, not their surname, using the prefix Khun instead of Mr or Mrs. It is not considered informal or familiar to call Thais by their first name. Although Thai people appreciate punctuality when conducting business, there is a different concept of time in Thailand. Deadlines are often overlooked and it is necessary to allow for this when scheduling meetings. Don't contradict or criticize people in public. An essential tool for success in Thailand is patience. A person who lets inconveniences pass and forgives easily is respected.
Have a good day!
Steve W.
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Many thanks for the information :)