Working in the Land of Smiles

There are a number of issues for expatiate executives 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 disrespect.

If you are working in an international organisation, assimilation will be easier because people in the organisation 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 Dawasdee 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.