I’d like to agree, but it’s hard to. They seem to take themselves very seriously, whether it’s job titles, work uniforms, or social hierarchy, all things that we barely emphasize at all in the West.
Then there’s the big, fragile egos of many local men, which is just another sign of how seriously they take themselves. And the whole concept of saving face? That’s entirely rooted in taking oneself too seriously.
You often have to walk on eggshells when speaking with Thai men. You accidentally damage their ego or inadvertently cause them to lose face, and it could turn into an irreparable situation.