Etiquette In The Thai Workplace

[Korat88]

Since I will most likely be moving to Thailand this year with my wife, I was hoping to generate a little advice on what to do and what not to do in a mainly Thai staffed environment. What are the important things to remember as far as not treading on toes is concerned?

Thanks for any useful feedback.

[Ijustwannateach]

If it is the type of organisation in which most Thai employees have been around for awhile, you will most likely observe the negative, organisation-defeating factionalism which is very common here due to lack of proper management. One or more factions will attempt to befriend you to get you on "their side." If you do in fact become associated with one side, it will spell your doom because you will be a much more easily discarded pawn (the "foreigner") than a Thai national in their games. You need to keep things professional (even if no one else can) make it clear to everyone that you're interested in getting your own work done and not in office politics (on any "side"). You will not be close office buddies with anyone as a result, but you will get a certain measure of autonomy and respect as someone who works hard and isn't relevant to the dramas.

[Irene]

Sit back for three months and watch the working of the system. Don't be a loud mouth or opinionated. Queries should be posed with a Thai outside the work place. There is no secret in Thai work place. So be above board and dont take advantage of your employer on small things like excessive expense claims. They will talk at lunchtime. Show your good standard, then you will go far.

[Prakanong]

Do what you would do anywhere else.

Talking politics or about the royal family I only do with very close Thai friends.

The girls in the office will feed you a lot and bring you drinks quite often.

Office hours tend to be very long - even longer than Singapore. Its not unusula for our Thai staff to arrive before 7 and leave at 8 at night.

[Cuban]

Consider motive from each person before letting them into your thoughts.

Beware of giving praise to one person in front of others. Do it privately. (Assuming you are the boss.)

If you make changes see if you can disuss the idea and get their support before effecting the change. With care I was able to make changes to the office's buddha icon without upsetting anyone, I was told on day one this would not be possible.

Often staff will do what you tell them to do, even if you are wrong because you are the boss. Some staff you will be able to develop others will be task focused. Explore their strengths by experiment over time. If giving a new task - break it down into simple defined steps. If there is a choice to be made in a process tell them how to choose the "right" answer or tell them to report to you for guidance. In my experiance they can make strange choices because of the focus within some of their thought process is based on the loss of 'face' or fastest solution with least effort rather than happiest boss or happiest client.

Having this thought process at the back of your mind during interviewing would-be new staff can help understand the bizarre answers that you sometimes get. I have a few set questions as warm ups to allow the candidate to synch up with my accent and get into their best conversational English, then encouage them to expand on things that they know about to allow me to judge their English skills and technical experiances that apply to the job they are here for. We are a small business that requires a small set of minor technical skills that can be taught but, English and other languages are important. The differance between hire and fire is the other stuff within the person, partly will they fit in with the existing staff? When we interview the Thai director takes the first go then they are brought to me, so I don't have to do any of the Thai education and CV type stuff - and can focus on the business aspects and the person.

I met some nice people that have talked themselves out of a job by giving the answer that they expected I would like rather than the truth.

When working with Thai staff that do not share any common langauge (contractors or builders, repair techies etc.) explain with the aid of a diagram - and keep a photocopy. Took me three goes to get that one right !

Depending on the skill sets you need see if you can give training, Thai staff IMHO seem to respond well to this.

Take an interest in them but don't get too close. Likewise I keep personal life away from work, my OH didn't like that at first. A previous farang employee caused his own departure by thinking working in Thailand was the same as holidaying in Thailand, as another has said be professional. Having a dress code reminds people that this is the office and not a playground.

I understand that some Thai managers will explode at the first sign of a problem, working for a farang boss is an unknown for some Thai staff so consider the impact of your actions, like the three bears - don't be too soft or too hard. This afternoon one of my guys was involved in a problem that could have cost the company a little money, some fact finding before taking action has resulted in the problem going away with miminal impact on the company or loss of 'face' - and I didn't have to leave my desk. Ask the right questions as few will volunteer hard facts if they fear the impact of talking about a particular person or situation.

Staff move on - don't fear it but plan for it, when you loose key staff ensure you don't loose the business process with them.

If your staff deal with money directly consider each step of the chain and how you could safeguard the accounting process from theft and "loss due to error" which is soul destroying seeing profit being thrown away.

[koheesti]

Here's a great source:

http://www.thaicoach.com/new/eng_columns.php

[steveromagnino]

If it is the type of organisation in which most Thai employees have been around for awhile, you will most likely observe the negative, organisation-defeating factionalism which is very common here due to lack of proper management. One or more factions will attempt to befriend you to get you on "their side." If you do in fact become associated with one side, it will spell your doom because you will be a much more easily discarded pawn (the "foreigner") than a Thai national in their games. You need to keep things professional (even if no one else can) make it clear to everyone that you're interested in getting your own work done and not in office politics (on any "side"). You will not be close office buddies with anyone as a result, but you will get a certain measure of autonomy and respect as someone who works hard and isn't relevant to the dramas.

possibly this is a non profit education type facility or political assocation or organisation, in which case i would completely believe it.....for a real proper business, I think this is pretty far from the norm.

Any chance the OP can describe the type of company concerned?

Big small nature of business etc etc...... which part of Thailand?

Language schools are perhaps a major exception (if I guess correctly IJWT) and not the norm at all with regards to organisation culture, at least from what I have heard of them compared to my own experience in consulting to a large number of Thai companies.

[Korat88]

Any chance the OP can describe the type of company concerned?

Big small nature of business etc etc...... which part of Thailand?

Language schools are perhaps a major exception (if I guess correctly IJWT) and not the norm at all with regards to organisation culture, at least from what I have heard of them compared to my own experience in consulting to a large number of Thai companies.

Many thanks for all the feedback. Some serious things to think about there.

The company is a specialised service company and I am going to be employed in a supervisory position with two farang above me. The other staff, as far as I know are all Thai. The business is in Bangkok and would be classified as a medium sized company I would think. Nothing to do with the education system.

I think staying quiet for the first few months and observing is a good point, not that I am that loud mind you!

[steveromagnino]

Any chance the OP can describe the type of company concerned?

Big small nature of business etc etc...... which part of Thailand?

Language schools are perhaps a major exception (if I guess correctly IJWT) and not the norm at all with regards to organisation culture, at least from what I have heard of them compared to my own experience in consulting to a large number of Thai companies.

Many thanks for all the feedback. Some serious things to think about there.

The company is a specialised service company and I am going to be employed in a supervisory position with two farang above me. The other staff, as far as I know are all Thai. The business is in Bangkok and would be classified as a medium sized company I would think. Nothing to do with the education system.

I think staying quiet for the first few months and observing is a good point, not that I am that loud mind you!

GOod plan. Learn to speak Thai is key. PM me, I work in a similar capacity, (without the farangs around) and maybe we can exchange tips.

[Ijustwannateach]

possibly this is a non profit education type facility or political assocation or organisation, in which case i would completely believe it.....for a real proper business, I think this is pretty far from the norm.

Any chance the OP can describe the type of company concerned?

Big small nature of business etc etc...... which part of Thailand?

Language schools are perhaps a major exception (if I guess correctly IJWT) and not the norm at all with regards to organisation culture, at least from what I have heard of them compared to my own experience in consulting to a large number of Thai companies.

Fair enough, non-profit education facility pretty much describes the type of workplace I am talking about.

Actually, language schools are socially a lot more functional than non-profits in the long term (there can be important short-term exceptions regarding individual evil managers, etc.) because turnover is higher (so less chance for factions to develop) and there is at least some profit motive to eliminate the completely insane or incompetent employees.

Haven't worked in one for donkeys' years, though!

"S"

[jasreeve17]

Show interest, but never comment on anything. Don't offer any opinions in any direction. Don't talk about, or gossip about, anything, or anyone.

Don't show any signs of negativity directed at anyone / anything in the workplace.

Be a happy, smiling little drone. Be pleasant to all.

Good luck.

[Prakanong]

"Show interest, but never comment on anything. Don't offer any opinions in any direction. Don't talk about, or gossip about, anything, or anyone."

I think I do all of those every day

[jasreeve17]

"Show interest, but never comment on anything. Don't offer any opinions in any direction. Don't talk about, or gossip about, anything, or anyone."

I think I do all of those every day

Advice on how to be a good manager in Thailand, or how not to be a good manager in Europe...

[Prakanong]

"Show interest, but never comment on anything. Don't offer any opinions in any direction. Don't talk about, or gossip about, anything, or anyone."

I think I do all of those every day

Advice on how to be a good manager in Thailand, or how not to be a good manager in Europe...

I am a AP Regional Manager for a department in a very large company and my boss thinks I am good according to my latest review and that is what counts. (I should get my bonus letter this week and that counts more)

I have no direct reports in Thailand though and can only use influencing skills to get them to do what I need - they are all good girls and deliver on time always.

Gossip is never about peoples personal lives either - always about who is moving to where.

[Samuian]

Much has been posted - i would like to recommend this book:

Thais Mean Business by Robert Cooper

The Expat's Guide to Doing Business in Thailand.

THE EXPAT. A mutant of the human species that can be uprooted from a familiar environment, flown halfway around the world, dropped into another time, climate and culture, and then walk into a strange office to manage the unknown.

The world is the expat's stage, market-place and battlefield. All people act, trade and fight. But, as the expat knows, not all people act, trade and fight in the same way. No doubt the dogmatic universals of modern management theory learnt at business schools, force-fed in expensive training sessions, or cribbed from a book written by a prophet who has never seen the sun rise from the Temple of Dawn, will need to be tempered, adapted or placed on hold if the expat is to blossom and prosper in Thailand.

In this New & Revised edition, Robert Cooper, anthropologist-turned-manager (there's more money in it) and author of the best-selling Culture Shock! Thailand continues his quest in helping the expat in Thailand solve problems and increase profits. With deadly serious humour and brand new sections (from Copyright to 'Fresh' Money) for today's brand new expat, he encourages the expat towards a middle path of hands-off management which he describes in its ideal form as "a hammock stretched between two palm trees".

Paperback

Marshall Cavendish

Singapore 2004

157 Pages

ISBN 9812328653

The Bold highlighted "Culture Shock" is a good and worthwhile read too!

[keestha]

First one minor point: People don't expect you to greet them when you come to work or when you leave when the working day is over. You just walk to your desk and switch on the computer, and your first verbal exchange will be with somebody who has to ask you a question. When it is time to go home, you just switch off the computer, and leave the office without saying anything. First this stroke me as odd.

Then a much more important point: Staff often don't mention problems to the boss because they are set on not displeasing him. Once ever, I pressed a secretary for a long time to ask the boss to buy an extension cable that would have come in very handy. Later, having got to know Thai mentality better, I understood that she probably never mentioned it to him.

Edited March 5, 2008 by keestha

[Prakanong]

"Then a much more important point: Staff often don't mention problems to the boss because they are set on not displeasing him. Once ever, I pressed a secretary for a long time to ask the boss to buy an extension cable that would have come in very handy. Later, having got to know Thai mentality better, I understood that she probably never mentioned it to him. "

Krengjai - as my Thai colleague who lived in N America and went to Uni there before returning to work in Thailand once said to me, "Sometimes I really F^&*ing hate krengjai"

I work in clinical trials where major problems have to be reported immediately and they do seem to do it - whether they do with minor problems I do not know but they do ask me for help when they need it on the IT systems I manage.

I do get greeted when I walk into the BKK office though - not wai'ed mind you but big nice smiles and a western "Hi There" - the same when I am leaving.

Edited March 5, 2008 by Prakanong

[jbaldwin]

Staff will not want to give you bad news. If you ask a question you will often be told what your staff member believes that you would want to answer to be.

[Prakanong]

Staff will not want to give you bad news. If you ask a question you will often be told what your staff member believes that you would want to answer to be.

Again that is krengjai is it not?

Not wanting to "Impose" is the way someone described it to me.

It does not happen in *All* Thai workplaces though.

[moo9]

I could write a book on this, I have like 18 subordinates. Essential is timely and precise reporting to our HQ in Europe. And there the trouble starts. Timelines, Deadlines....hmmm....not so strict in Thailand. Most of the staff (who is otherwise very kind and nice), prefer to hide problems, never ask questions, so it remains up to me to follow up EVERYTHING very closely. I had too many bad surprises when I thought that things were done, but they weren't. All this stress makes me feel that one year in this Thai company equals 2 or 3 years in a western company. Anyway it is fun. I stay usually polite, but during my time here I learned as well that too much kindness will result in nothing (just the "sabai sabai" of the employees). Yes you should forgive smaller mistakes, but when the bigger mistakes do harm to your own career, you'd better be very strict and determined with your employees and for this it is essential that from the starting point not get too close to them, e.g. participating in the "social events" all them time, which mainly consist of drinking competition of the male employees. Keep a distance and follow every work very closely.

It's fun anyway, although sometimes extremely exhausting I find.

[Prakanong]

I did have similar experiences to Moo when working in Thailand at a different before regarding deadlines but do not seem to have those problems now when asking for milestones to be updated or other errors corrected from our Thai office.

I do publish the data region wide weekly across Asia so it may be a face thing but I do not hear from anyone else about Thailand being late at our company - the opposite in fact.

There are other things that do take longer in Thailand though - regulatory approvals, budget negotiations but these concern outside parties.

I found the Thai's hard going when i was based there but working with them from the regional HQ is absolutely fine and most pleasant.

[Cuban]

First one minor point: People don't expect you to greet them when you come to work or when you leave when the working day is over. You just walk to your desk and switch on the computer, and your first verbal exchange will be with somebody who has to ask you a question. When it is time to go home, you just switch off the computer, and leave the office without saying anything. First this stroke me as odd.

Wow - I get waied every morning, and depending on the staff in the evening when going home as well. Is it that no ones wais within the office or are you an exception?

Do others dine with their staff?

Depending on who's in the office on a particular day I will stay in for lunch and have something that is bought in from the local stalls or market, we each pay for our own meals - exception being Christmas where I arranged pizzas and ice cream (staff choice of food).

[moo9]

I did have similar experiences to Moo when working in Thailand at a different before regarding deadlines but do not seem to have those problems now when asking for milestones to be updated or other errors corrected from our Thai office.

I do publish the data region wide weekly across Asia so it may be a face thing but I do not hear from anyone else about Thailand being late at our company - the opposite in fact.

There are other things that do take longer in Thailand though - regulatory approvals, budget negotiations but these concern outside parties.

I found the Thai's hard going when i was based there but working with them from the regional HQ is absolutely fine and most pleasant.

For my case, guess it is a special one. When we came here there was almost no reporting, very easy deadline, no defined processes and procedures. The staff have been working in this environment for more than 10 years, so it was very hard for them to turn by 180 degrees.

I agree, the newer staff we hired adapted much more easily, but some of the old still have not the pace and the personal drive. Guess we made too many changes at a time, but on the other hand we had to, as the HQ was pushing for it. So we get squeezed quite a little bit.

However, don't you feel, that you can't measure thai working logic with western scales? I find it quite amazing how people can forget things, they done 3 or 4 weeks before, or just repeat the same errors. That is what I mean with the close follow up or milestones.

But ok, we can get things done, much depends on the personal qualities and the attitude of the staff. It is always a thin line between pushing to hard and easy going. I am not sure whether I succeed all the time, but one thing I absolutely avoid is showing too much anger or aggression (shouting whatever...). Although my inside is from time to time close to explode

[moo9]

Wow - I get waied every morning, and depending on the staff in the evening when going home as well. Is it that no ones wais within the office or are you an exception?

Some waive some not, some fear to waive to the boss, some smile, some not.

I say hello to everyone or just give a short smile, that's ok.

[Korat88]

What great feedback from everyone. Thank you very much.

I will have to re-read and re-read and pick-up the consistent points.

The two links provided are also very helpful.

Cheers!