Why Honor & Integrity Are Not Important Concepts In Thailand

[JimmyTheMook]

Seems these qualities are severely lacking amongst the majority of the population.

Is this a Thai cultural thing ?

[mizzi39]

Seems these qualities are severely lacking amongst the majority of the population.

Is this a Thai cultural thing ?

[/quot

jimmythemook, could you please elaborate so this post does not turn out to be overgeneralized like the last few posts on this forum?

Edited August 8, 2008 by mizzi39

[lifeisrandom]

this should be fun

[bendix]

Perhaps when we've finished this, we could start a new discussion about why vapid generalisations about what Thais are and what they aren't are so rampant amongst so many bitter and disappointed farang in Thailand?

That would be fun too.

[Chaimai]

this should be fun

I give it an hour at best.

[GuestHouse]

What the OP is actually saying is..

Because his understanding of Thai Culture and Society is insufficiently developed for him to be able to discern the 'Thai' views on Honor and Integrity he therefore assumes these concepts do not exist in Thai society.

It's a common enough mistake made by many a Farang in Thailand - In this case Honor and Integrity, in another 'the boundaries of socially acceptable behavior'

Remember - just because you can't see the rules, it does not mean that the rules do not exist.

[taxexile]

Is this a Thai cultural thing ?

read Neils Mulders' book , Inside Thai Society , and you will find the answer to your question , and it will also help you to understand the building blocks of thai interpersonal relationships and may help you ( as a foriegner ) avoid putting yourself in situations where you might feel yourself to be a victim of what we in the west would class as a perceived lack of honour and integrity.

its a book that helped me to see beyond the smile and the standard thai demeanor of charm and understand that underneath it is an amazing pragmatism that dictates their actions.

honour and integrity as we might define it are mostly for close ties , family etc.

before accusing the thais of being dishonourable and of lacking in integrity , it would help to understand exactly what interpersonal forces are at work moulding the thai psyche.

loyalty to the family comes first here , relationships outside the family work on a completely different level. when you can begin to understand those levels then it becomes possible to form rewarding relationships ( business , social and romantic ) and have better all round dealings with thais.

Edited August 8, 2008 by taxexile

[imkoreanboy]

they are severely lacking because most thais got no money

[Carib]

I think the Op is just trying to compare the wonderful western way of thinking and acting, with the Thai/Asian way he obviously doesnot know <deleted> about.

[mizzi39]

they are severely lacking because most thais got no money

See they let the TROLLS loose tonight! time for a round up!

[scotwumman]

Thank you Tax Exile for words of wisdom and understanding of original post- succinctly put forward without sarcasm

Have found difficulty in obtaining this book but will try again - seems to be a scarcity

[PeaceBlondie]

If this were not already a Thai-bashing thread, it would soon be. Closed for obvious reasons.

[Scott]

One thing that affects the difference in how cultures operate has to do with internal and external controls. This, by the way, is a generalization, with lots of exeptions. A lot of western cultures, with the Judeo-Christian culture, stress internal controls. This means that somehow the individual is responsible for his/her own behavior. They are taught early to delay gratification and that certain things are evil and you will go to 'hel_l' if you do them. (But since God can always see you--you still have a sort of external control). These cultures also often stress the internal nature of the person and his/her self-control over external controls.

A number of cultures stress external control over. This, in Thailand, is seen in the patronage system where someone takes care of those 'below' them and where there is a collective cultural responsibility to control others--thus a lot of high fences and walls because it is understood that people will act in a more impulsive manner. It's up to the family and the social network to control the behavior of others. Internally, people are seen as having less control and responsibility for their own actions. Thus, if a technical college has problems with fighting, the entire school will be punished--possibly shut down for the actions of a few. You see laws where alcohol can't be served between certain hours, so that people can't/won't drink.

In Muslim culture, for example, women need to be covered because men can't really be held responsible for their actions.

All these socio-cultural methods of controlling it's members have their strengths and downsides. These are particularly evident when cultures move from agrarian to urban, where the control mechanisms don't always work so well.