How to do business and talk to thais

[brynjarh]

How to do business and act around Thai people

The Icelandic minstry of foreign affairs has information on how to approach people of different nationalities.  Found many interesting things here that I wanted to share with you

Translated from

http://www.vur.is/interpro/utanr/vur.nsf/p...l-uppltail.html

All written communications goes though many intermediaries before reaching the final recipient.

It is useful to print business cards in English on one side and in Thai on the other side.  That can be done in Bangkok.

Thai people will check thoroughly everything you will do to make sure it is good doing business with you.  At the first business meeting with Thais, they want you get to know them.  Although the situation might seem informal, you should avoid going against Thai business traditions.

The pecking order in Thailand is obvious inside companies.  Everyone obeys his or her superior without questions.  It is important in Thailand that everyone shows his or her superior overwhelming respect.  Because of that rank is very important to people.

You should avoid underestimating Thais in business discussions, although they give a false image on the surface.  You should be calm and at ease at all times.  Too much enthusiasm is frowned upon.  The Thais want to avoid conflict at all casts.  Instead of saying no, they will give explanations that seem improbable and pretend not to understand English.  If you have to refuse something, the best thing is to give cloudy answers.

You should avoid asking leading and direct questions.  Laughing is usually a symbol of anxiety or lack of resolve.  Therefore, you should change the topic in a meeting if inappropriate laughing is noticed.  

Patience is highly valued and is necessary.  Things happen at the turtle’s pace in Thailand.  You should not have unrealistic goals concerning processing time of certain cases or business discussions.

Thai people are open to new ideas and definitions of cases.  The future is more important to Thais than the past.  Situations in every case rather than law and regulations direct Thais to solutions.  Thais who have university education from Europe or America look more at objective facts in solving problems.

Thais believe that fate and luck are deciding factors in people’s lives.  Therefore, they do not put much effort in planning the future, since they think it is too unpredictable.  Nevertheless being proactive is considered important in everyone’s life.  Individuals are always made to take full responsibility of their actions.

Thais appreciate if you use a few Thai words from time to time.  Before a final decision is made the Thais want to get together a few times for discussions.

Lunch usually takes two hours from 13:00 to 15:00.  Business is usually not discussed at such occasions.

Dinner is usually served at 18:00.  Please note that restaurants close rather early, or around 20:00 to 21:00.  The dinner takes 3 hours.  It is best to have all dinner invitations at a western restaurant in a large hotel.  A buffet is the best option.  Women should not ask men to dinner.  Please note that some places have dress codes.  The host always pays for the meal.

You should consider it a rare honor to be invited to a Thai home.  You should check if the host wears shoes in his home.  If not you should take your shoes off.  Stepping on the threshold is a bad thing.

Praising should be done sparingly.  If you show some object a lot of interest the host will feel forced to give it to you.

A male host is usually seated besides his male honor guest.  The same applies for women.

Chopsticks are only used for eating noodles.  It is honorable to let the host start dining before you.  It is not appropriate to eat only one kind of food at a time.  One bite of rice should follow one bite of food.  When you are offered the last piece, you should refuse the first time, but accept the second time.  Finally, you will be offered fried rice.  You should not have those to indicate that you are full.

Smoking is common after dining.

People should be addressed by their title whenever possible.

Never touch a monk.  You must show them the utmost respect.

Thais will ask you where you are going when they really are asking how you are feeling.

Touching between individuals of the opposite sex is not tolerated in Thailand.  Never touch a person’s head.

You should not discuss the musical Anna and the King by Rodgers and Hammerstein.  Thais think that their country is not well described in it.

[Rinrada]

Good advice..also always remember that in Thai "Mai Chai"does not mean NO it means NOT YES.