Thai Workers Need To Upgrade Skills

[webfact]

LABOUR MARKET

Thai workers need to upgrade skills

By The Nation

Stiff competition from Vietnamese, Filipinos once Asean market opens

Thailand will face an oversupply crisis in the midlevel labour market if workers do not improve their skills to compete with their counterparts in Vietnam and the Philippines, a Bangkok seminar on vocational study was told yesterday.

Migration of labour within Asean countries will begin in the next four years and career training and selfdevelopment are needed now for Thai workers to be competitive in time, said Associate Professor Somphong Jitradab, a senior official with the Quality Learning Foundation.

Filipino workers are wanted in the service sector elsewhere because of their English skills, while the Vietnamese are hardworking and patient, he said.

Workers from both countries are expected to resume study in vocational fields to enhance their skills.

"By that time, they will possess greater ranges of skills and obtain greater job opportunities. And if Thailand is not ready, they will take a large portion of employment in the middlelevel labour market or the service sector."

He said vocational classes in Thailand should be made available at the seventh grade, otherwise it would not be possible to fully educate enough skilful graduates in time.

There are 400,000 graduates withdegrees and only 100,000 of them get jobs, while those with vocational degrees graduate in much smaller numbers, but 90 per cent of them find jobs, he said.

Weerawat Wannasiri, head of the Federation of Private Vocational Schools of Thailand, proposed making the Kingdom a regional hub for vocational education, with a large number of government schools and 66 private ones already available.

Few languages are not widely taught in government and private vocational schools.

"Skills alone are not the crucial factor in making Thai workers superior to Singaporeans or Malaysians - we need to improve the Thai workers' English," he added.

Weerawat said the establishment of the Asean Vocational College was underway to accommodate the Asean Economic Community in 2015, which will make travel and employment among member countries easier, with higher salaries and better incentives.

Natcha Thiamphithak, director of Panyapiwat Techno Business School, which trains staff for 7Eleven outlets and provides business courses under contract, said the outlets accommodated 10,000 positions, mostly filled by overqualified staff with undergraduate degrees.

The renowned Saowabha Vocational College said it was ready to begin teaching various modern subjects other than cookery and artistry, which have been its core subjects since its establishment in 1901.

-- The Nation 2011-06-10

[jaltsc]

"We need to improve the Thai workers' English". How about starting with the person who wrote this article.

"Few languages are not widely taught in government and private vocational schools." Which actually means that many languages are widely taught.However....Thai vocational schools turn out better thugs!!! Thailand, the hub of student thuggery.

Edited June 10, 2011 by jaltsc

[Bagwan]

Quote : Few languagesare not widely taught in government and private vocational schools. "Skills aloneare not the crucial factor in making Thai workers superior to Singaporeans orMalaysians - we need to improve the Thai workers' English," he added. Unquote

Physician heal thyself.

Quote: The renowned Saowabha Vocational Collegesaid it was ready to begin teaching various modern subjects other than cookeryand artistry, which have been its core subjects since its establishment in 1901. Unquote

It has taken 110 years to form a committee and to target itwith mapping out future activities?

[kevc]

I think the main problem with Thai workers is that from an early age at school they are taught not to ask why just do it. When it comes to problem solving in later life in their jobs most haven't got a clue because they've never had the encouragement to question. eg taken computers many times for repairs and it's always the same answer wipe it clean and re install.

[whistleblower]

Weerawat Wannasiri, head of the Federation of Private Vocational Schools of Thailand, proposed making the Kingdom a regional hub for vocational education, with a large number of government schools and 66 private ones already available.

Does anybody have the latest list for what Thailand is a hub to???

Trink used to keep an updated list.

[kurnell]

Hire women only. They are more capable of thinking for themsleves. My office has 10 Thai staff, all women. Works like clockwork.

[TheWalkingMan]

This should have been in the works years ago. I can see that many, many people will be left by the wayside as they will fight the change in thinking required to stay competitive. The current and previous administrations really let the people down.

TheWalkingMan

[jeanpierre]

some do have skills

[pisico]

This is an exclusive, inward culture that values tradition. To break the molds is not easy. To ask why, to complain are no, nos of this culture: "it's not polite to complain." Let the wrong continue to be wrong until there is a crisis. 2 egregious examples: 1- motorcycles roaming on the same sidewalk (encroached and squeezed by infinite number of carts) where pedestrians walk endangering their lives. 2- Soi dogs (a good title for a novel) reproducing exponentially without an Animal Control presence in any city of the country. The noise at night while these Soi dogs fight over food and/or vie for the female of choice notwithstanding, a rabies epidemic is in the making. When there is a crisis of so many under skilled Thai workers that cannot get hired there will be an outcry: Why hire foreigners when so many Thais are out of work? Will this be the solution? To apply themselves and study to be up to par, or higher level of proficiency than foreign nationals? NO! The best solution to the problem will probably be Affirmative action Thai style. Alai go dai!

[Marvo]

How are foreigners going to take over the labour market in Thailand when it is xenophobically protected so vigorously?

[whybother]

How are foreigners going to take over the labour market in Thailand when it is xenophobically protected so vigorously?

ASEAN Community in 2015. Asian foreigners won't need work permits.

[Marvo]

How are foreigners going to take over the labour market in Thailand when it is xenophobically protected so vigorously?

ASEAN Community in 2015. Asian foreigners won't need work permits.

Lordy

[trisailer]

Sounds like an off day for this writer.

Where does he get the idea that other Asian countries like Vietnam and the Philippines will overtake Thailand? Thailand is already blowing them out of the water for high tech jobs while they wallow in the stone age making shirts. If Thailand failed to progress beyond it's present stage it will still take these other countries 20 years to catch up.

The article should have said that Thailand will be overtaking Japan soon. Their already making cars and electronics as well as Japan.

Thailand is manufacturing all kinds of high tech stuff which is far better than China.

[ruddick]

I can't ever see Thailand allowing outside workers to come to Thailand and work without all sorts of controllers. I wouldn't be at all shocked if something like this happen "Yes you can come and work here without a work permit, but you must first be able to read and write Thai and pass a Thai culture exam.

[kandahar]

This article is not talking about Thais losing out in the Thai work market. It is talking about Thais losing out in all of the other ASEAN country job markets. And it is correct. When someone starts a project in another country, they most likely are NOT going to hire recruiters to come to Thailand to gather a workforce. Filipinos, Chinese and many others already have a good reputation for being skilled workers and fluent in other languages and they are already hired in droves for new projects the world over. The Thailand workforce does not have that reputation. While an effort to change that reputation is commendable, I would be so surprised to see it followed through.

Many nations who provide workers to projects in other countries have done a lot of business with other countries in the past and the hiring countries actually got to work with the locals and learn about them on projects in the local's countries. This country isn't too big on other countries coming in here with a large foreign population of managers and journeymen and building anything, to include relationships with the locals. Sure, some trade schools and more emphasis on English is a good idea but until other countries can come here and build some relationships and trust with the locals, they will be ignored by hiring countries. They already know who fits the bill in skill and work ethic. This country has to change in a lot of ways if they want to be serious contenders in the external labor markets. I do not think they will change. They will sit on the sidelines and wonder what happened.

If they are serious about being contenders, they need to open up this country to foreign investment which is supported by foreign workers, managers and journeymen and allow this local workforce to get the experience in working in an entirely different mindset alongside foreign workers. Learning world-accepted construction skills, service sector expectations, work ethics and a strong ability to converse in, and understand English is what will get Thais hired. Six weeks of national, political and religious holidays per year isn't going to cut it. Missing work whenever one feels like it, isn't going to cut it. Until other countries have developed some confidence in the Thai ability to work outside of the Thai culture, the Thais don't have a chance.

Edited June 10, 2011 by kandahar

[Sydebolle]

Obviously things will improve only if the powers-to-be want to improve it. For generations this country of oligarch families made unbelievable fortunes on the back of the uneducated.

In a country where strings, water hoses, ropes and wire are sold by the kilogramme and - in 2011 - changes the sales unit of eggs from size/piece to weight as well, where people sleep on tables and eat on the floor, where drivers are fined for not wearing a safety belt yet the insurance covers 40 passengers on the back of an open pick-up; well, seriously, what do you expect.

Given that the entire education system would be changed today with educated teachers open to dialogue and critism, logical tutorials etc. it would take this country one, better two generations to see the different. Education is related to money, hence the poor smarty has no chance whereas the rich-kid idiot makes it all the way.

We will not see changes but Thailand is nose-diving backwards as some decision-makers have a shorter horizon than a one-day fly.

Being around for 1/4 of a century I can tell you, that the Thai labour force is divided. Some smart fellows, educated mostly overseas (and some staying there = brain drain) while the rest of the lot is a brainless crowd of materialistic, money-driven idiots believing in economical achievements like selling eggs by the kilo.

- I do not complain as I have a nice life thanks to my parents attention to my education; I made lots of money legally yet am flabbergasted on what happens around me on a daily basis.......

[patjem]

Sounds like an off day for this writer.

Where does he get the idea that other Asian countries like Vietnam and the Philippines will overtake Thailand? Thailand is already blowing them out of the water for high tech jobs while they wallow in the stone age making shirts. If Thailand failed to progress beyond it's present stage it will still take these other countries 20 years to catch up.

The article should have said that Thailand will be overtaking Japan soon. Their already making cars and electronics as well as Japan.

Thailand is manufacturing all kinds of high tech stuff which is far better than China.

Having worked in the industry sector, time spent between China and Thailand over the past 10 years, I disagree. Chinese industry workers are better educated, trained and disciplined than Thai, Filipino, Vietnamese and my personal workforce of choice. Filipinos win hands down for their English skills and whilst their technical level staff may be more 'westernised', I avoid rating any culture's style as better or worse overall: it's something that instead needs to be understood to make best advantages of each one's strengths (there are many things that our workers in Europe struggle with which Asians find easy, and vice-versa). As the writer suggests, it does stump me sometimes when a stask that seems so simple and logical to a western mindset cannot be grasped, where the 'don't question' elements can be regularly observed. Culturally, and only a generalization from my own experiences, Thais are less inspired and motivated than many other Asians, and between themselves, will rarely if ever challenge each other: face, Kriengjai, "because he likes that way" are features of this culture, that ain't gonna be changing rapidly any time soon.

[ToffeEFCpower]

Seeing as you brought it up regardless of having no relevance to the story, tell us how you made your money and how much did you make?

[Tanaka]

Sounds like an off day for this writer.

Where does he get the idea that other Asian countries like Vietnam and the Philippines will overtake Thailand? Thailand is already blowing them out of the water for high tech jobs while they wallow in the stone age making shirts. If Thailand failed to progress beyond it's present stage it will still take these other countries 20 years to catch up.

The article should have said that Thailand will be overtaking Japan soon. Their already making cars and electronics as well as Japan.

Thailand is manufacturing all kinds of high tech stuff which is far better than China.

I don't think you have been in one of these factories in Thailand and seen who does what there.

[sirchai]

How are foreigners going to take over the labour market in Thailand when it is xenophobically protected so vigorously?

ASEAN Community in 2015. Asian foreigners won't need work permits.

Filipino workers are wanted in the service sector elsewhere because of their English skills, while the Vietnamese are hardworking and patient, he said.

"My father is a doctor and she's gay." I've heard such sentences too often to agree.

Teaching English is a service then, right? Can't think of their own people to educate them better....:jap:

Edited June 10, 2011 by sirchai

[pisico]

Sounds like an off day for this writer.

Where does he get the idea that other Asian countries like Vietnam and the Philippines will overtake Thailand? Thailand is already blowing them out of the water for high tech jobs while they wallow in the stone age making shirts. If Thailand failed to progress beyond it's present stage it will still take these other countries 20 years to catch up.

The article should have said that Thailand will be overtaking Japan soon. Their already making cars and electronics as well as Japan.

Thailand is manufacturing all kinds of high tech stuff which is far better than China.

I don't think you have been in one of these factories in Thailand and seen who does what there.

Spot on!

Additionally, Filipino nurses are in high demand in Thai hospitals. Especially in those hospitals who cater to a large degree to Westerners and Australians. Why so? They all are fluent in English.

One more fact: Filipino nurses can work in the USA without having to study from zero as other nationalities must in order to work in the USA. Filipinos earn more in the USA and less in Thailand but here they are closer to home.

It must be also understood that a large percentage of the Thai industry producing all those touted high tech products are not genuinely Thai. They are companies from other countries that have to give up 51 percent of the stock so they can do business here. Interesting: Thailand is known in business parlance as the Asian Detroit and there isn't a single car genuinely Thai with Thai engineering and styling. Ford, Toyota, Isuzu, Nissan... Add to that Casio, Western Digital, Unilever, etc. the list goes on and on and on....

Alai go dai

[Honolulu]

Many countries in the world claim to be the best at doing at least one thing, GERMAN beer, JAPANESE cars, PILIPPINES overseas workers, ect.

What does Thailand do?

[Bagwan]

Many countries in the world claim to be the best at doing at least one thing, GERMAN beer, JAPANESE cars, PILIPPINES overseas workers, ect.

What does Thailand do?

Manufactures hubs of course.

[sabye]

Many countries in the world claim to be the best at doing at least one thing, GERMAN beer, JAPANESE cars, PILIPPINES overseas workers, ect.

What does Thailand do?

Great food and descent beer.

[EvilDrSomkid]

Many countries in the world claim to be the best at doing at least one thing, GERMAN beer, JAPANESE cars, PILIPPINES overseas workers, ect.

What does Thailand do?

Manufactures hubs of course.

post of the day!

[robsamui]

I think the main problem with Thai workers is that from an early age at school they are taught not to ask why just do it. When it comes to problem solving in later life in their jobs most haven't got a clue because they've never had the encouragement to question. eg taken computers many times for repairs and it's always the same answer wipe it clean and re install.

It will take generations for Thai education to develop to the point where children grow up in an atmosphere which stimulates enqury, exploration and discovery. These are the key elements that stimulate a developing and enquiring mind. Their teachers see themselves as an untouchable social elite with a clearly-defined role and will tolerate no form of questioning or discussion. Obedience is the core subject on all curricula (although it is not actually written) Thai children are trained to obey, not educated.

There are no creative activities at all on their curricula. Thailand has no social history of creativity and there is no value placed on imagination From the earliest of ages children have it drummed into them that the teacher is right and they are to respect this and do what they are told. There is no creative writing where students are stimulated to make up and tell their own stories - only rote-learning ancient legends and traditional stories. "Imagination" is seen as undesirable as it clouds the facts.

Thailand has no history of narrative painting, so "Art" on a Thai curriculum devolves around copying temple decoration and patterns that are already hundreds of years old. They'e not allowed to add new bits of their own; if they do it's seen as almost sacrilege and they are punished. And there are no eye-hand skills developed here - it's all done from tracings and rubbings.

It's the same with dance. There is no concept of self-expression or personal development via this medium, merely repetitive training and constant rehearsal with the aim being a perfect copy of a traditional dance that everyone recognises and respects. And music is the same - it's all rote learning and singing all the ancient cultural songs from hundreds of years ago.

From birth the Thai children are being deliberately moulded to be passive and unquestioning and to accept what they have been led to believe.

The result is that they become a passive workforce, able to be trained to repeat unthinking motions on an assembly line basis but completely lacking in imagination or initiative. In fact Thai people will freeze and look blank (and quite often simply walk away) if they are asked to improvise or solve a problem. They cannot project their vision (as they are trained not to have any) or analyse situations (because they've been taught not to question) and are incapable of showing initiative, resoursefulness, compromise or innovation.

Day to day example:

A successful restaurant gets busy at 9 o' clock when punters arrive for the show. The owner has carefully trained the two nongs making cocktails and they are now are expert and can make the entire list fast and effectively. Unfortunately, by 9 'o clock, most of the cocktail glasses are already lying used and unwashed in the sink. So, unthinkingly, the owner says to the cocktail boys, "I need the sink cleared and all the glasses washed and ready for the 9 'o clock rush. And for the next three days nothing happens, the sink is full of dirty glasses leaving not enough glasses for the cocktail crowd.

So he has another go . . ."I don't care which one of you does it and I don't care what time you do it, but one of you dam_n-well wash the glasses some time before nine'o clock each night or I'll stop the loss out of your wages!" And still nothing happens - the glasses stay dirty in the sink. It is stubborn passive resentment? Is it because they've been scolded and lost face?

He's getting angry and then his Thai wife explains something to him. He hasn't told one of them to do the washing up, he's just said "one of you" - which one? And he has said "sometime before 9 o'clock" - which one of them - he didn't say. And at what time? What does 'sometime' mean, it could be anything. The boys are blankly programmed into a "doesn't compute" state which results in system shutdown, there's nothing in their training that takes a response to these instructions into account - and so when in doubt do absolutely nothing.

So the next night he says 'Sumroj, I want to to wash up all the glasses that are in the sink at exactly 8.30, dry them and put them on the rack. And Yod, At exactly 8.30 I want you to polish all the glasses on the shelf and prepare and chop all the fruit for the cocktail rush. Sumroj, at exactly 9.30 I want you to check the sink and clean the glasses again and then when that is finished continue making cocktails with Yod.

And he never had another problem again.

And this is very probably the same reason that research chemists in Thai Unis just sit around waiting to be told what to do. Or the fact that on the sides of Thai highways you can see 20 or 30 stalls side by side, every single one of them all selling oranges. ot there are a million beach sellers all selling maps to show you where you know you already are - instead of things that are actually needed like sunhats or sun oils: they can't imagine what a farang might want so they sell the things that they see everybody else selling.

But whom of the Thai elite would want a questioning workforce with intelligence and imagination, good language skills, with a logical mind to counter arguments and able to solve problems and improvise in new situations?

Now that WOULD be scary!

R

Edited June 11, 2011 by robsamui

[JimmyTheMook]

But whom of the Thai elite would want a questioning workforce with intelligence and imagination, good language skills, with a logical mind to counter arguments and able to solve problems and improvise in new situations?

Now that WOULD be scary!

R

Pretty dead on.

There are very few if any Thai made products that can be considered high quality.

And if anything manufactured here even approaches "A" grade , you can be certain it is a foreign firm struggling to get their Thai staff to consistently produce it.

[EvilDrSomkid]

It will take generations for Thai education to develop to the point where children grow up in an atmosphere which stimulates enqury, exploration and discovery. These are the key elements that stimulate a developing and enquiring mind. Their teachers see themselves as an untouchable social elite with a clearly-defined role and will tolerate no form of questioning or discussion. Obedience is the core subject on all curricula (although it is not actually written) Thai children are trained to obey, not educated.

There are no creative activities at all on their curricula. Thailand has no social history of creativity and there is no value placed on imagination From the earliest of ages children have it drummed into them that the teacher is right and they are to respect this and do what they are told. There is no creative writing where students are stimulated to make up and tell their own stories - only rote-learning ancient legends and traditional stories. "Imagination" is seen as undesirable as it clouds the facts.

Thailand has no history of narrative painting, so "Art" on a Thai curriculum devolves around copying temple decoration and patterns that are already hundreds of years old. They'e not allowed to add new bits of their own; if they do it's seen as almost sacrilege and they are punished. And there are no eye-hand skills developed here - it's all done from tracings and rubbings.

It's the same with dance. There is no concept of self-expression or personal development via this medium, merely repetitive training and constant rehearsal with the aim being a perfect copy of a traditional dance that everyone recognises and respects. And music is the same - it's all rote learning and singing all the ancient cultural songs from hundreds of years ago.

From birth the Thai children are being deliberately moulded to be passive and unquestioning and to accept what they have been led to believe.

The result is that they become a passive workforce, able to be trained to repeat unthinking motions on an assembly line basis but completely lacking in imagination or initiative. In fact Thai people will freeze and look blank (and quite often simply walk away) if they are asked to improvise or solve a problem. They cannot project their vision (as they are trained not to have any) or analyse situations (because they've been taught not to question) and are incapable of showing initiative, resoursefulness, compromise or innovation.

Day to day example:

A successful restaurant gets busy at 9 o' clock when punters arrive for the show. The owner has carefully trained the two nongs making cocktails and they are now are expert and can make the entire list fast and effectively. Unfortunately, by 9 'o clock, most of the cocktail glasses are already lying used and unwashed in the sink. So, unthinkingly, the owner says to the cocktail boys, "I need the sink cleared and all the glasses washed and ready for the 9 'o clock rush. And for the next three days nothing happens, the sink is full of dirty glasses leaving not enough glasses for the cocktail crowd.

So he has another go . . ."I don't care which one of you does it and I don't care what time you do it, but one of you dam_n-well wash the glasses some time before nine'o clock each night or I'll stop the loss out of your wages!" And still nothing happens - the glasses stay dirty in the sink. It is stubborn passive resentment? Is it because they've been scolded and lost face?

He's getting angry and then his Thai wife explains something to him. He hasn't told one of them to do the washing up, he's just said "one of you" - which one? And he has said "sometime before 9 o'clock" - which one of them - he didn't say. And at what time? What does 'sometime' mean, it could be anything. The boys are blankly programmed into a "doesn't compute" state which results in system shutdown, there's nothing in their training that takes a response to these instructions into account - and so when in doubt do absolutely nothing.

So the next night he says 'Sumroj, I want to to wash up all the glasses that are in the sink at exactly 8.30, dry them and put them on the rack. And Yod, At exactly 8.30 I want you to polish all the glasses on the shelf and prepare and chop all the fruit for the cocktail rush. Sumroj, at exactly 9.30 I want you to check the sink and clean the glasses again and then when that is finished continue making cocktails with Yod.

And he never had another problem again.

And this is very probably the same reason that research chemists in Thai Unis just sit around waiting to be told what to do. Or the fact that on the sides of Thai highways you can see 20 or 30 stalls side by side, every single one of them all selling oranges. ot there are a million beach sellers all selling maps to show you where you know you already are - instead of things that are actually needed like sunhats or sun oils: they can't imagine what a farang might want so they sell the things that they see everybody else selling.

But whom of the Thai elite would want a questioning workforce with intelligence and imagination, good language skills, with a logical mind to counter arguments and able to solve problems and improvise in new situations?

Now that WOULD be scary!

R

Thank you for the clear and eloquent way you described the root problem of Thailand.

Nearly every problem Thailand struggles with comes back to the things in your analysis above.

Many Thai people know this, but are too few to make a difference.

My wife understands this, too, and is also exasperated by the low quality of teachers here.

There are people here that have an analytical mind and ask questions and want to learn and improve themselves.

They are very rare. Even the ones who have an inquisitive mind, are still quite ignorant of world history or geography.

On the other hand, would Thailand be just as intriguing, exotic, relatively inexpensive and laid back if things were otherwise?

[atyclb]

I think the main problem with Thai workers is that from an early age at school they are taught not to ask why just do it. When it comes to problem solving in later life in their jobs most haven't got a clue because they've never had the encouragement to question. eg taken computers many times for repairs and it's always the same answer wipe it clean and re install.

It will take generations for Thai education to develop to the point where children grow up in an atmosphere which stimulates enqury, exploration and discovery. These are the key elements that stimulate a developing and enquiring mind. Their teachers see themselves as an untouchable social elite with a clearly-defined role and will tolerate no form of questioning or discussion. Obedience is the core subject on all curricula (although it is not actually written) Thai children are trained to obey, not educated.

There are no creative activities at all on their curricula. Thailand has no social history of creativity and there is no value placed on imagination From the earliest of ages children have it drummed into them that the teacher is right and they are to respect this and do what they are told. There is no creative writing where students are stimulated to make up and tell their own stories - only rote-learning ancient legends and traditional stories. "Imagination" is seen as undesirable as it clouds the facts.

Thailand has no history of narrative painting, so "Art" on a Thai curriculum devolves around copying temple decoration and patterns that are already hundreds of years old. They'e not allowed to add new bits of their own; if they do it's seen as almost sacrilege and they are punished. And there are no eye-hand skills developed here - it's all done from tracings and rubbings.

It's the same with dance. There is no concept of self-expression or personal development via this medium, merely repetitive training and constant rehearsal with the aim being a perfect copy of a traditional dance that everyone recognises and respects. And music is the same - it's all rote learning and singing all the ancient cultural songs from hundreds of years ago.

From birth the Thai children are being deliberately moulded to be passive and unquestioning and to accept what they have been led to believe.

The result is that they become a passive workforce, able to be trained to repeat unthinking motions on an assembly line basis but completely lacking in imagination or initiative. In fact Thai people will freeze and look blank (and quite often simply walk away) if they are asked to improvise or solve a problem. They cannot project their vision (as they are trained not to have any) or analyse situations (because they've been taught not to question) and are incapable of showing initiative, resoursefulness, compromise or innovation.

Day to day example:

A successful restaurant gets busy at 9 o' clock when punters arrive for the show. The owner has carefully trained the two nongs making cocktails and they are now are expert and can make the entire list fast and effectively. Unfortunately, by 9 'o clock, most of the cocktail glasses are already lying used and unwashed in the sink. So, unthinkingly, the owner says to the cocktail boys, "I need the sink cleared and all the glasses washed and ready for the 9 'o clock rush. And for the next three days nothing happens, the sink is full of dirty glasses leaving not enough glasses for the cocktail crowd.

So he has another go . . ."I don't care which one of you does it and I don't care what time you do it, but one of you dam_n-well wash the glasses some time before nine'o clock each night or I'll stop the loss out of your wages!" And still nothing happens - the glasses stay dirty in the sink. It is stubborn passive resentment? Is it because they've been scolded and lost face?

He's getting angry and then his Thai wife explains something to him. He hasn't told one of them to do the washing up, he's just said "one of you" - which one? And he has said "sometime before 9 o'clock" - which one of them - he didn't say. And at what time? What does 'sometime' mean, it could be anything. The boys are blankly programmed into a "doesn't compute" state which results in system shutdown, there's nothing in their training that takes a response to these instructions into account - and so when in doubt do absolutely nothing.

So the next night he says 'Sumroj, I want to to wash up all the glasses that are in the sink at exactly 8.30, dry them and put them on the rack. And Yod, At exactly 8.30 I want you to polish all the glasses on the shelf and prepare and chop all the fruit for the cocktail rush. Sumroj, at exactly 9.30 I want you to check the sink and clean the glasses again and then when that is finished continue making cocktails with Yod.

And he never had another problem again.

And this is very probably the same reason that research chemists in Thai Unis just sit around waiting to be told what to do. Or the fact that on the sides of Thai highways you can see 20 or 30 stalls side by side, every single one of them all selling oranges. ot there are a million beach sellers all selling maps to show you where you know you already are - instead of things that are actually needed like sunhats or sun oils: they can't imagine what a farang might want so they sell the things that they see everybody else selling.

But whom of the Thai elite would want a questioning workforce with intelligence and imagination, good language skills, with a logical mind to counter arguments and able to solve problems and improvise in new situations?

Now that WOULD be scary!

R

Very correct indeed. I have Thai friends that actually think outside the box and get extremely upset at work having to deal with the mentality. One person summed it up in an interesting way saying "they don't know how to think", not an insult but a very profound statement.

# Example; at an upscale restaurant with a burger on my table I have an empty ketchup bottle that I hold upside down attempting to get something to come out and call the waiter over. He comes to my table and looks at the bottle(holding side facing him to show it is empty) and me yet is unable to figure out why I called him over. Another server appears with a new bottle. This is extremely basic stuff IMO.

# Example; at Mac Shop upscale mall I ask the price for a 27" monitor that my hand is touching

Q; how much is this?

A; out of stock

Q; what is usual price of this?

A; sorry, out of stock

Q; Imagine you have one in stock, what is the price

A; ohhhhh, 30,000 bhat

Our conversation has captured the attention of some Thai customers that end up covering their mouths to hide their laughing smirks.

At other stores, especially big ones like carrefour typically multiple employees can show up to help you but usually have little or no knowledge of the products they try to help you with (this is fluent thai language conversation either from me or a thai friend just to prove to me I am not crazy)

# at various multiple KFC

Q; please give me combo 5 but I don't want Pepsi, I want Sprite.

I have surrendered to the fact that 9/10 times I will get Pepsi and need to tell them again, 30 seconds after the fact.

The Mac store staff are uni students or grads.

If Thailand were an isolated country and outside of the Global Economy, it wouldn't matter so much, but as part of the global economy the reality is they must compete with many other countries

Edited June 11, 2011 by atyclb

[Bagwan]

It will take generations for Thai education to develop to the point where children grow up in an atmosphere which stimulates enqury, exploration and discovery. These are the key elements that stimulate a developing and enquiring mind. Their teachers see themselves as an untouchable social elite with a clearly-defined role and will tolerate no form of questioning or discussion. Obedience is the core subject on all curricula (although it is not actually written) Thai children are trained to obey, not educated.

A young Thai girl from across the soi asked me to help her out with her English homework recently. Most of it was straight forward and the questions were about the meaning of words and good grammar. The final question was 'are mixed sex dormitories a good idea?'. I assumed that what was required was an essay setting out the pros and cons of such an arrangement but the young miss insisted that a binary answer was required. I stated my view that there could not be a correct answer to the question since it was not a question of fact but a matter of opinion. I explained why this was and what I imparted was taken onboard. The answer that she supplied mirrored my view. Apparently the teacher was of a different opinion and berated the girl publicly. Visibly upset when she arrived home, her parents questioned her and the following day one very irate father climbed into the teacher in front of her class. What one might call a score draw?

All that Thai schools produce is more bricks for the wall and the teachers form part of that wall.