Joining hands to strengthen women's role

[Lite Beer]

Joining hands to strengthen women's role
The Nation

Siam Makro staff give disabled women tips on how to become successful entrepreneurs.

BANGKOK: -- P&G, Siam Makro launch campaign to support disabled women; their carers

Women play a big role in any society, including Thailand's.

Today's Thai women juggle two roles - taking care of their family as wives and mothers and financially supporting their family as workers outside the home.

National Statistical Office data reveal that women make up 47 per cent of Thailand's workforce. But more can be done to make them successful, according to Procter and Gamble Trading (Thailand) and Siam Makro. Both companies appreciate the potential of modern women who are accomplished both in their households and their communities.

As Procter and Gamble's "Responsible Women Entrepreneur" project runs into its second year, Siam Makro has jumped on the bandwagon.

In support of the National Council of Women and the National Office for Empowerment of Persons with Disability, this year's activities are aimed at supporting disabled women and carers of the disabled.

They can be assisted to become strong, and get an equal footing with the rest of society through development of their career skills and promotion of their duties as mothers and community leaders.

Training sessions on "how to professionally manage your store" were held for disabled women and carers of the disabled who operate small retail businesses or are planning to do so. The focus was on strategies and secrets of managing a retail business successfully. P&G has also presented Bt1 million worth of products to the National Council of Women.

"P&G Thailand is an organisation that has continually valued women because we believe that women's power as mothers, career women or leaders of organisations is part of the foundation for a better society in the future.

"So we strive to introduce activities that will help improve their potential and quality of life so that they can stand strong in today's society," Kannika Jarusuraisin, director of external relations, said recently.

"We are very happy to be in partnership with Makro in organising Responsible Women Entrepreneur again this year in order to continue our intention to develop Thai women's abilities."

Activities this year are about educating women's organisations outside of Bangkok, she said.

Paruda Promlert, president of the National Council of Women, explained that through the training, women can support their families and become successful in their jobs as mothers, housewives and community leaders.

"Plus, the companies are also inspiring the general public to support the project in the future," she said.

Somjai Suriyasin, senior manager for MRA development of Siam Makro, said the project corresponds to the company's concern for social responsibility. The company has organised activities to help small retailers under the campaign "Makro, a True Friend of Retailers".

P&G and Makro have also invited their consumers to join the campaign by buying P&G products at any Makro branch.

On the flipside, though Thai women are gaining in overall status, in certain social circles they still face discrimination, including violence. Women who cannot fend for or support themselves financially are especially vulnerable.

P&G has carried out a campaign to explore people's opinions called "My World", which allowed participants to express their views on the importance of dealing with issues of sexual inequality, violence against women and support for the unemployable. The hope is to improve the quality of life for Thai women

-- The Nation 2013-12-15

[tim armstrong]

What a good idea. For sure women are the key to a more progressive Thailand. I don't know what the figures are, but it wouldn't surprise me if they were starting to have higher educational outcomes in traditional male professions. But, the country is still a long way from an EEO policy which predominantly male politicians will resist.

A few years ago I was teaching English to final year English major students at our local Uni. They were going out to be English teachers, and were some of the best students in that place. I asked them one day what they thought about feminism. What's that they replied ? I then asked them if they thought women should stay at home, not work, have babies, and do whatever their husband's wanted. Long pause - about 30 of the 35 students said yes ! - there is still a long way to go, but this campaign is a good start

[noitom]

EEO in Thailand is an unknown concept. The only female members of corporate boards and management are generally family members. The editorial stated that women play a big role in Thai society. A quick look around at the "entertainment venues and sois all over Thailand will tell you quickly that the "girls" are the backbone of the Thai economy.

[noitom]

Hats off to the girls. The real backbone of the Thai economy.

[brianP]

Face it, men have really mucked up this world thru history. I am for the winds of change here. Give them an equal chance and see if there are so many wars brewing then. Bet not!

[bkksiam]

What a good idea. For sure women are the key to a more progressive Thailand. I don't know what the figures are, but it wouldn't surprise me if they were starting to have higher educational outcomes in traditional male professions. But, the country is still a long way from an EEO policy which predominantly male politicians will resist.

A few years ago I was teaching English to final year English major students at our local Uni. They were going out to be English teachers, and were some of the best students in that place. I asked them one day what they thought about feminism. What's that they replied ? I then asked them if they thought women should stay at home, not work, have babies, and do whatever their husband's wanted. Long pause - about 30 of the 35 students said yes ! - there is still a long way to go, but this campaign is a good start

I do not doubt that Thailand (like many countries) has a long way to go in this regard, however, the question you posed to your audience and the way you posed it could only lead to a response that confirms what you asked them.

Furthermore, your audience will be inclined to agree with you since 1) you are the authority in the classroom, 2) you are a farang (outside expert) in their classroom and 3) you are a man suggesting that the status quo be maintained - one that favours men (husbands).

.

Instead of: I then asked them if they thought women should stay at home, not work, have babies, and do whatever their husband's wanted.

you might have asked: do you believe more women should be entering the workforce?

in which case you probably would have got the same 30/35 positive response rate.

Edited December 15, 2013 by bkksiam

[howrub]

What a good idea. For sure women are the key to a more progressive Thailand. I don't know what the figures are, but it wouldn't surprise me if they were starting to have higher educational outcomes in traditional male professions. But, the country is still a long way from an EEO policy which predominantly male politicians will resist.

A few years ago I was teaching English to final year English major students at our local Uni. They were going out to be English teachers, and were some of the best students in that place. I asked them one day what they thought about feminism. What's that they replied ? I then asked them if they thought women should stay at home, not work, have babies, and do whatever their husband's wanted. Long pause - about 30 of the 35 students said yes ! - there is still a long way to go, but this campaign is a good start

I do not doubt that Thailand (like many countries) has a long way to go in this regard, however, the question you posed to your audience and the way you posed it could only lead to a response that confirms what you asked them.

Furthermore, your audience will be inclined to agree with you since 1) you are the authority in the classroom, 2) you are a farang (outside expert) in their classroom and 3) you are a man suggesting that the status quo be maintained - one that favours men (husbands).

.

Instead of: I then asked them if they thought women should stay at home, not work, have babies, and do whatever their husband's wanted.

you might have asked: do you believe more women should be entering the workforce?

in which case you probably would have got the same 30/35 positive response rate.

Very good point, and likely correct. That is, if the question were reversed (separate from the tendency to agree with the authority) the outcome would likely have been reversed. This is referred to by social psychologists as "yea saying". While most people are "yea sayers", it should be noted that there are a smaller number of "nay sayers". Any good study asks the same question in various ways to compensate for these tendencies.

[tim armstrong]

My questions were not part of any research study, but were simply conversation topics to stimulate English discussion. Most of the students, who by then I knew well, had not travelled or lived outside thailand, and unfortunately had very limited of womens's issues or anything much outside of the country.

[indyuk]

What a good idea. For sure women are the key to a more progressive Thailand. I don't know what the figures are, but it wouldn't surprise me if they were starting to have higher educational outcomes in traditional male professions. But, the country is still a long way from an EEO policy which predominantly male politicians will resist.

A few years ago I was teaching English to final year English major students at our local Uni. They were going out to be English teachers, and were some of the best students in that place. I asked them one day what they thought about feminism. What's that they replied ? I then asked them if they thought women should stay at home, not work, have babies, and do whatever their husband's wanted. Long pause - about 30 of the 35 students said yes ! - there is still a long way to go, but this campaign is a good start

Him good comment. But did you know that the majority of Thai males present as misogynists.

Further it is important to note that Thai women are not designated as full juristic persons in that if married a Thai woman cannot sign a binding contract, of which land is a component, without written permission from her husband.

That attitude is right out of the treatment of women in the European Dark Ages.

[seajae]

My wife manages a large company and as manager is in charge of a large male work force. When she was awarded the job originally the wife of the man that didnt get it assaulted her because she had taken her husbands job(wife didnt retaliate as it was a much older woman), maybe thai women need to realize that women are just as capable as a man and stop trying to push their husbands as the preferred person or should I say trying to protect their own income stream they take from their working husbands while they sit on their bums and decide how to spend the money. I have no problems with women in the workforce, if they are capable of doing the same jobs then they deserve to be there, gender means nothing. Women play an important role in all countries but not all treat them fairly, Thailand is just one that doesnt.

[Furbie]

EEO in Thailand is an unknown concept. The only female members of corporate boards and management are generally family members. The editorial stated that women play a big role in Thai society. A quick look around at the "entertainment venues and sois all over Thailand will tell you quickly that the "girls" are the backbone of the Thai economy.

I’m not sure what you’re basing that on, but there are many women in senior managerial positions in Thailand and many in senior civil service positions. I work with many Thai and foreign businesses, SOEs and the government. In my experience, the least likely place to find a woman in a senior management position is at family-owned companies, while they practically dominate in western MNCs (for local positions). Two major reasons for this are that women often don’t work for the family business (the son does) and women have much higher rates of university education in non-agricultural fields, which is highly prized by foreign businesses.

I point out that even Thai SOEs (which are traditionally very male dominated) have women in senior positions these days: EGAT is Chaired by Khun Anchalee Chavanich and the President of Thailand Post is Khun Anusra Chittmittrapap (I believe the Vice Chair is a woman as well). While I agree there is a lack of women on some Boards (though SCB has some extremely notable women on its Board and the President is a woman), in a sense, this is a generational issue that will adjust over time. I utterly disagree with your statement that Thai women do not hold management positions in legitimate and often very large companies.