Out to Lunch; Entire Country Shuts for One Hour a Day

[Morakot]

I'm not suggesting they have their lunch time reduced, only that half the staff go to lunch at a time, say 11:30 - 12:30 then second shift 12:30 -1:30.

If is as easy as this, may I ask why you don't move your lunch break?

[Morakot]

Some countries live to work ... some countries, like Thailand, work to live (and not particularly efficiently work either, mind you).

A very old wise man once said to me ... when you are lying on your death bed ... I guarantee that you were wishing that you worked harder, or finished that report ...

Enjoy life while you can ...

Thanks David! I think this is very true. It's a good motto to have.

[NoshowJones]

The reason I"m finding this especially annoying is I'm sitting at a new Toyota dealership that has about 70 more staff than are needed today.

I'm getting a tailight replaced that a Thai brat of the age of 13 broke ramming into the rear of my car on his Dad's motorcycle.

So the car is ready, and is sitting in the body shop bay, I'd like to also get the oil changed and the brakes checked too and informed the intake staff of this when I first arrived a few hours ago.

I was told I needed to contact the service bay staff when the body shop was done , and then I could" make an appointment..." for the oil change ( There are two cars getting serviced today 2 cars and 75 staff )

However since it was 12 PM everyone is gone to the back to check their personal communique devices furiously..

Oh wait everyone is back- sitting at their desks checking their devices furiously ..

With Thailand's natural resources, and shoreline to rival a small continent, this nation should be the absolute leader in the region in all aspects - why is it so..... inept?

The people is why- they are a curse upon a wonderful country.

If Thailand had the mentality of a western country like America or the UK, how many of us would be living in Thailand today? or should I say allowed to live in Thailand today, or would want to live in Thailand today? Think about it, they wouldn't need us.

We should just be thankful for the way Thailand is, yes of course there is faults, but that applies to any country, look at the freedom we have here. The good far outweighs the bad.

[NoshowJones]

it amazes me that they do not rotate staff lunches in offices etc so that someone is always there but then that may just be too sensible for them to process

Exactly, that is one of the things I mean when I talk about Thai mentality.

[kimbathewhitelion]

This post is soooooooooooo Thailand!!

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[bangkapi]

I've been in Thailand for 18 years..

It didn't take me more than a few months to realize that the national religion of Thailand is not Buddhism.... It is Lunchtime!!

[soalbundy]

Defend the stupidity, defend the absurdness. Defend... , by all means and I shall continue to observe and remark upon the inane aspects of Thailand, which there is a large category of.

It's the same in Germany,and in Bavaria nobody would ring up an office at 9 o'clock on a Friday....white sausage and weiss bier break.

[vogie]

Thailand is brilliant compared to France. Every shop or office closes for at least one and half hours for lunch, even the shop 8 till 8 opens at nine, closes for two hours at lunch and then finally closes at 7. There is more logic in Thailand.

[Mudcrab]

Everyone is missing the whole point. The value of a countries output is directly linked to many things including the value of their currency, productivity and so on . By not staggering hours for workers for lunch a great deal of potential output is is poored down the drain.

Its chain reaction . Someone wants to register a care but needs to take time off to do so because they are closed at lunch . So that individual is gone because of that and is not productive. Now lets say that person has a body shop but cannot be there at 1 pm. Another drives their car up for a repair and so on down the line . Its the butterfly effect.

So that one person who you cannot deal with for an hour translates into many many hours of lost productivity .

Thailand can be the force of Asia but fundamental changes must take place for that to happen. I don't think this well ever take place as Thais are not attuned to dramatic change

You've missed the point. You ain't in Kansas any more Dorothy.

[Mudcrab]

So seems they do not do oil changes on older cars, only new, " This new caw pwathe" ( with 50-60 staff doing nothing ) so I waited around for an entire hour , an hour and a half really- over lunch break to be told this , when it could have been pointed out to me when I first inquired in the morning.

Is tissue missing from the frontal lobe hereditary, or are they obtuse on purpose?

There's only a dozen or so servicing the two cars, the rest are busy on their i Phones. But I have a pic of their expensive sign and catchphrase that is typically mangled English.

" Take care with Impress" Hold on, ...might make a good thread, too. The Manglish Thread

Even the capitalization is wrong How much did they spend on this facility and they cannot even hire a native English speaker? They probably think they know English better .

Out to Lunch !!

The reason I"m finding this especially annoying is I'm sitting at a new Toyota dealership that has about 70 more staff than are needed today.

I'm getting a tailight replaced that a Thai brat of the age of 13 broke ramming into the rear of my car on his Dad's motorcycle.

So the car is ready, and is sitting in the body shop bay, I'd like to also get the oil changed and the brakes checked too and informed the intake staff of this when I first arrived a few hours ago.

I was told I needed to contact the service bay staff when the body shop was done , and then I could" make an appointment..." for the oil change ( There are two cars getting serviced today 2 cars and 75 staff )

However since it was 12 PM everyone is gone to the back to check their personal communique devices furiously..

Oh wait everyone is back- sitting at their desks checking their devices furiously ..

With Thailand's natural resources, and shoreline to rival a small continent, this nation should be the absolute leader in the region in all aspects - why is it so..... inept?

The people is why- they are a curse upon a wonderful country.

take a picture of the 75 staff servicing two cars andd upload it here and i might believe you .............

Change your own oil...it isn't that hard!!!!! Take your car in for the repair one day and the oil change another day and above all learn to relax!!!!

[Soutpeel]

I am not a Thai apologist by any stretch of the imagination, but reading all the OP's comments one cant help thinking from tone of the comments that the OP is full of self entitlement, pompous and arrogant and his post a has nothing to do with "Thai lunch hours" but more to do with the fact he expects Thais to kow tow down to him because he is farang, a white English speaking Bwana and therefore he demands to be treated better than everyone else...

Yes how dare they not employ an English speaker in country where English is not an even offical languge, so he can follow around place, walking 4 paces behind you, of course, and catering to your every whim and wiping your buttocks for you, even if it means working through his lunch hour...

[eeeya]

Are you talking about Thailand or the American multinational I work for.. its a ghost town at lunch time too

Wingers...

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk

[EBlair48]

^^ Or maybe I have a point that has no argument for the usual apologists making up excuses for what is truly ridiculous? Making cliched, personality analysis assumptions has never swayed my viewpoint, it isn't now either.

Let's hear why shutting down the entire country for an hour so workers can play with their i phones is a good thing for everyone? They aren't even socializing with each other.

Edited April 4, 2014 by EBlair48

[EBlair48]

Are you in America? If not are not most of the employees Thai?

Are you talking about Thailand or the American multinational I work for.. its a ghost town at lunch time too

Wingers...

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk

[speedtripler]

So seems they do not do oil changes on older cars, only new, " This new caw pwathe" ( with 50-60 staff doing nothing ) so I waited around for an entire hour , an hour and a half really- over lunch break to be told this , when it could have been pointed out to me when I first inquired in the morning.

Is tissue missing from the frontal lobe hereditary, or are they obtuse on purpose?

There's only a dozen or so servicing the two cars, the rest are busy on their i Phones. But I have a pic of their expensive sign and catchphrase that is typically mangled English.

" Take care with Impress" Hold on, ...might make a good thread, too. The Manglish Thread

Even the capitalization is wrong How much did they spend on this facility and they cannot even hire a native English speaker? They probably think they know English better .

Out to Lunch !!

The reason I"m finding this especially annoying is I'm sitting at a new Toyota dealership that has about 70 more staff than are needed today.

I'm getting a tailight replaced that a Thai brat of the age of 13 broke ramming into the rear of my car on his Dad's motorcycle.

So the car is ready, and is sitting in the body shop bay, I'd like to also get the oil changed and the brakes checked too and informed the intake staff of this when I first arrived a few hours ago.

I was told I needed to contact the service bay staff when the body shop was done , and then I could" make an appointment..." for the oil change ( There are two cars getting serviced today 2 cars and 75 staff )

However since it was 12 PM everyone is gone to the back to check their personal communique devices furiously..

Oh wait everyone is back- sitting at their desks checking their devices furiously ..

With Thailand's natural resources, and shoreline to rival a small continent, this nation should be the absolute leader in the region in all aspects - why is it so..... inept?

The people is why- they are a curse upon a wonderful country.

take a picture of the 75 staff servicing two cars andd upload it here and i might believe you .............

Change your own oil...it isn't that hard!!!!! Take your car in for the repair one day and the oil change another day and above all learn to relax!!!!

this isnt my thread but you lose your warranty with any new car if you decide to skip the dealership and "do it yourself '' so it maybe worth doing just to keep the service history in check ........

[eeeya]

Are you in America? If not are not most of the employees Thai?

Are you talking about Thailand or the American multinational I work for.. its a ghost town at lunch time too

Wingers...

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk

Wrong mate, The forum is about Thailand and the majority of the workforce where I am is Thai

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk

[bkkbarbara]

"They, they, they, stupid, stupid, stupid," what about you? There are 243 countries in this world so it should be easy to find one that suits you better. Dale Carnegie said, "Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain - and most fools do."

[Campbellpip]

I agree with lots that have been said but still doesn't alter the fact that for a modern/developing country it is a bit backward to all go to lunch at the same time. Its a bit like the inner regions of old Mexico. Get up to Date Thailand.

[eeeya]

Are you in America? If not are not most of the employees Thai?

Are you talking about Thailand or the American multinational I work for.. its a ghost town at lunch time too

Wingers...

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk

Wrong mate, The forum is about Thailand and the majority of the workforce where I am is Thai,

Happens in other locations I've worked in for the same co.

Doesn't matter where you are. Lunch is lunch and people deserve a break

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk

[pendingo]

What is the big deal? This is Thailand, get used to it. Get to know the boss of the service centre and stop complaining. I have seen what "efficiency" does to people both in the UK and USA. People stuck at their desks all day or their work positions taking working breaks and in general being stressed out and their reward is a pittance of a wage while their bosses are enjoying huge bonuses for doing sweet FA.

[EBlair48]

It isn't a new car, but they could have told me they did not want to fool with a used car when I had inquired specifically about an oil change 3 hours previously. I sat through over an hour of the i-podded lunch hour to have them tell me this.

Truly, must just be odious, I cannot fathom how people can be this unprofessional and dense.

Not seeing the charm of Thais, but I'm not interested in what's on offer, either. I guess if I were I might want to overlook some of the more obvious faults.

Change your own oil...it isn't that hard!!!!! Take your car in for the repair one day and the oil change another day and above all learn to relax!!!!

this isnt my thread but you lose your warranty with any new car if you decide to skip the dealership and "do it yourself '' so it maybe worth doing just to keep the service history in check ........

[boss01]

I reside in Loei, North East Thailand and have learnt to go before midday or after 1.00pm., that way I know I will not get frustrated as it appears others are doing. The best service I have found is at the Honda dealership, where although they have a large staff, they split their breaks so as not to inconvenience their customers.

Every time I need to service my vehicle I do not need to make an appointment, just turn any day up and they accommodate me straight away, despite there being 30 plus vehicles before me. They have a waiting room with free Wi-Fi, TV, and if I am tired they have several lounges, in a covered private area, where I can stretch out and sleep until my car is finished. They also provide free drinks, hot and cold and quite a variety, as well a lunch, if I am there at that time. You are taken out and seated by the service staff and then the kitchen staff serve you a good meal. Again plenty to drink but no alcohol of course.

Although speaking only limited Thai, the staff go out of their way to try and speak English with me but appreciate when I am able to converse in Thai with them. I have yet to see another Farang there so maybe having bought a new vehicle from them, and paid cash, they are going out of their way to provide excellent service.

It has now become a one stop shop for me as they not only renew my insurance but also my registration when due. Where else can you get service like this. I have nothing but praise for these people, both young and old, who show me respect and try to understand me when I do speak some Thai maybe do not pronounce a word correctly. They actually go out of their way and tell me how to say the word correctly, which I do not take offence to.

If any one is looking to buy a new Honda and wants a great deal then I can only highly recommend this company

[eeeya]

Let's change Thailand so its the same as the US, UK etc etc

That's a great idea

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[EBlair48]

Eeya, you mentioned your American Company shutting down at lunch

I asked "Are you in America? If not, are not most of the employees Thai?"

and further commented if in Thailand then the employees are Thai, which is why the company shuts down for an hour everyday.

Now I'll comment; Because the work ethic is crap crap crap .

Are you in America? If not are not most of the employees Thai?

Are you talking about Thailand or the American multinational I work for.. its a ghost town at lunch time too

Wingers...

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk

Wrong mate, The forum is about Thailand and the majority of the workforce where I am is Thai


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[David48]

^^ Or maybe I have a point that has no argument for the usual apologists making up excuses for what is truly ridiculous? Making cliched, personality analysis assumptions has never swayed my viewpoint, it isn't now either.

Let's hear why shutting down the entire country for an hour so workers can play with their i phones is a good thing for everyone? They aren't even socializing with each other.

It appears that Island you have made for yourself is a fairly lonely place.

I'm not a Thai apologist, but any smart Businessman who has gone to a new country will quickly learn the local way of doing things and adjust accordingly.

Why?

Because he is doing Business in Thailand, not his Western country.

Many people have given examples of this practice and how it is prevalent around the World, I'm not saying it's the majority practice, but a common one.

If you are going to enjoy visiting/living in this place then maybe it may take some more flexibility on your behalf.

May I ask you one question ... do you come from a cold climate country like say the UK or the ilk?

[eeeya]

... and then tagged on the end I added it happened in other locations I've worked in as well for the same co. I.e singapore, australia and malaysia.

I stopped for lunch too, but that's irrelevant because I'm not thai

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[Bangkokhatter]

If, as you say the whole country shuts down for lunch, who is cooking the lunch ?

[EBlair48]

And we can also let people contemplating a move have a broader scope of opinion as to the realities of living here- getting your wife to do it isn't an option for everyone

Let's change Thailand so its the same as the US, UK etc etc
That's a great idea



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[EBlair48]

This isn't about doing business , this is about working people wasting their time because of a dismal work ethic by a lethargic populace

^^ Or maybe I have a point that has no argument for the usual apologists making up excuses for what is truly ridiculous? Making cliched, personality analysis assumptions has never swayed my viewpoint, it isn't now either.

Let's hear why shutting down the entire country for an hour so workers can play with their i phones is a good thing for everyone? They aren't even socializing with each other.

It appears that Island you have made for yourself is a fairly lonely place.

I'm not a Thai apologist, but any smart Businessman who has gone to a new country will quickly learn the local way of doing things and adjust accordingly.

Why?

Because he is doing Business in Thailand, not his Western country.

Many people have given examples of this practice and how it is prevalent around the World, I'm not saying it's the majority practice, but a common one.

If you are going to enjoy visiting/living in this place then maybe it may take some more flexibility on your behalf.

May I ask you one question ... do you come from a cold climate country like say the UK or the ilk?

And it appears that you too, cannot make an argument supporting your view without using personality analysis based on pure assumptions

Please tell me why wasting time is good , if you can ?

Why isn't splitting the lunch shift a good idea?

Edited April 4, 2014 by EBlair48

[EBlair48]

the rare cases of Thai people with a work ethic..? Maybe they are Burmese? Any more pedantic questions that still offer no defense for the absurd habits of the Thai mentality?

If, as you say the whole country shuts down for lunch, who is cooking the lunch ?