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

[brit1984]

not many businesses in the world run 24 hours, 365 days/year

this wont change much unless robots replace all human workers

i really don't understand the point of this thread

[mca]

On the other side of the coin when my folks and friends visit they're impressed that you can visit a mall until 9 or 10 p.m. Back where I come from 6p.m and everywheres closed

[geronimo]

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.

What is it they say about when in Rome?

[Soutpeel]

What is it they say about when in Rome?

Dont forget to visit the Vatican..?...

[Soutpeel]

Geez, if this is your attitude towards life, what on earth made you think Thailand was a good place to move to?

Maybe try Germany. They're kings of efficiency over there.

Or Japan..

[wym]

Singapore, Switzerland, all the last places on earth I'd want to live personally.

[Krataiboy]

It does seem rather odd to leave one country for another which you prefer - and thereafter complain endlessly because it is not like the one you left.

Like they say, there's now't as queer as folk!

[Sheryl]

This is nothing. You should see Cambodia and Laos! 2-3 hour shutdowns not unusual.

[outlaw11wa]

This illogical habit is the epitome of why Thailand is so unproductive. Shutting down entire offices , especially public service departments so all the staff can eat at once is as about well....it as stupid is it gets.

How on earth do working people get anything done? I guess they really don't . You cannot go to renew your car registration during your lunch hour, you have to take off from work instead, which adds even further to the nation's ineffectiveness.

Is it so incredibly alien to have half the staff eat earlier and the other half eat later?

So where did the idea come from...France, Spain, Mexico....maybe afternoon Siestas next? Thai people are quite good at adopting things

[/qsuote]

Edited April 5, 2014 by outlaw11wa

[H1w4yR1da]

Because the happiness of the workers is more important than making the customer happy or the employer's profits.

Right, right! I wonder whether the surviving ex-employees of the Kader factory would agree.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kader_Toy_Factory_Fire

Yep, the CP Group really care for the happiness of their workers.

Suzuki GSX-R1000 L3 182 hp in-line 4 Superbike

[Morakot]

i really don't understand the point of this thread

Took me a while to figure it out. I think, it's some kind of lunchtime entertainment...

Edited April 5, 2014 by Morakot

[Morakot]

Geez, if this is your attitude towards life, what on earth made you think Thailand was a good place to move to?

Maybe try Germany. They're kings of efficiency over there.

Or Japan..

Doubt it that the OP would fit in either of these places with the amount whining he does.

Edited April 5, 2014 by Morakot

[keemapoot]

Sometimes you have to admire the efficiency of the Thai obsession with lunch hour. Couple weeks ago, I went to renew my 5 yr drivers license again. I arrived early, 8:30, but was told I forgot a needed document, so had to return home to get it. When I returned, I figured I had enough time to get everything done by 12:00, and I noticed they were shoo-shooing us to hurry to each step.

Then, as I went through each station, eye test, reaction test, etc., etc., safety movie, I realized we were being "batch processed" and I was fortunately in the "last batch" before lunchtime. They had this step by step system, picture-taking, etc., etc., and I was actually the last one to finish, and almost exactly at noon. I looked around and the place was empty.

As I got my license and walked away, I exchanged smiles with the group of ladies gathering their handbags who had processed us. They nailed it. They even managed to get the forgetful farang through in time.

[keemapoot]

double post

Edited April 5, 2014 by keemapoot

[daveAustin]

Banging your head against a brick wall op. Don't you know this is the Thaier than Thai forum?

[sustento]

Banging your head against a brick wall op. Don't you know this is the Thaier than Thai forum?

This is the 'it is what it is' forum. The 'Thaier than Thai' forum is just down the hall.

[bigbamboo]

are you talking about Bangkok or Paris?

Must be Bangkok.

In Paris they take two hours for lunch.

[i claudius]

It's strange but i was talking to my wife about the fact everyone goes to lunch at the same time and wouldnt it be more productive if they did it in shifts ,she just laughed and said "my love ,this is Thailand ,we don;t do productive"

[wym]

exactly, and Buddha bless 'em for it

[Morakot]

Gutted! Cleaners moved their lunch break today.

Feel like opening a massive thread on TV.

[Patsycat]

Singapore, Switzerland, all the last places on earth I'd want to live personally.

Here, in Switzerland it is normal to have a two hour lunch hour. But people start work at around 7.30 or 8, have a break at 9, two hour lunch hour at 12, coffee break at 4, finish work at six. It's against the law to work for more than two hours without a break.

Some places finish work at 4 on a Friday or even midday. Nobody moves a finger on a Sunday. What's wrong with that?

40 hour week, 5 weeks paid holiday a year, overtime either in money or days off. Beautiful scenery. Plus good salaries.

In Spain, if i'm not confused, they work from 8 till midday and then from 4 till 9 in the heat of the summer.

Edited April 5, 2014 by Patsycat

[wym]

Sure I understand about working hours in the more civilized countries.

Just saying everything is too clean organized "alles in ordnung".

I prefer a bit of chaos and squalor in the mix - not as much as say Somalia or even Cambodia, but Thailand's got the right balance IMO.

[David48]

... but Thailand's got the right balance IMO.

+1

It ain't thankfully either Cambodia, or Singapore ... but somewhere in the middle between chaos and sterile.

[Somtamnication]

Relax, OP. If you were in South America, here is the schedule.

Banks open at about 10 or so. Go to lunch at 1ish. Come back at 3pmish, close at 5-7ish.

The fact that Thais take a one hour lunch break does not bother me at all!! I plan my life around that quite easily.

[Travel Dude]

This illogical habit is the epitome of why Thailand is so unproductive. Shutting down entire offices , especially public service departments so all the staff can eat at once is as about well....it as stupid is it gets.

How on earth do working people get anything done? I guess they really don't . You cannot go to renew your car registration during your lunch hour, you have to take off from work instead, which adds even further to the nation's ineffectiveness.

Is it so incredibly alien to have half the staff eat earlier and the other half eat later?

This is not a typical Thai thing. In many South European countries lunch breaks are over 1 hour. This is the case in well developed France. Spain also has an extensive siesta. It is more efficient to close the whole office for an hour than to work with half offices for 2 hours... safes the environment too as they often close the air con.

[thepool]

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Singapore, Switzerland, all the last places on earth I'd want to live personally.

Here, in Switzerland it is normal to have a two hour lunch hour. But people start work at around 7.30 or 8, have a break at 9, two hour lunch hour at 12, coffee break at 4, finish work at six. It's against the law to work for more than two hours without a break.

Some places finish work at 4 on a Friday or even midday. Nobody moves a finger on a Sunday. What's wrong with that?

40 hour week, 5 weeks paid holiday a year, overtime either in money or days off. Beautiful scenery. Plus good salaries.

In Spain, if i'm not confused, they work from 8 till midday and then from 4 till 9 in the heat of the summer.

Does that hold true for hospital employees , police, fire. ambulance personnel and train drivers ?

Not everyone works in a plush office !

Last time I worked in Swiss hospital I was contracted to working 12 hour rotating day/night shifts and was lucky to get a half hour meal break !

Seems some need to open the eyes to reality !

Edited April 6, 2014 by thepool

[David48]

I think the OP has tucked his tail between his legs and taken an indefinite lunch break ...

[ajarnmarc]

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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.

Now we know!!!!!TOYOTA that is a whole different subject.

I heard that, since they are so popular in Thailand, they can afford to hire a small army for show,

but not for production.

[anon11]

Why so critical you can't vote you have no say it's their country not yours stop complaining and get over it you are in THAILAND it's the way it's done..unless of course you are someone really REALLY important ...nah don't think so

[bangkokpoppys]

Everyone duck your heads, there's about 50 dummys being spat out of the pram coming flying low!

It's a good thing that the biggest problem right now in the world is what's going on with a &lt;deleted&gt; oil change in a Toyota and how to deal with a lunch break! Phew...at least it wasn't mob violence, grenades launched at young kids or the brink of a military coup and civil war. How outrageous would that be?

The world is a happy place again. Thanks for reminding me!