Can you get dismissed for refusing to go on the annual party

[thaiduncankk]

Refuse to go.

The outcome: Soon you will have so much time on your hands to post more on TV !

[jmccarty]

I skip some of these due to a bad back and they understand. If end of the year, I try and attend the New Year party, I think they apprecaite seeing my attendance though I do not enjoy it. As some have said, take one for the (falang) team and attend. It will not kill you, unless you think this is their intent?

Good thing is, 8 years service severence pay is a good sum of money. They would have to pay you if it were for this reason alone.

[tolsti]

Maybe you could just say you forgot like you did with your 90 day reports ?

[Happy Grumpy]

Bring several girls. You may or may not be asked back next year.

Two teachers I know did that when living on campus.

Paid 6 karaoke bar girls 200b each to comeback with them and hang out for an hour, then they could go.

Waltzed though the campus gates at 2am on a Saturday night, passed the security guards with 6 girls each holding on to them.

Some of the girls ended up staying the night anyway.

[Happy Grumpy]

Anyway, they weren't sacked.

So yeah, do that.

[gandalf12]

One thing you have not said is your position within the company. If you are management level it is usually expected that the managers attend these functions

[Bangkokhatter]

I don't particularly like these events but i go to most, where's the harm ? You've had over 30 replies all in agreement.

Must be some sort of record for TV that.

[maidee]

comming to TVF for advice about a topic like this ?

any doctor in the room ? i think you have social anxiety

[chiman]

Suck it up and go...

[karl2007]

Thanks guys for all the advice. You are proberly right after all it is one day.

I have attended all their evening parties and most of the Thai staff just hundle together in their little groups. That is what makes them so unappealing and very boring to someone like, The annual party is just an extension of that with the added play games and activites thrown in.

I will proberly end going and just join the activites that I feel comfortable with, if they allow me to do that.

As far as team spirt is, I have always supported in helping others doing their work.

The bottom line is, if I didn't go I don't think the Thai staff would even care.

[Time Traveller]

Sounds like you're not fitting in with that company. Best you find another job with a similiar work culture fit for you. Otherwise, you will always be the odd man out, or else you'll be constantly forced to compromise your principles to do things that are not natural for your character.

[jacko45k]

Ask if you can bring a 'partner', then you will not feel so alone.

I can appreciate not feeling particularly sociable, and I too might be fearful of infantile 'games'...... will the locals be bringing their children?

Take it on the chin and join in the tug-of-war on the mud-pit and make a few friends.

[Colabamumbai]

Go, Go for an hour or two say hello mingle, then leave. That way you have done your duty.

[Jimbob1]

Thanks guys for all the advice. You are proberly right after all it is one day.

I have attended all their evening parties and most of the Thai staff just hundle together in their little groups. That is what makes them so unappealing and very boring to someone like, The annual party is just an extension of that with the added play games and activites thrown in.

I will proberly end going and just join the activites that I feel comfortable with, if they allow me to do that.

As far as team spirt is, I have always supported in helping others doing their work.

The bottom line is, if I didn't go I don't think the Thai staff would even care.

I think that's the best thing ...

What you could do is put your hand up for all activities and be super competitive and see if you can beet them all .... you may not get asked again ...

"What doesn't kill ya only makes you stronger"

[gemguy]

Well....ultimately many of the Thai companies and their management can or would fire a person for any infraction of their rules...if they want.... under the premise of: "And what exactly would the fired employee do about it"....is their way of thinking.

Meantime I do not think they would fire you but they would be angered while their attitude towards you will be forever soured while it is not your actions so much that will effect you in the long run......rather the inevitable Thai gossip and office politics ....that could be and often is a persons down fall.

Best to put on your smiley face and attend the function.....besides...if you are a single guy...well...... maybe you will meet your Thai dream girl at the function....you never know.....lol

Cheers

[chrissables]

A party should be fun, if you don't enjoy parties and it will make you miserable to go, don't.

In the UK many years ago i watched a team building exercise at a B and Q (think wall mart in not English) It was funny as an outsider to watch, but as an employee i would never have joined in, i would refuse to act like a monkey to please others.

You are employed to do a job, do you job, nothing more if it is not acceptable to you.

[SantiSuk]

He's not coming back.

He's not gonna take the advice is he.

[MrBrilliant]

I can sympathise with the OP. These events can be ghastly, akin to a junior school day trip to the zoo but the truth is that sometimes you just have to 'bite the bullet' and make a bit of a prat out of yourself because in the eyes of your co workers you won't be a prat but someone who doesn't think himself 'above such things' and better than the rest which can be a problematic attitude.

When I first came to Thailand we had them arranged by the Thai staff/lower management and they were pretty grim affairs for we Westerners though thankfully being senior management, sliding out wouldn't have been too difficult, though that would have seemed churlish and aloof.

Just being there, taking a back seat, casting a kindly eye over proceedings was of great benefit to 'fitting in' as these bashes were often the forefront of office talk for the following few months. I feel to have missed them altogether would have been detrimental to office relationships/harmony/politics.

Over time we managed to gently wrest the arranging of these events from the local staff from childish 'Summer Camp' style jamborees, to more civilised adult oriented meal/day trips combinations wound up by a knees up/big feed at night.

In recent years we have had a day's fishing, a US style 'office picnic'/softball game, a touristy day to Kanchanaburi, riding the rails all the way to NamTok, a UK style 'Mystery Tour', a trip to Khao Yai where we actually managed to lure the staff a few KM inside the jungle!

Does the OP have any pull or status at his employer where he may be able to influence the style of the annual do's?

[roblgs]

I'd suggest going this time... you may find it enjoyable, but like you I detest these things, so I expect not.

If you genuinely don't enjoy it then I suspect that you may end up not being asked again... end of problem.

[joshstiles]

...what's the other half of this story....

good luck finding your new job

[bwpage3]

Thanks guys for all the advice. You are proberly right after all it is one day.

I have attended all their evening parties and most of the Thai staff just hundle together in their little groups. That is what makes them so unappealing and very boring to someone like, The annual party is just an extension of that with the added play games and activites thrown in.

I will proberly end going and just join the activites that I feel comfortable with, if they allow me to do that.

As far as team spirt is, I have always supported in helping others doing their work.

The bottom line is, if I didn't go I don't think the Thai staff would even care.

If you didn't think the Thai's would care, you would not have posted this.

[Thunderbirds20]

This is Thailand!! Anything can happen. Employers can do whatever they like. If they want you gone, ..you're gone.

But why not just go for the day? You say you have never gone. You might have a good time. It seems some people really want you to go, so that seems better to me than being ostracisized in your workplace

[sydneyjed]

Well as long as it doesn't end up like the annual Auto Alliance Xmas Party down at Chonburi a couple of years back where a mass brawl broke out all because some team employees received Xmas prizes and other 'teams' didn't resulting in 400 tables being trashed gun shots and a home made grenade being thrown.Some Xmas party that!!