Japanese investors concerned with Thai labor force

[Jessi]

At my Honda-dealer they even can't pump a tire, also they don't have a manometre in the shop...They have 3-400 new Honda's though and loads of "engineers".

Also they even can't tighten a nut properly, it will come loose within a day.

When they repair or change a tire they use screwdrivers to put it on the wheel.

I can understand the Japanese get tired of that.

My woman bought herself a nice new E Sport Toyota and insists that the technical staff in the dealership (in Korat) told her to switch off the accessories, especially the aircon, before switching off the engine. So we have this weird routine happening each time we stop.

I'm given a sad face when I drive and switch off the engine without any of that nonsense.

It's a little bit like whan she cleans her teeth before breakfast . . . don't know where she got that from.

Dont fight it because they will just come back and tell you Thai knows best

Because they think that they invented the wheel.

[marko kok prong]

It is not the fault of the Thai's,but of the japanese,don't they realise Thailand is the greatest country on earth,and kon Thai the greatest people!

[pookiki]

Let's look at the flip side of the coin for a moment. Japanese companies build factories in third world countries for one reason and one reason only - cheap labor to enhance their profit margins. Why do you think Apple outsources the manufacture of its phones to China - Foxconn is a major producer. (Workers at Foxconn often work 14 or 18 hour shifts standing all day!)

Once built, the Japanese owners will use will hire their workers through a 'contractor' to prevent any hint of union organization. The contracts for workers under such arrangements are for one year and renewable if you are judged to be a 'good' employee. The companies, for the vast majority of cases, do little to foster good employment relations with solid job security and good pay and benefits. Most workers in developing nations suffer under precarious work relationships.

As the old saying goes - "You get what you pay for!"

Unless and until major foreign corporations deal with its workforce from a standpoint of dignity and respect (Japanese and Koreans being some of the worst), they will always moan and groan about the quality of their workers. Man up! Give the workers job security and a good future for their family!

[TheCruncher]

Let's look at the flip side of the coin for a moment. Japanese companies build factories in third world countries for one reason and one reason only - cheap labor to enhance their profit margins.

Lets look the flip side of the coin, if Toyota didn't have a factory in Thailand, a Toyota would not be affordable for the average Thai

[Bobotie]

At my Honda-dealer they even can't pump a tire, also they don't have a manometre in the shop...They have 3-400 new Honda's though and loads of "engineers".

Also they even can't tighten a nut properly, it will come loose within a day.

When they repair or change a tire they use screwdrivers to put it on the wheel.

I can understand the Japanese get tired of that.

My woman bought herself a nice new E Sport Toyota and insists that the technical staff in the dealership (in Korat) told her to switch off the accessories, especially the aircon, before switching off the engine. So we have this weird routine happening each time we stop.

I'm given a sad face when I drive and switch off the engine without any of that nonsense.

It's a little bit like whan she cleans her teeth before breakfast . . . don't know where she got that from.

Well technical staff at Toyota know more than the all knowing farang then calling things nonsense...switching the aircon off before switching off the engine dries out the evaporator, preventing mould build up and possible smells

So on this "nonsesnse"

Thai Toyota staff - 1

All knowing farang - 0

[Bobotie]

how do you fix lazy or being unreliable

Same way you fix a whinging bigot ?

[TheCruncher]

At my Honda-dealer they even can't pump a tire, also they don't have a manometre in the shop...They have 3-400 new Honda's though and loads of "engineers".

Also they even can't tighten a nut properly, it will come loose within a day.

When they repair or change a tire they use screwdrivers to put it on the wheel.

I can understand the Japanese get tired of that.

My woman bought herself a nice new E Sport Toyota and insists that the technical staff in the dealership (in Korat) told her to switch off the accessories, especially the aircon, before switching off the engine. So we have this weird routine happening each time we stop.

I'm given a sad face when I drive and switch off the engine without any of that nonsense.

It's a little bit like whan she cleans her teeth before breakfast . . . don't know where she got that from.

Well technical staff at Toyota know more than the all knowing farang then calling things nonsense...switching the aircon off before switching off the engine dries out the evaporator, preventing mould build up and possible smells

So on this "nonsesnse"

Thai Toyota staff - 1

All knowing farang - 0

Only for that to happen you should switch off the aircon at least 15 - 30 minutes prior to switching off the engine.

The Chruncher - 1

Bobotie - 0

[Bobotie]

At my Honda-dealer they even can't pump a tire, also they don't have a manometre in the shop...They have 3-400 new Honda's though and loads of "engineers".

Also they even can't tighten a nut properly, it will come loose within a day.

When they repair or change a tire they use screwdrivers to put it on the wheel.

I can understand the Japanese get tired of that.

My woman bought herself a nice new E Sport Toyota and insists that the technical staff in the dealership (in Korat) told her to switch off the accessories, especially the aircon, before switching off the engine. So we have this weird routine happening each time we stop.

I'm given a sad face when I drive and switch off the engine without any of that nonsense.

It's a little bit like whan she cleans her teeth before breakfast . . . don't know where she got that from.

Well technical staff at Toyota know more than the all knowing farang then calling things nonsense...switching the aircon off before switching off the engine dries out the evaporator, preventing mould build up and possible smells

So on this "nonsesnse"

Thai Toyota staff - 1

All knowing farang - 0

Only for that to happen you should switch off the aircon at least 15 - 30 minutes prior to switching off the engine.

The Chruncher - 1

Bobotie - 0

Disagree 5 minutes before is ample

But the fact remains there is a proper technical root in what she was told and its not nonsense turning the aircon off before turning the engine off

Bobotie 1

Chruncher 1

Edited March 24, 2016 by Bobotie

[NickJ]

I had a Hi-So Chinese Thai Gf long long ago. Her family was doing a joint venture project with one of the top Japanese Companies. This side of the equation plundered the whole set up to the tune of tens of millions of dollars.....I would have thought the Japanese would have learned by now.

[Thian]

At my Honda-dealer they even can't pump a tire, also they don't have a manometre in the shop...They have 3-400 new Honda's though and loads of "engineers".

Also they even can't tighten a nut properly, it will come loose within a day.

When they repair or change a tire they use screwdrivers to put it on the wheel.

I can understand the Japanese get tired of that.

My woman bought herself a nice new E Sport Toyota and insists that the technical staff in the dealership (in Korat) told her to switch off the accessories, especially the aircon, before switching off the engine. So we have this weird routine happening each time we stop.

I'm given a sad face when I drive and switch off the engine without any of that nonsense.

It's a little bit like whan she cleans her teeth before breakfast . . . don't know where she got that from.

My wife does the same, and when she starts the car she forgets to turn the aircon on so i have to sit in a very hot car untill i notice that she forgot it again.

Her Toyotadealer told her the same about turning it off and on every time you start the engine.

I agree that Japanese cardealers do a much better job than the motobike dealers who have 15 year old boys doing service. My new bike needed 12.000 km service and all they did was change the oil. When i told them it needs much more checkups they finally read the manual and admitted i was right.

Than the owner said the 15 yo boy is only allowed to change oil, than why did he sign off the 12.000 km servicecheck??

And for tires they always pump them as hard as they can. Also put greasy hands on the discbrakes so they don't work properly and even don't have fluid to clean them.

Those boys work under a roof outside in full heat with crappy tools and soidogs all around them. Also they let other customers just sit on clients bikes while they are there for service.

Total lack of education in my books. Honda should check their official dealers and educate them.

[Britannia]

At my Honda-dealer they even can't pump a tire, also they don't have a manometre in the shop...They have 3-400 new Honda's though and loads of "engineers".

Also they even can't tighten a nut properly, it will come loose within a day.

When they repair or change a tire they use screwdrivers to put it on the wheel.

I can understand the Japanese get tired of that.

My woman bought herself a nice new E Sport Toyota and insists that the technical staff in the dealership (in Korat) told her to switch off the accessories, especially the aircon, before switching off the engine. So we have this weird routine happening each time we stop.

I'm given a sad face when I drive and switch off the engine without any of that nonsense.

It's a little bit like whan she cleans her teeth before breakfast . . . don't know where she got that from.

My wife does the same, and when she starts the car she forgets to turn the aircon on so i have to sit in a very hot car untill i notice that she forgot it again.

Her Toyotadealer told her the same about turning it off and on every time you start the engine.

I agree that Japanese cardealers do a much better job than the motobike dealers who have 15 year old boys doing service. My new bike needed 12.000 km service and all they did was change the oil. When i told them it needs much more checkups they finally read the manual and admitted i was right.

Than the owner said the 15 yo boy is only allowed to change oil, than why did he sign off the 12.000 km servicecheck??

And for tires they always pump them as hard as they can. Also put greasy hands on the discbrakes so they don't work properly and even don't have fluid to clean them.

Those boys work under a roof outside in full heat with crappy tools and soidogs all around them. Also they let other customers just sit on clients bikes while they are there for service.

Total lack of education in my books. Honda should check their official dealers and educate them.

You Guys actually get in a car with a Thai lady driving? Wow Bravery beyond

[quandow]

I've spoken with multiple foreign business owners and they say the same thing over and over: they CANNOT find good labor, skilled or unskilled. Several of them have offered WAY over the top salaries and benefits yet no one will come to work for them, or if they do, they never stay long.

It's part of the charm of this place. Thainess.

[Ceruhe]

What I like the most out of tihs topic are the few posts pointing out that "I have had a good experience" and not putting it in relation to the bigger picture.

What reminds me that of....hmmm let me see....tuesday...oh right #notallmuslims

[Tomtomtom69]

They are too busy preparing horrible English for Asean.

Yes, like "Combodia" on signs to the Hat Lek border post in Chanthaburi and Trat provinces. Also, signs that indicate "Combodia" is 5km from Hat Lek when every idiot who can read a map knows Cambodia is right next to Hat Lek (which is a border town) therefore the same distance from a signpost as Hat Lek. Signs should say Koh Kong, not Combodia or Cambodia as signposts normally indicate the distance to a city, not a country.

Secondly, what's the deal with expanding roads to neighboring countries when Thai cars for all intents and purposes aren't crossing the border? The road to Hat Lek is being widened at least for part of it's length (I hope not for it's entire length), which will cause the uprooting of trees even though traffic volume is so little it's absolutely unnecessary. Me thinks it's just a face thing - we can build wider roads than the Cambodians! Look at us!

[pookiki]

Let's look at the flip side of the coin for a moment. Japanese companies build factories in third world countries for one reason and one reason only - cheap labor to enhance their profit margins.

Lets look the flip side of the coin, if Toyota didn't have a factory in Thailand, a Toyota would not be affordable for the average Thai

The affordability results from avoiding import taxes. It doesn't affect increased profit from lower labor wages. If Thai workers were not capable and competent in working in an auto factory, there wouldn't be any factories here at all. Your point addresses Thai workers in what manner? And how many cars are shipped to other markets?

[Brer Fox]

Poor work ethic by Thais I expect. Poor value for money. Vietnam and now Cambodia have more appeal to the Japanese and cost them less.

[Bender]

japanese have only themselves to blame. They open factories in a third world country, and then they wonder why somchai dont even know how to lace his shoes.

[Bobotie]

japanese have only themselves to blame. They open factories in a third world country, and then they wonder why somchai dont even know how to lace his shoes.

Why would Somchai need to know how to lace his shoes when he wears flip flops ? Do you know how to put a Kimono on properly ?

[phoenixdoglover]

Perhaps the Japanese know about the draft Charter, which reduces government paid education by 3 years. If passed, Thai children will be educated for "free" only up to age 13.

It's a major step backwards.

[TheCruncher]

Let's look at the flip side of the coin for a moment. Japanese companies build factories in third world countries for one reason and one reason only - cheap labor to enhance their profit margins.

Lets look the flip side of the coin, if Toyota didn't have a factory in Thailand, a Toyota would not be affordable for the average Thai

The affordability results from avoiding import taxes. It doesn't affect increased profit from lower labor wages. If Thai workers were not capable and competent in working in an auto factory, there wouldn't be any factories here at all. Your point addresses Thai workers in what manner? And how many cars are shipped to other markets?

Maybe try to consider why Toyota moved production of a few models already to Indonesia and Philippines, as did Samsung already, and probably more companies to follow.

I'm sure they don't invest billions building a new factory in those countries just because they can save a few quid, if any, on the salaries.

[Kasset Tak]

At my Honda-dealer they even can't pump a tire, also they don't have a manometre in the shop...They have 3-400 new Honda's though and loads of "engineers".

Also they even can't tighten a nut properly, it will come loose within a day.

When they repair or change a tire they use screwdrivers to put it on the wheel.

I can understand the Japanese get tired of that.

My woman bought herself a nice new E Sport Toyota and insists that the technical staff in the dealership (in Korat) told her to switch off the accessories, especially the aircon, before switching off the engine. So we have this weird routine happening each time we stop.

I'm given a sad face when I drive and switch off the engine without any of that nonsense.

It's a little bit like whan she cleans her teeth before breakfast . . . don't know where she got that from.

All accessories in a car uses electricity and when the size of the battery is as small as possible then it doesn't take much to use up the charge. I looked in a friends of my Volvo and the battery fitted in it is less than half the Ah that you would fit in the same car back home!

And brushing your teeth before breakfast it's actually better because the food you eat contains sugars that with the bacteria in your mouth use to produce acid that softens the enamel. That means that if you brush after breakfast you are actually doing damage to your teeth while cleaning away the food residues but if you brush before breakfast you minimize the amount of bacteria and thereby minimize the corrosion of the enamel.

[Sydebolle]

Shiro Sadoshima's predecessor mentioned that 25 to 30 years ago; the result was the Thai-Japanese school in Huay Kwang. The Koreans followed suit and also built a school, which - at the time - was a big thing as Chatchai Choonhavan's arse had to be kissed over and over.

Shiro Sadoshima has to understand, that the oligarch establishment does not want an educated electorate; stupid carrot followers are much easier to cheat, to lie upon and to milk. When I came here in the 80s a senior fellow alien told me "keep everybody depending on you without misusing the power and you'll do great". Never learnt anything closer to the truth as far as handling of Thai labour is concerned - and was never more applicable than today

[jaywalker]

I've spoken with multiple foreign business owners and they say the same thing over and over: they CANNOT find good labor, skilled or unskilled. Several of them have offered WAY over the top salaries and benefits yet no one will come to work for them, or if they do, they never stay long.

It's part of the charm of this place. Thainess.

Yes, you can pay them 100,000 baht + per month, but if you ever yell at them they will either quit or kill you, or both, so one is forced to sit and supervise retards who, no matter HOW MANY TIMES I showed them a systematized way of doing things, just grinned at me & did it however they wanted to do it.

Quite maddening when one is put in charge of production, but then told he's not allowed to give shoe polish injections to the louts.

[Bobotie]

I've spoken with multiple foreign business owners and they say the same thing over and over: they CANNOT find good labor, skilled or unskilled. Several of them have offered WAY over the top salaries and benefits yet no one will come to work for them, or if they do, they never stay long.

It's part of the charm of this place. Thainess.

Yes, you can pay them 100,000 baht + per month, but if you ever yell at them they will either quit or kill you, or both, so one is forced to sit and supervise retards who, no matter HOW MANY TIMES I showed them a systematized way of doing things, just grinned at me & did it however they wanted to do it.

Quite maddening when one is put in charge of production, but then told he's not allowed to give shoe polish injections to the louts.

Wow threats of physical violence on a work force is more indicative of your failings as a manager/supervisor than the work forces inability to do the work, and why wish for violence on a worker is it because the little asian man wont do what the big white bwana wants him to do

Bet you wouldnt be so quick wanting to hand out shoe polish injections to western louts in farangistan cos they would sue your ass or kick the crap out of you

Edited March 24, 2016 by Bobotie

[wabothai]

how do you fix lazy or being unreliable

Unlazy and reliable them

[Bender]

japanese have only themselves to blame. They open factories in a third world country, and then they wonder why somchai dont even know how to lace his shoes.

Why would Somchai need to know how to lace his shoes when he wears flip flops ? Do you know how to put a Kimono on properly ?

nonsense,

you mean thai dont wear shoes?

i dont wear a kimono, but i do have a master degree in science, what about you?

[casualobserver]

Unless education dramatically improves then Thai's will always be disadvantaged, as someone else pointed out it's not in elite's interest to improve Thai education, they want to continue to milk the poor and keep them stupid, the examples on daily basis are everywhere, look at the banks that are allowed to offer free suitcases, iphones, gold bracelets for some third rate financial product that the poor punter doesn't need, can't really afford and doesn't understand.

[pookiki]

Let's look at the flip side of the coin for a moment. Japanese companies build factories in third world countries for one reason and one reason only - cheap labor to enhance their profit margins.

Lets look the flip side of the coin, if Toyota didn't have a factory in Thailand, a Toyota would not be affordable for the average Thai

The affordability results from avoiding import taxes. It doesn't affect increased profit from lower labor wages. If Thai workers were not capable and competent in working in an auto factory, there wouldn't be any factories here at all. Your point addresses Thai workers in what manner? And how many cars are shipped to other markets?

Maybe try to consider why Toyota moved production of a few models already to Indonesia and Philippines, as did Samsung already, and probably more companies to follow.

I'm sure they don't invest billions building a new factory in those countries just because they can save a few quid, if any, on the salaries.

Mr. Cruncher, maybe you should crunch the labor costs in these other countries, I'm sure than just a few 'quid' are involved. There are a myriad of reasons that a company will move it's production facilities but profit is always the main motive. If you don't agree with that analysis, you don't understand capitalism.

[Balance]

I have been here five years and the same things have been said two to three hundred times. Like many farang, early on I looked into perhaps doing some exporting as I had lots of contacts in the interior design industry in the U.S. But, after some ridiculous experiences with Thai manufacturers large and small, it was clear that I would have to be nuts to invest one satang in any business here and continued my retired way of life.

[Srikcir]

Just two weeks ago Prayut had a meeting with high-ranking executives of four automotive companies including Tpyota, Isuzu, Nissan and Honda that represent a combined 58% of Thailand's total car export. According to the Ministry of Commerce permanent secretary Chutima Bunyapraphasara, all of the executives confirmed to use Thailand as a manufacturing base with a plan to expand their investment in vehicles.

Now Japanese car makers expressed their concerns as they attempt to build an Asean hub in Thailand because Thai skills are not up to standard?

This is Japanese diplomacy. Do not be direct and offensive.

Point to a deficiency that has been well-known and beyond Japan's control. So sorry - we must go elsewhere for quality labor. Maybe we return someday.

The real story is more likely that Thailand's economy is collapsing at a greater rate than expected despite massive Thai government spending. Japanese investors are no longer interested in what has become a high-risk economy and want to seek less risk high higher returns. And the other ASEAN countries will likely benefit.

Edited March 24, 2016 by Srikcir