 In May, Kriengsak held a small informal poll with readers of his columns focusing on Thai and expat relationships. Thirty Thai and expatriates working in Thailand were emailed a questionnaire, covering perceptions of each group with the other. The questions covered strengths, weaknesses, positive behaviours and characteristics. The results are provided here in raw form, providing a useful insight into inter-cultural workplace communication in Thailand. Given the anonymity of the email survey, both Thai and expat respondent's could be very direct and honest in their appraisal.
This month's column contains a list of responses to a questions asked of Thais who work with expats. Next month summarises expat perceptions. (Eds.)
I have summarised the results in a qualitative manner. Use it as an indicator - feedback - mirroring from the other side who have a different culture. Many comments are based on perceptions. But as someone in advertising industry once said "Perception is reality". I hope you enjoy it.
| What are 3 strengths of expats with whom you have worked which you would like them to sustain? |
- Willingness to understand Thai culture
- Openness to talk about the differences
- Willingness to accommodate the differences
- Work very hard and study a lot of details of the work when they conduct one particular job. In short, work hard and know more about what you do.
- Polite and reasonable with subordinates as well as with clients.
- Open minded to comments from subordinates equally ay the same level or management
- High energy level
- Seeks commitment from others
- Utilization of resources reflecting competitive competencies
- Everyone's voice and opinion counts. A mailroom person's suggestion is as valuable to the company as the VP's.
- Respect for all fellow employees. Unlike the Thai workplace, Americans treat everyone as equal human beings. Whether you are a receptionist, a woman, or a younger worker doesn't mean that you are worse or lower than anyone else.
- Less power distance
- Supportive of your effort
- Decisive: Due to their culture and result oriented approach, when Expats work and discuss business, they take it more seriously than Thais, always take action and find ways to achieve a result. They are not afraid of confrontation and discussion.
- Professionalism: The Expat had high degree of professionalism and expectations of work performance. The work requires any staff to have knowledge and know their work. Thus, they are not afraid that the support staff will be better than them if the end result benefits the company. If you don't know, their training and knowledge will be provided to meet the professional expectation. They always come up with solid advice and solutions. It is more of an open-up opportunity for Thais who want to express their ideas or thought. The expat listened and stimulated us to share our ideas for better solution.
- Better Communication: Thais talk a lot but it doesn't they get a good result in everything. Expat prefer open discussion, brainstorming and confrontation to the problem.
- Straight-forward: It is good for a performance oriented company and the open multi-societies in MNCs. We know what they think and expect to get from us. Their direction is more clear.
- Result Oriented: They don't care about time and place or how you're going to do your work and how to make it happen. It creates more flexible hours and a flexible organization to structure yourselves to acheive utmost capacity.
- No personal involvement: They don't mind other people's business. Thus, you have more freedom and become yourself by not trying to please your boss all the time like in the local Thai company. To achieve in a Thai company means requires a relationship with a powerful person at a senior level. Expats will measure you based on your own performance and your achievement.
| What are 3 weaknesses of expats with whom you have worked which you would like them to change? |
- Bossy and jump to conclusions without sometimes thinking about the cultural and local environmental difference. (4 out of 5 comments from Thais)
- Underestimated the ability of local staff since expats are always transferred to support or to head part of the business activities. They always think they know everything even after only a short period of time in Thailand. (3 out of 5)
- Misinterpretation about Thai ways though they feel they know us well
- Inadequate understanding of Thai colleague's interaction
- Some of them are intolerant/ignorant of other cultures, and sometimes disrespectful. Some make fun of accents or Thailand.
- Expats always think Thais are lazy and don't think much. There are many levels of staff e.g. support function and executive and management level who function in different duties. They underestimate local capability, and assume that most of things will be easier if they do it their own way. It would be better if they learn the culture and capability of staff so they know how to use them properly.
- No trust of local staff: They have less trust in local staff since sometimes they learn that some Thais are tricky or indisciplined. Some is true and some is not true at all. Without trust is without respect.
- On Holiday attitude: Many international transfer expats think Thailand is a break post for them. Every Friday afternoon, they are away to Pattaya or Huahin without concern about ongoing work. Practicing golf in their own country is quite expensive, thus they find any opportunity to take benefits from the company. There are some expats which initially think different and come to Thailand with serious target, but in a few months their attitudes change mostly to he same as the others.
- Working vs. Family involvement: Their wives use company facilities like they own the company. Most of the company drivers who drive for their male boss need to serve their wife almost 80% of their time. Company cars are supposed to be utilized for important matters, but we always find them parked mostly at the malls or other places associated with the wife.
- Opportunist: Their culture teaches them to survive and to be more mature than Thais from an early age. Their survival attitude pushes them to be more opportunist.
- Give some instructions or orders without considering much about the consequence.
- They keep themselves away from others i.e. never want to speak about anything (like social issues) except for relevant jobs issue only.
- Holding certain information to themselves, which could generate positive working results if they shared such information with Thai staff.
| What behavours do you think you exhibited that have frustrated expats with whom you have worked? |
- Too compromising - Weak in defending one's point of view - Unconfrontatist and unwilling tyo discuss (3 out of 5 Thai reponses)
- No punctuality: Thais like to blame their lateness on traffic jams. However, it is not only commuting, as Thais are late to submit reports or to prepare their own work for meetings etc. (2 out of 5 responses)
- Thais love to discuss things among themselves and don't tell the whole story to expats since they may be afraid that expats will think they are stupid or that they don't understand the issues.
- Unable to express the right/correct reply immediately. (Not because of language issue)
- Not very direct with bosses
- Defending my country's reputation. I do get overly touchy about Thailand being known for prostitution.
- Language/cultural barriers. Both my coworkers and myself hit that from time to time, and it frustrates both sides.
- Ignorance: Sometimes Thais act very stupid and ignore their responsibility. When you are not fully responsible for your own duties, they don't like that.
- Not following through on some particular jobs thoroughly.
- Play more than work: Expats think Thais are lazy since they see many idle hours spent by executives on such unnecessary matters as spending many hours on the telephone, eating all day, and chatting with colleges about other things beside works.
- Always have the excuses for their mistakes: No need to explain this issue, since Thais think they have never been wrong, something or someone make a mistake.
- Did not meet expectations in deliverables
| What have you done that successfully received compliments from expat staff? |
- Actions more than talking - Hardworking - Pro-active - Creative ways of handling things, think outside the paradigm.
- Being generous - Courteous - Respectful - Helpful.
- Making everything fun and pleasant in the workplace.
- My managerial and problem solving skills, I always come up with the solutions and ways to do things. I never say I can't do that. I always say I will come back with the solution or some actions to be taken. I am a doer and good presenter when they need someone to communicate or to present the good thing for the company. What they like most about me is the never-ending education focus. I learn and try to be improve in everthing to improve my work and my organization.
- Positive reaction - responses from clients whom we are taking care.
- Proposing workable ideas - solutions that can get things done.
- Encouraging Thais and foreigners to appreciate each other's cultures
- Talk to them in a very direct and frank (but polite) manner
- Reach the target.
Next month addresses perceptions of expats in working with Thais.
Kriengsak Niratpattanasai
DBS Thai Danu Bank, Bangkok, Thailand
(We are pleased to advise that Kriengsak now also writes the Bangkok Post)
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