The instructor came to our condo, and covered a lot of material in a short period. I could have listened to much more. She had an interesting background - with a Thai father and an Australian mother, she was raised in Thailand until the age of eight, if I remember correctly, then lived in Australia, attending university there. She has since returned to Thailand and works in international relations. She has a wonderful Thai/Australian accent - quite beautiful to listen to.
(Full disclosure: please note that everything here is my interpretation of what we heard - no guarantees of accuracy. In other words, don't quote me on this!)
Though much of the session was geared toward Tim and his professional interactions, much of what she told us was applicable for both of us. She touched first on the language, stressing how important it is to slow down when speaking English. So many Thai have learned English, but it's important to remember that this is their second language. It is good to simplify when possible, but when complex information needs to be shared, one must slow down. Non-verbal communication is important as well - eye contact and hesitations will tell you if you've been understood, even when the listener says they understand. In business, it is a good idea to have the listener repeat what he believes he understands, and to follow up with an email summarizing a discussion. The email gives the listener time to digest and interpret. It is not common for Thais to be spontaneous or question, as they don't want to be wrong.
The way we view time is very different than how Asians view time. Their life tends to be agriculturally-based, not time-based. Time is more fluid, more of a process than a strict measurement. They are much more rooted in what is happening right now, rather than what came before or what will happen in the future. When westerners are asked to draw time, they will frequently draw a timeline - very linear; an Asian will often start in the middle and draw a continuous spiral that gets bigger and bigger, like a vortex. I found this fascinating! This is closely aligned with the Buddhist principals - non-competitiveness, the future is now. "We" is more important than "I." The Thais practice Tilawat Buddhism, which is different than the Buddhism of the Dalai Lama we are familiar with. In Tilawat Buddhism, most males spend some of their adult life as ordained monks, but it is not necessarily a lifetime commitment. It is a time to seek self-enlightenment. (I thought of the Kairos retreats at U of D High School.) It is a common practice for Thai Buddhists to give alms to the monks, who come out every morning and walk in a line with their alms bowls and accept food and flowers from the people. (I have only seen this once in Pattaya, but I am not generally out early in the morning.)
We learned that Thailand has had a relationship with the United States for 182 years, the longest of any country in Asia. During the Vietnam War, a naval base just south of Pattaya was used by the US army, many of whom took their R and R here in Pattaya and influenced the huge growth in prostitution, eventually earning Pattaya its reputation as Sin City . Our instructor wanted to assure us that Pattaya is not a good example of Thai culture, anymore than Las Vegas is a good example of American culture. She encouraged us to visit the area of Chiang Mai in the north, which is a better example of true Thai culture, as a center of arts and universities.
Thailand has four or five basic areas, and the ethnic characteristics are different in each. Each area has its own dialect, although Central Thai is understood by all. The north is heavily influenced by the border with China, and many Thais in that area are lighter-skinned and thicker in build. In the 1930s, all the Chinese living in Thailand were forced to change to Thai surnames; so when you meet a Thai with a four-syllable last name, it is often of Chinese origin. The Northeast, or Isaan (a Hindu name), is the poorest and most-mobile people; their biggest export is people, providing manual labor for construction and agriculture. The Eastern Seaboard is to our east and has been an area of big development in heavy manufacturing, with many international companies establishing footprints here. And the south is influenced by its proximity to Arabia - these Thais are darker-skinned and smaller in build. This area, with its beautiful beaches, is popular with tourists; but the far south is also the site of continuing unrest and guerrilla warfare, and has the highest concentration of Muslims.
Social hierarchy is prevalent, but the upper classes are not perceived as better. Lower classes respect the upper classes, believing that they have earned their positions through suffering in a past life, and vice versa. People are much less judgmental than in the west. The love of fun and food cuts through the hierarchy, and the culture is very child-centric. Children are cherished (I have often seen Thais taking pictures of strangers' children, sometimes taking selfies with the child!) Children's Day is celebrated every January, when gifts are given and activities for children are in abundance. (Brothers' Day!)
As I have said frequently, the King is much beloved by his people. He is King Rama IX, the ninth of the Chakri Dynasty. The royal family is believed to be direct descendants of Rama. The King is very much seen as a father figure, which is highly respected. He initiated many good projects in the rural areas of Thailand that helped create many new jobs. Leadership in companies are viewed much the same way, as father figures, and employees expect to be mentored, with the boss making the final decisions.
There is a lovely simplicity to the Thai culture -accepting, non-judgmental, non-competitive and generous. The heart is the center of emotions, and many feeling words include the word for "heart," which is somewhere between "jai" and "dtai."
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