Thailand -- The Land of Smiles and Commerce

Thailand has left many of our students smiling and happy. Everywhere you look, there are kind people bowing to you and saying "thank you" with a smile on their faces. And they have surrounded themselves with the most colorful bits and pieces of their culture like a psychedelic sea...

And while they are at it, they bargain and bargain and sell you anything they can :) And it is all so cheap, that you feel so lucky that you jusy buy and buy and buy... From trinkets all the way to momentary pleasures...

Thailand is a middle income country with 95% literacy (mostly in urban areas, though). It is also a homogeneous society with most people being Thai with an 11% Chinese minority in the country. The majority of people are Buddhists.
Here are the key features of Thai society as told to us by the professor who gave us the lecture at Chula university:

1. Buddhism
2. Belief in fate and karma
3. Group conformity
4. Role of the extended family

a. Little privacy

b. Respect for elders taught very early

5. Role of the family in decision-making
6. Growing influence of women
7. High respect to monarchy

Thai Values include:

1. Namjai, “Water of the heart”

2. Mai pen rai, “Never mind, it doesn’t matter”

3. Krengjai “ It’s ok, No problem”

And, in addition:

An act of direct criticism is regarded as a bad manner

As a high context culture: may more readily learn and remember the totality of images and messages than those from low context cultures.

They prefer Western products

Collectivist culture: word of mouth communication is quite influential

They value tradition and long-term commitment