Sukhothai Business Travel Guide  Jump to: Business Galleries
Beyond the bright lights and high-rise offices in Bangkok, doing business in Thailand is more a matter of mastering social etiquette than sharpening your negotiating skills. As one successful British businessman working in Thailand observed, "Thai people live in the 21st century, have Victorian social values and medieval business practices." [more]
Sukhothai Office and Government times
Business offices are usually open from 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday, and from 8am to 12noon on Saturdays. All offices are closed during national holidays, but you may find some Thais working overtime during the weekends - and being happy to do so! Thais do like a good celebration, and grab the opportunity whenever it comes, so some foreign holidays are observed; for example, you will find that most offices will be closed over the Chinese New Year.
Government offices will be open from 8.30am until 4.30pm Monday to Friday, and closed from 12 noon to 1pm for lunch. Government offices and non-tourist businesses will also close on national holidays.
Thai and Sukhothai Business Etiquette
The secret to doing successful business in Thailand is to understand the high value placed on social status and etiquette. A good start is to learn the wai, a greeting that can be adapted almost by instinct by any Thai to acknowledge a person's status. Your best method is to always adopt the 'stranger's wai', which should only ever be given in reply to a wai offered to you first. To return a wai, simply place your hands together as in prayer, and hold your hands next to your chest at such a height that the fingertips lie just under your chin.
When arranging a meeting, always inform your Thai business contact of the name and status of every member of your team well in advance, so they can assess everyone's relative status. Thais generally don't do informality well, so make sure it is crystal clear who is the boss of your company, or head of your team, and they will feel much happier.
In addition, always send an agenda in advance, and make sure you stick to it during your meeting. Also send any background material in advance, especially if it requires translation. Thai businessmen like to meet as many members of your team as possible, and may take several meetings to do this, so book out plenty of time during your business trip to Thailand to accommodate these.
For meetings in offices or hotels, dress smartly and remember to polish your shoes - the Thais will notice every detail. Dark colours are generally more acceptable than light, and are less likely to reveal if you are getting hot or not! Make sure you are comfortable in whatever you wear, as the Thais place great emphasis on people's body language, and you don't want an ill-fitting suit jacket and your resulting wriggles to spoil your business chances.
Thais always call each other by the first names, with the title Khun. Therefore, John Smith would be addressed as 'Khun John', 'Mr John', not 'Khun Smith', 'Mr Smith'.
As elsewhere in Asia, great emphasis is laid on the presentation of business cards, so make sure you have double-sided versions printed in advance if possible, with one side in English, and one side in Thai. Hand your card to the most senior Thai person on entering the meeting, and make sure you take a few moments to read their card in return, a sign of polite respect.
Once in your Sukhothai business meeting, do not ask direct questions, but rather ask them in a roundabout fashion. This can be frustrating, but allows Thais not to have to reply to anything with a direct 'no', which they hate. A direct refusal is a potential loss of face, and loss of face is unacceptable to any Thai. Also, an ever-smiling Thai face can hide a range of emotions from agreement to utter confusion, so don't assume it is always a sign of encouragement. As always, err on the side of caution and take meetings slowly, agenda item by agenda item.
Three principles underline all Thai society etiquette, yet seem to contradict themselves:
- jai yen is the concept of keeping calm regardless of the circumstances. So, do not express any anger or frustration during a meeting, whatever the reason. Keep your cool and the Thais will be much happier.
- mai pen rai is a sort of verbal shrug, which can either mean that something is no problem at all, or such a big problem that nothing can be done about it!
- sanuk is the concept that everything contains an element of fun, so be prepared for a surprise or two along the way to a signed deal, and go with the flow.
General Social Etiquette
If you are lucky enough to be invited to a Thai colleague's home, always arrive on time and take a gift, such as flowers. Remove your shoes before entering the house, but make sure you never point your feet at anyone, as this is highly offensive. (The same applies in temples with images of the Buddha.) Also never touch a Thai person's head, but don't be surprised if any Thai person of the same sex gives you a big hug. This is politeness, not an invitation!
Always be respectful of the Thai royal family, and if the Thai national anthem is played, always stand. Posing for photographs in front on images or statues of the Buddha is highly disrespectful, despite the many tourists who regularly offend Thais by doing this in ancient Sukhothai.
Internet Connections in Sukhothai
Most Sukhothai hotels and guesthouses offer broadband connections for a reasonable charge, and speeds are reassuringly high; no snail paced dial-ups here.
|
 "Everything you ever wanted to know about Sukhothai business"
|
