Thread: How to best sum up Thai attitudes in an experience

The Thai attitude described so far is about 'not worry' if things are not perfect. Their history has denied them much perfection. If they made an issue out of it LOS would be as stressed out as the West.

I sum up Thai attitude not in an experience but in a phrase I read somewhere:

'A smile for every emotion'

This is as someone said par for the course.

Experience will soon tell you that you don't ship the first and second batches without the necessary third, then you can't have this problem again.

And you need to look for a couple of back up suppliers.

Originally Posted by bkkmadness

This is as someone said par for the course.

Experience will soon tell you that you don't ship the first and second batches without the necessary third, then you can't have this problem again.

And you need to look for a couple of back up suppliers.

Oh yes, I know this. Trouble was I took the decision to ship to fill a shipping unit, as the sum involved was not great. Never mind, I'll have it by this time next year...

Originally Posted by SEA Traveler

Originally Posted by bkkandrew

A brief, yet indicative comment from a supplier a couple of days ago got me thinking; what experience sums up this lot?

For me, I was simply in a regular meeting, when I sardonically made the comment that I had waited some 4-months for a particular product, that is sold with another two products already delivered to me in the UK. I pointed out (yet again) that I was sitting on Bxxxx worth of product that was useless without the third, a batch of which had been rejected as defective.

The Thai (throwaway) comment?

'Well if you just handed over the stock items with the duff one, you could get your money'...

To which I said that would be pointless, as the customer would complain, send the shipment back and a loss of confidence would occur.

'No plombem', 'you have money aleeeeedy' 'and can change product no.3 when fix ploblem'.

Needless to say I rejected the idea and lectured on the differences between Thai and Western standards. Which, no doubt, got filed in the round filing cabinet...

Unfortunately, "par" for the course. Not to unlike other not yet first world countries.

Absolutely. Nokia is a good example. I know of one particular model where 10% came of the production line faulty. They knew of the problem but decided to let the customer sort out the ones with defects as they were selling very succesfully anyway.

How many US and European companies do the same when they sell their crap made in China to their consumers ?

The Thai are more annoying because they are third world and do it out of laziness rather than greed,

Greed is always rewarded, laziness is not

Another thing that major Korean companies do is sell at a loss just to get the contract. I understand the concept of 'loss-leaders' but to do this with every contract if necessary is simply dumb were it not for the fact that the Korean government is happy to bail them out of trouble.

You should know by now that you often have to go through 2-3 Thais before you get the right info at these places Tud.

yeah even I know that...sheesh.

Where to get a round filing cabinet ?

Originally Posted by dirtydog

I remember when the rubbish men here decided my place was worthy of a dustbin outside it, we got about 20 families living in the 20 buildings here and they left a big fok off dustbin outside my place, I dragged that thing across the road and left it there, the foking lazy cnut neighbours who were to foking lazy to drag their trash across the road decided to bring it back, I caught erm, as they were about to leave it outside my place, they own a restaurant, I told the lazy cnuts to stick it outside their restaurant if they were too foking lazy to cross the road, they realised having an open communal trashbin outside their restaurant wasn't a good idea and put it back again across the road.

Speaking of which, do they revel in going through the trash bins contents and separating all the plastic, metal etc so they can get money for the crap by the kilo?

Bet they do.

F**king monkey peasants.

When I first come to Thailand I worked part time acting as an engineering consultant for a German trading company. Part of my respoinsibilities was suporting the sales team.
After witnessing many negotiations I learn't very quickly that Yes, Krap, Ka had many different meanings.

Yes: we want to buy your product. Yes me don't want to buy your product, Yes we are thinking about buying your product, Yes I will say yes as long as you keep on telling me all about your technology and I can copy it and Yes I will say yes because I have no other answer and hope you go home and never come back.

Seen many a salesperson go back to Germany informing the head office that the deal is done. Needles to say most sales never eventuated.

Thais generally hate confrontation and will smile and say anything to avoid a confrontation. Their very famous face thing and very frustrating.

Learn their muliple meanings for the word yes and you will do just fine here.

Originally Posted by EmperorTud

I went to the shop this afternoon and the counter assistant said this sim could not be used for global roaming, despite it being clearly indicated in both English and Thai in the instructions, and contradictory to the True helpcenter.

I thanked the lady, made my excuses and left.

Must have pissed you right off I reckon.

Originally Posted by bkkandrew

I rejected the idea and lectured on the differences between Thai and Western standards.

Try talking to people instead of lecturing them.

The Thai (throwaway) comment?

'Well if you just handed over the stock items with the duff one, you could get your money'...

To which I said that would be pointless, as the customer would complain, send the shipment back and a loss of confidence would occur.

'No plombem', 'you have money aleeeeedy' 'and can change product no.3 when fix ploblem'.

Avoid the problem now, put off til later (ie. forget about it, and probably never deal with it when it comes back).

Fairly standard Thai behaviour regardless of situation. I feel for guys doing real business here.

Originally Posted by Chairman Mao

I feel for guys doing real business here.

Why? If you know what your doing and understand how things work here it realy is not as difficult as some people would have you believe. You will find that the failings of most foreign business people here in Thailand is down to their own lack of ability to adapt, or they have simply not done the legwork before jumping in head first.