I am a student from Thailand. I had a professional experience as a design engineer and senior project coordinator at four companies in Bangkok. I have had the chance to observe and adapt to various working environments. Thai entrepreneurs owned two of these businesses, while international companies owned the other two. Based on my previous experience, I would like to express my views on Thai working culture that focus on five aspects as follows: age, gender, time, communication, and leadership.
Age and Respect
In the work culture in Thailand, age has an essential impact on the relationship between individuals. There is a particular focus on respecting seniors and people in higher positions, both in expression and action. For example, younger employees frequently treat elder colleagues with respectful job titles and avoid confrontation. This respect for age occasionally impacts decision-making, where seniority can outweigh merit, particularly in traditional Thai-owned companies.
Gender Roles
Despite Thai workplaces becoming more open, aged gender standards continue to influence work culture in some environments. In Thai-owned enterprises, women are typically expected to take on more assistive or administrative activities, while men will take on greater leadership activities. On the contrary, global enterprises operating in Thailand continue to promote greater gender equality and provide more chances for women in management and technical roles.
Time and Punctuality
Punctuality is taken seriously in Thai culture. However, there is a significant distinction between Thai and Western views of time. While meetings and deadlines are essential, flexibility and a more relaxed approach to time are common in many Thai organizations. However, global organizations tend to establish stronger time management practices and expect staff to keep closely to schedules and deadlines.
Communication Style
Generally, Thai communication style is respectful and indirect. People avoid confrontation and try to maintain harmony, which can result in unclear or delayed feedback. In Thai-owned organizations, staff might hesitate to speak up or share any ideas in meetings. On the other hand, global organizations encourage open discussion and direct communication. Although Thai staff may prefer to convey disagreement in indirect ways.
Leadership and Decision-Making
In Thai culture, leadership is usually hierarchical. It is expected that leaders provide clear guidance and often follow instructions without question. However, this environment is continuously modifying, particularly in global companies where participatory leadership and teamwork are encouraged. Younger Thai professionals are likewise adapting more cooperative strategies and value leaders who are friendly and supportive rather than repressive.
What I Like and What I Would Change
Based on my previous experience, I appreciate that staff prefer to be punctual and to understand deadlines, which improves efficiency in the team.
On the other hand, there is one aspect that I would like to see change by focusing on age hierarchy. In many companies, younger staff often hesitate to share their ideas with the senior colleagues, even if they have stronger knowledge. I believe that developing a more open environment in which anyone feels confident presenting their ideas. Despite age, that would promote collaboration and innovation in the workplace.
Conclusion
In Thailand, the working culture reveals the country’s fundamental ideas of respect, peace, and cooperation. While traditional standards continue to keep directing workplace behavior, the impact of global companies is steadily establishing more diverse and modern work procedures. My experiences with both Thai-owned and international organizations have helped me build a flexible working style that allows me to adjust to different cultural expectations while being professional and efficient.