Ah EllieC,
A well travelled expert, fantastic!
Your comment is a classic text book know it all response to something so evident. I too have worked in other cultures and know the most commen human desire, this applies to Canadians and I assume Europeans, "respect and recognition".
I think Frogblogger made it more clear, it's where you are and how to adapt. Everyone wants respect, the key is to what extent does one go to and realize that no matter how much respect and recognition you give there still exist a certain resentment.
I agree that with a tough economy things are much more difficult and that frustration is building more. Last week all of Laguna went on strike and guest had to take on new lodgings in Patong (about 700people). The Bangkok airport incident was another exampe, but really it only makes things worse.
Our occupancy is lower than last year, resulting in fewer diners and less service charge for local staff. Guest capture is super important and in times like these I would imagine everyone trying harder to wow travellers, it's not the case.
I've been in the hospitality industry now for 17years, all of which spent with respectable companies, and I can tell you having worked around the world it is in everyone's interest to get the guest to return.
Saying that, it is this challenge that me and other hoteliers face today in Phuket and around Thailand, the lack of ownership and care in keeping the customer. Respect is always there, it's their frustrations that result in poor service and bigger attitude making it difficult to service a demanding and competitive industry.
My issues are in that even with the most understanding and gentle way of approaching Thai's sometimes, it's a no win battle to bring them to their full potential without this grey area of resentment that keeps them from accepting global standards of training to help them be better at what they do and keep their property full of paying guest.
I'm checking out - thanks a bundle to the both of you for an interesting forum...









Yes in some circumstances I agree that certain male sensitivities can be upset, especially in alcohol-lubricated situations. The sterotype mentioned earlier can extend to the impression that Western guys (irrespective of size, shape and age) think they are God's gift to Thai women, and act accordingly. In many cases of course that stereotype is spot on. On the whole the Thai (males) are pretty cool about it, im my experience, although they cover up any simmering resentments pretty well.

Such resentments are more overtly expressed by the likes of the Khmer - previous experience of sitting minding my own business in a Phnom Penh nightclub on a couple of occasions bears this out. I was the only 'barang' in the place however, I always seek out Westerner-free locations as far as I'm able, and this has its attendant risks. Still, even then such situations were easily defused well before reaching the point of no return. Helps when you hardly drink yourself, of course.



Full time, just over two years. I'm now a 'part-timer', 7 months in LOS, 5 in France each year (where I'd been an expat for a couple of decades). Back to full-time in Chiang Mai soon. Married to Thai, Thai daughter, as well as three Anglo-French kids.

"Much is not appreciated" you say ... there's the rub. The problem is that we don't always appreciate the same things, it's a fundamental culture clash. 'Incentivisation' is wasted on the average Thai employee as a result. Different motivations in many ways. Offer the guy whose culture has programmed him to live for the moment a performance-related bonus in X months time, and it just doesn't compute.

Plenty of imperfections in Thai society, not least a strong undercurrent of racism and a form of nationalism that can be easily channelled by the unscrupulous. The Thais are very naive in some ways, and easily manipulated.

Yes I agree cronyism, pandering to the rich, corruption etc are rampant. In your line of work it must be very difficult to remain calm at times! Still no matter what the provocation not maintaining equanimity equates to a loss of face, pure and simple. And as a farang, you would only be living up to expectations. Frustrating really because the pressure is on the farang to be twice as Thai as the Thais...

Giving money doesn't earn merit or respect mind you - it's what someone perceived to be in a certain position in the social hierarchy 'just does'. Not giving it when you are expected to earns plenty of usually silent disrespect, of course. Not quite a no-win situation, but close!

I'm still a bit bemused by the description of Thais 'snapping'. My experience is that it takes a lot of provocation to get even close to such a scenario.

Chiang Mai doesn't live up to the reputation of Phuket, Pattaya etc, but the same principles are at work. I just go with the flow. I'm a guest in Thailand, and the negatives imo are more than compensated for by the positives. Not that I could change anything if I wanted to, so rather than bang my head against the proverbial, it's sabai sabai for me ...

Easy for me to say mind you - I don't work any more. Worked my butt off for years, took early retirement. Still from observation alone, it seems like using Western management methods in Thailand is like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. I've seen similar in France, where US-owned corporations continue to have great difficulties trying to get both French subsidiary employees and suppliers to conform to the American model and work ethic. If it barely works in France, where there are more similarities than dissimilarities between the two cultures, it's hardly surprising that you are encountering problems where there's a much greater gulf between the two ways of life.

Anyway, that's my tuppence worth!

Good luck...[/QUOTE][/QUOTE]