As a Low Context culture, our verba

As a Low Context culture, our verbal messages are usually explicit and the actual context is less important than the words themselves. In other words, we're very direct and we tend to spell things out. Communication to Americans is a way of exchanging information, ideas and opinions. When we disagree, we depersonalize it...most of the time. We focus on rational solutions and we usually confront someone about bothersome behavior. Thailand is very different; they use a lot of nonverbal elements and tend to dance around the subject. The verbal message is implicit and the situation is more important than the actual words being said. Disagreement is very personalized and they're very sensitive to conflict and it is very rude/ improper to disagree with someone in front of them. To the Thai, communication is seen as an art form. As far as our personal space is concerned, we see space as our privacy and territory is privately owned. Thai territory is communal and people stand very close to each other.
As said before, the oldest male figures in Thai culture are the heads of families and the sole decision makers and are given the utmost respect. In the US, the elderly are given their due respect, but our decisions do not begin and end with them.