The Thai Smile
It seems that a smile is a unique characteristic of Thais. Thailand has been known as the “Land of Smiles” for a long time. We smile to other people easily even when we do not know them. We can smile even we do not have a reason to smile. One of our clients who works in a Finnish firm told me that her Finnish colleagues did not understand why Thais smile without a reason.
Thai Tolerance
Most of my foreign colleagues do not understand why we are so patient. When we are stuck in traffic for hours, we still smile. It is unlikely to hear the honk of the car in the street. People just stay calm. We are able to adapt to a frustrating environment.
Trying to do things even when we do not understand
When a foreign boss assigns work to Thai workers, even if they do not understand what they are being asked to do, they still try do the work based on their own assumptions. We are scared to ask questions, particularly to the foreign boss. In many occasions, Thais do things wrongly because of misunderstanding. Be sure to check for understanding when you issue instructions or breifings. Otherwise, it can damage a situation even more.