Nepotism in Thai business

[Terry]

Nepotism - ok - it goes on everywhere in the world.

However, sometimes there are people employed who just could not get a job as a fly swatter let alone anything that requires a smidgeon of intelligence.

I have to have dealings with a well known business in Hua Hin. (No names - sorry)

I have met one individual who works there several times over the years - and he is a complete and utter waste of space. I have always tried to avoid him, but sadly could not avoid dealing with him on my last visit. Needless to say, he got my order totally wrong and when I realised this, I went back to change the order.

When I addressed this to another member of staff, I was told - 'Yes he is no good, but his uncle owns the business'.

I wonder if his uncle knows what kind of image this twatt is giving to the business.

Rant over

[buksida]

This happens also in schools where totally unqualified gimps end up teaching kids because someone in their family is higher up the chain there.

[oakdale160]

The word nepotism in English has built into it a sense of disaproval. There is no equivalent word in Thai.

[J.J.B.]

The word 'Nepotism' is from the Latin, Nepos, and means 'nephew'. In Italian there is a more informal term in modern use, 'nepoti', meaning 'uncle'. They're all at it and still wonder why their country is in the mess it's in. The attitude and practice has become formalised into employment law and helps to explain why the Unions are so powerful and why labour law reform is almost impossible to accomplish.

[PeteC]

I thought about this in terms of State agencies. With thousands, maybe 10's of thousands of government employees, I can imagine a new politician coming into power and getting jobs for everyone in his family and perhaps his neighborhood! I would think the civil service here is filled with those who shouldn't be there, and with career managers who are afraid to say or do anything. Pete

[TingTongJohn]

I have heard of this even in Thai politics..Yes true..But I could be wrong once again.

[Roel]

The word nepotism in English has built into it a sense of disaproval. There is no equivalent word in Thai.

The dictionary gives for nepotism ká-dtì hĕn gàe yâat (คติเห็นแก่ญาติ)
ka-dti (คติ) = principle, model
hen gae (เห็นแก่) = think of
yaat (ญาติ) = relatives, relations

A model (system) whereby the main or sole focus is on relatives.
Describes it pretty accurately. Just a manifestation of the Thai hierarchical society system.

Seen it in all my work places and when I asked why someone who clearly is not suitable for the job isn't replaced the inevitable answer always is: "Cannot, father friend owner".
So Oakdale160 you are correct that there is no equivalent in Thai if you take the semantic component into consideration. Nepotism has a negative connotation in English but the Thai translation has not. For Thais nepotism is just the way things are done.

[buksida]

... and probably why so many businesses are totally dysfunctional!