Understanding Thai society and behaviour

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404cameljockey
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Understanding Thai society and behaviour

Post by 404cameljockey »

I'm not sure if this has been posted here before.

By Suntaree Komin

1991 Thai Fulbright Scholar

The Thai value systems, derived from the empirical data from two national samples conducted by Suntaree Komin, which show a remarkable overall consistency overtime and across groups, have provided some highly consistent and culturally meaningful data, indicating the cognitive dimension underlying the Thai social system. This, consequently, enables her to further identify the nine value clusters, based on the relative correlations among values and through use of inter-subjectivity method from a number of scholars familiar with Thai culture and personality. The nine value clusters according to the priority of importance, representing the dimensions whereby characteristics of individuals (group) and national character can be meaningfully described

http://fulbrightthai.org/ArticlesDetail ... e=articles


Excerpt (taken out of context it reads harshly, but it might tempt you to read the article?):

"Since the Thai are not principle oriented, and with the high value for personal relationship, they also appear not to be strictly law-oriented. In practice, principles and laws are ever-adjustable to fit persons and situations."
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Bamboo Grove
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Re: Understanding Thai society and behaviour

Post by Bamboo Grove »

Good post and good opening. However, I don't think this will be as popular as Dump, cryxit or where to find English mustard in Hua Hin threads in this forum. Of course these are much more important topics than the Thai culture or history.
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Re: Understanding Thai society and behaviour

Post by handdrummer »

The article wouldn't open on my laptop. Maybe it's because I have windows 7 or maybe it's been blocked by someone who doesn't want anyone to know the truth about Thais and Thai society or maybe ?
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Re: Understanding Thai society and behaviour

Post by Big Boy »

Look in your downloads - I thought I was having the same problem, then realised it had downloaded the document - 3 times :cuss:
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Re: Understanding Thai society and behaviour

Post by handdrummer »

I looked in downloads, recent places and documents. nothing. A window opens that asks if I want to open or delete the document. I choose open and nothing happens. I suspect the article confirms what most of know and documents it with evidence.
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Re: Understanding Thai society and behaviour

Post by deepee »

Sad to say I think this study by Khun Suntaree is flawed.
Nowhere could I see any mention of FOOD. Everyone who has spent time with Thais soon realizes that food is the foundation to all of Thai culture.
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Re: Understanding Thai society and behaviour

Post by Takiap »

Well, at least the author has come to the same conclusion many of us have after being here for a while, and that is that ego is number one on the list of Thai priorities. Of course, I don't really think a study was necessary to determine that.

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Re: Understanding Thai society and behaviour

Post by Nereus »

For those that can't open it:

Value Clusters According to Their Relative Significant Positions in the Thai Cognitive System:

1. Ego Orientation
2. Grateful Relationship Orientation
3. Smooth Interpersonal Relationship Orientation
4. Flexibility and Adjustment Orientation
5. Religio-Psychical Orientation
6. Education and Competence Orientation
7. Interdependence Orientation
8. Fun-Pleasure Orientation
9. Achievement-Task Orientation
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Re: Understanding Thai society and behaviour

Post by crazy88 »

Opened for me no problem and quite an interesting read. However when I came to the 8 point list I jokingly asked my wife if she could claim 2 of them to be true and the response was " Yes I can; If I want to"

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Re: Understanding Thai society and behaviour

Post by caller »

26 years on and with the pace of change in Thailand, are these still all in place? I can recognise some of them, but wonder whether outside influences are beginning to impact, especially for younger people?
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Re: Understanding Thai society and behaviour

Post by 404cameljockey »

handdrummer wrote: Sun Oct 22, 2017 8:10 am The article wouldn't open on my laptop. Maybe it's because I have windows 7 or maybe it's been blocked by someone who doesn't want anyone to know the truth about Thais and Thai society or maybe ?
You can also read it here (a well-intentioned farcebook page that's fairly full of arrogant racist comments below the posts):




UPDATE:
It seems this page is now not available but try typing the following into your browser pane, (with an 'h' before the 'ttps', of course):

ttps://www.facebook.com/notes/bad-driving-in-t ... 183937913/
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Re: Understanding Thai society and behaviour

Post by handdrummer »

Interesting that the farcebook post is no longer available. Did the little dictator call zucky and demand it's removal?
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Re: Understanding Thai society and behaviour

Post by 404cameljockey »

No, the link on the farecbook page still works. I guess it's just that externally linking to a page where you have to be invited to comment isn't possible, maybe.
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Re: Understanding Thai society and behaviour

Post by Takiap »

Bamboo Grove wrote: Sun Oct 22, 2017 5:30 am Good post and good opening. However, I don't think this will be as popular as Dump, cryxit or where to find English mustard in Hua Hin threads in this forum. Of course these are much more important topics than the Thai culture or history.

:lach: :lach: :lach:

Very true indeed, and I will put my hand up and admit that I am one of those who are far more interested in other topics.

After roughly 20 years, I no longer have any desire to try and learn anymore than I have already learned about Thai culture. Any understanding of Thai culture comes only from living here; from being totally immersed in the Thai way of life for numerous years. I certainly don't for a minute think you can sum Thai culture/society up in 9 simple bullet points.

One example would be that the list of 9 points makes no mention of the "me first" attitude which is blatantly obvious in 99.9999999% of Thai people, and no, I am not Thai bashing. It also makes no mention of the "I am better than thou" mindset of almost all Thai people. Respect in Thai culture is something which is either bought or demanded, rather than earned. This is also not mentioned in the study.

So, yeah, I guess other topics interest me more. :laugh: Not an English mustard thread though because I know where to buy that aready. :wink:


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Re: Understanding Thai society and behaviour

Post by handdrummer »

All your examples apply to all Asians. Especially when it comes to interacting with westerners. They resent our wealth and our attitudes toward them, that and the long history of western nations trying to control Asian nations, exploiting their labor, taking their natural resources and using the countries for military bases. Asians have long memories and grudges are rarely settled. It's a tribal mentality. The Koreans and Chinese still hate the Japanese for WW2. The Thais colluded with the Japanese so the Thais are ambivalent about the Japanese. At any rate you're correct,;if one lives here long enough or maybe too long, one will know all that is necessary to know about Thai culture.
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