Yesterday I went to the final day of the OTOP Mid-Year Sale. It is not the first time I've been to one of these major OTOP sales. I like to go because you can buy a gift items from across Thailand at one time and then save them for when people come to visit from overseas. This event was much like previous ones I've been to - but I think that the volume of shoppers was greater than the last time I was there.
What struck me about the event was the extensive cultural diversity evident in the displays from the various regions of Thailand. The types of products, sources of inspiration and materials used are really quite different between the southern region with its Islamic/Malay influence and Issan with its Lao traditions and the north which represents the traditional Lanna culture. Further, the people manning the booths also represented a relatively broad spectrum of ethnic types and one could assume cultural backgrounds.
Thus, under one roof we could see the rich cultural diversity that is a hallmark of contemporary Thailand. With this diversity contained within one nation-state we can see that intercultural communications does not have to be reserved for relations between Caucasians, Arabs, Japanese or Africans and Thais. Rather intercultural communications in Thailand can take place everyday among Thai the citizens themselves. This fact should serve to empower Thai people to be more effective intercultural communicators than people from a more homogeneous cultural background.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
A Rather Odd Sub-Culture
On Friday evening I attended the Board of Director's meeting of the Rotary Club of Bangkok. This event was followed by dinner party for the membership of the club. The entire evening seemed to be one big exercise in intercultural communications because the membership of the club is made up of some 20 nationalities and the Board includes about 10 nationalities. Further, the event was held at the home of a past president of the club - an Indian gentleman who has lived in Thailand most of his life. So the dinner was Indian cuisine.
The Board meeting went on and on as different issues were discussed and re-discussed meanwhile various club members arrived as did guests and they were talking in the background. Eventually the evening just morphed into a dinner party.
What I found interesting was that while there were clearly different nationalities, ethnic groups, ages and genders represented - the event was marked more by the similarities within the group than the differences. It seemed that regardless of the nationality or ethnic group the members of the Board share the same style of communications in the formal board meeting setting as well as the same concerns. Thus, one could say that the meeting was not really an exercise in intercultural communications, but rather an example of communications within a particular sub-culture.
The Board meeting went on and on as different issues were discussed and re-discussed meanwhile various club members arrived as did guests and they were talking in the background. Eventually the evening just morphed into a dinner party.
What I found interesting was that while there were clearly different nationalities, ethnic groups, ages and genders represented - the event was marked more by the similarities within the group than the differences. It seemed that regardless of the nationality or ethnic group the members of the Board share the same style of communications in the formal board meeting setting as well as the same concerns. Thus, one could say that the meeting was not really an exercise in intercultural communications, but rather an example of communications within a particular sub-culture.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Cultural difference or something else
Earlier this week I had the opportunity to attend an event organized by the American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand. It was a lunch function with Senator Jim Webb as the speaker. Jim Webb is a relatively well known and powerful member of the US Congress and was most recently in the news due to his visit to Myanmar last weekend where he met with the Burmese leadership and secured the release of John Yettaw (the guy who swam to Aung San Suu Kyi's house). Senator Webb also had a meeting wtih Mrs. Suu Kyi while he was in Yangoon.
The point of my post is not about what Sen. Webb had to say - though that was interesting too - it is about who attended the lunch. First a bit about AMCHAM, the fact is that the majority of members are Thai, not Americans, which is something many people don't realize. As such most AMCHAM functions attract a mixed audience - mixed in terms of race, gender and age. But this event was quite different. The audience was overwhelmingly comprised of white, middle-aged men. In fact, out of the whole group - probably over 60 people - I could count the number of Thai people on one hand and the number of women on the other hand, with a bunch of fingers left over.
So why is this? Why was there such a lack of interest among several key demographics within AMCHAM in hearing this relatively senior official speak. Remember, most of the AMCHAM members either work for US companies or for companies that trade with the US. Alternatively, why was there such strong interest among older white men? Does this reflect a cultural difference or something more related to economics or politics?
The point of my post is not about what Sen. Webb had to say - though that was interesting too - it is about who attended the lunch. First a bit about AMCHAM, the fact is that the majority of members are Thai, not Americans, which is something many people don't realize. As such most AMCHAM functions attract a mixed audience - mixed in terms of race, gender and age. But this event was quite different. The audience was overwhelmingly comprised of white, middle-aged men. In fact, out of the whole group - probably over 60 people - I could count the number of Thai people on one hand and the number of women on the other hand, with a bunch of fingers left over.
So why is this? Why was there such a lack of interest among several key demographics within AMCHAM in hearing this relatively senior official speak. Remember, most of the AMCHAM members either work for US companies or for companies that trade with the US. Alternatively, why was there such strong interest among older white men? Does this reflect a cultural difference or something more related to economics or politics?
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Questions in a cab
The other day I had to go to the immigration office on Soi Suan Plu. This place could be the source of dozens of PhD dissertations on intercultural communications - but as my task there was simple and I know the system pretty well, I don't have a specific observation based on my visit to the office. That said, I do have an observation based on my taxi ride from immigration back to my office on Soi Chidlom.
I caught a taxi outside of immigration and told the driver where I wanted to go. I would say he was late middle age with short greying hair, clean shaven wearing an ironed blue short-sleeved shirt. I find that there are basically two types of taxi drivers (this is an international observation) - those that are quiet during the drive and those that like to talk. My driver on this ride was a talker. He started with the standard questions such are how long I've been in Thailand, do I work here, am I married, how many children do I have. This is all pretty standard - in Thailand and in the US.
He then moved on to questions that are relatively standard here - but would be considered odd or inappropriate in the US. Questions like: how old are you, how much money do you make, where do you live (in terms of do you live in a house or a condo). I've been here long enough to not be surprised or put off by the questions - but deep down they still put me on guard.
My assumption, which may be wrong, is that these types of questions are used among Thai people to determine relative positions in a complex hierarchical pii - nong relationship. But to an American they require information that we are very hesitant to share with strangers. In fact, even close friends may never discuss their incomes or net worth. I'll save my thoughts on why this is for another post.
I caught a taxi outside of immigration and told the driver where I wanted to go. I would say he was late middle age with short greying hair, clean shaven wearing an ironed blue short-sleeved shirt. I find that there are basically two types of taxi drivers (this is an international observation) - those that are quiet during the drive and those that like to talk. My driver on this ride was a talker. He started with the standard questions such are how long I've been in Thailand, do I work here, am I married, how many children do I have. This is all pretty standard - in Thailand and in the US.
He then moved on to questions that are relatively standard here - but would be considered odd or inappropriate in the US. Questions like: how old are you, how much money do you make, where do you live (in terms of do you live in a house or a condo). I've been here long enough to not be surprised or put off by the questions - but deep down they still put me on guard.
My assumption, which may be wrong, is that these types of questions are used among Thai people to determine relative positions in a complex hierarchical pii - nong relationship. But to an American they require information that we are very hesitant to share with strangers. In fact, even close friends may never discuss their incomes or net worth. I'll save my thoughts on why this is for another post.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Purpose of this blog
Hello.
This blog will serve as the venue for my intercultural communications e-journal. As the instructor of Intercultural Communications 592 at Bangkok University, which requires all students in the class to keep a weekly intercultural communications e-journal or blog - I felt it is only fair that I do the same thing. Starting this week I will use this blog to record my thoughts, observations, opinions and analysis regarding intercultural communications.
JP
This blog will serve as the venue for my intercultural communications e-journal. As the instructor of Intercultural Communications 592 at Bangkok University, which requires all students in the class to keep a weekly intercultural communications e-journal or blog - I felt it is only fair that I do the same thing. Starting this week I will use this blog to record my thoughts, observations, opinions and analysis regarding intercultural communications.
JP
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