If u r a farang boss...

[Chatty]

:? Just wonder if u r a farang boss who work in Thailand... and understand Thai language very well. U can speak, listen or may be u can read and write also.

[KhunKo]

Sure I will show. everybody should show his best abilitys so we can get the best out of us and the company... :!:

[alvish]

Nobody likes a show off..

Stupid ppl get away with a lot more..

I'd act a bit stupid with just the basics though thats really all I know right now :oops:

[farangnbkk]

In my experience, unless the Thai person in question is almost bilingual, their preference is to speak Thai.

Now, if we're talking about a meeting with another Company, I may choose to keep any Thai ability a "secret".

[thomaswd]

When I worked in Cambodia, I would speak Kmer to the staff as much as i could...When I was dealing with the government or another company, I would never let on how much I knew or understood. If the opportunity would come about in Thailand, I would do the same.

[robbie36]

I am surprised at the responses.

I am a farang boss. My company has 135 employees and I am the only farang. My Thai is ok (good conversational, normally speak to Thai friends in mix of thai and english, cant read or write) but I NEVER use Thai language in business (except with my secretary and my driver (who doesnt speak a word of english)).

All the other Board members in my company are Thai and all speak totally fluent english (or close to totally fluent english). The fact is in Thailand and the world, english is the business language - if you cant speak it you are at a disadvantage. I would not recommend using Thai in business at a reasonably high level unless you can speak it totally fluently (and business Thai is quite different from conversational Thai). As an example look at the stock exchange of Thailand. All releases are in english and there is no Thai version (or translation) available.

The reason I use english is obvious. It is my first language and therefore gives me an advantage in any negotiation. It is also a much more direct way of speaking.

I do use my Thai language skills in business but only to take advantage of the fact that I understand what is going on when thais talk amongst themselves.

There are many other ways of showing you are sensitive to Thai culture and Thai business practices. Displaying a limited knowledge of Thai is not one of them. In my experience, Thais who speak fluent english, find it embarrassing when they come across farangs who speak pidgeon thai.

edit: I should also add that, at lower levels, I will speak to my staff in Thai and they will speak to me in english. That is one of the best ways of avoiding confusion.

[Malky]

In my experience, Thais who speak fluent english, find it embarrassing when they come across farangs who speak pidgeon thai.

Totally agree with you. When you try speaking Thai with a Thai who speaks fluent English they will either totally ignore you or will look at you in disgust.

:x

I have been told a few times by Thais not to speak Thai. When they tell me not to speak Thai with them, I will deliberately speak bad Thai to wind them up.

I know it sounds childish but it is fun watching people get more and more wound up.

:twisted:

[NigelBragg]

I would say, just show that you know the basics.Iin my opinion it is as bad to show that you do not know the language by speaking Pidgin Thai as it is to make no attempt to learn it. However, privately learn the language to the desired standard to get your permanent residency

[farangnbkk]

All the other Board members in my company are Thai and all speak totally fluent english (or close to totally fluent english). The fact is in Thailand and the world, english is the business language - if you cant speak it you are at a disadvantage.

True, but Thailand is still a world unto itself. I'd say you work in the rarity. I've attended a number of board level and high level meetings were I was apologized too but speaking in Thai was just much easier for a certain speaker and I got a translation.

I would not recommend using Thai in business at a reasonably high level unless you can speak it totally fluently (and business Thai is quite different from conversational Thai).

I agree, but I do have to say that a huge % of the staff at the companies I've consulted too wanted me to practice my thai. May also be the fact that 75% of the staff were women... lol

Also, going below senior staff, the level of English proficiency usually drops off extremely quickly and there is no recourse when the other person doesn't speak English.

As an example look at the stock exchange of Thailand. All releases are in english and there is no Thai version (or translation) available.

Yes, but the SET is made up of Thai corporations. How many filings and news reports that you can get from the SET are in Thai with no English translations? A huge number!!! Pain in the a$$ when you are trying to dig into particular industry differences among different companies when the financials are filed only in Thai and you are an illiterate farang.

[robbie36]

Yes, but the SET is made up of Thai corporations. How many filings and news reports that you can get from the SET are in Thai with no English translations? A huge number!!! Pain in the a$$ when you are trying to dig into particular industry differences among different companies when the financials are filed only in Thai and you are an illiterate farang.

All releases are available in english see

www.set.or.th

Financial statements (and other information) in english for all listed companies are available here.

http://www.set.or.th/set/companyinfo.do

(all you have to do is put in the company code - see in the Bangkok Post)

As a listed company you must file your financial statements and announcements in English. Providing them in Thai is optional.

[mendez]

I totally agree with Robbies first reply.

It also depends of what kind of business your company is in.

I work for an international engineering company with 100 ppl, 5 of them are expats.

The language in our company is English, as good as I can speak Thai, I don?t use it in the office, if a speak Thai it will be with the driver.

All of our staff is fluent in English because majority of our customers are international multinational customers. Business language all over the world is English.

During lunch I will speak Thai with them no problem and indeed they like it.

As in my previous function I deled, not only in Thailand but all over Asia, with upper management they all where able to speak a good level of English.

Anyway nice posting bcool.

[CiaranM]

In my experience, Thais who speak fluent english, find it embarrassing when they come across farangs who speak pidgeon thai.

Totally agree with you. When you try speaking Thai with a Thai who speaks fluent English they will either totally ignore you or will look at you in disgust.

must be some strange Thai ppl u r mixing with Malky. my thai is horrendous, even after 2 years living here, but i am still trying to learn and i have found thais very supportive in my attempts to speak the language (despite mangling it and murdering the tones). i have never found ANY thai ignoring me or looking at me in disgust when i try to speak thai, although with my level of thai i couldn't blame them if they did ....

[farangnbkk]

Financial statements (and other information) in english for all listed companies are available here.

http://www.set.or.th/set/companyinfo.do

(all you have to do is put in the company code - see in the Bangkok Post)

As a listed company you must file your financial statements and announcements in English. Providing them in Thai is optional.

Well, I guess I have to eat some of my words as all financial statements are in English now. Wasn't a few years ago.

But my comments still hold. Registration papers are still largely filed in Thai with no English translations. So that one item shows that all filings are not in English.

The paucity of annual reports is amazing and the Thai page has more of them then the English page.

While the English language may be the world's "business language" I still maintain that the SET is made up of Thai companies whose PR, news, websites, investor information is in Thai. English is not the norm.

[Norfolkinchance]

i am a farang boss and only speak english in the office. this could possibly be due to the fact that i don't speak enough thai to communicate anyway and the girls in the office are fluent english.

god, i just realised what a lazy b@st@rd i am!!!!

[unigue_me]

i am a farang boss and only speak english in the office. this could possibly be due to the fact that i don't speak enough thai to communicate anyway and the girls in the office are fluent english.

god, i just realised what a lazy b@st@rd i am!!!!

I thought yr Thai is SupER!