Work in Bangkok / Shanghai - Comparison

[sunsnow]

Hi,

I am just asking, maybe this has been discussed earlier (?), but is here people who have experience in working in Bangkok AND Shanghai (or Beijing). OR have some way of giving input on comparing the work and living environment in these two places.

Could you tell about possible differences/similarities (I have learned little about Thai work culture...) the work culture in thai(chinese) run companies or multinational companies (westerner) in these two countries. And what kind of city is Shanghai to live in comparing to BKK?

I have been on a lookout for job in BKK but Asia in general would be an interesting thing to experience work wise. Reason to ask around here is that I might have a chance to look over one small business of my old friend's, who has been working in China since 2001.

But I was quickly warned that Shanghai and China in general are very "harsh" for a "farang", and people there seem to be (locals) much more unfriendly and colder than in Bkk. Knowing that much of the famous "smile" of Thailand is still just a "outershell" (which most tourists take as genuine thing) but it makes things runs smoother...So, if Chinese are missing this "smoothing smile", and are just rude or what not...hmmm...Generalizations are generalizations but I have hear things like this about working in China before.

I respect your opinions/first hand experiences to get more clear picture.

[Niranahm]

I have been to Shanghai many times on business but didn't work there for any permanent length of time.

In my 15 years of visiting China let me say that almost every year the Chinese people become more approachable and they understand us/we understand them more and more.

And Shanghai is the most international of Chinese cities in terms of culture and history.

But (and you knew a "but" was coming) foreigners of all nationalties are still treated by the majority of people as if we come from another planet. For every story I think of about amazing generosity and friendliness (and there are plenty), cool restaurants down a side street with great service and so on, I have way too many experiences of rudeness and nastiness and being totally ignored because I am a white guy.

It's getting better, but it's not a very fun place to be in the longer term. Even the Sinophiles admit that CHina and Shanghai tends to wear down the foreigners.

If all other things are equal (and they're not) I can't imagine why anyone would prefer Shanghai to Bangkok.

But I do note the trends. As time goes by...

* Shanghai becomes a better place for foreigners to live with the local people having a more positive attitude to aliens

* Bangkok becomes a tougher place to live for farangs with the laws tightening against us in every way and the local people becoming less tolerant of us.

In terms of absolutes Bangkok is better. In terms of the trend...

I wish it wasn't so

[sunsnow]

Great reply, good start! Thanks.

Niranahm:

And (unfortunatly) your response was in everyway something that resembles what I was told by my friend in China and by his brother. General rudeness etc.

And the last comment about the trends: Shanghai/Bangkok...Very unfortunate this ever continuing alien "hatret" on governmental level in Thailand. (Not like China doesn't use similar blocks...)

It is interesting how Chinese influence have made it so in Thailand, that other foreigners seem to have huge trouble with investments in the country (the history on how Chinese came to control Thai economics, banks, politics etc. is quite interesting...Chinese have know how to use money and Chinese traders united their money with power it bought way back in time...which is something that they have succesfully kept any others doing in 19th and 20th century and maybe (?) sowing seeds of suspicion against "evil white man who takes control of thai economics"...Latter part I think going more to conspiracy theory Conspiracy theory or not, a subject of a different thread... I excuse myself of taking point out of the subject heh)

Ok, I keep this thread on the subject myself:

Keep coming, all my international ThailandFriends. Experiences on working in China.

Thanks for wasabi!