Cross Cultural Management - Thai Culture
Cross-Cultural Management
“Thai Culture”
Content
Language & Writing
Religion
Food & Cuisine
Costumes & Clothing
Sports
Customs & Taboos
Business Etiquette
Politics
Thai Culture incorporates cultural beliefs and characteristics of Thailand itself as well as China, India, Cambodia, and other Southeast Asian cultures.
Language & Writing
The Thai language is composed of 44 consonants, 32 vowels and five tones in Thai pronunciation. Thai is the main language in Thailand, but Chinese, Malay and Mon-Khmer are also spoken. English is becoming more important as well, especially in government and commerce. The increase of English-knowledge, mostly brought by education, in Thailand makes it increasingly easy for visitors to communicate with the locals. The Thai alphabet is derived from the old Khmer script and represents a writing system in which consonants are written horizontally from left to right, and vowels arranged above, below, to the left or to the right of the corresponding consonant. | |
Religion There are two major School in Buddhism, Theravada (representing nearly 95% of the Thai population) and Mahayana. Buddhists are strong believers in Karma and reincarnation. They believe that people have several lives, and that what happens to you in one life, will depend on your actions in the previous one, Karma. It is seen as the “Cycle of suffering and rebirth for each being”. About 4,6% are Muslims, while still a minority in Thailand, their numbers are quickly growing. Most of the Thai Muslims belong to the Sunni, which is referred to as the “orthodox” version of the religion. Thailand’s Muslim population is very diverse and composed of migrants from China, Pakistan, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Indonesia. The rest of the population is Christian. Christianity was introduced into Thailand in the early 1550, when the Portuguese mercenaries arrived in the country. It has played
“Thai Culture”
Content
Language & Writing
Religion
Food & Cuisine
Costumes & Clothing
Sports
Customs & Taboos
Business Etiquette
Politics
Thai Culture incorporates cultural beliefs and characteristics of Thailand itself as well as China, India, Cambodia, and other Southeast Asian cultures.
Language & Writing
The Thai language is composed of 44 consonants, 32 vowels and five tones in Thai pronunciation. Thai is the main language in Thailand, but Chinese, Malay and Mon-Khmer are also spoken. English is becoming more important as well, especially in government and commerce. The increase of English-knowledge, mostly brought by education, in Thailand makes it increasingly easy for visitors to communicate with the locals. The Thai alphabet is derived from the old Khmer script and represents a writing system in which consonants are written horizontally from left to right, and vowels arranged above, below, to the left or to the right of the corresponding consonant. | |
Religion There are two major School in Buddhism, Theravada (representing nearly 95% of the Thai population) and Mahayana. Buddhists are strong believers in Karma and reincarnation. They believe that people have several lives, and that what happens to you in one life, will depend on your actions in the previous one, Karma. It is seen as the “Cycle of suffering and rebirth for each being”. About 4,6% are Muslims, while still a minority in Thailand, their numbers are quickly growing. Most of the Thai Muslims belong to the Sunni, which is referred to as the “orthodox” version of the religion. Thailand’s Muslim population is very diverse and composed of migrants from China, Pakistan, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Indonesia. The rest of the population is Christian. Christianity was introduced into Thailand in the early 1550, when the Portuguese mercenaries arrived in the country. It has played