check_bin_krap Posted March 16, 2003 Report Share Posted March 16, 2003 "Still the question remains....Do you know some Thai people, that you could trust in this situation.." ................................................ I know a handful of people who I could trust with that. Its not a descision which should be made easily, people can easily turn on you if they are in serious need of money. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted March 16, 2003 Report Share Posted March 16, 2003 Would you trust someone you didn't know well to transact business on your behalf in falang land? Of course not. Would a Thai visiting and doing business in America or England face the same trust issues as we would in LOS? Of course they would. The same rules apply everywhere. Trust takes time. I will admit that differing laws (protection or enforcement of fraud) and culture can make a difference but sensible business rules and ethics apply no matter where you do business. Reputation and past performance is the key. Most of us do business off personal reccomendations, reputations of trustworthiness, etc. in our own native countries and the same would apply in LOS I imagine. Perhaps there are organizations like the international chamber of commerce or the embassy of your country or some of other trusted organization that may be of help. Also, a trusted falang who has had a long and successful business relationship with particular Thais. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pharcyde Posted March 16, 2003 Report Share Posted March 16, 2003 You can trust the REAL Thais allright, you just gotto know them. With the FAKE Thais, id have my doubts.. :: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 17, 2003 Report Share Posted March 17, 2003 "If you are afraid that a spouse will turn on you, you shouldn't stay in the marriage at all. After all a marriage has more worth than a piece of land? If you need to put a Thais name on a paper with value and you don't have people you can trust 100% - don't do it." Good grief what world do you live in. Never mind, I'm deleting the post. This is another "white noise" thread..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crofty68 Posted March 17, 2003 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2003 thanks all for your perceptions & feedback... The whole idea of posting, was to get a general feel from some who know more than I.. Cheers again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
check_bin_krap Posted March 17, 2003 Report Share Posted March 17, 2003 "Good grief what world do you live in. Never mind, I'm deleting the post. This is another "white noise" thread..... " ................................................................... :: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gummigut Posted March 17, 2003 Report Share Posted March 17, 2003 "white noise" Christ (whadda religious remark), what a racist remark! Whadda 'bout dat black noise!!! You gonna tell me dere ain't no yellow noise in da house? Rock it, <<burp>> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinsin2 Posted March 17, 2003 Report Share Posted March 17, 2003 Almost impossible. Once They have your money..........You have Your shite. Contract/Lease,in a crunch situation.....not worth the paper it is written on. You are a Falang therefore fair game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jasmine Posted March 17, 2003 Report Share Posted March 17, 2003 Hi, [color:"red"] Its not a descision which should be made easily, people can easily turn on you if they are in serious need of money. [/color] It is a true statement, however, many Thais seem to turn on you easily because of the money, greed or just the lack of it. I have to admit that I do not trust 99% of the Thais I met here in the subject of money, could not even trust my 1st cousin for that. Can I trust the ones with money, still depends on the persons. A Thai friend of mine told me why there are no toilet tussues in Thai public bathrooms, because they are stolen. I guess a roll of toilet tissue can save a few Baht in the long run. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 22, 2003 Report Share Posted March 22, 2003 I don't think nationality or ethinicity is really at issue where, what is at issue is mentality; and mentality is shaped by environment and culture, which does have national and ethnic correlates, so that confuses the issue, IMHO. One major difference between the West and Thailand (and much of Asia) as others have alluded to is the importance of the legal system, including the role of the judiciary, the status of contracts, and so on. The key is in perception; the law is supposed to be a "leveler" in the West, something that ensures fair, impartion, equal treatment. Therefore, contracts - precisely structured legally binding agreements- form the basis of much business. In Thailand, the legal system has no such standing, and as a consequence contracts are not seen as the basis of trust. Often you'll find contracts here that are deliberately vague and missing important elements of the agreement; the "real" agreement is what is understood by the two parties. Such a system can only work if the two parties have a shared common understanding - which is why there are such tight networks in Thai (and Asian) business, often limited to families, and beyond famlies, often to specific regions in China where roots might go back generations. This ability to foster trust in the absence of a secure legal system is one of the main reasons for so many successful Chinese families all over SE Asia. The problem is, of course, that the average Westerner, even if they're ethnically Thai, is more likely to trust the contract than the person; understandably since most of us have no idea and perhaps little interest what the person's underlying motivations and interests might be. Simply, in the West, this interpersonal understanding just isn't as important because it's covered in the contract. Not so in Thailand. So, your question might be rephrased as "can you ever really understand Thai people"? Maybe - but understanding the motivations and drivers of foreign cultures is never an easy job, whether it's Thai, Korean, or Zulu. It takes a lot of time and a lot of effort; and some people find it easier than others. Personally, there are a few Thais who I do trust with my money - I have to as I do business with them; but by and large they tend to be Thais with western education and global business exposure who understand the importance of contracts and explicit as opposed to unsaid conditions. I am also friends with some American-Thais who find local Thais just as unfathomable as I do. I have also encountered a many "traditional" Thai and Western businesspeople who I wouldn't trust with 10 baht. Usually, though, the reason I distrust the Thais is because I fundamentally don't understand them, so I err on the side of caution. With the westerners I don't trust, I think they're just crooks; and I think they know it too. There are some Thais that I also feel are basically crooks, but generally I think they're oblivious to it. For example, some Thai magazines routinely pilfer content from other peoples' websites and re-publish it without any attribution much less payment. To me, that's theft; but I doubt they have any recognition of that. I've seen people casually bribe officials without even realizing it - they just think they're being "respectful", "polite" or "krengjai". Lots of severe cultural differences; IMHO it pays to be alert especially when money is concerned! Good luck, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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