What is the Thai national character? Introducing their personality and communication tips!

What kind of country is Thailand?

Thailand is a country located in the center of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia, sharing borders with Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Myanmar.

The country's land area is 514,000 ^km2, approximately 1.4 times that of Japan, and its population is 66.09 million (Ministry of Interior of Thailand, 2022).
The capital is Bangkok, about seven hours from Narita Airport.
The average annual temperature is warm at 35°C, and the rainy season is from June to October.

The official language is Thai and over 95% of the population is Buddhist.
Thai Buddhism is Theravada Buddhism* and there is a custom for boys to become monks and become full-fledged adults.
*A religion practiced mainly in Southeast Asia. It teaches that one can attain enlightenment (freedom from various worries and suffering) by becoming a monk and undergoing training.

The period of monkhood generally lasts about three months, but can be as short as a week, and varies from person to person.
Most people become monks between August and October of the lunar calendar, but if you are working in Japan, it is unlikely that you will return to Japan to become a monk.

Thailand is the only country in Southeast Asia that has never been colonized and has a long history of kingdoms.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX), said to be the most beloved man in Thai history, ruled the throne for 70 years until his death in 2016.
During the reign of King Bhumibol, Thailand established deep friendship with the Japanese Imperial Family, which is why Thailand is known as a "pro-Japanese country."

There have been periods of political instability due to successive military coups, but as of 2024, many foreign companies have established operations in the country and the country is undergoing modernization.
The manufacturing industry in particular has developed remarkably, accounting for 30% of GDP.
There are many Japanese companies, and it is said that there are about 80,000 Japanese people stationed there.

There are many Thai people working for Japanese companies in Thailand, so Japanese people are not far away.

In Thailand, men are required to take a conscription examination when they turn 21, and enlistment is decided by lottery from among those who pass the physical examination, so if they are under that age, they may be forced to return to their home country.
In some cases, people may be exempt from military service if they have taken military preparatory training classes for more than three years, so be sure to check in advance when hiring.

What are the personalities and values of Thai people? Learn about the national character

Thailand is known as the "Land of Smiles," and as such, it is said to have many easygoing and cheerful people.
Many people are Buddhists and have a strong belief that performing virtuous acts will lead to a better life in the next life, so many of them are gentle, kind people who are proactive in helping others and value human relationships.

One of the most distinctive aspects of Thai people's thinking is the "mai pen rai" spirit.

Mai pen rai is the equivalent of the Japanese phrases "You're welcome," "Don't worry about it," "Sorry about that," and "It's okay," and gives the impression of the positive and cheerful attitude of Thai people.

It is said that when a Thai person makes a mistake or is troubled, saying the words "Mai Pen Rai" will help them think positively.

It is a pro-Japanese country and many people love Japan, but the percentage of people who can learn foreign languages is not high.
This does not only apply to Thai people, but when hiring anyone, be sure to check in advance how much Japanese they can speak.

However, even if they are not very good at Japanese, there are many who will be able to build good relationships in the workplace thanks to their good personalities and positive attitude.

We also introduce the national character and communication tips of Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Nepal.
Please feel free to use this as a reference.

What is the Nepalese national character like? Introducing their personality and communication tips!
What is the national character of Myanmar? Introducing their personality and communication tips!
What is the Vietnamese national character? Introducing their personality and communication tips!
What is the Filipino national character? Introducing their personality and communication tips!
What is the Indonesian national character? Introducing their personality and communication tips!

How to work smoothly with staff from Thailand

There are four things to keep in mind in order to work smoothly with staff from Thailand.
It's a good idea to share this with your company before you start working together.

① Set short-term goals

First, your goals should be short-term achievable.

As I mentioned earlier, Thai people have a strong "mai pen rai" spirit, so even if they don't reach their goal, they tend to think "Oh well, I'll manage somehow."
Therefore, it is better to set short-term goals rather than long-term goals.

② Align your approach to work and find ways to make it go more smoothly

The second is to align our perceptions and values regarding work.

In Japan, we place a lot of importance on "responsibility" when it comes to work, but people in Thailand tend to think that responsibility is not that important.

Also, many people value time with family and friends over work, so if a promotion means less time with family, for example, they may want to consider it.

While respecting their opinions, it is necessary to carefully explain and reach an agreement on the company's philosophy and rules that must be followed one by one.

Thai people are said to value hierarchical relationships and have a strong desire to learn, but they can also be a little loose with time.
It is a good idea to set detailed deadlines for work or move them forward to make sure your work proceeds smoothly.

③Speak in easy-to-understand Japanese

The third is to use easy-to-understand Japanese.

Not many of our staff members from Thailand can speak Japanese.
Japanese terminology, dialects, and abbreviations are very difficult, so it is best to avoid using them where possible.

You should be especially careful with Japanese-English expressions, which are unique to Japan and cannot be understood by foreigners.
For example, some Japanese English words include the following:

④ Don't scold in front of others

The fourth step is to pay attention to your teaching methods.

Thai people find it extremely humiliating to be scolded or loudly reprimanded in front of several people.

Also, because people think that getting angry is a bad thing, they may see angry people as "immature."
If this impression is given, it will be difficult to build trusting relationships.

When giving instructions, be considerate and call the person in question into a separate room alone and speak to them in a quiet tone so that they can understand the reason for the warning.

Summary: Thai people are warm and kind. They are also characterized by their positive and cheerful personalities.

It is said that there are many gentle and kind people in Thailand.
One of the characteristics of this area is that many people have a positive attitude of "mai pen rai" (thank you for the words), and are able to move forward with a positive attitude of "everything will work out."

Japan and Thailand have a good relationship, and there are many pro-Japanese people.
Many Japanese companies have also established operations here, so Japan does not feel so far away for Thai people.

In Thailand, where there are many devout Buddhists, it is believed that a man must become a monk in order to become a full-fledged adult, but there are not many cases where a man would take time off work in Japan to return to the country and become a monk.

However, there is conscription for men aged 21 and those selected by lottery will have no choice but to return to their home country, so prior confirmation is required when hiring men under the age of 21.

There are Specified Skills employment statuses for Thai people.
This is a status of residence that requires certain skills and Japanese language ability, so companies looking for immediate personnel should definitely consider this.

"Getting to Know Thailand" course for Japanese people living together with foreigners held!

JAC holds a "Lecture on Coexistence with Foreigners" with the aim of "Understanding how to work smoothly with foreign staff!"

The sixth lecture on coexistence with foreigners will be held on February 15, 2024, and will be titled "Lecture on Coexistence with Foreigners (Thailand)" (lecturer: Iori Hiromasa).

In addition to introducing Thailand's history, national character, and working style, the seminar also explained things to be aware of and things to look out for when actually employing Thai people.

Participating companies asked questions about religion and Japanese language education in Thailand.

Q: Are there any religious considerations that need to be considered?
→ In Buddhism, there is a belief that you should not touch the head. Do not touch it under any circumstances.

Q: Is Japanese language education popular?
Compared to other countries, Japanese language education is not that popular.

Q: Is the grammar and pronunciation similar to Japanese?
→The grammar is not similar, but is closer to English.
Japanese pronunciation is not difficult, but due to Thai customs, the end of words can sometimes rise.

Seminar videos, materials, answers to questions, etc. Missed lecture on coexistence with foreigners: streaming and materials" can be viewed at
If you were unable to attend, please be sure to check it out.

Here are some comments about the course:

• I was able to hear real stories about Thai people's personalities and how to interact with them.
• I didn't know of any companies or unions nearby that accepted Thai trainees, so I'm glad I had the opportunity to learn about them.
• It was good that the explanation was not only about the region and culture, but also about important points to keep in mind.
• There are many things that are not taught in Japanese history, and I was able to learn about the country, so I enjoyed every class.

In addition to the Thai coexistence course, we also hold seminars on courses related to Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar and Nepal on an irregular basis.
For completed seminars, videos of the seminars are also available.

Companies considering accepting specified skilled workers from the above countries should definitely check this out.

We will continue to hold useful seminars to meet your needs!
[Free online course] I'm having trouble with foreign employees! What should I do?

If you are a company considering hiring specified skilled workers in the construction industry, please feel free to contact JAC!

*This article was written based on information from March 2024.