Thailand

Submitted to: Munazza Hassan

Submitted by: Hassan ijaz
Hamza munir
Hira shahid khan
Sikandar ali awan
Daniyal imran piracha
Section N, April 15, 2015
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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................ 3
Location and Geography:............................................................................................ 4
Demography:.............................................................................................................. 4
Importance of the Flag:.............................................................................................. 4
Thai Words:................................................................................................................. 4
Rituals:....................................................................................................................... 5
Common Myths.......................................................................................................... 5
Food:.......................................................................................................................... 5
Thai Sports:................................................................................................................ 5
Thai festivals:............................................................................................................. 6
Economy of Thailand:................................................................................................. 6
Political:................................................................................................................... 7
Marriage:................................................................................................................. 7
Kin Group:............................................................................................................... 7
Education:.................................................................................................................. 7
Religion:...................................................................................................................... 8
Death and Afterlife:................................................................................................. 8
Art:............................................................................................................................. 9
Graphic Art:............................................................................................................. 9
Cultural patterns:....................................................................................................... 9
Power distance........................................................................................................ 9
Individualism........................................................................................................... 9
Masculinity............................................................................................................ 10
Uncertainty avoidance.......................................................................................... 10
Long Term Orientation........................................................................................... 10
Symbols:................................................................................................................ 11
Norms and traditions:............................................................................................ 11
Reference:................................................................................................................ 12

Thailand
Hira Shahid Khan
Sikander Ali Awan
Hamza Munir
Daniyal Piracha
Hassan Ejaz
Thai

Group members

The culture we are learning about is

The country is situated in

The
south
eastern
region
of
the continent of Asia
A place which is Thailand's political,
commercial, industrial, and cultural hub

The geographical region where this culture

lives in can be described as

Introduction
The cultural name of Thailand is Thai and it is associated with the dominant ethnic group.
Alternatives are Siamese and Central Thai. Thailand was never under European rule, it was an
independent and absolute monarchy until 1932. In 1939, the name of the country was changed
from Siam to Thailand. It was ruled under the military dictators until 1970s, Military was a
powerful force until 1990s.
Since that time, its role has diminished, and a new constitution was adopted in 1997. The military
governments after World War II promoted rapid economic development and attempted to
assimilate ethnic minorities. Rapid economic growth continued until the late 1990s, when the
economic boom of the early part of the decade came to an abrupt end. As part of a trend toward
devolution of authority, the democratic governments of the 1990s adopted more liberal policies
with regard to ethnic minorities. However, members of ethnic minorities continue to face many
problems in regard to political rights and economic security.
Capital of Thailand is Bangkok which is formally known as the kingdom of Thailand. Their
national bird is Siamese fireback and their national sport is Maui Thai. Fighters use their knees,
elbows, shins and hands to implement bone-crushing strikes. The language they speak is Thai.
Thai is a Daic language in the southwestern Tai group. Other Thai groups speak related southern
and east-central Thai languages.

Location and Geography:

The Kingdom of Thailand has an area of 198,114 square miles. The country is commonly divided
into four main regions and borders Burma, Laos, Cambodia, and Malaysia. The northern region
is hilly, with much of its population concentrated in upland valleys and the flood plains of rivers;
the dominant geographic feature is the Khorat Plateau. The southern region is a narrow isthmus
with hills running down the center..

Demography:
The population estimate for 2000 is approximately 62 million. There are about 75 ethnic groups,
and approximately 84 percent of the population is Thai, including people from other Taispeaking ethnic groups; the Thai, constitute about 36 percent of the population.

Importance of the Flag:

It shows five horizontal stripes in the colors red, white, blue, white and red.
The colors stand for nation-religion-king.
Red for the land and people, white for Theravada Buddhism and blue for the monarchy.
Symbolism: The most potent national symbols are the king and images associated
with Buddhism. The monarch serves as the most important symbol of national identity and unity.
The promotion of Buddhism as a symbol of national identity has met with opposition from the
Muslim minority.

Thai Words:

Hello

SSwsSd

Bye

Lkk xn

Food

XhSr

Love

Rk
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 Shop

RRn

Rituals:
Birth
Marriage
Death (Funeral) and after life.

Common Myths:
Thai monks arent interested in gadgets and alcohol laws are very relaxed in Thailand. Also,
People eat with chopsticks.

Food:
Rice is the staple food at every meal for most people. All food is brought to the table at once
rather than being served in courses. A meal will include rice, dishes with gravy, side dishes, soup,
and a salad. Whereas in central and southern Thailand polished white rice is eaten, in the north
and northeast people eat glutinous or sticky rice. Fish and shellfish are popular. They eat very
spicy food, normally hotter than is tolerated in even the most piquant Western cuisine. They
usually have a breakfast of Khao Tom (rice soup). Famous Dishes are:
Tom Yam Goong
Pad Thai
Khao Niao

Thai Sports:
Thai Boxing (Muai Thai)
Sword and Pole Fighting (Fun Daab)
Boat Racing (Kaeng Ruer)
Kite Flying (Len Wow)
Thai Chess (Mak Ruk Thai)
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Thai festivals:
Songkran (Thai New Year)
Phi Ta Khon
Monkey Buffet
Loy Krathong
Ubon Ratchatani Candle festival

Economy of Thailand:
Thailand has a relatively diversified export-oriented economy that grew rapidly in the latter part
of the twentieth century until the crash of 1997. Manufacturing and tourism led its growth, but
agriculture continued to play an important roleemploying over 60 percent of the workforce.
The country remains a major producer and exporter of agricultural products, including rice,
rubber, and tapioca. Thailand's currency is called the Baht.
Exchange rate compared to Pakistan
1 Thai Baht = 3.19 Pakistan Rupees
Major manufacturing industries include motor vehicle and motorcycle units and parts,
computers, garments and footwear, electrical appliances, and plastic products. There also
are large commercial farming and fishing industries. The main agricultural products are
rice, tapioca, sugar, corn, and fruits. In addition to fresh and frozen agricultural products,
food-processing industries produce canned and frozen products. Thailand has a large
fishing industry and is a major producer of farmed shrimp. The country is one of the
world's leading producers of rubber. The country produces some oil and natural gas but
must import gas and petroleum products to meet domestic demand.

Political: Thailand is a constitutional monarchy. The king, on occasion, involves himself

directly in political affairs when national stability is threatened. The Prime Minister is the head
of government and a hereditary monarch is head of state. This form of Thailand government has
been in place since 1932 following nearly 700 years of outright rule. The current Thai King, His
Majesty King Bhumibol Aduyadej (Rama IX) is the reigning monarch. Thai King serves as
spiritual leader of the country as well as head of state, but wields no outright political authority.
The Kingdom's current constitution is the result of the most recent coup overthrowing the former
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha declared martial
law on 22nd May 2014. On 24 August 2014, General Prayuth Chan-ocha was selected as Prime
Minister.

Marriage:
In general, individuals find their own marriage partners, although the choice of a spouse may be
influenced by one's family among the wealthy. The value of goods provided to the couple and
elaborateness of the wedding ceremony vary with the wealth of the families of the couple.
Polygyny was common among the elite in the past but is now rare, although wealthy and
powerful men often have a de facto second wife known as a minor wife. Divorce is not difficult
and is usually a matter of a couple ceasing to live together and dividing their property.

Kin Group:
The Central Tai reckon descent bilaterally. Various forms of kin groups may be formed. The
most common type is formed by siblings, married children, and sometimes more distant relatives
living in a multihousehold compound. Members of these groups may share domestic and other
tasks. Sometimes larger kin groups encompass several compounds to form a hamlet cluster. In
some instances, a hamlet cluster forms around a wealthy and powerful individual.

Education:
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Children in rural areas grow up surrounded by the implements that they will later use and see
adults performing domestic, agricultural, and artisanal tasks. In the past, young boys attended
school in a nearby Buddhist monastery, where they would be taught to read and write. Girl's
education took place mainly at home as they learned to perform domestic tasks.

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write

Total Population

93.5%

Male

95.6%

Female

91.5%

Education in Thailand was provided by Buddhist monks and was only available to boys. There
are two types of education in Thailand formal and informal education.
Almost all schoolchildren in Thailand attend either public schools or those run by Buddhist
monasteries.

Public schools are free for Thai citizens or those who were born in Thailand, and have
one Thai parent.

Expatriate children must pay fees when attending a public school.

In some public schools, over 50% of classes are conducted in English.

Religion:
About eighty-five percent of the people are Theravada Buddhists, and the monarch must be a
Buddhist. Virtually all Tai-speaking peoples are Theravada Buddhists, as are members of many
of the ethnic minorities. The Buddhism of Central Tais often is referred to as Lankavamsa,
reflecting its origins in Sri Lanka. Thai Buddhism, however, is a syncretic religion that borrows
from earlier animistic beliefs, Hinduism, and Christianity. A noticeable manifestation
of animism in Thai Buddhism are the spirit houses associated with almost all houses and
buildings. These usually are small model houses placed on a pedestal, which serve as a home for
the spirits associated with the site. These houses are decorated and presented with daily
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offerings. Many large trees also are considered to serve as the home of spirits and are decorated
and given offerings.

Death and Afterlife:

Buddhists believe that those who die are reborn in a form that is appropriate to the amount of
merit they accumulated while alive. The cycle of death and rebirth is believed to continue as long
as ignorance and craving remain. The cycle can be broken only through enhanced personal
wisdom and the elimination of desire.

Art:
Graphic Art:
The graphic arts include art forms associated with Buddhist temples such as sculpture in wood,
stucco, and stone; mural painting; and bronze castings of images of Buddha. Other forms of
graphic arts include lacquerware, mother-of-pearl inlay, gold work, nielloware, silverware, wood
carving, ceramics, basketry and plaiting, weaving, and painting on paper or canvas. No western
perspective and subjects are mainly religious scenes. The Arts of Thailand display features the
museum's finest Thai Buddhist sculptures in bronze and stone spanning. The image seems to
remind the faithful of the great teachings of Buddha.

Cultural patterns:
If we explore the Thai culture through the lens of the 6-D Model, we can get a good
overview of the deep drivers of Thai culture relative to other world cultures.

Power distance
This dimension deals with the fact that all individuals in societies are not equal it
expresses the attitude of the culture towards these inequalities amongst us. Power distance is
defined as the extent to which the less powerful members of institutions and organisations
within a country expect and accept that power is distributed unequally.
It is a society in which inequalities are accepted; a strict chain of command and protocol are
observed. Each rank has its privileges and employees show loyalty, respect and deference
for their superiors in return for protection and guidance. This may lead to paternalistic
management. Thus, the attitude towards managers are more formal, the information flow is
hierarchical and controlled.

Individualism
The fundamental issue addressed by this dimension is the degree of interdependence a
society maintains among its members. It has to do with whether peoples self-image is
defined in terms of I or We. In Individualist societies people are supposed to look after
themselves and their direct family only. In Collectivist societies people belong to in groups
that take care of them in exchange for loyalty.
Thailand is a highly collectivist country. This is manifest in a close long-term commitment
to the member 'group' (a family, extended family, or extended relationships). Loyalty to the
in-group in a collectivist culture is paramount, and over-rides most other societal rules and
regulations. The society fosters strong relationships where everyone takes responsibility for
fellow members of their group. In order to preserve the in-group, Thai are not
confrontational and in there communication a Yes may not mean an acceptance or
agreement. An offence leads to loss of face and Thai are very sensitive not to feel shamed in
front of their group. Personal relationship is key to conducting business and it takes time to
build such relations thus patience is necessary as well as not openly discuss business on first
occasions.

Masculinity
Masculine on this dimension indicates that the society will be driven by competition,
achievement and success, with success being defined by the winner/best in field a value
system that starts in school and continues throughout organisational behaviour.
Feminine on the dimension means that the dominant values in society are caring for others
and quality of life. A feminine society is one where quality of life is the sign of success and
standing out from the crowd is not admirable. The fundamental issue here is what motivates
people, wanting to be the best (masculine) or liking what you do (feminine).
On this dimension thailand is considered a feminine society. Thailand has the lowest
Masculinity ranking among the average Asian countries of 53 and the World average of 50.
This lower level is indicative of a society with less assertiveness and competitiveness, as
compared to one where these values are considered more important and significant. This
situation also reinforces more traditional male and female roles within the population.

Uncertainty avoidance
The dimension Uncertainty Avoidance has to do with the way that a society deals with the
fact that the future can never be known: should we try to control the future or just let it
happen? This ambiguity brings with it anxiety and different cultures have learnt to deal with
this anxiety in different ways. The extent to which the members of a culture feel threatened
by ambiguous.
Thailand is slightly indicating a preference for avoiding uncertainty. In order to minimize or
reduce this level of uncertainty, strict rules, laws, policies, and regulations are adopted and
implemented. The ultimate goal of this population is to control everything in order to
eliminate or avoid the unexpected. As a result of this high Uncertainty Avoidance
characteristic, the society does not readily accept change and is very risk adverse. Change
has to be seen for the greater good of the in group.

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Long Term Orientation

This dimension describes how every society has to maintain some links with its own past
while dealing with the challenges of the present and future, and societies prioritise these two
existential goals differently. Normative societies are like, for example, prefer to maintain
time-honoured traditions and norms while viewing societal change with suspicion. On the
other hand, take a more pragmatic approach: they encourage thrift and efforts in modern
education as a way to prepare for the future.
Thai culture is more normative than pragmatic. People in such societies have a strong
concern with establishing the absolute Truth; they are normative in their thinking. They
exhibit great respect for traditions, a relatively small propensity to save for the future, and a
focus on achieving quick results.
Elements of Culture:

Symbols:
National symbols of Thailand include the official national emblem featuring the garuda and
the national flag. There are also three other national symbols, which were proclaimed in a
Declaration of the Office of the Prime Minister dated 26 October 2001. They are: the Asian
elephant (Elephas maximus) as the national animal, the flower of the Ratchaphruek or
golden shower tree (Cassia fistula) as the national flower, and the Thai pavilion or Sala Thai
as national architectural element

Norms and traditions:

The traditional greeting is with two hands prayer-like palms together known as a wi. If a
local gives a wi to you, to be polite, it is nice to wi back. A wi, however, is always
appreciated.
Throughout all of Thailand, if you notice a pile of shoes at or near an entrance to a home,
shop or guesthouse, you should remove your shoes before entry; it is considered rude not to
do so.
Most of Thailands attractions are of cultural significance. Places like temples and palaces are
highly respected by the locals for their religious values and there are certain customs and
etiquette you need to respect when visiting these places such as; you are required to wear polite
dress when visiting official buildings and palaces. This means no flip-flop, no shorts, no skirt
above the knee for ladies, no sleeveless t-shirts.

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Reference:
http://bangkok.angloinfo.com/information/lifestyle/entertainment/english-language-media/

http://bangkok.angloinfo.com/information/lifestyle/entertainment/local-media/

http://www.everyculture.com/Sa-Th/Thailand.html
http://geert-hofstede.com/thailand

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