How Face works in Thailand

Even in the West we don’t like to lose Face. Our egos can be challenged. When someone tells us something that we dislike and disagree with, it is human nature to react in what is perhaps a rather negative way. We don’t like criticism; we prefer praise. We may argue, shout, and get abusive. We might start making badly-thought out comments. Rarely, would we remain calm or turn the other cheek.

In countries of the Far East, and particularly Thailand, you can get into big trouble if you, even unintentionally, make someone lose Face. It’s not unknown for violence to occur.

Just raising your voice can be enough of a trigger for a Thai to believe that you are making him lose Face. He (or she, of course) will feel a loss of self-esteem. It is seen by Far-Eastern people almost as if you are attacking them. Westerners don’t see it that way. Raising their voices are a perfectly natural way to make their point or perhaps develop their reasoned argument.

I will add some actual real-life examples in the next few days. I already have 7n in draft