Most people in senior management speak English apart from in very small companies, or those situated outside the industrial belt of Bangkok, where English is not widely spoken. Most businesses of substantial size prefer visitors to make appointments. Punctuality is advisable (although the visitor is quite often likely to be kept waiting after arrival). In Bangkok, traffic must be taken into consideration when going to appointments.
Deference is always shown to the most senior person in any business situation. The normal business greeting is the handshake, but it is conventional to greet those of the opposite sex with a wai, a slight bow with the hands held together at chest height. Business cards should be exchanged at the end of any meeting. Be sure to pass objects with your right hand.
Thai hosts are quite likely to give small gifts to visitors, so it is a good idea to reciprocate with a typical national gift of one's own. Visitors should never get angry or raise their voice if things are not going according to plan, as this will mean a loss of face on both sides. Much more progress will be made by remaining calm.
Meetings often take place over lunch and these are generally held in a Thai restaurant. Thai businesspeople are quite formal in their dress but, because of the extreme heat, it is quite acceptable and practical to dispense with the wearing of a suit jacket.
Office hours:Office hours are usually Monday to Friday 0830-1630. There is a large expat community in Bangkok, as well as a big after-work drinking scene.
Economy:The Thai economy expanded very rapidly during the 1980s and early 1990s, with the average annual GDP growth between 1990 and 1996 being 8.5%. However, things slowed dramatically in the summer of 1997 when the Asian currency crisis struck, causing the economy to drop by 11%. After a strong initial recovery, the Thai economy suffered again in 2001/2 following 9/11, and in 2003 suffered because of the reaction to SARS, the war in Iraq and fears of terrorism.
Things took an upward turn in 2004 due to domestic demand and strong exports, giving the economy resilience to the outbreak of avian influenza and soaring oil prices. However, following the tsunami in December 2004, sharp rises in world oil prices and domestic political turmoil following the military coup in September 2006, growth was affected. In 2007 the inflation rate was 2.2% with unemployment down to 1.4%. Inflation rates rose dramatically in 2008 before falling even more dramatically in 2009. Since then rates have stabilised between 2.8% and 4.2% with the actual figure of 4.08% in July 2011. Unemployment rates have remained consistent since 2007 with the actual 2010 figure at 1.39%.
Following the financial collapse in 1997 the government launched the Amazing Thailand campaign which increased tourist arrivals dramatically, all keen to take advantage of the favourable exchange rate. Arrival numbers peaked in 2002 but were down by 10% in 2003 with the occurrence of SARS. However, visitor numbers have improved steadily and were more than 14 million in 2007 - a 4.7% increase on 2006. Numbers have steadily increased since then, rising to 15.8 million visitors in 2010.
The Thailand Incentive and Convention Association was established to aid the growth of Thailand as a destination for meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions. Members include tour operators, hotels, airlines, advertising agencies, lawyers, convention centres, convention organisers and local attractions. Bangkok has the two largest venues for conferences and exhibitions - the Bangkok Convention Centre and the Impact Muang Thong Thani Exhibition and Convention Centre. There are also many other venues (including hotels) in Bangkok and elsewhere.
GDP:US$319 billion (2010).
Main exports:Automatic data processing machines and parts, automobiles and parts, precious stones and jewellery, refined fuels, rubber, electronic integrated circuits, polymers of ethylene and propylene, rice, iron and steel and their products, rubber products, chemical products.
Main imports:Crude oil, machinery and parts, electrical machinery and parts, chemicals, iron and steel and their products, electrical circuits panels, computers and parts, other metal ores and metal waste scrap, ships and boats and floating structure, jewellery including silver and gold.
Main trading partners:USA, Japan, China (PR), Hong Kong and Malaysia.
A popular way to call overseas is through a service called Home Country Direct, which is available at various post offices and CAT centres in towns and cities. It offers an easy connection to international operators in many different countries. Some accommodation places will have a mobile or landline that customers can use for a per-minute fee for overseas calls. Public phones are not recommended as they are often on noisy main streets.
Mobile phone:Roaming agreements exist with many international mobile phone companies. There is good coverage, especially around main towns.
Internet:There are plenty of internet cafés, some even found in remote areas visited by tourists.
Post:Airmail to Europe takes up to one week.
Post office hours:The General Post Office in Bangkok (on Charoen Krung Road) is open Mon-Fri 0800-2000, Sat-Sun and holidays 0800-1300. Post offices up-country are open Mon-Fri 0800-1630, Sat 0900-1200.
Media:While the government and military control nearly all the national terrestrial TV networks and operate many of Thailand's radio networks, the print media is largely privately run.
Press:Many daily and weekly Thai newspapers are available, including Thairath. The English-language dailies are Bangkok Post and The Nation.
Television:Thai TV stations are variously controlled by the government and the army. They include TV3, TV5, BBTV Channel 7 and Television of Thailand. Even Independent Television is part-owned by the prime minister's office.
Radio:Radio Thailand and MCOT are operated by government agencies, while Army Radio is controlled by the Royal Thai Army. There are more than 60 stations in and around the capital.
