How To Do Business in Thailand | The Culture of Saving Face in Thailand with Dr Larry Persons 

Pete, I just subscribed (which I rarely do). You have a rare skill that even many professional journalists lack: you listen (and therefore allow us to listen)-without interrupting-to what your guests have to say. All the production qualities in the world cannot replace what you’re giving us: solid, informative, thought-provoking stories and ideas about life in this country that we love. Superb stuff. Keep up the good work - best wishes to you

So, 'face' is more complicated than 'Don't do anything in Thailand to cause someone else to lose face.' Excellent interview.

Very interesting! I am married to a thai lady, her father is excatly this save face type of man with the hierarchy mind set! A good man for sure, hard working farmer on big family farm all his life. Never went hungry but never made big money so when I see him around other thai men I can tell who is the big guy, I don't understand thai however one can see with body language who's who in the pecking order. Really good vid, thank you!

14:29 Inability to apologize is embedded in every culture, not just Thai. My dad, American, once told me he has never done anything wrong before in his life. He is an example of a person who lacks any ability to apologize due to a perceived loss of face. Humble people of any ethnicity are few are far between.

This video might go viral in Thailand if it had Thai subtitles.

I am Thai and totally agree with every statements. However my parents do apologise when they make mistakes.

Hi, Pete & Dr LP I enjoyed the interview it was very thought provoking. Parents never saying sorry to their kids I find quite sad. One of my best qualities Is admiting when I'm wrong and admit it. Make amends where needed. It's tradition the way they work things and as said it will never go away. It's a global thing we have it in the UK. I could listen to Dr LP for ages. Intelligent man with experience and knowledge who is willing to share his experience with us. Thank you. Take care GOD Bless you and yours. M

Underrated channel and content, you deserve 10k for covering this stuff man. I’m Asian American and it’s hard to explain these kinds of things to other western people.

Good and Interesting Interview , This problem start already to young people in the School System. You know that as a Teacher. Learning Critical Self Thinking and the Hierarchy is a Big problem for Thai people. 🙏

I need this book. Understand this area well and you understand so much of Thai society. And some other Asian cultures too, especially in the work place 😊

อย่างที่คุณกล่าวมา Saving face ทำให้คนไทยปรับตัวเก่งมากๆ เพราะต้องคิดดีๆก่อนที่จะทำหรือพูดอะไรออกไป😅 คนไทยใจเย็นมาก แต่ก็ใจร้อนมากด้วยเช่นกัน

I know now, more than ever, Thailand and China are so identical. It's scary to a degree. I did live a decade in mainland China, and have seen tons of Thailand RU-vidrs and their videos. Yeah, now I know. Thailand is officially of the list for me. PS: great video.

There’s so much wisdom here. Most of it Thailand probably went over like a skunk at family barbecue. The never watches doesn’t indicate how important this interview and book suggestion is. I’ve heard vloggers talk about this: create a great video and see few hits; put together one without planning and break records with viewing. Good job here, Pete.

I said that also he is a great listener Then he will ask them the question We all are wanting to ask Great interviewer would make a great TV chat show host he's not Loud and cocky like most he is really Interested in the person he interviews with sincerity. Love his shows.

Please add Thai subtitles so Thai people might learn how face is holding back creativity and innovation in their society. If people are not allowed to make mistakes, innovative will suffer 🙏

This episode packed an intellectual punch! I thoroughly enjoyed it from Chicago!

Great content with the Doc Pete.... yep, a little bit of humility goes a long way...... keep ‘em rolling Cap’n......

This is such an insightful conversation, Pete! For getting a true sense of Thai culture and society, this is my favourite video so far!

Nice interview Pete. Larry has really explained the saving face issue. His ability to show us all how it works is impressive. Yes we all are not perfect and need to acknowledge that through humility.

All your interviews are a learning tool! Appreciate it a lot!

I m Thai , I always do apologized and confessed whenever I found i make mistaken, in my family we open for any opinions and my parents they’re feel guilty whenever they were make mistaken.

Interesting interview, Pete! I have to get a copy of Dr Persons’ book when I get there. Thanks for featuring him and loving the variety of guests. Congrats on 3K mate!

Great & very informative interview. Can see how this tradition would hold back a country from progressing in several ways, political, economic & social. People in all societies tend to placed in some kind of hieratical level but the inability to admit error is a major flaw in Thai culture. I'm new to the channel, congrats on your presentation & style & editing.

Pete- you’re looking more like a professional interviewer by wearing long pants and a dress shirt. When you’re dressed as a tourist in shorts and T-shirt some viewers may not want to take you seriously ( just a thought) I really enjoy the variety of people you interview btw.👍🏽

Hi Pete, I found Dr Persons very interesting & relevant. His knowledge about 'Face' in Thailand is evident to see & i'd like to read his book soon. I agree with many of his points about what he see's the hierarchy should do, need to do. I believe this is not only in Thailand but authorities of power throughout the world...& 'Pete' you saying we learn from out mistakes I totally agree with. Further more, I feel admitting we are wrong is a sign of respect for others & dignity to ourselves. Something that the powerful hierarchy in the world seem to be very short in & of. Brilliant interview Pete, more please. Congratulations on 3k subs, well deserved.

Great interview, Pete. Really interesting. I wish it had been longer. I am looking forward to reading his book.

Great video, this explains one reason Thailand is so screwed up. I know of many young Thais that have earned lots of money to help their parents only to have it wasted over and over with no repercussions. The children basically become the parents and the parents little spoiled babies. I’ve got over 30 years experience in Thailand and the parents are always the problem.

🎉 3K mate! Good one you champ. A very interesting Interview to celebrate 🤙🏻 a very interesting piece of social structure here in Thailand 🙏🏼

Excellent !Thanks again Pete.Got to get the book. But I gained a lot of concepts iand clarifications in Dr. Person"s presentation. Looking forward to putting them to use.

Fantastic interview Pete. Makes me think from my time living in central Africa mainly Uganda where the word sorry is used a lot , but it is used there as an acknowledgment of sympathy. And I use the word sorry quite a bit . Nowadays I have a Thai girlfriend ( hopefully I can come visit January/ February) and I will have to really consider how or if I use the word sorry. Fantastic Vlog thanks Pete . Congrats on the 3k 👍🏿

Congrats on hitting 3k subscribers. Good to hear a western perspective on this topic. This however doesn't ring true to me. Face in Asian culture is about respect rather than status. As such, someone who is older can lose face to someone younger if they wrong them. You can wrong someone by simply not following certain customs, tradition or expectations. To say that face is about pretending to be perfect is to confuse the concept with leadership styles. On top of this, you also have other forces such as patriarchy, which also exist in the West. How this fine gentleman described Thai politicians and business leaders can be easily applied to politicians and leaders the world over.

Pete was very interesting and deep vlog. Dr Persons has had an interesting life , His studying during the Vietnam war when he was young stunned me. Culture is a hard thing to change and it would take so long. I guess its surprising to us looking in from the outside , where as Thais accept it. I think most countries around the world have their way of doing things that look different to outsiders. Great vlog Pete

Great interview pete👍 I liked that one. Thanks to larry🙏

Where did he pick up the American accent? All the students and teachers were Americans?? Pete you are a natural interviewer. You just let them speak and move it along so subtly.

Congratulations to 3k subs and an interesting interview mate.

💥 💥 💥 boom, 3,000 subs - well done and well deserved. Onwards and upwards

Great interview Pete. I thought of Face similar to how you did and learned a lot from Dr. Larry.

Very informative interview Pete. I must admit I really do struggle to understand this concept and why it is so difficult to admit when you are wrong. I will definitely have to get a copy of that book. Congrads on the 3K. Roll on 4K.

This is fantastic and eye opening to many foreigners who live here.

Really interesting interview! Congrats on the 3K :)

Fantastic interview

Very good m8 : congratulations on the 3000 plz god you get to 1million : alway good video's 👍

this is a fascinating topic and very insightful information from someone who obviously actually knows what they are talking about as someone who has lived and grown up there and sees both sides of the argument.... and it has MASSIVELY made me rethink my plans about actually moving there and starting a business... for now!!

Really interesting interview. So what he is saying is that all Thais are waking around on broken glass. If he’s right that’s a really unhealthy way to live. I’ve been with a Thai / Cambodian woman for 8 years. She was born in Thailand but has spent most of her adult life in NZ. I haven’t seen this trait in her or her family now living in NZ. In saying this they are very sensitive, more than the average kiwi if you don’t go to the family home for eating lols. Mistakes are growth if you learn from them. I would respect a person who has the balls to own up and say sorry. Couldn’t handle being around BS people. As they say, you can smell BS from a mile away. In Koh phangan right now with my GF. I’ve never had a bad experience with a Thai person and I plan to keep it that way. Great interview.

Nice interview but why so short? I think you could have a really long session with him. But I suppose I should now buy his book!

Great interview Pete. Took me a while to work out the face thing myself. Got in trouble a few times. Lol.👍🙏

from my 30 yrs of visiting se asia this is a massive thing and also gets foregners into trouble when they challenge locals especially with direct aggression.

Yep yep yep. Thanks for this. Next level content.

It depend on work environment, some high competitive place do have that kind of environment now I work in a comfy place and everyone didn't care about advancement to be the best so we enjoy everyone company like a friend and family rather then rival

Did u hear the one about the Irish lad who built his mother in law a nice house up in Issan, her face got that big she could not get out the door.....everyone happy!

I mediate disputes and even here in America when I have an Asian individual they will never say they are wrong. I just had it happen last week, both told the exact same Blame. No one would admit they were wrong, all four people thought they were right.

Great topic, great content Pete. Like yourself, I thought I understood the Thai concept of face ... but I've no qualms admitting that I, eh, didn't really 😄.

What are amazing interview

I love this interview I spent thirty minutes typing my thoughts but decided to delete as I may be so far in the future nit will unbalance some readers so I will just say I'm off to listen to Joni Mitchell Sing "Both sides now" I will give you one thought to ponder or dismiss In the west if you hear Leo you think lion In Bangkok if you hear Leo you see leopard. It may be a zen koan of sorts 🤔

This guy very smart pete id say he be good crack to have a few drinks with , such a intresting subject living in thailand day to day will have to get that book well done .

Brilliant

Such a solid youtube channel

Thanks for do this, and sharing information, i am marryed to a Thai, and i need to learn fast..

Would love to know his thoughts on "Joe Ferrari" and that press conference.

Thairish times is my new favorite Bangkok RU-vid stringers, thank you. Larry Persons is the man, a shortcut to doing business in Thailand. how can i buy this book, put a link in the description. aloha

Great interview.

Very interesting interview 👍

We all have pride and reputation around the world. But Thais refuse to admit wrong doing and feel shame at the slightest reason. No matter what as a foreigner your wife and those you expected to be with you always take a Thai persons side in any disagreement you have been warned

Great interview really interesting please find out where we can order a copy 👍

Encountered Thai face behavior at a bank. Instead of saying "I don't know,let me get that information. " 3 different employees lied or misinformed us costing me a cancelation of direct deposit of 4 months. Now I stick with U.S. bank for direct dep. and pay fees. And yes face means the foreigner is wrong in dispute....

I believe it's universal that one learns from recognizing their mistakes. What I'm getting here from this concept is Steve Jobs wouldn't have amounted to much if he was Thai. Here in the West, manning up and taking responsibilities of a mistake is a respected trait. The cover-up getting exposed is probably the closest circumstance to losing face. Though archaic, I think it's important to understand this concept if you spend considerable time in Thailand. Great interview and topic..... and channel. Just subscribed.

This interview was mentioned by David Norcross who concurred that Larry Persons gave a flawless wisdom unleash in this interview. And absolutely right, it's very fantastic! Keep these videos coming! This interview should be used in university biz class! Tharish Times is turning into a can't-live-without RU-vid gem! Keep 'em coming!!! And here's that interview with David Norcross, much shorter, quicker video but also has several hard hitting powerful gems as well: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-gku4wFPk8QQ.html Enjoy!

Thanks to dr larry. How would u suggest for non-thais living here ?

the plug worked,you now have over 3k subscribers!!

After I listened to him say “There are no two people in Thailand who are Thais perfectly equal. They aren”t. They always sort it out. One will be even if they' re completely the same in every level. If one is older than the other then they a little bit just a little shade of difference", I have a question in my mind "Are there people outside Thailand who are not Thais can be perfectly equal?

Wow man, this is pretty edgy content for Thailand, fair play! I didn't expect that! Very relevant topic for the changes that appear to be brewing, loved it. Here there's an Irish bar owner called Eoin Kelly you should look into interviewing. Interviews really well and you'd have good rapport with him. Opening another Irish pub on lower suk soon, might be interested in the promo. Love the interviews man, you're good at it. Also, congrats on 3k! More than deserved for the quality you produce.

Funny, as I am watching this there is enormous traffic around Chiang Mai University because ALL the students go to take these pictures. Gaining face, which leads to anarchy on the roads for a week 3 times a year. It really effects everyday life here oh so much. I didnt even go to either of my university graduations, waste of time. For me the achievement was inward, deep ----- for alot of thais its about gaining face

Great interview. Where can I get the book please?

Is there a link to buy the book?

Wait. I asked my wife about this, if elderly people ever say sorry if they do something wrong, and my wife said they did. She and her family are from isaan, and I dont know if this is different from where in Thailand you are from…

Is there somewhere we can buy this book in Thailand?

Saving face is the one thing that has always annoyed me about the thai culture because as a westerner you just cant reconcile with it.

Good morning Pete and Nune 🖐🖐 Congrats on the number of subs 😉 with the kind of content you do Pete, the numbers will only continue to climb. Interesting topic you chose today. My feeling is (though I have never been to Thailand, but in seeing what RU-vidrs put out) the focus everyone has when it comes to "saving face" in Thailand is from a foreigners point of view. To a Thai, it's life as usual. As a foreigner it becomes puzzling, lying, cheating, and dishonest. All things we don't understand because we live in countries that can be judgemental and hypocritical. Some of the more common folks in our own countries are more forgiving and therefore more willing to accept someone when they will admit to making a mistake or admit to being deceitful. All I really want to say is, travelers it is you are not in your own country. Act accordingly! Thai's gonna Thai! Gotta love it or leave it! You can't change the whole world to suit your needs.

Well I think it is important not to say to a Thai man he is wrong especially in front of people but also we need to admit when we are wrong but it doesn't mean it comes easy no matter where we live.

Good interview as always, but his book is too pricey

I’m getting divorced from my Thai wife. The biggest issues around the legal case is her fear of loosing face. I’ve told her we have to do what the uk law ses but she is finding it difficult. Actually to the point of lying.

As a side note, if the average Thai see's 'Face' as Dr Persons suggests...& kinda gauging others in a worth or pecking order, I feel this is a shame. The animal world live by this & have done for millions of years...yet the human race wouldn't like to be thought of as animals. My belief is to see others because of how they are as a person & not because of their power, their money or what they do etc etc.

In most Asian countries, owning mistakes at work is no doing good! People will not appreciate your honesty. Particularly in all ASEAN countries (even in Singapore), if you own mistake, you will be pinned and trashed forever. I have worked in Indonesia, the Indonesians do not appreciate your honesty in owning mistakes. They will look down on you. In Thailand, it is the same. To handle Thai, you need more EQ than IQ.

Welcome to 1984 🤣

So saving face is immoral and no one is going to explain how they came to such a conclusion

Saving face: Just a lack of accountability and a lack of personal responsibility. Very similar to the "Inshallah" attitude in the Middle East. As in: I was not a dumb ass this morning and caused a massive car accident. "Inshallah, it was Gods Will". And with saving face, what the hell is wrong with these people? You make a mistake you own up to it and you move on.

I’ve noted Thais are quick to apologize or say sorry. So I’m not sure what this guy is talking about.

Saving face sounds like the same bullshit as in Philippines

What a horrible institution

BS yank

Psychologist, Yeah nah I'll pass....

total communists LOL