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Are Thai People Really Lazy?

“Well, you know Thais, they're f-word lazy, man”, said the expat on the adjacent table in the coffee shop.

This is a statement I've heard many times over the years.

It's an easy thing to say off the cuff, particularly if that has been your experience.

But that experience is usually very limited: limited to a lazy girlfriend you adopted into your home, a lazy laborer you employed cheaply to fix your roof, or a lazy mother-in-law who thinks you're not good enough for her daughter – despite the fact that you paid for her house.

In reality it's a sweeping generalization that isn't applicable to the millions of Thais who work hard every day, for what is often a pitiful wage.

But is there some truth to this generalization? I mean, there's no smoke without fire, right? Why do people keep saying it? Why has this label been stuck on the Thai people?

This perception of laziness is coming from somewhere, and it seems to be the experience of quite a large number of expats.

I'll share my experience and thoughts on this stereotype below, and then you can give me your take in the comments section.

lazy-thai-sleeping

 

Are Thai People Lazy?

Since I came to Thailand, some 14 years ago, I have to say that the majority of Thais I have encountered are pretty hard-working.

From the maid to the market trader to the Som Tum seller to the lady serving coffee in Starbucks, most of the Thais I see on a daily basis are working a lot of hours.

Most are up at the crack of dawn, many working 6 or 7 days a week, particularly those with their own businesses.

The guys and gals in the local 7-Eleven seldom have a day off, taxi drivers sleep just a few hours in their taxis before hitting the road again, and go up country and you have OAPs toiling the fields for 8 hours a day.

So where are all the lazy people?

Some might say, “But that's out of necessity, not because they want to. Given the chance, they'd put their feet up and live off someone else's labour”.

But how many people around the world don't work out of necessity? And how many wouldn't take it easier if they could?

I will concede that most Thais have no choice but to work. There is no comparable social security system. If you don't work, you don't eat. Simple.

Is It a Class Issue?

Even in the middle classes I see little evidence of this stereotype.

For example, the experiences I've had with Thai colleagues at my friend's Bangkok-based company is comparable to that of staff in the UK. Most work very hard. Sre, some are keener than others, some work faster than others, and some are more organized than others.

This is no different to any other office around the world.

You have a very wealthy upper class in Thailand, and I'd argue that that's where you're more likely to find laziness.

The sons and daughters (some) of rich Bangkok businessmen tend to do little more than drive flash cars and do lunch with friends.

But again, that's the same all over the world, isn't it?

So who are we talking about being lazy here?

Bar girls that sit around of an evening, occasionally playing pool and waiting to be bought a drink and taken home? The privileged wives of pension-rich expats who don't need to work?

These groups don't represent all Thai people. This is a minority.

The “Sabai Sabai” Approach to Life

Perhaps Thais don't work as efficiently as Brits, Aussies, Americans or Europeans, and perhaps that gives a perception of laziness. A lack of efficiency, taking longer to do things, a seemingly reluctant attitude at times, this could be perceived as laziness.

But the latter, in most cases, is because they are doing a boring job for little money, with no real career prospects.

It's also horribly hot in Thailand; the humidity makes you feel sweaty and tired. If you're working outside, you're not going to be over the moon about the sun beating down on you all day.

Or is the case that Thais will cut corners if they can, knock off early if no one is looking, and take the easy way out if possible?

I can attest to this being the case in some people I know and in some dealings I've had in Thailand, but part of me feels this is cultural – the “sabai sabai” (comfortable) approach to life, mixed with a little “mai bpen rai” (never mind).

But then aren't we all aiming for this to some degree?

We'd all like to earn the most we can doing as little work as possible, unless we truly love our work and would do it despite the money.

Is It a Penchant for Laziness?

Or maybe the difference is in the what you'd do if you weren't working.

Is it the case that us expats spend our free time getting things done: tidying out the garage, washing the car, learning the guitar, playing golf, etc. Whereas the Thai would rather just sit down and watch a drama series and eat snacks.

I don't know where you're from, but in the UK, generally speaking, we are a nation of doers. We keep busy: “Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today”. Of course there are many who aren't like that, and in my opinion this culture is changing.

Look, I am a pretty productive person, I don't like idly sitting around wasting time. But that doesn't make other people lazy. It's my personality. Maybe I need to relax more…

The Problem with Generalizations

For every Thai person I could label as “lazy” there's three I know who are the complete opposite.

My grand-mother-in-law is 90 and still gets up at the crack of dawn to go into town to buy vegetables to sell at a local market. Even with Covid lurking there was no keeping her down. She could never be labelled as “lazy”.

My wife's sister works six days a week, as does her husband. When I met my wife she was working six days a week and waking up at 5.30am.

Then I think about the Thai wives of expats I know who moved to Europe. Surely these are lazy Thai women who, as soon as they got the chance, put their feet up and sponged off their husbands!

Well, no. There are three couples I know very well. All three wives work in their adopted country. Their husbands could support them, but they choose to work and earn their own money instead.

I do know the stereotype, though.

I know of one guy's partner who doesn't work yet insists on having a maid and a nanny, when clearly she could fill these roles. She prefers to adopt the hi-so life, immersed in fashion and selfies. But man, this isn't exclusive to Thailand, this is happening the world over.

And this is the problem with generalizations; it really depends on your experience, on your interactions, on your social circle.

Of course, every country has its lazy people – those who don't want to work or don't want to work very hard – and there are certainly some lazy Thai people.

The reality is, however, that most Thais don't have the privilege of being lazy. Period.

Do they have more of a penchant for laziness than us western expats? Maybe… You tell me.



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  1. Erik says

    You'd be lazy too if your monthly salary was 5-10K baht for 10 hour workdays which is in fact not uncommon for unskilled shop work. Thais make up for lack of material wealth by being social and playing around.

    I do not believe Thais are lazy at all, they're exceptional at service fields for example in most better hotels and the food cart lady making 100s if not 1000s of meals a day is not exactly lazy either, neither is her son/daughter who goes from school to work every day.

    The Thais who are lazy are the Thais spoiled in the tourist industry where people tip them for nothing and they get used to people coming and going with no repurcusions for bad work ethic.

    You get what you pay for. If you pay your security guard the minimum wage, don't be surprised when he goes to sleep on his nightshift.
    Reply

  2. Chris says

    I've been living in Thailand for about 6 years, have been married to a Thai for about 2 years, and most of my friends are Thai. I would have to say that, overall, the perception of Thais by both foreigners and Thais is that they are lazy. My wife and friends (Thai) often jokingly attribute general problems in Thai society to "prawaa kon Thai kee gyet" (because Thai people are lazy).

    In my own experience, having worked for both Thai companies and foreign-run companies employing Thais, I would say that Thais in general will take the shortest and easiest path to get something done. I suppose this is not necessarily laziness per se, as they are at least getting from Point A to Point B, but I would certainly never expect them to do so with any flare, creativity, or "above and beyond" demonstration of effort. I would call them "lazy thinkers". A prime example would be that If they can get away with copying and pasting something into reports, they will. If asked to think for themselves and put any level of creative input into something, it is like a deer in headlights. They aren't taught to think independently in their school systems, and this translates to copy-and-paste mentality. I have never seen plagiarism on the same level as in Thai society. Certainly, many will stay late hours, but I have learned that this is mostly because air conditioning and internet in the office are free.

    As another example, I just asked my wife her thoughts on the issue, and she responded: "Yes, of course Thai people are lazy. Look at the red shirts taking 500 baht hand outs as vote bribes. They will do anything to get money without working. Some Thais sell their kids to avoid working hard. Prostitution is also a form of laziness, trying to get money through the least exertion possible, and is obviously rampant throughout Thailand."

    I am not one of those grumpy anti-Thai forum posters on thaivisa.com, and I do not have any hatred towards Thais. I would, however, say that there is a tendency to laziness in their society.
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      Hi Chris, thanks for your input, some valid points to think about, particularly about creativity and going "above and beyond" - but then sadly the Thai school system doesn't encourage creativity at a young age, in fact I had a message this week from a teacher talking about just that. Initiative, free thinking and creativity are replaced with the teachings of traditional standards.Regarding your wife's comment about the redshirts, I think that is a little harsh. Who wouldn't accept 500 Baht a day to sit at a demonstration for a few days if you've been breaking your back in rice fields for the last twenty years for little more than 150 Baht a day or less. They no nothing of politics, they are just trying to create a better life for themselves by capitalising on opportunity, the same way we all do, albeit in different ways using different means. I wouldn't say these guys are lazy either. Have you ever worked from 6am - 4pm in the boiling hot sun labouring in a rice field or on a building site? I haven't and I wouldn't want to.I think to say prostitution is laziness is a sweeping generalisation; for the majority it is a "choice" made against few other choices. We must accept looking down from our privileged lives that education, class, regional prejudice, a lack of state welfare and male accountability for their offspring are key factors in why the industry has grown as it has in Thailand. Some might argue that purposely little is done to prevent women falling into this net because the industry - propped up largely by tourism - provides financial support for approximately 1.7m (and their dependents) of the population, meaning the government don't need to provide support through welfare/education/back to work schemes, etc, from what should be the public purse. *that figure is approximate and inclusive of male and female sex workers.It is all too easy for a person who has had access to a decent education, never had to question where the next meal is coming from, and always had access to funds when needed to point the finger at prostitution. The way capitalist societies are set up is that there has to be people on the bottom who, no matter how hard they labour, will stay there. Not everyone can be well-off or well educated (money and class dictates this in Thailand, certainly) or have the dream they see others living who were more privileged in life's birth lottery. And therefore to attain the things the TV/media says will make us "happier" some are willing to risk their being.Moreover, if a woman with 2 children, with no education and no financial support from the children's father or the state, has a choice to work as a cleaner for 8,000 Baht a month or a prostitute for 30,000+, I can imagine that is a fairly tough call. On one hand no woman wants to become a prostitute (most), but on the other any child/parent will tell you that if facing remaining poor, and all the hardship that comes with it, they would sacrifice themselves for their family/kids to have a better life. As we know, a degree is a minimum for a woman to find a job that will make her self sufficient in Thailand, let alone support dependent(s). And after all, should she not aspire for her children to have a good education and the best in life as we aspire for our kids? Remember, many of these women come from broken families, often where alcoholism, gambling and/or abuse is present. There is no "can you help me out with next month's rent Dad", or "I want to set up this business can I have a loan". There is no money, and if there is, it gets spent on booze and/or gambled away. Many parents put increasing pressure on daughters to send money home, and girls won't turn their backs on parental pressure/mental abuse because of face, not to mention that their kids usually stay with their parents so they have a responsibility to send money home in that respect. Parental pressure concerning money is a huge factor, something the middle/upper clases need not worry about because the parents support the children, not the other way around.Before simply casting people off as lazy one needs to walk a mile in another's shoes. My sister in law works in a factory with her husband. They have one child. Their life is a constant struggle to get ahead of themselves, to save money for their daughter and their future. He is a good man, doesn't drink or gamble or hit the karaoke bars, yet 2 salaries each month only just make ends meet. They would love to start a business, but with only a high school rural education that finished early, the likelihood of them being successful in such an endeavour is slim, and besides who will lend them the money? The bank won't, which would mean being exploited by the high interests of a loan shark, another reason many resort to the fast money to be made in prostitution; paying off family loans. So can you tell me how a girl with 1 perhaps 2 kids, no education, parental pressure for money and no savings can carve out a good standard of living for her and her children in a society where living costs are rising and a university degree is standard for a job upwards of 10,000 Baht?The notion that it is an easy job is also misguided. Can you imagine being an attractive young woman who should be hanging out with guys her own age enjoying life, but instead has to crack on to sociapathic old western men night after night, and then have them abuse her like a dog in the bedroom just to get paid. That is no easy task. It takes mental conditioning. Not to mention all the drinking and unsociable hours will take their toll. This is why an increasing number of these women are ending up alcoholics and drug addicts. But who cares, right? They're just lazy poor people.Of course, even when faced with considerable financial hardship, I think it takes a certain type of person to be able to do such a job, for any considerable period of time, anyway. Or maybe not, maybe I have never been desperate enough or pressured enough by culture/parents etc to understand. Humans are highly adaptable beings, and once the soul is numbed to being used as a physical means to an end I guess it becomes sort of normal. Some would rather remain poor and accept their lot, others want the "happy family" TV dream, and don't see why all these other people should have it and not them just because they were luckier in the birth lottery. Fair enough.I won't deny, however, that there is always the exception to the rule. Just as there are in the west there are women who don't need to work in the sex industry but choose to for easy money, but as we know 90%+ female prostitutes in Thailand have kid(s), zero education and come from underprivileged backgrounds. I dare say that it is us who are lazy in our understanding of others.
      Reply

  3. Cardero says

    One of the obvious reasons that people perceive Thais as lazy is all of the napping that goes on while they are working.

    One of the things I immediately noticed as unique to Thailand is the motorcycle taxis taking a nap on their bike, Shop girls sleeping with their head on the counter, Tuk Tuk Drivers pulled over to the side of the road sleeping in the back seat.

    It is simply something you do not see where I am from. If you were to take a nap at work, particularly with your head on the service counter, you would be fired!

    Personally, the four years I have been here in Bangkok, the Thai's that I have developed relationships with both personal and professional are not lazy. They just have a completely different perspective on life, one that I personally admire.
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      I think the napping is largely down to bad diet. People are under the illusion that Thai food is really good for you, but truth is it is laden with sugar, which is causing a huge diabetes problem nationwide. Add to the mix the 7-11 diet of snacks and nitrate/processed hot dogs and you have a recipe for zero power and sugar crashes. Rice also comprises a main staple of the Thai diet; a simple carb that burns quickly through the body providing little sustainable energy resource. The plus side is the vegetable and fruit intake, but I fear this is being heavily replaced by snacking on "khanom" (sweets/snacks). It is also very hot, we must bear that in mind. I like an afternoon nap here myself, whereas in colder climates I tend not too. Another consideration is airconditioning. Surely breathing this all day can't be good for the respiratory system and staying awake..?
      Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      Indeed Valerie, but I also think that laziness is partly mistaken for it being too bloody hot to work like a dog in many countries. It is easy to be productive in an air conditioned office, not so easy when the sun is beating down on your back. I am up country at the moment and have been forced to nap each afternoon due to heat exposure, and I have the luxury of being able to jump into an air conditioned car for a break when needed.
      Reply

  6. Thai Eagle says

    There are many lazy people in the world, but I would not consider Thai's "in general"
    lazy. You must always take culture and upbringing into consideration when analyzing any situation. Now American's there f--kin lazy;)
    Reply

  7. V F says

    I think some people mistake hard work for talent and achievement, thinking they deserve accolades simply for working hard regardless of results.

    If one works hard but has no talent, they won’t get far. You may obtain similar results with talent but an unwillingness to work at it. Only with talent and hard work can one expect to excel.

    I think we do people a disservice by telling them all they have to do is work hard or not be lazy and they will succeed.
    Reply

    • Lloyd says

      "thinking they deserve accolades simply for working hard regardless of results"

      I would beg to differ, a person who is visibly working harder surely deserves respect for their effort, it is highly likely that person is simply in a role that is not suited to their own talents, by not acknowledging their efforts we are more likely to give them reason to regret putting in the effort.
      Reply

      • V F says

        One can view my statement from different perspectives and I was perhaps visualizing those talentless idiots on American Idol, as an example, who think they deserve to win just because they worked hard and really, really want it. I don’t think it is necessarily enough to just show up in life.

        Granted in a personal relationship we often make exceptions based on different objectives and expectations. It doesn’t pay to be too honest or critical in all situations. Still I find the “I work so hard” line does not often sway me. I would rather see someone work smart, rather than work hard, but that is just me.
        Reply

  8. Lloyd says

    Heres a few "points"...

    The propensity for many "rural" Thais not to cleanup their homes, properties and the levels of polution on most main highways. This is not unique to Thais however it is arguably more abundant in Thailand than the rest of SE Asia, look at KL and Singapore now. Polution in Thailand is a major issue and something the ASEAN members have listed as an item to be addressed.

    Failure to "finish" one project before moving onto the next, it could be called "laziness" but it is a very common Thai trait that many Government departments, business owners and employees never seem to finish one project or task and seem to jump about as if avoiding the obvious work left to be done.

    I lasted just under 3 weeks working as a senior development consultant at Kasikorn bank, I walked out because I had no hope of achieving what I had been brought onboard to do simply because of the "cultural" traits like what @Vansi lists. Management too "lazy" too implement real change and bring about stricter and yet more open work policies allowing staff to work harder for rewards, very senior management avoiding bring attention to problems, of laziness and slow delivery schedules etc, for fear of having their own work and practices reviewed. And the list went on and on, my personal impression of large corporate policies and workers in the banking industry in Thailand was that the vast majority of the staff were "lazy" compared to the likes of Singapore, KL, HK, Seoul and even Indonesia.
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      @Lloyd. I take your point that people might not be lazy to go to work but are lazy at work and lazy to implement ideas/strategy conducive to increased productivity and the welfare of others. But at this point perhaps other aspects of "Thainess" come into play, like "mai pen rai", Buddhism/Mindfulness (as Vansi notes)?
      Reply

      • Lloyd says

        I don't go for the whole “Thainess” and as for “mai pen rai”, thing, its more of a cultural excuse than anything genuinely unique. The same people who will spend their days avoiding confrontation, failing to finish projects and basically being "lazy" are often the first to kick-off if they are given the same level of respect or service!
        Reply

        • valerie says

          I agree


          TheThailandLife:
          @Lloyd. I take your point that people might not be lazy to go to work but are lazy at work and lazy to implement ideas/strategy conducive to increased productivity and the welfare of others. But at this point perhaps other aspects of “Thainess” come into play, like “mai pen rai”, Buddhism/Mindfulness (as Vansi notes)?





          Lloyd:
          I don’t go for the whole “Thainess” and as for “mai pen rai”, thing, its more of a cultural excuse than anything genuinely unique. The same people who will spend their days avoiding confrontation, failing to finish projects and basically being “lazy” are often the first to kick-off if they are given the same level of respect or service!



          Lazy people are everywhere, You can find them wherever you go. There's lazy people here in Philippines too. Whatever nationality or Country you're from.
          Reply

  9. Jimbob80 says

    I have a Thai wife and we both have a young son.
    We spend many times each year travelling to Thailand to see her family and our friends there. Her family is from Chanthaburi which is just far enough out of BKK to be much more relaxed, but not easy!
    Her family own fruit orchards and also work in the local University, they work bloody hard. Much harder than I would ever want to. In that aspect, I am lazy! I am like this, because I come from a country (Australia) where if I did not want to work, I could live on Government payments for the rest of my life. Like so many of the Aussies here!!!
    But I am not like that....
    I have witnessed the lives of many Thai friends whom come from families in the country and the big cities and all of them work extremely hard.

    I would say that any fellow Farang's whom say that Thai's are lazy, they really need to spend time with Thai's. Live with them, experience their life, spend weeks/months with them. Then you will have a whole new idea of how they live and then will realise that we are fortunate to live in countries that pay us to be lazy!
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      @jimbob80 - I think that's half the problem. The majority of farangs who say stuff like this have a limited experience of the "average working thai person" and are usually speaking from isolated negative experience or the hearsay of others. Of course, there are lazy people in every country,and there are certainly different work practices here, not all of them positive as @Lloyd points out, but to simply say "Thais are lazy" is ignorant.
      Reply

  10. Chris says

    You live in Bangkok, people in Bangkok are driven because of competition you can't survive without being cut throat and working hard. Exit Bangkok and then you know how lazy people are. I lived in Chiang Mai for three years and only know maybe 10 people who work hard. I know plenty of people who are at work 10 hours a day 6 days a week there but I wouldn't call any of them diligent nor would I call them hardworking.

    Thais have a saying "Northern lazy, Isaan money, central selfish, and southerners are bad". This is a generalization however there is more than a little truth to this.
    Reply

    • vansi says

      Chris, that last bit was very funny.
      But I live in CM and my cousin runs a small-medium office here, and boy, do I wish my business in Bangkok would be half as productive AND sanouk as his business and workers.

      This is my observations so far, and I am a noob here, only a year, living in CM but running a fast-paced business in Bangkok employing staffers and service-providers as outsource.

      1. Thais are very hard-working
      2. Thais want to take pride in their work
      3. Thais have a healthy attitude towards insane farangs demands
      4. Thais can draw a line saying "enough is enough"

      But
      1. Thais are not problem-solvers
      2. Thais are uncomfortable being forth coming with problems at work
      3. Thais tend to keep things buried inside and act a little passive-aggressive sometimes
      4. Thais need guidance in technical tasks as they tend to think below the horizon.

      AND
      1. Some Thais SAY Thais are lazy
      2. There is a serious culture gap, (and I can write a book about this, some of the stigmas deriving from westerners using western filters to decipher Thai social behavior.)
      3. Westerners don't take Buddhism as part of the equation. Hell, I heard some very prominent westerners here saying "It's not really a buddhist country". Well, it is! And, for example, the concept of middle-way (Not too tight not to loose) is so imbued in the culture but so not understood by western expats, that it turns into "They are all lazy, just looking for sanouk-sabai")

      My conclusion?
      Thais are not lazy. Westerners, at least some of them, are. Lazy in an imperial, white-man burden sort of way, imposing western concepts on a host culture that is way more subtle and intricate then their own binary, lazy way of perceiving the world around them.
      Reply

      • TheThailandLife says

        I would struggle to disagree with anything in that list Vansi. Indeed, some Thais do say other Thais are lazy, but I guess all of us say that about some of our fellow countrymen. I have met a good few Chinese people who think Thais are very lazy.
        Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      Good point, but then most people migrate to the city to work harder to earn more money because working harder in rural areas doesn't necessarily yield more money - suggesting they aren't lazy. I agree that arguably it is easier to be lazier outside of city life because there isn't the pressure to keep up. I suppose I am like that, when my back is against the wall I work harder.
      Reply

    • Tom says

      Hey Chris, we were having the same conversation on your blog under the article 'why i hate Toms' your article was one big generalization. Someone pointed out they know a Tom who was nice and then you said there are exceptions to every rule. I then commented asking why don't you put some of these exceptions in your article then so you would come across so narrow minded and judgmental and guess what, you deleted all of my comments!! Not a very professional way to run a blog! If you cant take the criticism then maybe running a blog aint for you.

      Sorry to this blog owner for jumping in with this, but it is kinda relevant to Chris's comments above and it's nice to know that the readers still have freedom of speech even if they have to go about posting it on a different blog!
      Reply

      • chris says

        I think I hit the approve thing twice and it went to un-approve but then I approved it anyway it was there when you made this comment so i don't know what your talking about. Very rarely do I delete a comment. Since moving out of Chiang Mai though I do see Thai's working harder even if that's contradicting what I may have said previously. It's OK Tom, to have a difference of opinion.
        Reply

      • Chris says

        well i didn't make it up and i'm surprised you never heard the saying before.
        Just because you go to work for 10 hours a day every day doesn't make you diligent nor does it make you hardworking, it's what you do while you're there and how productive you are determines whether you are hardworking or not.
        Reply

    • Tony says

      The culture is very lazy. I’ve worked in both public and private entities for five years, and it’s always about doing as little as possible and sweeping wrong doing under the rug in order to save-face. Additionally, I’m married to a Chinese-Thai. She is highly educated, week-read, and well travelled.

      It’s too depressing to continue writing, so I’ll stop here. But please keep in mind, it is a developing country so you cannot place the same standards/values on its citizens. Of the fifty countries I’ve had the pleasure of visiting, Thais are certainly the most unique... and not in the most flattering sense.
      Reply

      • TheThailandLife says

        Hey Tony, just wondering if you categorise your wife under the same "laziness" umbrella?I genuinely can't say this is my experience. All my Thai friends work incredibly hard, as do the large majority of Thais I see running businesses and working for businesses in and around where I live. Most are slugging it out, working 12 hour+ days for not much incentive.I honestly can't see that it is any worse or different to my home country. Back in the UK we have millions who don't want to work and grow up with a "self-entitlement" attitude to life, leaning on others and the state their entire lives, while others wouldn't dream of not pitching in and doing a hard day's graft each day.
        Reply

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