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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. Rhonda Maza says

    I lived in both Florida and Pennsylvania
    During snow storms when every other restaurant and even Walmart is closed and DURING a hurricane only restaurants or even.business of any kind open was Thai restaurants. I see the strongest work ethic i .the world for sure and least lazy.
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      Indeed, I have met a number of Thais working in the UK and they all work long hours. Some students working in restaurants, others having moved to the UK with their partner and working full-time in the public service sector. Every country has its lazy people, but you can't tarnish everyone with the same brush.
      Reply

  2. James says

    Going on 4 years in Thailand now. Sorry to say it, the vast majority of Thais I've met are lazy people. A minority I've met are hard working because they want to. Most of the hardworkers I've met work hard because they don't have a choice. And yes, even my Thai friends say that Thai people are lazy. It's not just foreigners that say this.
    Reply

  3. Darren says

    Yes most Thais are lazy. Ask them, they will tell you. It frustrates the 10% who are not.
    Take for example all the piles of rubbish that are everywhere.

    People too lazy to walk to a bin.
    The officials too lazy to provide bins or even bother to consider it.
    Have a picnic on the beach, just get up and leave.

    I like Thais, I am lazy too. Great for socializing, but generally useless getting things done or doing things properly.
    Reply

    • Martin1 says

      Hahaha! Even too lazy to walk down a road!

      So they prefer to give 10 THB to a motorbike taxi to drive them to the end of the street instead of walking by themselves.

      Consider this with their cheap Charly mentality as a background!
      Reply

      • TheThailandLife says

        Lazy or practical? Walk down a road and sweat like a dog, arriving at work dripping in your own secretions, or take a bike and ride in the breeze? Loads of Thais run and cycle for exercise. Have you ever run the Bangkok marathon? Turn out and you'll see hundreds of Thais out running.
        Reply

  4. matt jones says

    It's Isaan people that are lazy. Central Thais (mostly Thai Chinese) are just as hardworking as any East Asian nation. The Southern thais are also shrewd business-wise and they value education. But the Isaan folks - who are ethnic lao and khmer -- they are lazy. Instead of pursuing education, they either become prostitutes or marry creeping sexpats.
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      What, all 23+ million people who live in that region, who make up more than a third of Thailand's population? You do know there are extremely wealthy people in/from Isaan? There are famous actors, singers, writers, poets, high ranking government officials, top executives, business owners. There are people from Isaan studying and living all over the world.

      You do also realise there are hundreds of thousands of men and women from the region who go to University in Bangkok and other parts of the country and go on to get great jobs?

      I think the disproportionate amount of women you meet from poor backgrounds working in bars - from provinces in Issan - has caused you to tarnish all Isaan people with a misinformed stereotype.

      The people are not ethnic Lao or Khmer, either, they are generally considered one or the other, with the Khmer speaking population down in the South of Isaan. That said, you will find that many Isaan people don't acknowledge a Lao lineage, because their roots may well be from elsewhere. Actually, depending on the kingdom in rule, at one time the people of the region would have been considered Khmer, before that Dvaravati (Mon), after that Lao.

      But! It's not as simple as that. Isaan people are an ethno-regional group not an ethnic minority - because the area has a mix of different people who have inhabited the area at different times. Regardless, it is broadly accepted that the majority of people in the region belong to the Tai group of peoples, as do Thai and Lao people.

      Many ethic Thai settled in the region in the 17th Century too, so a family who've lived in Isaan for 400 years may actually have originally been from Southern Thailand anyway. So the term Isaan is simply a regional term for people born in the area; it's not a race of people. It's a fascinating history. you should read this post: https://www.thethailandlife.com/origin-thai-people
      Reply

      • Martin1 says

        Sorry Peter, I can't second that!

        Chinese people usually have a whiter skin than Isan people, and also the shape of Isan people's heads is completely different than Chineses' or Thais'! Even Thai-Chineses'.

        When being in Bangkok I can easily identify people from Isan.

        According to your theory they would look like the Central Thai-Chinese. But actually they don't!
        Reply

        • TheThailandLife says

          It really depends where they are from. The Thai-Chinese originally from Guangdong generally have lighter skin, but it does vary. Some immigrants from Yunnan have lighter skin too, so you'll find many Hill Tribe people and Thais in the north of Thailand with lighter complexion too, as the gene pool has expanded over the years. My wife has white skin but is not Thai-Chinese, though it is highly probably she has some Chinese blood somewhere along the line, as many Thais do.There are many light-skinned Isaan people. It's the Khmer Thais and Thai-Malay who tend to be darker skinned.I too tend to be able to recognise people from Isaan quite easily. I agree that there is a typical look; "the Laos look". I remember a woman from Isaan taking delight in telling me that her husband had a funny square shaped head, like a Laos person. He was not amused. That said, I know many people from Isan who don't have that typical look. In particular, one family I know from Nakhon Ratchasima. Thailand has a pretty diverse gene pool. You should read this post I wrote on the origins of the Tai. It's interesting stuff: https://www.thethailandlife.com/origin-thai-people
          Reply

    • ChrisH says

      @ matt jones......"It's Isaan people that are lazy". So says someone who is too lazy to use the correct grammar with capital letters for their own name. Lazy is as lazy does. The word 'Isaan' covers a lot of territory. And.....matt jones, my Thai wife is from Isaan country and she is neither a prostitute or married to a "creeping sexpat" thank you very much. People (expats?) come to Thailand and should therefore either accept the culture or leave. Whinging about some of the Thai's work attitude will change nothing.
      Reply

  5. Jim Josperine says

    Is it not simply the case that the predominant number of Western commentators on Thailand have not had the opportunity to get to know Thais of better social status and educational merit; rather that they are more likely to be familiar with those who are not high achievers and aren't from high-achieving families?

    This being the case, isn't it therefore impossible to form an opinion on the majority of Thais, given such a narrow base from which to draw any range of competence?

    Perhaps a more reasonable question posited by this article might therefore be "Are Thai People [of lower economic status] Really Lazy?", in which case the answer would perhaps be less challenging for the typical Westerner to debate, than has appeared to be the case within this thread. The foregoing notwithstanding, there is of course the rampant inequality to factor into the argument, such that there is little wonder those from less privileged backgrounds find it difficult to motivate themselves to do better. Furthermore that the nation’s wealth comes from those working in the fields and the factories – not from those driving the Benzes in Bangkok who exploit the poor.

    And of course the present non-elected military crowd in power appear to be doing nothing other than to further strengthen those with power, to the detriment of the common people.
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      You make a good point, but I'd add that those born into wealth - particularly the younger generation - may also fall into the "lazy bracket". Having inherited a wealthy status off the back of their parents hard work, they are less motivated to work themselves. This is certainly the case with some of the high-end car driving elite who frequent the trendy bars of Thong Lor and Ekkamai. But I guess the same could be said in many countries around the world, and the same goes for your point on the lowers social scale. So perhaps the entire post is redundant, which in a roundabout way proves the overall point I was making :)
      Reply

  6. Yasin yip says

    I do not drink, I am not a whoremonger, I am not a wanted criminal in my home country, I have a hard working thai wife I speak thai, I play the endless time wasteine expensive thai visa game, i know my way stound, etc etc. I get tired, frustrated, insulted and irritated being treated like a tourist to cheat, 2 of 3 taxis, all tuktuks,any vendor with in marked items think nothing of gouging me. Most Lotus and bigc clerks ignore me not replying when spoken to in thai. Thai people cut in front, interrupt me demand service (smiles - farang are the thai version of 1940s black Americans? lol) the subtlety of thai culture means polite seeming behavior is akin to being kicked in the groin. My thai wife often gets treated like a nana bargirl despite 25 years working for thai government.
    Lol and trash fills the streets,in deference to thai trash "politrness" - ask any farang how difficult it is to meet good thai. The best rule to follow is: if a that stranger talks to you protect your wallet. A thai wife allows me to be willing to endure this, if not for her.......
    Reply

    • CJ Green says

      I am not sure if it is me but my Thai (Issan) wife spends more time picking the fleas out of our dogs, pruning others and starting chores but never finishing them, than she does taking care of the home I spent 2 years building with my bare hands, while able bodied male family members did nothing but the bare minimum. If I don't complain, which I hate doing, I spend my days living in shit and grime like the rest of our village. I find it hard to get my head around their mentality, although hey have nice big trucks. "You reap what you sow," right?. I would not mind but I spend 60 hours a week teaching then have to do housework to live at the standard fit for humans not pigs. A tandem cycle with only one person pedaling........ After reading the posts I believe ISSAN is a key word here........ Ban Nok......
      Reply

      • B C says

        I hear ya buddy. Entropy is defined as:

        1. PHYSICS
        a thermodynamic quantity representing the unavailability of a system's thermal energy for conversion into mechanical work, often interpreted as the degree of disorder or randomness in the system.

        2. lack of order or predictability; gradual decline into disorder.

        Thai's love entropy!

        It always makes me laugh to watch those soap operas on TV. Thai's living in impossibly large and wealthy houses which are always immaculate. The wealth always seems to be inherited or from a large family company... what reality is this?!
        Reply

  8. Brad says

    This is all about Thai's living/working in Thailand. How about Thai's abroad? As an Aussie who met and married a Thai when she was studying in Australia I heard stories or laziness/cheating/easiest path on many occasions. Sure, what I heard was anacdotal but it was happening. Examples:

    - the Thai/Thai fake but legal marriage. This way only one of the two needed to study to remain in Australia. I know of two 'couples' personally who did this.
    - paying someone to sit in and study for you. Yes, they would have a proxy study.
    - the Thai restaurant (in Australia) that pays Thai wages or not much better when minimum wage is about $15/hr. My wife worked in a Thai restaurant on about $4 an hour - no payslip, no insurance, no superannuation. The restaurant would turn over up to $12,000/night and the owner rolled in dressed to the hilt in a Mercedes. Needless to say that job was quit after 3 nights. I'm not a communist by any means but if you can't see what's wrong with that much pay difference, well...
    - the Thai which rents out an appartment, sticks in a bunch of bunk beds and sub-rents to students at quite a profit. Incredibly, I've heard of these 'landlords' threatening to deport the students if they talk about it - funny, I didn't realise that they had the power of Australian immigration officers.

    When you consider things like this you start to understand why Thailand has corruption. To me, corruption is a product of general society immaturity.

    From the get go. I said to my wife, if we do something we put in the work and do it properly. We declare all earnings, went properly through the driving/riding licence testing, all legit with immigration, etc. In the long run we are better of and in a much better position than her friends who took the easy path.
    Reply

  9. Immy says

    Thai people are not all lazy people.I'm Thai, My ennlish is not correct but I try to explain that Thais are lazy or not based on their implant subconscious and discipline From their family&Environment with attitude to life. Thai people don't like who lazy.

    - eg. Security guardare who is sleeping because the most boring job which sees people acting opiates. He is lazy and his boss boss dismissed him, of course.

    - eg. women massage who sitting storefront massage, Maybe she will relax in during a break Or waiting for customers.

    - Most Chinese people Thailand are hard work because Their
    Culture Life.
    - eg. Work while you work, and play while you play. So they are serious work done.

    I don't Know Why this post is important why the debate. It affects people who are not well known in Thailand. I wanna tell you that if you meet Thai who are strill lazy or bad Thais, please reminded them. If you have Lazy Thai worker, please warned and chased them out of work. If you meet who is patience and perseverance, always seeking new knowledge, you have Good Gift. Thank you
    Reply

    • TheThailandLife says

      I agree with you Immy.The ladies at my local massage shop work up to 12-14 hours a day, sometimes doing 8-9 massages a day. This is NOT lazy! You might see them sitting down eating inbetween, but if anyone has given someone else a massage before, you will know that after 10 minutes you want to stop. Imagine doing that for 9 hours a day!Some condo security guards can be lazy, like the one in my condo who never wants to get up and help me open the door when I have 10 shopping bags. But others are on their feet all day and work very hard.When someone says "Thai people are lazy", this is just an ignorant generalisation. Some people are lazy and others aren't. Different jobs require different levels of physical activity. Someone who sits on a computer all day might be considered lazy to someone who works outside in the sun all day on a building site.There are more lazy people in my country than in Thailand, that's for sure. In Thailand, if you don't want to work, you don't eat. In my country, if you don't want to work, you get food for free.
      Reply

    • Joe Tan says

      Thai people: enjoy first then work...

      That is the stupid attitude they have.

      I have open spa, ktv and food store in bangkok and have first hand experience with them.

      All they know is ใช่ ใช่ (yes yes)...
      All NATO no action talk only.

      I am not saying all thais are like that but majority of them are... sorry to say.

      Even my friends who have thai wife also speak the same. If given another chance they would not find a thai wife... spoken out by them.
      Reply

  10. Stan Church says

    I Just Got Done Reading Your Article On Thai Lazy, This Is So Bogus... I Have Vaca'd In Thailand 4 Times Over 12 Years For At Least 1 Month To 1.5 Months And I Must Say That I Have Never Seen A More Hard Working Class Of People From The Preteens To The Elderly. It Just Baffles The Mind That They Work Many Hours For A Small Amount Of Money With No Time Off, And When They Do Get Time For Themselves They Share It With Family & Friends...
    You Need To Open Your Eyes And Ears To Understand What Thai Life Is All About... Don't So Quick To Judge.....
    Reply

      • Brad says

        Let's just say that Thai's are indeed as hard working as westerners. If this is true than why is the west in a higher state of development? Why isn't this hard work paying off? Are they working hard but in circles, rather than a straight line?

        Conversely, many look at westerners as being lazy. But again, why is the west better developed. Why does lazy produce better outcomes?
        Reply

    • Arson says

      I agree to this comment. Normally foreigners who dont believe on the negative attitudes of thai people are most likely to have thai girlfriends or wife that they are very much exposed to their kind just showing off so they wont be tagged as "lazy" and oh by the way why not make an article about the thai attitude "i just want to show off". That would be a great article
      Reply

    • Auan says

      I do not agree. Thai people are lazy and not lazy. This new middle class is very lazy and can not do anything by own hands. They are happy we have our own house and food. It does not matter, if clothings and shirts are on the floor and in a box. Never mind it easy to find it from there, what You need.

      And what a waste of time to find cloths. But thai people do not want to think,
      what happens tomorrow. They just are happy, what is now. They have food,
      You can sleep where every You want.

      All the house are just half made, not finished. And still they say I like beauty.
      But if You go to thai home, everything is on the floor in boxes and boxes are every where.

      So lazy or not, but I will say thais are lazy to think and make changes. Everything have to be like Grand Mother said.

      This is big problem here, if thai's do not start thinking. How many invention have made in Thailand? Not many I know.

      And working, what is that? They are at the work place 10 hours and work 8 hours. Because they sleep and eat too.

      Lazy or not, but they have here big problems.

      Auan
      Reply

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