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Thai business reflects a society in which hierarchy and the respect of elders and seniors are very important, as are the Buddhist principles of peace and non-confrontation. Business is based on personal relationships, and you should be prepared to make a number of visits in order to develop these. Don't turn down social invitations from your Thai contacts, as these are used as a means of getting to know you before concluding a business deal.

Appointments should be made at least two weeks in advance and confirmed nearer the time. When scheduling your trip, try to avoid the main holiday periods of mid April and the first week of May, and the many other public holidays. Send company information in advance, but it is not necessary to have this translated into Thai, as most Thai businesspeople speak good English.

Normal office hours are 8 a.m to 5 p.m or 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays to Fridays. It is acceptable to be a little late for meetings, and often unavoidable in Bangkok due to traffic jams.

Normal business attire is western-style. Men are expected to wear smart dark-coloured business suits for meetings, or at least trousers with a long-sleeved shirt and tie. Women normally wear a skirt and blouse (not sleeveless).

The normal form of greeting is the "wai" in which the hands are raised with palms together and fingers pointing upwards, and the head is bowed. Younger or lower-ranking people usually offer the wai first to their senior or older counterparts.

First names are usually used in Thai business, preceded by the honorific title "Khun" which is used for both men and women.

Business cards are exchanged when the host initiates this, and should be offered to the most senior person first. You should give and receive cards with your right hand, and inspect them respectfully before placing them on the table in front of you or in a business card holder. Wait to be told where to sit as there are rules of protocol relating to the hierarchy.

Meetings will usually start with some small talk, during which you may be asked personal questions about your age, marital status and educational background. This information is important to help the Thais understand your place in the social hierarchy and how they should relate to you, and to build familiarity.

Even if your Thai hosts speak good English, be sure to give your presentation in fairly simple, non-idiomatic language, and make good use of visual materials.

Thai communication styles are very polite and indirect. Thais will avoid criticizing or embarrassing anyone or giving an outright refusal as this would cause the recipient to lose face. You should be alert for underlying messages or non-verbal communication cues.

Negotiations and decision-making are often lengthy processes, and there may be a need to consult many other people after the meeting. You should avoid showing anger or impatience, however, as these will be seen as a sign of weakness.

If you are invited to a Thai home, take an inexpensive gift which is attractively wrapped. Flowers, chocolates or fruit are appropriate choices.

In Thai culture, the feet are considered to be unclean, and you should never use your foot to point at anything, or put your feet up on a table. Conversely the head is considered sacred, and you should never touch a Thai person on the head. Any physical contact between males and females in business is seen as highly inappropriate.

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