This past winter, I had the opportunity to participate in a study abroad in Singapore and Thailand. Through my experience there, I was able to compare how the culture of each country impacted the way people did business and how both societies differed from the United States.
In Singapore, I noticed how clean and orderly the streets were. Drivers drove safely, save for one aspect. We were told that drivers are not used to making quick harsh stops for pedestrians. I thought about this and came to the realization that with everyone adhering strictly to laws, the responsibility of crossing the street safely fell on the pedestrian just as much as drivers were responsible for their driving. This was my first piece of evidence that demonstrated that people in Singapore try to follow laws closely and as such, assume the same level of care is taken by others. This belief that everyone is trying their best to behave lawfully helps bolster a high-trust society. I experienced this when shopping as well. The shopkeepers at convenience stores rarely made efforts to keep an eye on patrons walking through the store and even had goods outside the store or on a shelf that was impossible to keep an eye on. The shopkeepers likely felt that the vast majority of customers were fair enough to not take advantage of the opportunity to steal something and as such were not worried about constantly being vigilant. The laws in Singapore were strict, but there didn’t seem to be a strong police presence enforcing these laws. This can again be attributed to the high trust. I assume that with crime being so infrequent, there was not a need to have law enforcement constantly patrolling. The harsh punishments for committing crimes were likely enough of a deterrence to prevent most petty crimes.
Thailand on the other hand was slightly less trusting. The people were still very friendly, but there seemed to be much faster-paced interactions with people when making transactions. At times, it felt as if there was a need to negotiate. With how much the US dollar is able to buy in Thailand, oftentimes it was unnecessary to make a strong effort to negotiate with vendors and it was easier to just pay the price they stated. Tuk-tuks were the exception. Tuk-tuks would charge 400 baht even for relatively short distances which necessitated that one bargain for a better deal. The drivers also seemed to be less cautious of pedestrians, forcing pedestrians to be more aware of their surroundings. The people on average were much more social and friendlier than in Singapore. Restaurant workers would make an effort to ask whether or not the food was good, and Grab drivers would often try to start small talk even if they weren’t very comfortable speaking English.
Both these cultures differed from the United States in that they both felt more collectivist than the States in their own ways. Singapore was significantly more collectivist with people having mutual respect but not trying to socialize or greet people. Everyone was expected to play their role in society and respect those around them by not bothering them unnecessarily. In Thailand, while not as strict as Singapore there was still a more collectivist atmosphere than in the United States. Thais were not very confrontational and would go out of their way to help people. I remember one case in which I was powerwalking back to the hotel after going out for the evening and a motorcyclist saw me trying to get somewhere in a hurry and offered me a ride. Even though he seemed genuine in his offer I respectfully declined as a precaution and went on my way. Regardless, it showed how much Thai people look to help each other.
I feel that my trip to Southeast Asia helped me shape my perspective of these two countries more on my personal experience rather than on what I could learn about them secondhand. It helped me to understand the role culture plays in how people treat each other and how people do business.