Abstract:
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The aims of this present study are: 1) to investigate intercultural
communications between Thai employers and Burmese workers in the south of
Thailand; 2) to compare their attitudes towards Thai and Burmese cultures; and 3) to
examine relationship between their personal and organization factors and adaptive
abilities. A mixed-methods research design was employed. An in-depth interview was
conducted with Thai employers and Burmese employees to provide qualitative data.
For the quantitative part a questionnaire was distributed for data collection. A nonrandom sampling method was applied to obtain the participants from the list of
employers hiring Burmese employees. The sampling frame was defined as those
employees whose original nationality was proven or imported based on MOU.
Finally, a snow ball sampling technique was employed to gain the participants in
Surat Thani, Ranong, and Songkhla. In terms of data analysis, Intercultural
Communication Concepts, Hofstede’s Value Dimensions, Media and Media Exposure
Behaviors, and Psychological and Cultural Factor Model were used as the basis for
the theoretical framework.
The qualitative results indicated four areas of the differences in ethnographic
attitudes of Thai employers and Burmese employees. Firstly, the employers reflected
their positive attitudes towards the employees with no conflicts between the two
parties. In contrast, Burmese employees still perceived Thai people to be suspicious.
Secondly, regarding Thai mass media, the Thai workers noticed their roles in
reproducing the idea of enmity between Thai and Burmese. On the contrary, the
Burmese workers were not influenced by the mass media in the formation of their
belief and negative attitudes. Next, historical lessons in class were related to their
perceptions on the relationship between Thailand and Myanmar. Moreover, in terms
of cultural dimensions, it was found that Thai employers were collectivistic, while the
workers were more individualistic. Next, both Thai employers and Burmese workers
appeared to be with high power distance and certainty avoidance. Moreover, the
employers reflected high femininity, while the Burmese workers were more
masculine.
The quantitative data analysis of the Burmese workers’ attitudes towards their
own culture and Thai culture indicated four areas of similarity. They showed traits of
high power distance, high uncertainty avoidance, masculinity, and collectivism.
However, the hypothesis testing showed different perceptions on power distance in
Thai and Burmese contexts. In addition, different personal factors such as ethnicity,
types of living, business types, working areas, and types of media exposure resulted in
different levels of the adaptive abilities of the workers. Moreover, the ethnic attitude
was the best predictor of the Burmese workers’ adaptive abilities. However, the
results show a negative relationship. Other influential factors included age,
educational levels, attitudes towards power distance, and knowledge about Thai
culture, respectively. All of the five factors accounted for 12.3% of the Burmese
workers’ adaptive abilities
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