Dispatches: American or Thai?

Thursday, January 24, 2013

American or Thai?

Yesterday's trip to the immigration office prompted some reflections. My reaction on experiencing the office was to think about how I could quickly reorganize it to be more efficient. Often I find myself thinking about efficiencies. It is the American way; efficient. practical, quick.
What if we try to look at the office through Thai eyes? Many years ago when the Thai authorities decided that some system of tracking foreign visitors was needed a process was developed. Write their data in a log book. Stamp the passport with stamps indicating time of entry, time of departure, etc. Have the stamping officer sign and date the stamps. Sometimes many visitors come to the office so have a different person do each step. When more offices are opened around the country have them operate in the same way the first office did.
For decades this system has been in place. Now, imagine the Traveling Curmudgeon is appointed head of immigration for Thailand. Having drunk the milk of American efficiancy he brings in computers, eliminates 4 of the 5 desks, automates stamping passports, etc. What is the effect?
Noi, the woman who wrote my data into the log book, loses her job. It is a tremendous loss of face(status) and an economic hardship. She not only helped support her own children but she was the primary support for her widowed mother, and disabled aunt. The fabric of her extended family is seriously torn.
A similar effect would happen with all the "Nois" in all the other offices. Then, too, similar dislocation would happen with all the other staff persons fired. No immigration officer would want to visit such misfortune on so many people simply for the sake of efficiency.
In this way Thailand is a very conservative country. Change risks hurting people, causing loss of status and disrupting life. Why take the chance? Perhaps it's a value that could well be practiced by venture capitalists in America!