Communication Etiquette for Thais’ Usage of Social Media

Abstract

Cultural changes in the era of globalization, especially in the area of communication etiquette for Thais’ usage of social media, are following a revolutionary technology. The freedom to use social media without limits leads to inappropriate communication according to Thai culture. This research therefore aimed to study the behavior and etiquette of communication in social media of the Thai people, namely what were they look like?, how was communication etiquette in social media consistent to or different from real life?, and should there be any ways to apply real-life etiquette to be used in online communities? This research is a qualitative research. Data were collected by a non-participant observation regarding the communication behavior of Facebook users. And an in-depth interview was conducted with a sample of 40 people using an accidental sampling. Data were analyzed according to the principles of the study of phenomenology in Hermeneutic Phenomenology. The results of the research revealed as follows. 1) There were 2 ways of communication behavior which were work and emotion - society. 2) It was found that the manner in the communication through social media was stable but linked to the cultural dimension proposed by Geert Hofstede. 3) Real-life communication etiquette was consistent with social media when identity was revealed in it. and 4) The respondents believed that cultivating real-life communication etiquette would enable them to communicate in social media with good etiquette.