Punctuality is not an absolute must in the Thai society, but is highly admired among the more educated. Thais often do not do a lot planning in advance, therefore, you may be asked to work with rather short deadlines. You should politely but firmly inform the person that you cannot work with such a short deadline; otherwise you will be frustrated often with this same old habit. Productivity is a new concept in the Thai system, but becoming more common, especially in medium and large organizations. However, Thai workers are excellent workers if they know what they have to do, and they can compete anywhere in the world. Absenteeism is quite common among the Thai workers, especially the laborers. They have to be made to understand that this will not be tolerated without good reasons. Good working conditions can help reduce this problem.
Canadian Perspective: