Group discussions and reflection reports from 20 Chinese tourists and 20 Thai citizens highlighted language preparedness, adaptation, prior attitudes, stereotypes and problem solving in intercultural encounters.
Key findings
- The authors interpreted tourists as having limitations in critical awareness, language preparation and adaptation, while Thai participants' prior attitudes could foster stereotypes and constrained conflict problem solving.
Why this matters globally
The study frames communication breakdown as interactional and contextual rather than the fault of one culture.
Thai researcher contribution
A Mahidol University language-and-culture researcher studied tourist-citizen encounters in Thailand.
Limitations to consider
Recruitment and group composition are unspecified. Group discussion risks conformity and researcher interpretation; observed interactions and member checking are not reported.