Cultural intelligence and cross-cultural adaptation: a case study of Myanmar expatriates in Thailand

This study investigated the cultural intelligence (CQ) of Myanmar expatriates in Thailand and their cross-cultural adaptations, along with the cultural factors influencing their adaptation process. An interview question was used to collect the intended data, and interviews were conducted with expatriates from various industries in Thailand using the purposive and snowball sampling techniques. Qualitative analysis was employed to discuss these aspects.The findings of the study revealed notable differences in the Cultural Intelligence (CQ) and cultural adaptation between business and non-business expatriates. Business expatriates were found to possess higher metacognitive, and motivational CQ compared to non-business expatriates. The equivalence was in cognitive and behavioral CQ, contributed by similar cultural and social norms between Myanmar and Thailand. Furthermore, participants highlighted language proficiency as the most crucial cultural factor affecting their adaptation. While this study provides valuable insights into cross-cultural adjustment in the Thai context, further research is encouraged to either validate or challenge the findings obtained from this study.