#Business

Thailand’s trademark landscape is shifting. New board decisions reveal that determining whether two marks are “too similar” goes beyond a quick side‑by‑side comparison; the dominant word in a mark and the transliteration filed with the application can tip the balance between approval and rejection. For Thai businesses planning to register brands at home or expand into fast-growing markets, these nuances are now as important as the logo itself. The changes underscore a broader move in Thai practice toward a holistic assessment of similarity, aligning filing strategies with how consumers actually perceive brands in everyday life.

A newly published meta-analysis involving over half a million participants has shed disturbing new light on how Machiavellian leaders affect their workplaces. Contrary to the popular belief that such cunning, manipulative leadership either guarantees success or spells disaster, this massive international study, appearing in the Journal of Organizational Behavior, finds much more complex and nuanced realities. While Machiavellian leaders consistently create harmful environments for their followers, their own professional fate depends heavily on context rather than clear-cut penalties or rewards psypost.org.

A new meta-analysis examining more than half a million people finds that Machiavellian leaders harm employee well-being and organizational climate. The impact depends on context, not just rewards or punishments. The study, published in a leading psychology journal, shows that such leaders consistently create harmful environments, while career outcomes hinge on internal politics and perception management rather than a simple penalty system. Descriptions of Machiavellian leaders include cynicism, manipulation, and a disregard for conventional ethics.

A growing body of research shows how leaders with narcissistic traits respond when confronted with errors. High-profile figures, including former political leaders, often react defensively or aggressively. Findings suggest these patterns reflect broader dynamics in workplaces and governments worldwide, with clear implications for Thailand’s evolving business, public sector, and academic communities.

Narcissistic leaders tend to deny mistakes, blame others, gaslight critics, minimize issues, erupt in anger, withdraw, or cast themselves as victims when errors surface. These responses reflect fragile self-esteem that cannot tolerate personal fault. Understanding these dynamics helps Thai organizations manage risk, preserve trust, and sustain learning as the country modernizes its institutions.

A fresh wave of psychological research is offering valuable insights into why high-profile figures such as former US president Donald Trump—and other leaders with pronounced narcissistic traits—react so defensively, or even aggressively, when confronted with evidence of their own mistakes. Drawing on interviews, recent peer-reviewed studies, and organizational psychology, experts say these reactions are not just personality quirks, but reflect deeper dynamics in workplaces and governments worldwide—raising profound questions about power, accountability, and the future of leadership, including in Thailand’s evolving corporate, political, and academic environments.

A concert ticket bought in advance, a rainy Bangkok morning, and a sudden illness. The urge to go to the show anyway can feel noble, but the choice mirrors a common bias: the sunk cost fallacy. People keep investing time, money, or effort into a decision because of past, unrecoverable costs. In Thailand, where perseverance is highly valued, understanding this bias helps individuals, businesses, and policymakers make wiser moves.

The sunk cost fallacy arises when past investments unduly influence present decisions. A sunk cost is money, effort, or time that cannot be recovered. Rational thinking should focus on future costs and benefits, yet research shows people often let earlier commitments distort judgment. Thai diners, project teams, and government departments are not immune, shaping outcomes across sectors. Data from reputable research teams shows how the bias operates in Thailand and around the world.

Imagine paying for a concert ticket, then waking up on the day of the event feeling sick as a tropical downpour soaks the city. Logic suggests you should stay home—your health is at risk, and the rain will make everything miserable. Yet, you force yourself to go, reasoning that if you don’t, your 2,000 baht ticket will be wasted. This everyday scenario, familiar to many Thais balancing spending and social obligations, illustrates the psychological trap known as the “sunk cost fallacy.” It is a common bias that leads people to continue investing time, money, or effort into a decision even when doing so no longer serves their best interest, all because they want to justify past, irretrievable investments. In a society where respect for personal sacrifice and resourcefulness is highly valued, understanding this phenomenon carries deep significance for both individual Thais and the nation as a whole.