[Eromereorybig]

I won't dwell on the more difficult subject of how to raise a person's 'self-awareness' or the ability to stand apart and examine our thought processes and how we 'see' ourselves. This topic includes your concern about being conscious of 'willful ignorance'. Instead, I will treat this subject on a more shallow level and focus on how we might make our significant other admit more easily their mistakes, and thus bring them closer to changing.

One suggestion I can offer is to provide in your relationship an atmosphere of trust and acceptance. This means that the other person will feel that it is OK to admit mistakes, and that committing mistakes will not make them feel rejected or less loved. More importantly, it will not hurt their self-esteem.

My concept of 'losing face' is getting the self-esteem injured. There are persons who build formidable defenses to protect their self-esteem , sometimes resulting to brazen stubborness or unreasonableness.

In this case, it might be worthwhile to initiate sharing your own episodes of ignorance and flaws, preferably in a self-deprecatory manner. Apart from encouraging openness, this gesture will push the idea that it is OK to be
imperfect. Hopefully, it will bring forth more authenticity from the other party.

Some very good points. And this is all we can do in dealing with some of these Thai concepts. The defences you talk of are ingrained in Thai thought but yes let's try to "reason" with a Thai. Not easy. You say " It will not hurt their self esteem" difficult to achieve this but yes we must try. "openness" - you make an excellent point from a western perspective, more difficult with a Thai. Their instinct is to walk away and avoid conflict or reasoning through a problem.

But I agree with most of your post. We must try.