Essential Facts About Thailand

Touring or Living in Thailand and Things You Need to Know

Jan 15, 2008

Dina & Dave, Two Lovely Thai Children, Suchada

Some essential facts on Thailand are necessary for the visitor to know in order to mingle with the locals, or for day to day social interactions.

The Thais are known for their hospitality and tolerance and will normally ignore the small mistakes made by visitors to their country. For small blunders of social etiquette it is usually enough to just smile and look apologetic, but there are certain things which are unforgivable in their eyes.

The Thai Monarchy: All members of the royal family are held in high esteem, but most of all the monarchs themselves. Never show disrespect to the monarchy, treat bankrotes with care as they bear the king's image. Negative remarks may be considered lese majeste which is an offence carrying a severe penalty in Thailand.
Religion: Do not insult religion in any way, whether it is Buddhism or any of the minority faiths. This means paying proper respect in temples and on property where there are Buddhist images, i.e. shorts and sleeveless shirts are not considered appropriate, remove shoes at entrance to the temple chapel where the principal Buddhist image is kept. .
Monks are forbidden to touch or be touched by a woman, so if you are female and want to present something to a monk you must place the offering on a piece of cloth from which the monk can accept the offering.
Before entering a mosque, make sure it is permitted. Men should always wear hats and women should be well covered with a long skirt or trousers, a long-seeved blouse buttoned to the neck, and a headscarf covering the head.
Social Etiquette: This should be no problem in the cities where Western customs are known and accepted, but in the outlying districts and in the countryside, social behaviour is still ruled by tradition. Here are some things to bear in mind.
Thai Greeting - The Wai: Thais greet each other with a wai, a palms together gesture in front of the face, high in the case of a revered older person, a person of rank or a monk, lower for acquaintances. Few will use the handshake and even where this is known and used, a wai is always appreciated. Bring your hands together in a prayer-like gesture and and raise them to approximately your lips for equals. If you want to acknowledge a senior person, then raise the hands a little higher.
Don't Touch the Head: Thais regard the head as the most important part of the body, both literally and figuratively. Never touch a Thai on the head, even in play. If it happens accidentally, offer an apology immediately.
The Foot: Thais regard the foot as the lowest part of the body so never use your foot to point at either people or objects. Never touch anyone with your feet, don't rest them on tables or chairs, don't step over people, always walk around or ask them to move. When sitting on the floor, as you will have to do in rural areas where there may be no chairs, tuck your feet underneath and to the side so that they are not pointing at anyone.
Public Displays of Affection: These are very much frowned on and although you may nowadays see some young Thais holding hands this is about as far as it should go. Kissing in public is definitely not acceptable.
Never lose your Temper: Never lose your temper, never speak loudly and never show anger. It may frustrate you when a Thai will smile as he spills a drink down your shirt, but this is their way of diffusing a situation. Losing your cool will get you nowhere, hide your emotions and smile. This way you will not lose face.
How to Hand Objects to Someone: Use both hands when handing over anything. Never slide the article across a table, or toss it across a room.
Dress and Appearance: Do not neglect this as the Thais place great importance on personal cleanliness and appearance. Singlets, sleeveless vests, shorts etc. should only be worn at the beach. You will see plenty of people dressed inappropriately, but be assured that they have "lost face" in the eyes of the Thais around them. Going topless is also illegal.
Visiting a Private Home: It is polite to remove your shoes at the door of any home, even if your hosts say you may keep them on. If you see shoes at the door, you can be sure that the house follows this custom.

The above rules may seem onerous, but they are easy to remember and will make your stay in the Land of Smiles a more pleasurable experience. You can be sure that your hosts will appreciate the extra effort you put into being a polite visitor.

The copyright of the article Essential Facts About Thailand in Thailand Travel is owned by Mari Nicholson. Permission to republish Essential Facts About Thailand in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.