Do's and don'ts in Thailand, the things you need to know

Do's and don'ts in Thailand, the rules of politeness you should know before a trip to the land of smiles.

If you like the Thailand and respect its people, there are things you should learn to be accepted by your Thai relations.

If you follow these tips, you will be highly appreciated and respected by your Thai friends and lovers

If you burp and fart a lot, if you get angry for nothing, you will be taken for a savage in France or anywhere else, it is easily understandable.

But in Thailand, there are things that seem completely innocuous and yet can be shocking.

As before, there was often a picture of Buddha on the pocket tourist guides and putting this guide, this picture of Buddha, in the back pocket of one's trousers, on this undignified part (the buttocks), was like insulting Buddha for the Thai people!

The publishers of respectful guides have since understood this and are paying attention.

Important things will be written in red, if you don't respect them you may shock or anger your guests!

Do's and don'ts in Thailand

The Monarchy

Thais love their KingDon't criticize it, don't make jokes about anything to do with the Monarchy, you could end up in jail!

Treat with respect any object representing a member of the Royal Family, even coins and banknotes with the King's effigy.

At the cinema, stand up like the others when they play the national anthem!

Buddhism

The Theravada Buddhism is a tolerant religion, but there are rules to follow when visiting a Buddhist country.

Women should not touch the monks and similarly, men should not touch the nuns (women with shaved heads and dressed in white robes).

Think about it when you are in the bus or in the pick-up taxis, don't hesitate to change seats if you are a man, to sit next to a monk if, as it often happens, there is a problem.

And if you are a woman, don't go and sit next to a monk, if there is no other place, ask a man to sit next to the monk and take his place.

Please dress appropriately when visiting the temples, no short clothing and remember to remove your shoes before entering any of the halls.

As with the Monarchy, all Buddhist objects, books and representations should be treated with respect.

One day I was given a leaflet encouraging me to become a monk for Buddhist festivals, there were pictures of monks on it and I put the leaflet on the bench where I was sitting, immediately a Thai man came with a smile, took the paper and put it on a higher place.

I then understood why you don't put a sacred image (of monks) where you put your buttocks. Think about it!

See also: Do's and don'ts of visiting a Buddhist temple in Thailand

Do's and don'ts in Thailand, say hello

I remember the surprised expression of Thai friends, when a French friend who had just come out of the airport, leaned over one of them to give her a kiss.

Here, we don't kiss in public (see below on intimate gestures), we shake hands in the western way, but it is not in the tradition of the country, to learn how to say hello, you can read : The Wai: how to greet in Thailand

The concept of face in Thailand

You must not make a Thai lose face and worst of all, do it in front of his relatives, even if it is rare, it can get out of hand!

In the event of a problem or argument, you should always leave a door open for the other person and keep smiling to play down the situation.

One of the things that can make a Thai angry and lose face is to yell at them in front of their colleagues or family, which is what often happens in tourist areas and makes the Thais in these areas much less welcoming than elsewhere.

Being yelled at in public by a disgruntled customer can be a real trauma for a Thai, it is not done.

Here, you have to keep your cool and communicate problems in a polite manner while keeping a smile on your face.

People with anger issues should avoid travelling to Thailand...

Body parts

Avoid touching the top of a Thai person's head, it is the most sacred part of the body.

A masseuse will do a wai (greeting with folded hands) before starting a Thai massage of the scalp.

Always use the right hand to take something you are given, to give a gift, to pass something on or to eat.

Car the left hand is the one normally used to clean up after the big job (see : Using the toilet without toilet paper in Thailand).

The feet are the lowest part of the body, the one in contact with the ground and dirt, avoid pointing them at someone, or worse, touching someone with them, it can be taken as an insult.

Talking about a newborn baby

A newborn baby is not called cute "naa rak", so as not to attract evil spirits that might be interested in it.

It must be said that it is ugly "naa kliat".

Yes, I know, it can be hard to say about an adorable toddler "he's ugly" but it will make the parents happy!

Thai etiquette: cushions

There are two types of cushions, cushions used for sitting and cushions on which the head is placed for sleeping.

If you put a head cushion under your bottom, you will see the faces of your friends change, discomfort will probably turn to laughter, but in any case, they will tell you not to sit on it.

As said before, the head is the most sacred part of the body, sitting on a cushion where you put your head is like insulting the owner of the cushion and it is even worse if you put your feet on it!

Do's and don'ts of serving a drink in Thailand

A drink should not be served holding the bottle with the palm of the hand towards the sky.

This is the way to serve the last offerings to the dead!

It is like wishing someone dead and can lead to a fight!

Thai etiquette: shoes

Shoes should be removed before entering a temple hall, a house or certain shops.

If in doubt, look to see if there are shoes at the entrance or if people are barefoot inside.

Do's and don'ts in Thailand: intimate gestures

It is frowned upon, as in many Asian countries, to kiss on the mouth or to make overly intimate gestures in public with one's partner, the Thais are very modest!

Similarly, touching an unknown woman, even in a friendly way, can be frowned upon.

In this video, Ponyo, a Thai woman who gives Thai lessons on youtubeShe tells us about her discomfort when French people touch her on the arms or shoulders, even if they are not intimate parts, it is not done!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikVwg0GiRJw&feature=youtu.be

An anecdote to help you understand

At a meal with Thai friends in a small village, a girlfriend was with her new Norwegian boyfriend who kept kissing her on the mouth in front of everyone.

To the embarrassment of my friends, I explained to the Norwegian that this was not done and he stopped.

My friends then asked me what I had said to him and when I explained, they all expressed great relief, thanking me.

I don't know why his girlfriend didn't dare to tell him.

To do in Thailand, Smile, you are in the land of smiles!

It's magical here, almost everyone will respond to your smile.

It is a social norm.

It's a very simple thing to do, but it does a lot of good and it makes contacts between people more pleasant, the Thais have understood this and they have made it the great wealth of the country.

See : Understanding the Thai smile