RELIGION
Thailand is about 90% Buddhist, and Buddhism likewise is regarded as an essential part of "Thainess".
All temples, Buddha images and monks should all be treated with appropriate respect; shoes should be removed in certain parts of the temple and any restrictions on taking photographs should be observed.
Monks are strictly forbidden to have any physical contact with women, so female visitors in particular should make certain that they do not accidentally come into close contact with a monk; on buses, for example, where it is normal to give up one's seat to a monk, woman will consciously avoid sitting next to them.
APPEARANCES
In Thailand people are judged very much by their appearance and most Thais invest considerable time, effort and money in order to make themselves look very presentable.
As a result they cannot help but look askance at the sometimes rather sloppily attired Western visitors they see, while they will generally be much too polite to say what they think directly, the warning notices in many temples refusing admission to unacceptably dressed visitors reflect the disapproval that Thais instinctively feel.
So if you are meeting up with Thai friends or visiting them at their homes it is only good manners to go to the effort of looking respectable, even if this means erring on the conservative side in your style dress.
MEETING THAIS
You should address Thais who are of similar age or older than yourself by using the polite title "khun" in front of their first name, regardless of whether you are speaking to a man or a woman.
If you are invited to a Thai home remember to take your shoes off just before entering the house. Members of the household will probably greet you with a "wai" a gesture of both greeting and respect in which the hands are held together in a prayer-like attitude in front of the face, which should be returned.The fingertips should be nearer the forehead when "wai-ing" people of equal or superior status and nearer the chin when responding to the "wai" of children or those of inferior status. Thais also show respect to older or more senior people by trying to keep their head at a lower level when passing by them or talking to them; while this custom does not have to be observed too literally, it is, for example, a mark of respect and good manners to make an obvious gesture of bending forward a little when passing elderly members of the household who might be seated.
When Thais meet casually or by chance, they will often greet each other with the question "bpai nai " ( where are you going ) or "bpai nai mah ( where have you been ). This is usually more an informal greeting than an attempt to find out about their friends immediate destination or recent whereabouts, and a rather vague answer, such as " bpai tee-o" ( im going out ) or "bpai tee-o mah" ( i've been out ) is a perfectly acceptable response.
SURFACE HARMONY
In Thailand the preservation of surface harmony is considered of the utmost importance. Losing one's temper, arguing and direct criticism of others are regarded as threats to such harmony and consequently frowned upon.
|
