Thai Culture

Some Dos and Don'ts in the Land of Smiles

Mar 26, 2007 Megan Styles

An Introduction to Thai culture and being culturally sensitive in the country. As more and more people visit this country, the importance of responsible travel increases.

Thai culture - like most Asian cultures - differs from Western culture in a number of different ways. With so many people visiting Thailand every year, it is important to be culturally sensitive whilst traveling in the region and to consider what might be offensive to the Thai people. Here are some dos and don’ts for Thailand:

Never touch a Thai person on the head, even if you are just being friendly. Thai people believe that the head is the highest part of the body and to touch someone on the head can be very offensive.

Likewise, Thai’s consider the feet to be the lowest part of the body and you should never touch anyone with your feet. You should never move objects with your feet or point at things with your feet. When trying to get past someone, you should not step over them but shuffle around them. Never point your feet at another person and take particular care not to point them at a Buddha image. Do as the locals do when sitting on the ground, point your feet behind you, to the side.

When greeting another person, Thais wai. This is the gesture of bringing the hands together with palms facing together in front of the body. A younger person will generally wai first and the elder is expected to return the gesture. The higher the wai, the more respectful.

In many inside areas, Thais remove their shoes before entering. You should do the same. If you see a row of shoes outside a building, take your shoes off. Take special care to remove your shoes before entering a temple or somebody's home.

Public displays of affection are frowned upon. Never kiss or hug in public. Holding hands is okay, but that’s as far as it should go.

Try and dress conservatively. Although many tourists in Thailand don’t – that doesn’t mean it is okay. Sun-baking topless is considered a big no-no. Many Thais go swimming with long clothes on in order to cover up. You should never wear shorts or short-sleeved tops in temples and should cover up as much as possible. Closed toe shoes are also recommended. Many Thais would never say anything if they found your attire to be offensive, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t dress conservatively.

Act politely in temples and places of worship. Even if you are just there to take photos, many of the local population will be there to worship and for religious reasons. Don’t walk in front of people who are worshiping, don’t be too noisy and always make sure it is okay to take photos. Absolutely never climb upon a Buddha image. Try and keep your head below the Buddha at all times.

So there are some tips for being culturally sensitive in Thai culture. Your efforts will be greatly appreciated by the Thai people.

The copyright of the article Thai Culture in Entertaining is owned by Megan Styles. Permission to republish Thai Culture in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.