Etiquette Tips
1. The King
Revered throughout the country, the Thai king is considered to be semi-divine. His portrait appears in many public spaces, including on the nation’s currency. Visitors should be careful not to offend the monarchy since Thailand enforces strict lese majeste laws. In fact, it is a social taboo for foreigners to discuss the king in any regard.
2. Removing Shoes
Do remove your shoes at all Buddhist temples, Thai homes, and any other place where you notice a pile of shoes outside the entrance. Thai custom considers feet the dirtiest and lowliest part of the body; the opposite of the head, which is the most respected.
3. The Head
You should refrain from touching Thai people’s heads, since it is considered the highest or most respected part of their body. This even applies to young children. Even though it is customary in the West to playfully touch children on the head, in Thailand this can be considered rude or insensitive.
4. Be Careful With Your Feet
Ensure that you do not point with your toes or show someone the sole of your foot. Likewise, if you drop paper currency, which features the king’s portrait, don’t step on the money to keep it from blowing away.
5. Respect Buddha Images
Generally it is okay to take photographs of Buddha images, but refrain from pointing your finger directly at the image. When you sit in front of a Buddha image, be careful not to point your toes toward it. Sit cross-legged, or with your legs to one side, pointing backwards.
6. The Wai
The traditional Thai greeting is made by pressing one’s hands together just below the chin. It looks similar to the Western prayer gesture. Many Thais, especially businessmen, are accustomed to shaking hands nowadays, but most hotel staff and other Thais will greet you with a wai. It is usually polite to wai in return.
7. Apologies
If you offend a Thai, you can apologize by making the wai gesture to that person. He will usually accept your apology after that, and the episode will have passed. This can smooth over trivial offences, such as bumping into someone in the street, or serious offences, such as a verbal altercation.
8. Control Your Temper
Thai culture encourages even-headedness. You often hear Thais say, mai pen rai, which roughly means “never mind”, “no problem” or “it is not important.” Disagreements or mistakes should not lead to raised voices. Losing your temper is considered a loss of face, and it is frowned upon.
9. The Thai Smile
Thailand is known as the “Land of Smiles,” but not every smile is the same. Thais smile not only when they are happy, but also when they are embarrassed, amused, wrong, annoyed, or uncertain. Sometimes foreigners mistakenly believe that Thai people are smiling at them, or making fun of them, when they are actually smiling because they are confused or embarrassed.
10. Dress
Although in Western culture revealing clothes are acceptable, in Thailand they can be considered disrespectful or distasteful. In the major tourist areas, local Thais are generally accustomed to foreigner’s casual clothes such as bikinis, tank tops, and short shorts. However, if you visit sacred places, like a temple or a Thai person’s home, you should dress more conservatively.
